Bayberry

Bayberry (myricaceritera, southern waxmyrtle, waxberry, tallow berry or shrub, and candleberry) is a shrub or smalltree, with blue-white berries and long slim leaves, that could reach 40 feet in height. Male yellow cylindrical and clustered flowers, and female shorter-green clusters of flowers, are on separate trees. The fruit consists of berry-like nuts that arecoated with white wax. Bayberry isfound in the southern and eastern United States and Canada. It prefers sandy swampland or damp woods. The northern bayberry is also a shrub, but itonly grows to about8 feettall. It has wider leaves than itssouthern cousin. The berries and rootbark of bayberry are used medicinally.^{[1, 2, 3]}

Bayberry uses

• Colds
• Colitis
• Diarrhea
• Nausea
• Circulation
• Inducingvomiting
• Sore throat
• Vaginaldischarge
• Skin wounds and ulcers

Heat is used to remove the root bark. Wax is taken from theberries for making candles. Bayberry isalso used in tea as a stimulant.^[3]

Recommended dosage

There is no established dose for bayberry. As a folkremedy the suggested dose is .5g per day. Before taking bayberry in any form, talk to your healthcare provider.

Safety concerns and side effects

?
1. Ingesting bayberry may cause gastrointestinal pain or discomfort
Pollen from bayberry can cause reparatory problems and allergic reactions
2. Bayberry may cause liver damage
3. Bayberry can cause vomiting and nausea
4. In lab animals, longterm injections have been linked to malignancies
5. Bayberry is possibly unsafe when applied to the skin
6. Do not use bayberry on skin or by mouth if you arepregnant or breastfeeding
7. This herb is unsafe for those with high blood pressure because it may encourage sodium retention
8. Bayberry may aggravate edema

Resources

WebMD.com; "Bayberry"

Drugs.com; "Bayberry"

Purdue Agriculture; Horticulture and Landscape Architecture; "Bayberry"