#druid draw

Shadow's Claw (Devil's Club to humans) Useful parts: Bark and root. Found deep in the forest, towards the marsh. Shadow's Claw is great for treating ailments of breathing, including pain, smoke inhalation and coughs. The root can be eaten as is, but stubborn kits do better if a poultice is applied to prey scraps or honey and it's eaten that way. The plant is also useful for treating pains and sterilizing wounds in the form of a poultice applied to the skin. Great for sore elders. PINE'S COMMENTS: Recognize Shadow's Claw by a large bush with broad, spiked leaves and a cluster of bright red berries. The leaves are useless and the berries will upset the belly if eaten. The stem and bark are covered in thorns. These will be stripped BEFORE the plant enters my den.

Boulder Grape (Oregon Grape to humans) Useful parts: Bark and root. Found on the rocky slopes near pine trees. Boulder Grape can be used to treat belly upset like bloating or bad dirt. It is also good for skin pains like rashes and burns. If other stocks are low the Grape's roots can be used for cuts and thorn pokes. PINE'S COMMENTS: This plant has spiky, waxy leaves. Look for yellow flowers during Bloom, and blue grapes during Burn and Thaw.

Western Hemlock Useful parts: Sap and pitch. Scattered throughout the forest, the sap of these trees can be used to clean wounds and can be applied to the chest to treat breathing ailments. Kittens tend to find this especially soothing. PINE'S COMMENTS: Distinguish hemlock from other pines by looking for drooping branches and small cones. (Pictured is) sap gathered on an unrelated stick. Wash your paws after handling or you'll trail the stuff everywhere.

Pestle Parsnip (also known as Barestem Biscuitroot to humans) Useful parts: Seeds. Roots also contain healing abilities. Like Boulder Grape, found on the rocky slopes, usually in clearings. Pestle Parsnip is great for breaking fevers and treating sore throats, as well as breathing ailments. Chewing or crushing the seeds into a poultice and applying them to the head can relieve headaches. PINE'S COMMENTS: Look for small, rounded leaves low to the ground and yellow flowers on reaching stalks. The seeds are best harvested during Burn and Frost, once the flowers have died. Find them while they bloom and remember their location for gathering later.

Salal Useful parts: Leaves. A few bushes grow in the marsh. The leaves of salal can be chewed to a poultice and applied to most manner of wound, including scratches, bites, cuts and burns. Most injuries benefit from this treatment. Salal leaf can also be eaten to treat belly ailments, but Boulder Grape does a better job and Salal is harder to find so it should be preserved for its best use unless absolutely necessary. PINE'S COMMENTS: Salal is one of few treatments for frostbite, and a preserve is a necessity for the cold seasons. Dried leaves are less potent but still do the job. Salal is sparse in Treeclan territory. It requires a walk to the heart of the marsh. Look for dangling white flowers in Bloom, and dark blue berries during Burn and Frost.

Yarrow Useful parts: Leaves. Found scattered throughout the territory. Yarrow is the best medicine for treating infections and cleaning wounds. It should always be applied to injuries caused by animals, including cats. The poultice can also soothe aches. The smell of yarrow can repel mosquitoes, which can be deadly in swarms to kittens. PINE'S COMMENTS: Be ABSOLUTELY SURE that you are harvesting true yarrow, and not the deadly false yarrow. Never harvest yarrow from near or within the marsh for this reason. (Author's Note: False yarrow is a stand-in for what is water hemlock or poison hemlock to humans.)

Dogwood (Specifically Pacific Dogwood to humans) Useful parts: Bark, roots, leaves. Found in the forest along the creek. Dogwood is a wonderful medicine for many purposes. Dried bark can be consumed to treat many sicknesses. Poultice from the bark and roots can be applied to the body to treat pains and soreness. Lastly, a leaf poultice can treat burns and bites. This relieves the irritation of mosquito bites well. If an illness hasn't responded to any other treatment, eating the dried bark is a reliable last resort. PINE'S COMMENTS: Dogwood is my favourite plant. The white flowers remind me of my mother, and I believe it's potentially more useful than we give it credit for. Perhaps this is purely sentiment.