Cramp bark

Also known as King's Crown and May Rose, cramp bark is a flowering bush native to Scotland and England now naturalized throughout Canada and the U.S.

Cramp bark is a shrubby plant that is native to Europe and North America, as well as northern portions of Asia and Africa. Depending on location, the plant is known by various other names, including Guelder Rose, Snow Bush and High Bush Cranberry.

The bark has a long history of use in by various Native American tribes, most notably the Meskwaki and the Penobscot. As the name suggests, cramp bark is traditionally used to address cramping and muscle fatigue, the efficacy of which is due to the presence of a type of coumarin called scopoletin.

Dried and powdered cramp bark is used to make infused oils or lotions for topical use.