DEVIL'S CLUB
Latin: Oplopanax horridus
Devil’s club, also called devil's walking stick, is a perennial shrub that occurs naturally in the damp woodlands of the Pacific Northwest. It is particularly at home in Alaska's Tongass National Forest and plays an important role both spiritually and medicinally in Native American tribe societies such as Haida and Tlingit. The herb is a member of the ivy family and related to American ginseng, the latter fact giving rise to the nickname “Alaskan ginseng.” Devil’s club is challenging to harvest because the entire plant is covered with relentless thorns, but once the root and root bark are obtained it can be made into a tea and used to produce ointments and salves, traditionally used for pain relief and skin conditions.