Cramp bark is a deciduous shrub that produces bright red fruits, leaves
that resemble maple and huge pom-poms of clustered white flowers that
are reminiscent of hydrangea. Native to Asia, Africa and Europe, the
plant is now naturalized in North America, where it is often called
snowball bush or European cranberry. Note, however, that cramp bark is
not a variety of cranberry; it is a member of the honeysuckle family.
In North America, cramp bark was widely used by Native Americans to
counter muscle spasms, which explains the herb’s common name. The active
compounds in the bark include hydroquinones, astringent tannins and
coumarins.
