What is Tamarack?

Tamarack is a North American larch tree. The inner bark is the part used in folk remedies. You may also see it called American larch, eastern larch or hackmatack.

Botanists now call the tree Larix laricina. Older herb books use the name Larix americana. It is a conifer that drops its needles each autumn.

Folk healers and Eclectic doctors used bark tea for coughs, sore skin and aching joints. Modern human evidence for any of this is essentially absent. Traditional use is not proof that a remedy works, and it is not proof that it is safe.

How does Tamarack work?

Nobody has shown how tamarack bark acts in the body. The honest answer is that the mechanism is unknown.

The bark is rich in tannins. In test tubes, tannins bind to proteins. That is why a bark wash feels drying and tightening on skin.

Larch resin holds pine-like oils. In laboratory tests, some of these oils slow the growth of bacteria and fungi. Whether that happens on human skin, or inside the body, is not established.

Larch wood also holds arabinogalactan, a soluble plant fibre. In small human studies, purified fibre from western larch fed gut bacteria. Those studies used a refined powder, not tamarack bark tea.

What forms does Tamarack come in?

Tamarack is a niche herb. Most shops do not stock it.

Forms you may come across:

- Dried inner bark, cut for tea. - Tinctures and liquid extracts made with alcohol.

- Bark powder sold for a poultice (a paste laid on the skin). - Larch arabinogalactan powder, which usually comes from western larch, not tamarack. - Very dilute homeopathic Larix preparations.

Labels are often vague about the species. Look for the botanical name before you buy. Essential oils from larch or other conifers are for external use only.

Where it comes from:

Tamarack grows across Canada and the northern United States. Several First Nations used larch bark and resin in their medicine. Recorded uses included washes for sores and teas for chest trouble.

Settlers took up the bark, and the Eclectic doctors wrote it up. The Eclectics practised in the United States from the 1830s to the 1930s. Their books listed tamarack as a tonic, a mild laxative and a diuretic (something that makes you pass more urine).

They also used it for jaundice (yellow skin caused by liver trouble) and for swollen joints. The bark dropped out of use as newer drugs arrived. Today it survives in folk writing rather than in research.

What does Tamarack help with?

• Coughs and chest congestion: This was one of the main folk uses. Bark tea or syrup was given for winter coughs. There is no human trial of tamarack for cough. Resin oils smell like pine and may feel clearing, but that is a sensation, not proof. A cough lasting more than three weeks needs a doctor, not a herb.
• Skin sores, cuts and burns (used as a wash or poultice): External use has the longest record. Healers laid bark paste or resin on sores, boils and burns. In laboratory tests, conifer resin slows some bacteria. Whether that helps a wound on a real person is not established. Resin can also cause an allergic rash. Deep wounds, burns and spreading redness need medical care.
• Joint pain and stiffness: Eclectic texts listed tamarack for rheumatic aches. The bark was taken as tea or tincture, sometimes with other herbs. No trial has tested this. There is no good evidence that it eases joint pain or slows joint damage. If a joint is hot, red and swollen, see a doctor.
• Sore throat and mouth irritation (used as a gargle): Tannin-rich barks were common gargles in folk practice. They taste drying and tightening. The astringent (tightening) effect of tannins is real in test tubes. No study shows that a tamarack gargle shortens a sore throat. Swallowing strong bark tea often can upset the stomach.
• Sluggish digestion and constipation (used as a 'spring tonic'): Old books called tamarack a tonic and a mild laxative. People drank it in spring as a general 'clean out'. There is no evidence behind the tonic idea. Tannins can in fact make constipation worse for some people. Ongoing bowel changes are a reason to get checked, not a reason to self-treat.
• Jaundice and other liver complaints: Eclectic doctors used the bark for jaundice (yellow skin caused by liver trouble). This reflects the ideas of that era, not tested effect. No human study supports it. Yellow skin or yellow eyes is always a medical emergency sign. If you have liver disease, avoid tamarack and speak to your doctor first.

What are the side effects of Tamarack?

• Nausea or stomach ache
• Constipation from the tannins
• Loose stools or stomach cramping from stronger teas
• Dry, puckering feeling in the mouth
• Skin rash or itching from bark and resin on the skin
• Allergic reaction in people sensitive to conifer resin or pine pollen
• Kidney irritation from strong resin or oil preparations

Good to know:

Reports are old and informal. True rates are unknown.

Mild stomach upset and skin irritation are the usual complaints. Serious harm looks uncommon with weak bark tea. Strong resin and essential oil products are riskier.

Stop at the first sign of a rash, belly pain or burning when you pass urine.

How much Tamarack should you take?

• Recommended daily: There is no established dose for tamarack. No trial has tested one in people. Labels on dried bark often suggest about 1 to 2 grams steeped in a cup of water. Tincture labels often list a few millilitres, once or twice a day. These are label habits, not advice for you. Strength varies widely between products. A doctor or trained herbalist should set any amount you take.
• Best time of day: Time of day does not appear to matter. No study has compared morning with evening use. The tea can loosen the bowels and make you pass more urine. Many people therefore avoid it close to bedtime.
• With or without food: With food is the gentler choice. Tannins in bark can upset an empty stomach. Bark tea also cuts how much iron you absorb from a meal. If you take iron tablets, keep them several hours away from the tea.
• Time to effect: No honest number exists. No trial has measured how fast tamarack acts. A skin wash would be judged within a few days. A tea for cough or aching joints was judged over one to two weeks in folk use. It may also do nothing at all. If nothing has changed after two weeks, stopping is reasonable.
• How long to take it: Short use is the pattern in the old books. They described days to a few weeks, not year-round use. Nothing is known about long-term safety. Tannins and resin can irritate the gut and the kidneys over time. Treat any use beyond a couple of weeks as a question for a clinician.