Tree is a woody plant that regularly renews its growth. A Plant is a living organism of the kind exemplified by trees, shrubs, herbs, grasses, ferns, and mosses, typically growing in a permanent site. This plant absorbs water and inorganic substances through its roots, and synthesizing nutrients in its leaves by photosynthesis using the green pigment chlorophyll. Most plants classified as trees have a single self-supporting trunk containing woody tissues, and in most species the trunk produces secondary limbs, called branches. A tree is any plant with the general form of an elongated stem, or trunk, leaves or branches at some distance above the ground. Medicinal plants have long been utilized in traditional medicine and worldwide ethnomedicine. A single plant contains widely diverse phytochemicals. The effects of using a whole plant as medicine are uncertain. Drug research makes use of ethnobotany to search for pharmacologically active substances in nature, and has in this way discovered hundreds of useful compounds. Here are the top 10 Medicinal Trees.
1.Alder
Alder is the most common tree in river and lakeside forests, and it improves soil fertility through its ability to fix nitrogen from the air. Alders are distributed throughout the Northern Hemisphere and in parts of western South America. Alder trees are small trees in the birch family. There are at least 35 species of these trees distributed throughout different climates around the world. Popular ornamental species include the European, Italian, Japanese, Manchurian and seaside alders. Alder catkins are high in protein and are used as a survival food. Native American and First Nations Peoples historically ate the inner bark of alder in springtime. The bark is most commonly used, but the leaf buds, mature leaves, male catkins, and female green catkins are also medicinal. It supports in liver functioning.
Fresh alder sap can be applied to any area to relieve itching. Skin disorders including acne and boils may respond well to both internal and topical use of alder. The leaves and bark can be made into a tea that will benefit tonsillitis and fever. Alder medicine also helps our body to reestablish harmony through fighting infection, healing wounded or inflamed tissue and promoting a healthy transfer of nutrients. Alder bark tea for mouth ulcerations and sore throats. Alder bark makes a beautiful orange dye. Alder wood is unique. Alder wood is generally light and soft. It has a beautiful red undertone that often increases in intensity as the wood ages. Alder wood is much more sustainable and economical. Alder wood, pale yellow to reddish brown, is fine-textured and durable, even underwater. Alder wood can be an excellent option for kitchen cabinets, moldings, and millwork. It can also be used for different types of furniture, doors, and panel
2.Ash(Fraxinus)
Ash is a genus of flowering plants in the olive and lilac family, Oleaceae. The leaves of ash trees are opposite, usually deciduous, and pinnately compound with an odd number of leaflets often five to nine. The narrow fruits, called samaras, are one-seeded and winged. The genus is widespread across much of Europe, Asia, and North America. Ash genus of 45–65 species of trees or shrubs primarily distributed throughout the Northern Hemisphere. A tea made from the bark was used to treat irritation and itchy conditions and juice from the leaves is used to treat mosquito bites.
This herb has an astringent action. It reduces vomits. White Ash bark has stone dissolving capacity. Constipation can be treated with the help of ash tree bark. It is known to destroy all the snake poison and treats snake bites. “White ash” is used for baseball bats, hockey sticks, paddles and oars, tennis and other racket frames, and the handles of shovels, spades, hoes, rakes, and other agricultural tools. Ash trees are known for their wood. Ash wood that is stiff, strong, resilient, and yet lightweight.
3.Beech(Fagus)
The beech is most widespread in Central and Western Europe, although it can be found as shrub or tree. Beech is a genus of deciduous trees with medium hardness in the family Fagaceae, native to temperate Europe, Asia, and North America. Beech trees can grow to 300 years or more and can reach a height of 30 to 35 metres. Classification system of the genus recognize 10 to 13 species in two distinct subgenera, Engleriana and Fagus. Beech trees have a distinctive, smooth gray bark that resembles the skin of an elephant. Beech hedges are easy to maintain. Beech leaves were boiled to make anti-inflammatory poultices to relieve swelling. Beech flowers are used in homoeopathic practices such as Bach Flower Remedies. The fruit of fagus have high fat content that can be used for edible oil. The bark is used as a tea for lung problems.
Beech leaves traditionally used by Native Americans for treating tuberculosis. Beech bark tea make a good wash for poison ivy. Beech wood is primarily reddish-brown in color and slightly coarse with conspicuous rays and tiny pores. The grain is straight with a fine, even texture. Beech wood is very hard and tough. It is widely used for furniture framing and carcase construction, flooring and engineering purposes, in plywood and in household items like plates, but rarely as a decorative wood. The timber can be used to build chalets, houses, and log cabins. Beech logs are burned to dry the malt used in some German smoked beers. Beech wood can also used to prepare pianos and toys. It can be used as fuel. Beech chips are used to make Beer.
4.Birch
The Birch belongs to the Betulaceae family, of which there are about 40 different types for instance the common birch, weeping birch, red birch or white or silver birch. Birch are trees that are native to Europe and parts of Asia. Birch generally doesn’t like warmer temperatures, and in the US birches are mostly found in the north and the eastern states. Birch bark is antibacterial, and it was used to create storage containers that helped keep food from spoiling. The scientific name is Betula papyrifera: Betula means ‘pitch’ and papyrifera means ’paper bearing’. A birch has smooth, resinous, varicoloured or white bark, marked by horizontal pores, which usually peels horizontally in thin sheets, especially on young trees.
The leaves of Birch contain Vitamin C. Birch is used for joint pain, kidney stones, bladder stones, urinary tract infections. Other uses include treating arthritis, achy joints (rheumatism), loss of hair, and skin rashes. Birch is also used in “Spring cures” for “purifying the blood.” From this tree wine also can be prepared. Birch sap has medicinal properties. Birch products are rot resistant, lightweight and easy to access. Birch trees are remarkable: they can keep you warm, nourish you and even heal you. Black Birch is to use it to make tea. This tree was used to produce wintergreen oil. The inner bark has been harvested for centuries by the native peoples in Northern Europe. Dry Birch wood is a fantastic material for firewood, but is a particularly good choice for friction fire building.
5.Cedar
Cedrus deodara, the deodar cedar, is a species of cedar native to the western Himalayas in Eastern Afghanistan, Northern Pakistan and India, Southwestern Tibet, and Western Nepal. Deodar is in great demand as building material because of its durability, rot-resistant character and fine, close grain, which is capable of taking a high polish. Heartwood is also stronger. More than 15 cedar species are available counted into the cedar families. It is very close to each other. They differ in properties of color, hardness. They are used on the basis of their properties. It is famous all over the world. It also has antifungal properties and has some potential for control of fungal deterioration of spices during storage. Rooms made of deodar cedar wood are used to store meat and food grains like oats and wheat in Shimla, Kullu, and Kinnaur district of Himachal Pradesh.
It is used for fencing, decking, siding, trim, and many other applications. Due to its aromatic properties, It is also used for clothing storage and oil. The inner wood is aromatic and used to make incense. Inner wood is distilled into essential oil. As insects avoid this tree, the essential oil is used as insect repellent on the feet of horses, cattle and camels. Cedars are often very attractive colours, soft and if you get clear lumber, can be worked easily, it has been a lumber of choice for strip building of boats where strength is not important since the boat gets coated in fiberglass anyway. It is used for musical instrument. Its applications include soap perfumes, household sprays, floor polishes, and insecticides, and is also used in microscope work as a clearing oil.
6.Elm
Elm, genus of about 35 species of forest and ornamental shade trees of the family Ulmaceae, native primarily to north temperate areas. Many are cultivated for their height and attractive foliage. Elms are deciduous and semi-deciduous trees comprising the flowering plant genus Ulmus. It originates from central Asia. Some individual elms reached great size and age. Elm usually has a strong, unpleasant smell when green; though once dried has very little odor. Elm is rated as non-durable; susceptible to insect attack. This grain is interlocked With a somewhat coarse, uneven texture. Heartwood is light to medium reddish brown. Paler sapwood is usually well defined. Elm leaves are doubly toothed and often lopsided at the base. The petalless flowers appear before the leaves and are borne in clusters on jointed stems. The nutlike fruit, surrounded by a flat, sometimes hairy, winglike structure, is called a samara. Elm tree consists of a single-seeded fruit. Native Americans would peel Slippery Elm’s slimy, red inner bark from twigs and branches and use it as a remedy for many common ailments, like fevers, wounds, and sore throats. Slippery elm powder is thought to soothe the lining of the urinary tract.
Slippery elm bark was later picked up by American soldiers to heal gunshot wounds during the American Revolution. The Native Americans would also wrap the inner bark of the slippery elm around their meat to keep the meat from going bad. Slippery elm may be helpful for treating occasional heartburn, also known as acid reflux. Some varieties can be cultivated as dwarf trees, while others can measure up to the height of 115 feet. It should be moderately priced. The fast-growing Siberian elm, a brittle-twigged weak-wooded tree, is sometimes planted for quick shade and for windbreaks. Elm wood is used in constructing boats and farm buildings because it is durable underwater; it is also used for furniture. Boxes, baskets, furniture, hockey sticks, veneer, wood pulp, and papermaking can be done with this furniture. Elm in the Ulmus genus has been reported as a sensitizer. Many disease-resistant cultivars and hybrids are being used to replace trees killed by Dutch elm disease. Once one of the largest and most prevalent of the North American elm species, preferred as an ideal shade tree for urban roadsides.
7.Hawthorn
The genus includes hundreds of species commonly found in Europe, North America, and Asia. Hawthorn tree a symbol of love. Hawthorn leaf contains high levels of flavonoids, the berry is rich in oligomeric procyanidins. Hawthorn berries are tiny fruits that grow on trees and shrubs belonging to the Crataegus genus. Their berries are packed with nutrition and have a tart, tangy taste and mild sweetness, ranging in color from yellow to deep red to black. It was famously known as the May-Tree or may-blossom for it was said to flower in May, and it once played a large part in May Day festivities. Flowers have five petals with white and tinged pink. A tree reaching up to 13 ft; it takes around 20–50 years to reach its ultimate height. The plant also contains vitamins B and C. In some parts of Portugal, children were given haws to eat because of their high nutritional content. It’s a key part of traditional Chinese medicine. It’s berry may have anti-inflammatory properties that could improve your health.
The Irish physician who was first noted to have used the remedy for cardiovascular complaints specifically used berries. It is also used for diseases of the heart and blood vessels such as congestive heart failure (CHF), chest pain, and irregular heartbeat. Research suggests that hawthorn might be effective in treating congestive heart failure. Hawthorn preparations are used as a wash for sores, itching, and frostbite. Hawthorn berry has been used as an herbal remedy for digestive problems. Someone uses this to the skin for boils, sores, and ulcers. Hawthorn can be found in candied fruit slices, jam, jelly, and wine. Hawthorn berry is a rich source of polyphenols, which are powerful antioxidant compounds found in plants. Hawthorn berries are used to treat both low blood pressure and high blood pressure, “hardening of the arteries”, and high cholesterol. The berries contain fiber, which has been proven to aid digestion by reducing constipation and acting as a prebiotic. It is also used to reduce anxiety, as a sedative, to increase urine output. Hawthorn berries may even prevent hair loss and is a common ingredient in commercial hair growth products. It is also used for diarrhea, and stomach pain. It is very easy is to add into our diet. Hawthorn is also used to treat tapeworm and other intestinal infections.
8.Hazelnut
Hazelnuts are a tree nut native to the eastern half of North America. The hazelnut is the fruit of the hazel deriving from species of the genus Corylus. Turkey is the world’s largest producer of hazelnuts. The nuts themselves are relatively small about the size of a large marble and round. It consists of an oval hard shell. In its interior, there is the edible nut. Hazelnuts are a good source of dietary fiber. They are a rich source of mono- and polyunsaturated fats and contain a good amount of omega-6 and omega-9 fatty acids, such as oleic acid. Hazelnuts are rich in antioxidants, which are compounds that protect against the oxidation of cells. According to recent research, eating nuts may help some people to gain less weight. Eating hazelnuts may help reduce cholesterol. Eating a hazelnut-rich diet may improve cardiovascular risk biomarkers, potentially lowering the risk of heart problems. Hazelnuts’ high concentration of antioxidant compounds, vitamins and minerals could give them some anti-cancer properties. Magnesium, along with calcium, is essential for the health and wellness of your bones and joints. The bark can be used as a poultice to close wounds, treat tumors, and sores.
Hazelnuts make a tasty snack and are a great addition to many dishes. Eating a nut mix that includes hazelnuts may help improve insulin sensitivity. Insulin sensitivity plays a role in the development of type 2 diabetes. It also helps to ease inflammation. A synergic effect of these vitamins prevents the onset of fine lines and wrinkles on your skin, thus delaying the early onset of ageing signs. This Vitamin E along with the fats of this nut helps in moisturizing and hydrating the skin. It, thus, conditions the skin, keeping it soft and smooth. They make an excellent scrub ingredient for acne prone skin along with coffee beans. You can use the oil extracted from these nuts in your daily hair care regimen. Eating Hazelnut encourages regular bowel movements and helps prevent constipation. It may increase sperm count and improve the sperms’ quality. Peeled hazelnuts flour can be used for baking or to make hazelnut butter, a nutritious spread. Hazelnuts can also be coated with chocolate or spices, like cinnamon or cayenne, for a sweet or spicy treat. It had been popular as a flavoring agent in the liqueurs and coffee.
9.Ironwood(Mesua Ferrea)
Mesua Ferrea is one of the natural herbs cultivated in many regions throughout the world with numerous health advantages. Mesua ferrea commonly known as Ironwood Tree is an ornamental and hardwood timber tree native to Sri Lanka, India, southern Nepal, Burma, Thailand, Indochina, the Philippines, Malaysia and Sumatra. It is the state tree of Tripura and the national tree of Sri Lanka. Density of wood is heavier than water. It normally grows about 20 m to over 30 m high. It grows well in river valleys of the evergreen forests of The Himalayas and Western Ghat Hills of Konkan and Malabar area. It also grows well in some parts of Tamil Nadu, Assam, Travancore, Andaman Islands. It is grown as ornamental tree in parks and on roadsides. Fruits are normally green in color changing to brown as they mature. One fruit contains 1-4 seeds. The seed is about 14 cm long, weight 230 g. It is the largest of all recorded dicotyledon seeds. This slow-growing tree is named after the heaviness and hardness of its timber. It is widely grown as an ornamental due to its graceful shape, grayish-green foliage with a beautiful pink to red flush of drooping young leaves, and large, fragrant white flowers. Due to the small size of the tree, grain can be wild or gnarled. Hardwood has anti-inflammatory activities.
Due to various types of Vitamin, Minerals and nutrients, present in the Mesua Ferrea it has lots of health benefits. This seed-oil is used for treating itch and other skin eruptions, dandruff and against rheumatism. Flowers are useful in the treatment of acidity in the stomach, vomiting, loss of appetite, heartburns, hematemesis, gastritis, peptic ulcer and pain in the intestine. These flowers are also used to treat cough, bronchitis and asthma. The plant is also used in the treatment of headache, sore throat, hiccups, heart diseases. It is well known for its hemostatic property. Seed oil makes an excellent soothing external application and also soothes associated pain and burning sensation. Flowers and leaves of M. ferrea are used to recover from the snake bites. The oil prepared from stamens is antibacterial and antifungal. It is being used to improve immunity. Ironwood Tree in Indian system of medicine is used as deodorant. Powder of this flower is used in bleeding piles and burning of the feet. Red wood is hard, heavy and suitably strong for all forms of heavy construction, railway sleepers, transmission posts, heavy-duty furniture, parquet flooring, posts and tool handles.
10.Linden
Linder derived from the Tilia genus of trees, which typically grows in temperate regions of North America, Europe, and Asia. Tilia cordata, also known as small-leaved lime. Linden trees belong to the Tiliaceae family, which consists of nearly 80 species. The 5-petaled, fragrant, yellow to white flowers are collected after spring bloom, dried, and carefully preserved. These flowers are valuable for medicinal purposes. By drinking linden tea, they get relaxation. Type 2 diabetes and cancer can be reduced because of Linden. Linden flower is cardiotoxic. Antioxidants are compounds that help fight inflammation, potentially lowering your risk of disease. Chronic pain can be erased with this usage.
Linden has been used to induce sweating for feverish colds, infections, reduce nasal congestion. Components like tiliroside, rutoside, and chlorogenic acid of Linder plant used to lower the body blood pressure. Linden tea delivers gentle heat and hydration. It makes soothe your digestive tract and as water can help food move through your intestines. People use linden for conditions such as colds, headache, trouble sleeping. Traditionally, the flowers have been used to treat flu, migraine, nervous tension, ingestion, various types of spasms and gall bladder disorders, diarrhea, and elevated arterial pressure associated with arteriosclerosis. It is also used for rapid heartbeat. Linden wood is used for liver disease.
