LABRADOR TEA
About Labrador Tea
Typically used as a tea, Labrador Tea is very potent and ingestion should be limited to two cups or less per day. It is rich in vitamin C and has a ton of medicinal uses. Remember – in moderation.
Tea is made from a couple teaspoons of leaves to four cups of water, bring to a boil. Discard water, leave the leaves. Add add 4 more cups of water and boil until it turns yellow, strain leaves.
When drinking dilute into equal parts water. (1/2 cup tea to 1/2 cup water).
Labrador tea is a member of the rosemary family of spices. As a result it can be used as a unique marinade for red meats and wild game.
Primary use
Medicinal Teas
Edible parts
Everything – leaves/tops and flowers
Medicinal
Respiratory conditions – colds, coughs, bronchitis. Anti-inflammatory.
Kidney disorders, detoxification.
Skin conditions, anti-septic
Foraging Plant information list
This is not a complete list, this is a list of the species I have directly witnessed in my travels here in Northwest Ontario. If you find something before I do, email me and let me know.
Lambs Quarters
Joe Pye Weed
Cattails
Labrador Tea
Creeping Charlie (Ground Ivy)
Chickweed
Clover (Red)
Clover (White)
Clover (Sweet White)
Fiddleheads
Fireweed
Goldenrod
Bull Thistle
New England Aster
Saskatoon (Service berry)
Blueberry
Pin Cherry
Hazelnuts
Raspberry
Red Currants
Cranberry
Thimble Berry
Cloud Berry
Squashberry (Low bush Cranberry)
Spruce Tips
Birch
Juniper
Willow
Identification
Easily identifiable by the shape and evergreen leaves. They grow around marshy or mossy areas and are almost always found around blueberry plants. The leaves tend to be smooth and green on top and white (young) to brown (old) underneath with small white “hairs”. The edges of the leaves curl down as they age.
Where to look
Near Blueberry bushes. Mossy areas, edges of swamps, marshes.
