Palo Yamao, the Grass that "calls" to abundance and rain

Scientific Name: Guarea trichilliodes. Lin.

The Yamagua, Also known as Stick YamaoIt is a tree with compound leaves that can reach up to 20 meters, greenish-white in color and fruit in capsule with seeds.

It is very common in forests, river banks and in low or medium elevation, but humid terrain. It has a great presence in Cuba and other tropical areas.

It is said that you have to be careful when consuming it for some of its medicinal properties, as its fruit is poisonous. However, strong spiritual and healing powers used over the years are attributed to it.

Call water where there is water and nobody knows, it is usually said, because they say that the Yamagua will always indicate where the precious liquid is and hence its name.

Medicinal properties attributed to Yamagua

The leaves and bark of Yamagua have important medicinal properties.

The components of the plant are used above all in cooking and purgatives, as well as medicinal oils to treat various ailments.

Among the main properties of Yamagua are:

Haemostatic
hematuria
Treatments for intestinal, urethral and vaginal bleeding
Fight hemophilia and eczema
Has bitter-astringent, purgative properties
It has anti-inflammatory action.

Due to these properties, the Yamao or Yamagua stick is one of the most used plants today as a natural remedy.

The Palo Yamao in African religious expressions

It translates into Lucumi language: Fendébillo
In Congo: Nkita. Morinbánkuo. Macho.

The Palo Yamao It is used a lot in the Rule of Palo Monte, it is used to call and can make a person obedient to the will and the spell of the yamao.

In the Rule of the Ocha (Santeria), the Yamao is a plant that represents the powers of all the Orishas, so it can be used in everyone's omiero (spiritual water of herbs) and to communicate with each of the deities.

It can also be used in spiritual baths to get closer to a certain Orisha.

The Yamao It also calls for abundance and therefore whoever wishes to get rich must blow powders of yamao, and also of songué, lodestone, benzoin, corn and eggshell, while reciting:

"Talisman de Portugalete, bring money to my house."

The Yamao also serves to invoke Shango and for this reason in times of drought the plant is used to call the Orisha of Thunder and thus attract rain.

It can be used in baths or grated as powder or burned as incense to invoke deities and is also a common ingredient in numerous rituals, especially focused on material prosperity.