What Are the Roots of Tulip Trees Used For?

Edible

• As a condiment, the root is used as a flavoring in spruce beer. The lemon-like flavoring counteracts the bitterness of the beer. Not surprisingly, the fruits of the tree also give off a lemon smell in summer before they have fully matured.

Medicinal

• The bark root has a multitude of recorded medicinal uses, but be advised that this information is presented for informational purposes only and should not be used to replace professional medical advice. According to Cherokee pharmacopoeia and Plants For a Future, uses include anthelmintic to expel or destroy parasites; aphrodisiac to increase sexual desire; tulipiferine, a cardiac ingredient affecting the heart and the nervous system; diuretic to reduce the amount of water in the body; sleep aid to treat insomnia; nervine to stimulate and calm the nerves; poultice to calm and relieve wounds and snakebites; and tonic to treat indigestion, dysentery, rheumatism, coughs and fevers. According to the LBJ Wildflower Center, native Canadians used the bark as a worming medicine, anti-arthritic, cough syrup and cholera remedy.

Substitute for Cinchona

• The bark of the tulip tree contains a substance that is a substitute for quinine bark. Quinine bark has numerous herbal medicinal qualities and is still employed in modern herbal medicines.

Other Uses

• Dyes can be made from the root bark. The inner bark of the root is white when freshly broken but turns orange when exposed. The orange runs through the bark and can be extracted to make dyes. The young bark harvested in the spring can be used to make baskets.