Some perennial shrubs are beautiful but toxic. These are planted away from children in cities. Wolfberry is one such plant.
Wolfberry is a perennial, ornamental plant. It grows in both wild and urban settings. Gardeners may know it as wolfberry, pukhlyak, badovets, or daphne. This deciduous shrub belongs to the wolfberry or Thymelaeaceae family.
There are around 50 kinds of wolfberry. Each has unique traits. About 10 types grow in our country. This plant is also on the Red List of the Moscow Region.
K. Linnaeus first wrote about the shrub. He named it daphne, which means laurel in Greek. In Russia, it is called wolfberry because it is poisonous. The bark is also hard to tear, like a wolf's.
Although poisonous, the shrub has some uses. In the past, people used it in folk medicine. They made ointments and extracts from the bark, branches, and berries. These were used to treat:
rheumatic and nerve pain
paralysis
gout
abscesses and scrofula
sciatica
These mixtures also worked as laxatives, fever reducers, and antibacterial agents. Today, wolfberry is used in homeopathy. The bark is mostly used. Experts say it can treat stomach issues, cystitis, shingles, and skin infections.
The root can help with toothaches. The plant also repels insects, making it useful for pest control.