Sinicuichi/Sun Opener

Sun Opener. Heimia. Sinicuichi. Glorious little shrubs for the greenhouse or warm regions. Blooms from July to September. Delicate yellow flowers and willow like leaves. Sinicuichi is new to most people. Native to the Highlands from Mexico to Northern Argentina, it is an interesting and ancient divination plant. Grows to about 4 feet high and just as wide. Prefers Full sun. Tender Perennial. Hardy to zones 9-11.

Sinicuichi is native to the wetlands of the Americas ranging from the southwestern United States through Mexico and Central America to Argentina. The plant thrives best in warm wet areas like soggy brush lands and river sides. It does not tolerate frost, but it is heat and drought-tolerant.

If you live in USDA growing zones 8b-11, you can plant Sinicuichi outdoors. The above-ground parts are frost-sensitive but will resprout from the base every spring if temperatures are kept above 20°F. For those that live in colder climates, Sinicuichi can be planted in a pot and brought inside as a houseplant when temperatures start to drop. Leaves, flowers, and tips are harvested in late summer when in the height of flowering. They should be slowly dried to preserve their constituents.

Sinicuichi (latin name Heimia salicifolia) is revered for its memory-opening potential and its powerful connection to the Sun. The herb is believed to be the summer-blooming plant tonatiuh yxiuh, known as the “herb of the sun,” which was used by our Mesoamerican ancestors, including the Aztecs. Modern Mexicans and South Americans often refer to the herb as abre-o-sol, or the “Sun Opener.” Sinicuichi has the unique ability to expand the auditory system, brighten the field of vision, and induce vivid dreams that allow one to travel through memories, including past/parallel lives and even prenatal events.

Although Sinicuichi is associated with the Sun, its energetics are cooling. Due to its vasodilator properties, the herb reduces blood pressure, by temporarily widening blood vessels, and the body slightly cools as a result. The herb is also known for slowing the heartbeat, relaxing the muscles, and enhancing epinephrine.

Vertine (cryogenine), the alkaloid showing the highest concentration in Sinicuichi’s plant material, is considered the primary source of its sedative, tranquilizing, anti-inflammatory, and spasmolytic activity. Sinicuichi has a profound effect on the muscular system that is still yet to be uncovered in the scientific world.

Sinicuichi is mildly bitter making it useful as a digestive aid. The Pilagá of Argentinean Chaco makes a drink from the plant’s root that is imbibed to treat stomachaches. The Aztecs made a brew that included crushed Sinicuichi root boiled with honey. It is said to have worked wonderfully for clearing the bowels.

Traditionally, Sinicuichi has been used as a thick medicinal salve to cover open wounds, stop bleeding, and promote healing. The salve is prepared in the same way as the fermented tea, except the tea is left to evaporate into a thick paste. The Maká Indians of Chaco in Paraguay use the plant paste for treating puncture and scrape wounds made by thorns that have remained in the wound. The Pilagá of Argentinean Chaco places the leaves directly on sores. The juice of fresh Sinicuichi leaves is also applied to the skin to repel mosquitoes and other insects.