Lenape Plants

Indigenous Plants

For millennia, New Jersey's original Native American residents - the Leni Lenape - have used native plants for medicine, fabrics, bedding, and more. Several of these plants populate the historic Schenck Farmstead's Lenape Garden, developed by Suri Patel in 2024 for her Girl Scout Gold Award. Scroll down to learn more. Additionally, click here to learn about West Windsor's general Leni Lenape history!

Coneflower (Echinacea spp).

Coneflower (Echinacea spp)

Medicinal Uses: The Lenni Lenape used Coneflower to treat sore throats, infections, and wounds. It was also believed to boost the immune system and was commonly used for colds and coughs.
Preparation: The roots were harvested, dried, and then ground into a powder or boiled to make a tea. The tea was consumed for internal ailments like colds and sore throats, while the fresh or dried roots were used to create poultices applied to wounds or infections.
Growing Conditions: Coneflower thrives in full sun and well-drained soil, commonly found in meadows and prairies.
Size: Typically grows 2 to 4 feet tall.
Colors: Features flowers with a central cone and petals in purple, pink, or white, blooming from mid-summer to early fall.

Milkweed (Asclepias spp.).

Milkweed (Asclepias spp.)

Medicinal Uses: Milkweed had multiple uses in Lenape medicine. The roots and other parts of the plant were used to treat respiratory issues, including coughs and bronchitis. It was also used as a laxative and to treat warts.
Preparation: The roots were typically dried and then brewed into a tea to treat respiratory issues. For warts, the milky sap from the plant was applied directly to the affected area. Care was taken during preparation to remove toxic properties, especially when using the plant for internal remedies.
Growing Conditions: Milkweed prefers sunny locations and well-drained soil. It is commonly found in meadows, prairies, and along roadsides.
Size: Depending on the species, Milkweed can grow between 2 to 6 feet tall.
Colors: Milkweed flowers come in shades of pink, purple, orange, or white.

Black-Eyed Susan (Rudbekia hirta).

Black-Eyed Susan (Rudbekia hirta)

Medicinal Uses: The Lenni Lenape used Black-eyed Susan for its medicinal properties, particularly to make a tea that treated colds, snake bites, and infections.
Preparation: The roots were typically boiled to create medicinal teas, which were then consumed to relieve colds and infections. The tea was also applied topically to treat snake bites and other wounds.
Growing Conditions: Black-eyed Susan thrives in full sun and well-drained soil. It is commonly found in meadows, prairies, and along roadsides.
Size: This plant typically grows 2 to 3 feet tall.
Colors: It has bright yellow petals with a dark brown or black center, blooming from mid-summer to fall.

Yarrow (Achillea Millefolium).

Yarrow (Achillea Millefolium)

Medicinal Uses: Yarrow was highly valued for its wide range of medicinal applications. It was used to treat wounds, stop bleeding, and as an anti-inflammatory. It also helped with digestive issues and fever.
Preparation: The leaves and flowers of Yarrow were used in teas or poultices. Fresh leaves were sometimes chewed to relieve toothaches.
Growing Conditions: Yarrow prefers full sun and well-drained soil. It is commonly found in grasslands, meadows, and open forests.
Size: Yarrow typically grows 1 to 3 feet tall.
Colors: It produces clusters of small white, yellow, pink, or red flowers from spring to fall.

Sweet Flag (Acorus calamus).

Sweet Flag (Acorus calamus)

Medicinal Uses: Sweet Flag was used for digestive issues, respiratory problems, and as a general tonic. It also served as a natural insect repellent.
Preparation: The rhizomes were dried and ground into powder or used fresh in teas and infusions.
Growing Conditions: Sweet Flag typically grows in wetlands, along the edges of ponds, lakes, and streams. It prefers full to partial sunlight and wet soil.
Size: It can grow up to 2 to 4 feet tall.
Colors: The plant has long, sword-like green leaves and small yellow-green flowers that bloom in late spring to early summer.

Wild Bergamot (Monarda fistulosa).

Wild Bergamot (Monarda fistulosa)

Medicinal Uses: Wild Bergamot was used to treat respiratory issues, digestive problems, and infections. It was also used in steam inhalation for colds and sore throats.
Preparation: The leaves and flowers were dried and usead in teas or as a poultice for wounds.
Growing Conditions: This plant thrives in full sun and well-drained soil. It is often found in prairies, meadows, and along woodland edges.
Size: Wild Bergamot grows 2 to 4 feet tall.
Colors: It has lavender to pink tubular flowers that bloom in mid to late summer.

Solomon's Seal (Polygonatum biflorum).

Solomon's Seal (Polygonatum biflorum)

Medicinal Uses: The Lenape used Solomon's Seal to treat inflammation, joint pain, and respiratory ailments. It was also used to promote healing of broken bones.
Preparation: The rhizomes were typically boiled or dried and used in teas and poultices.
Growing Conditions: Solomon's Seal prefers shaded or partially shaded areas with moist, well-drained soil. It is commonly found in woodlands and forest edges.
Size: This plant grows 1 to 3 feet tall.
Colors: It has arching stems with small, bell-shaped white or greenish-white flowers in late spring.

Wild Ginger (Asarum canadense).

Wild Ginger (Asarum canadense)

Medicinal Uses: Wild Ginger was used as a digestive aid and to treat colds, sore throats, and respiratory issues.
Preparation: The roots were dried and ground into a powder for teas or chewed directly.
Growing Conditions: Wild Ginger thrives in moist, shady areas with rich, well-drained soil. It is commonly found in woodlands and along streams.
Size: It typically grows 6 to 12 inches tall.
Colors: The plant has heart-shaped leaves and produces small, maroon or brown flowers close to the ground in early spring.

Boneset (Eupatorium perfoliatum).

Boneset (Eupatorium perfoliatum)

Medicinal Uses: Boneset was used to treat fevers, colds, and flu-like symptoms. It was also used as an anti-inflammatory and to relieve muscle aches.
Preparation: The leaves and flowers were dried and used in teas.
Growing Conditions: Boneset prefers wet soils and is commonly found in marshes, swamps, and along the edges of streams and ponds.
Size: It can grow 3 to 5 feet tall.
Colors: Boneset produces clusters of small white flowers that bloom from late summer to fall.

Elderberry (Sambucus canadensis).

Elderberry (Sambucus canadensis)

Medicinal Uses: The Lenape used Elderberry for its antiviral properties, especially in treating colds, flu, and respiratory infections. It was also used to boost the immune system.
Preparation: The berries were made into syrups, teas, and infusions, while the flowers were used in teas.
Growing Conditions: Elderberry thrives in moist, well-drained soils and is commonly found along stream banks, in wetlands, and in forest edges.
Size: This shrub can grow 5 to 12 feet tall.
Colors: Elderberry has white clusters of flowers in early summer, followed by dark purple or black berries in late summer to early fall.

Goldenseal (Hydrastis canadensis).

Goldenseal (Hydrastis canadensis)

Medicinal Uses: Goldenseal was highly valued by the Lenape for its medicinal properties, particularly as an antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory agent. It was used to treat skin disorders, digestive issues, and respiratory infections.
Preparation: The roots were dried and ground into a powder, or used fresh in teas and tinctures.
Growing Conditions: Goldenseal prefers shady, moist, and rich forest soils. It is commonly found in deciduous forests with dense canopy cover.
Size: This plant typically grows 6 to 12 inches tall.
Colors: Goldenseal has small, greenish-white flowers in the spring, followed by red berries in late summer.

Spicebush (Lindera benzoin).

Spicebush (Lindera benzoin)

Medicinal Uses: Spicebush was used by the Lenape for treating colds, fevers, and digestive issues. The aromatic leaves and twigs were also used to brew teas that helped with respiratory ailments.
Preparation: The leaves, twigs, and berries were dried and used in teas or infusions.
Growing Conditions: Spicebush thrives in moist, well-drained soils and is commonly found in the understory of forests, along stream banks, and in wetlands.
Size: This shrub typically grows 6 to 12 feet tall.
Colors: Spicebush has small, yellow flowers that bloom in early spring, followed by red berries in late summer to early fall.

Learn more about the Lenape

Bibliography

Nanticoke Lenape Museum. Plant Medicine. Nanticoke Lenape Museum, https://nanticokelenapemuseum.org/learning-center/742/plant-medicine/.
Hill, Steven. Delaware Ethnobotany. Delaware Tribe of Indians, https://delawaretribe.org/wp-content/uploads/DEL-ETHNOBOTANY-Hill.pdf.
Macculloch Hall Historical Museum. Friday Favorites: Indigenous People and Their Plants. Macculloch Hall Historical Museum, https://maccullochhall.org/activity/friday-favorites-indigenous-people-and-their-plants/.
Jersey-Friendly Yards. Common Milkweed (Asclepias syriaca). Jersey-Friendly Yards, https://www.jerseyyards.org/plant/asclepias-syriaca/.
University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Education. Original People and Their Land: The Lenape, Pre-History to the 18th Century. Collaborative History, https://collaborativehistory.gse.upenn.edu/stories/original-people-and-their-land-lenape-pre-history-18th-century.
Additional Native Plant Resources. Pinelands Preservation Alliance, https://pinelandsalliance.org/learn-about-the-pinelands/ecosystem/pinelands-plants-overview/additional-native-plant-resources/.
Foster, Steven, and James A. Duke. A Field Guide to Medicinal Plants and Herbs: Of Eastern and Central North America. 2nd ed., Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2000.
Moerman, Daniel E. Native American Ethnobotany. Timber Press, 1998.
Kershaw, Linda, et al. Edible and Medicinal Plants of the Rockies. Lone Pine Publishing, 2000.
Thayer, Samuel. Nature's Garden: A Guide to Identifying, Harvesting, and Preparing Edible Wild Plants. Forager’s Harvest, 2010.
Elias, Thomas S., and Peter A. Dykeman. Edible Wild Plants: A North American Field Guide. Sterling Publishing Co., Inc., 2009.
Peterson, Lee Allen. A Field Guide to Edible Wild Plants: Eastern and Central North America. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 1977.
Tilford, Gregory L. Edible and Medicinal Plants of the West. Mountain Press Publishing, 1997.
Erichsen-Brown, Charlotte. Medicinal and Other Uses of North American Plants: A Historical Survey with Special Reference to the Eastern Indian Tribes. Dover Publications, 1979.