Tag Archives: native mexican plants

September 9, 2026 · 8:10 am

Natural Healing – Cuatecomate

Photo credits: jayeshpatil912 and Cody Hinchlif

Cuatecomate with a spelling variant coatecomate (Crescentia alata) is in the same family as the jícara (Crescentia cujete), and in some areas, the term jícara is used for both plants. Cuatecomate produces much smaller fruits that are more appropriately sized for cups and maracas rather than bowls. Geographically, cuatecomate is more plentiful on the Pacific coast of Mexico and Central America compared to Crescentia cujete found along the Yucatán peninsula. Both species are cauliflory, meaning flowers and fruits grow directly from the main trunk rather than on the branches.

In Michoacán, Crescentia alata is known as sirián or cirián. In Oaxaca and Guatemala, it is called morro and chookari in Rarámuri. Tecomate, ayale, guaje cirián, huaje cirial, and aval are other common names. In English, this variety is Winged Calabash. Botanical synonyms include Pteromischus alatus, Crescentia trifolia, Parmentiera alata, Crescentia ternata, Otophora paradoxa,

The wood ash is an ingredient in tamales nejas. The seeds are toasted and ground and made into horchata de morro. The dried seed is toasted on the comal (griddle) and flavored with salt and limón (Citrus aurantifolia) as a sweet snack. The fruit pulp is a good source of vitamin A and ascorbic acid. However, it is toxic to some livestock and birds.

Caramelos de Morro are prepared by boiling two liters of water in a clay pot with the pulp of four morros, panela (dehydrated sugar cane), and cinnamon sticks. Once everything is soft, mix until it looks gelatinous. Remove from heat while continuing to stir. Once it reaches room temperature, shape small balls and wrap them in tissue paper.

In traditional Mexican medicine, cuatecomate is prescribed for whooping cough, colds, kidney and liver issues, dysentery, respiratory conditions, and burn care.

A leaf decoction is applied as an astringent for hemorrhoid reduction and to stimulate hair growth. A leaf infusion is prescribed for diarrhea made from 75 grams of leaves per ½ liter of water. One or two cups a day are recommended.

The flower is heated on the comal (griddle) until the sap can be removed for ear infections with no more than three drops for each ear.

A tincture made from the seeds is rubbed on the chest for pain. The fruit shell is dried, ground, and made into a poultice for burns. A root infusion is given to manage diabetes.

The fruit pulp is crushed, mixed with honey, and applied to sores or bruises. A decoction of the fruit pulp sweetened with panela is prescribed for stomach issues or inflammation.

A tincture for lung ailments and breathing issues is made by making a hole at the point where the stem connects and removing the pulp but not the seeds. The nearly empty shell is filled with mezcal and left to ferment for two days. After which, the patient takes a shot of the liquid three times a day. Another tincture calls for sugarcane alcohol allowed to steep in the shell for seven days along with the leaves of the guayacán amarillo (Handroanthus chrysanthus) and administered daily by the tablespoon on an empty stomach.

Studies have shown that cuatecomate possesses significant anti-inflammatory activity, and is antimicrobial, and antibacterial.

Cough Expectorant Tincture

2 liters of water
2/3 of a garlic head (Allium sativum)
2/3 of a medium-sized onion (Allium cepa)
27 g of cuatecomate pulp (Crescentia Alata)
27 g of bugambilia morada bracts (Bougainvillea spectabilis)
27 g of mercadela (Calendula officinalis)
27 g of saúco (Sambucus mexicana)
27 g of gordolobo (Gnaphalium spp.)
14 g of cinnamon stick (Cinnamomum zeylanicum)
14 g of ocote bark (Pinus montezumae)
14 g of coyotitos de eucalipto buds (Eucalyptus camaldulensis)
14 g of eucalipto dólar leaves (Eucalyptus cinerea)
1200 ml of honey
80 ml of 96° alcohol

Heat the water along with the cinnamon stick and ocote bark.
When the water is hot, add the garlic and onion and let them steep for five minutes.
then add the flowers and leaf ingredients.
Boil for an additional 15 minutes.
Remove from heat and strain.
Let it cool a bit before adding the honey.
Stir thoroughly.
When it is completely cool, add the alcohol, which acts as the preservative.
Bottle it and seal it when completely cool.

***

Are you interested in natural remedies for healing and wellness? Discover a treasure trove of traditional Mexican herbal remedies in the ‘Exploring Traditional Herbal Remedies in Mexico‘ series. Learn about the rich history and cultural significance of these remedies and how they can benefit your health.

Natural Healing – Jícara

Photo credits: Timm Stolten / Daniel Di Palma

Other names for jícara (Crescentia cujete) include totuma, güiro, luuch (Maya), maxat kgax (Totonaco), and guito-xiga (Zapoteco). In English, it’s most often known as the calabash tree. Botanical synonyms include Crescentia acuminata, Crescentia arborea, Crescentia cuneifolia, Crescentia angustifolia, and Crescentia fasciculata.

Jícara is mostly found in the tropical areas of Mexico and is extremely drought-resistant. Its fragrant flowers open at night and are pollinated by bats and nocturnal insects.

In Tabasco, the fruit shell is the traditional receptacle for the fermented cacao (Theobroma cacao) and maíz (Zea mays) beverage pozol. Carved bowls, spoons, and cups made from the shell are called jícaras. The wood from the trees emits no smoke when burned and is often made into animal yokes and boats. The seeds are roasted and ground with cacao (Theobroma cacao) and cinnamon (Cinnamomum zeylanicum) to prepare a medicinal beverage.

In traditional medicine, a fruit decoction is prescribed for diarrhea, stomachache, colds, bronchitis, cough, asthma, fever, sores, anemia, and urinary tract infections.

For breathing issues, boil two tablespoons of the fruit pulp in ½ liter of water. Drink three cups a day. For stomach issues, make a decoction with the leaves and drink three times a day before meals. In the states of Hidalgo, Puebla, Veracruz, and Yucatán, a syrup is made for respiratory diseases, including whopping cough (chichimeca) and tuberculosis, by making a hole in the fruit shell, extracting most of the pulp, and then pouring sherry (sometimes wine) into the nearly empty receptacle. The hole is sealed and left to ferment for a month.

For spleen issues, the fruit is consumed in combination with nopales (Opuntia ficus-indica), and in cases of a split or injured hand, jícara fruit pulp is beaten with the affected hand.

The fruit pulp is eaten as a highly effective laxative and rubbed on topically to treat skin infections caused by fungi, such as ringworm and athlete’s foot. The fruit pulp has also been shown to be an effective tick deterrent due to its acaricide activity.

Studies have shown that Crescentia cujete fruit, bark, and leaves have antimicrobial, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antibacterial properties. The fruit extract effectively reduces fever and demonstrates significant anti-bacterial activity.

***

Natural Healing — Maravilla

The lovely native Mexican plant Mirabilis jalapa has quite a number of names. In the area where I live, it’s known as Aretitos (little earrings), but it also has been given the names Maravilla, Hoja de Xalapa, Linda Tarde, Clavelina, Maravilla amarilla, Don Diego de Noche, and Maravilla de Perú in Spanish. In English, this plant is most commonly known as Four o’clocks, and in Maya ts’uts’uy xiiw. In Náhuatl is it Tlaquilin. Other indigenous names include tzojoyo by the Zoque in Chiapas, Isha-var by the Tepehuano people in Nayarit, Atssuupoljy by the Mixe in Oaxaca, and Chuyem by the Tenek in San Luis Potosi.

The plant has unique characteristics reflected in some of its common names. The blossoms, which resemble dangly earrings, open in the afternoons and close again in the early morning, providing pollen for nocturnal pollinators. Another curious phenomenon is that flowers of different colors can bloom on the same plant. These might be simultaneously blooming or found at different times during the peak flower season and can include white, yellow, pink, magenta, red, and even two-toned, speckled, or variegated blossoms. The pink, magenta, and red flowers are sometimes used to make a red food dye, while some traditional remedies call specifically for the yellow blossoms.

Traditionally, the plant is most often applied as an anti-inflammatory. The root is boiled with salt as a wash, or the crushed leaves are placed on the affected area as a poultice. For acne, boiled and crushed branches are placed directly on the affected area. For boils and tumors, a root decoction is added to the treatment and administered as tea.

Other maladies that have remedies that contain maravilla include bilis (excessive rage based in the liver), stomachache, sore throat, intestinal parasites, wounds, scrapes, varicose veins, fever, dysentery, epilepsy, and el mal de San Vito (Huntington’s disease). The flowers inhibit gut smooth muscle contractions, providing evidence of the plant’s effectiveness as a treatment for dysentery or stomachache.

Full branches with leaves, flowers, and stems with tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum) leaves are combined in alcohol to make a tincture as a topical treatment for rheumatism. Mirabilis jalapa leaves demonstrate antinociceptive activity and anti-inflammatory properties, supporting their use as an analgesic and beneficial in wound healing. For varicose veins and arthritis, the ground root is combined with potato flour and applied externally with lard. The pulverized root has been shown to be effective in treating allergic skin disorders.

Maravilla is also considered a contraceptive in some areas, although the root is considered an aphrodisiac in other areas and prescribed for male impotence. Studies have shown that Mirabilis jalapa root extract alleviates some types of erectile dysfunction and reduces the occurrence of premature ejaculation.

The root is sometimes eaten raw in salads. The fruit, which is dark and wrinkly in appearance, is toxic and should not be eaten or used in any remedy.

Additionally, studies have shown that Mirabilis jalapa root improves insulin sensitivity and reduces elevated blood sugar levels, making it a potential treatment for certain types of diabetes.
Furthermore, the root stimulates aortic muscle contractions and shows the potential to reduce lipid levels, such as cholesterol and triglycerides, suggesting it might be effective in the treatment of heart disease.

****

Are you curious about other traditional herbal remedies found in Mexico? Check out the Exploring Traditional Herbal Remedies in Mexico series!

See the series on Amazon

Tag Archives: native mexican plants

Natural Healing – Cuatecomate

Cough Expectorant Tincture

Share this:

Natural Healing – Jícara

Share this:

Natural Healing — Maravilla

Share this: