Winter’s Bark

Other Names:

Scientific Names: Drimys winteri

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Arabic names:    القرفة البيضاء (al qirfah al baydaa’e)

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Annual/Perennial: Perennial

Height: upto 20 m

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Herb Name:  Winter’s bark

Other Names:  Drimys aromatica

Scientific Name:  Drimys winteri

Family:  Winteraceae

Common parts Used:  bark

Winter’s bark is an evergreen tree. The tree grows to 50 feet from ground. The bark of the tree is green in color. The bark of the plant is mostly used for different purposes. It belongs to the family Winteraceae.

The bark of the plant is powdered and is used as a pepper in different countries. The bark is considered to be rich in vitamin C. the wood of the tree is also used to make small boxes and interiors. An essential oil is also extracted from the bark.

The winter’s bark is also used for medicinal purpose. The bark is used as a tonic for digestive system and it relieves indigestion. It is considered as stomachic and stimulant. An infusion from the bark is made which is used as a remedy for dandruff, indigestion and colic. Winter’s bark is used against parasites. 

                     Winter’s Bark

Latin name: Drimys winteri

Family: N.O. Magnoliaceae

Other names: 

Wintera aromatic, Wintera, Canelo.

Winter’s bark is often found in Antarctic America, southern parts of South America, along the Straits of Magellan and north to Chile, Brazil.

Winter’s Bark is a slender tree, growing up to 20 m (65 ft) tall. It is native to the Magellanic and Valdivian temperate rain forests of Chile and Argentina, where it is a dominant tree in the coastal evergreen forests. It is found below 1200 meters (4000 ft) between latitude 32° south and Cape Horn at latitude 56°. In its southernmost natural range it can tolerate temperatures down to −20 °C (−4 °F).

Leaves are lanceolate, glossy green above, whitish below and can measure up to 20 cm (7 in). Its flower is white with its center yellow and is made up by a great number of petals and stamens. Its fruit is a bluish berry.

It is also grown as an ornamental plant for its red-brown bark, bright green fragrant leaves and its clusters of creamy white jasmine-scented flowers. The bark is gray, thick and soft and is used as a pepper replacement in Argentina and Chile. The peppery compound in Canelo is polygodial. D. winteri was also the first commercial source of vitamin C. Canelo wood is reddish in color and heavy, with a very beautiful grain. It is used for furniture and music instruments. The wood is not durable outdoors because continuous rainfalls damage it. The wood is not good for making bonfires because gives off a spicy smoke.

It is Stimulant, aromatic tonic, antiscorbutic, may be substituted in all cases for canella and cinnamon barks. Dose, 30 grains powdered bark; this bark is becoming very scarce and is seldom imported into Britain.