Food: Ishwhish has many non-medicinal uses.  The leaves and flowers make a hot beverage. The seeds may be eaten.  A red dye may be produced from ishwhish roots.  Finally, ishwhish leaves may be used as smoking tobacco.

Medicinal: Ishwhish has many uses in the Tongva community.  It is used to treat symptoms associated with the nose and throat.  Nosebleeds, sore throats, tonsil problems and sinusitis may all be treated by taking a decoction made from the roots and bark.  The same decoction is gargled to treat bad breath. 

Ishwhish is useful in treating skin problems.  For itches, sores, and skin irritations, a wash made from the entire plant is applied.  To cleanse infected skin areas, berries from ishwhish are boiled into a decoction.  Ishwhish blossoms can also be rubbed with water to wash the skin and hair. 

For stomach trouble or diarrhea, iswish leaves are infused in hot water.  But it must be used with proper caution because thickening this infusion and taking it can induce an abortion.  Finally, the roots and bark of most ishwhish species are brewed as a tea for a general tonic, and a decoction made of the bark lowers fevers.