custom formulated

Devil's Club Salve

Devil’s Club (Oplopanax horridus: oplo meaning armored, panax meaning ‘heal-all’ and horridus meaning fierce.)
This fiercely armored “heal-all” treats skin conditions such as eczema and tines versicolor, soothes achey muscles and joint, helps diminish scars, fight infection in cuts, and much more.

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About us

Benjumanji's Wild Harvest isn't a non-profit, but it's certainly not about making one either. Part passion project, part experiment; Benjumanji aims to answer the question, "Do businesses really NEED to make money to be successful?".

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Devil's Club

In April, atop towering spires covered in spines, delicate shoots of the devils club emerge. These tasty little nuggets will later unfurl into formidable maple-shaped giants covered in sharp teeth; but in April there is a narrow two day window when they can be harvested for an fresh, pine-nutty addition to your favorite dish.A month later would be a good time harvest the stalk to make salve. Beneath the plant's tough exterior is a soft under-bark. Wonderfully fragrant, vibrantly green, and fleshy; this part of the plant contains the medicine.At the core you will find the alabaster bones of the stalk. The astounding and simple beauty with it's soft core has traditionally been used for beadwork. I've not yet explored this aspect myself. Please feel free to contact me if you are interested the wood from the stalks I save.

The first step to harvesting Devil’s Club is being careful. The thorns deposit their tips into your skin and fester sometimes for weeks before they work their way out. Wearing sturdy gloves and harvesting from the base of the plant were there are fewer thorns will save you a lot of discomfort.

It's time now to remove the thorns. As formidable as the plant is, this is actually a gentle process. The blade of your knife would be too much. The back of the knife would be better. Devil’s Club requires a gentle touch to keep from damaging it's soft underbelly. Run the back of your knife up and down the stalk, adjusting your angle and pressure to protect the tender, vibrantly green, flesh that contains the medicine.

Now that you've removed all of the thin outer-bark, use the tip of your knife to cut a slit the entire length of the stalk. The flesh of the plant can then be peeled easily off the smooth alabaster stalk by hand. Use the time of your knife to cut a thin slit down the center of the stalk. Needless to say, be careful. Then, peel each side back and begin removing from stalk. With medicine now harvested, you are ready to make Devil's Club Salve.

how to

Devil's Club Salve

1. Cut inner bark into small strips.2. Fill the remaining volume of the jar with organic olive oil.3. Heat jars in a bath of water using a crock pot on the lowest temperature.4. Extract Organic material.5. Add beeswax and essential oils of your choice.