Wintergreen: Wild Medicinal and Edible Plant
Wintergreen: Gaultheria Procumbens
Description:
A small, low-growing shrub, typically reaching 3.9–5.9 in tall. The leaves are evergreen, alternate, simple, evergreen, oval to elliptical, 1 to 2 inches long, minutely serrated, thickened with a wintergreen odor when crushed, the leaves appear whirled, since they cluster at the tips of plant; dark shiny green above, much paler below often with black dots, with a distinct oil of wintergreen scent. The flowers are bell-shaped, 5 mm long, white, born solitary or in short racemes. The berry-like fruit is actually a dry capsule surrounded by fleshy calyx, 6–9 mm diameter.
This creeping, rhizomatous shrublet grows to 6 inches, with scalloped or bristly toothed, glossy, dark green leaves. Foliage has a strong wintergreen scent when crushed. Urn-shaped white or pale pink flowers appear in summer and mature to aromatic scarlet fruit that often persists into the following spring.
The berries, maturing in late summer, last over winter and in early spring, after the melting of snow, become enlarged and much less dry than in the autumn.
The young leaves in the spring while still red are tender and highly flavored with oil of wintergreen, but in the mid-summer become tough and less palatable.
Medicinal Uses:
Wintergreen leaves were widely used by the native Indians in the treatment of aches and pains and to help breathing while hunting or carrying heavy loads.
An essential oil (known as ‘oil of wintergreen’) obtained from the leaves contains methyl salicylate, which is closely related to aspirin and is an effective anti-inflammatory. This species was at one time a major source of methyl salicylate, though this is now mainly synthesized.
The leaves, and the oil, are analgesic, anti-inflammatory, aromatic, astringent, carminative, diuretic, emmenagogue, stimulant and tonic. An infusion of the leaves is often used to relieve flatulence and colic.
The plants essential oil, is most useful when applied externally in the treatment of acute cases of rheumatism, sciatica, myalgia, sprains, neuralgia and catarrh. The oil is sometimes used in the treatment of cellulitis, a bacterial infection that causes the skin to become inflamed.
CAUTION:
Some caution is advised, especially if the oil is used internally, since essential oil is toxic in excess, causing liver and kidney damage. It should not be prescribed for patients who are hypersensitive to salicylates (aspirin). The leaves can be gathered at any time from spring to early autumn, they are dried for use in infusions or distilled to produce the oil.
Edible:
Fruit and Leaves
Uses:
Fruit – raw or cooked. Pleasant but insipid. The fruit is not at all insipid, it has a very strong spicy taste of germolene, just like being in a hospital waiting room.
Best after a frost, the fruit hangs onto the plant until spring if it is not eaten by birds etc. The fruits can also be used in pies, or made into jams etc.
Young leaves – raw. A pleasant wayside nibble if used when very young. Dry and powdery according to our taste buds. A tea is made from the fresh leaves.
A stronger tea can be made by first fermenting the bright red leaves, but this would be used more as a medicine than a drink.
‘Oil of wintergreen’ can be distilled from this plant. It is used to flavor beer, sweets, chewing gum, etc.
Berries and leaves are a good source of vitamin C, but need to be consumed in moderation.
Other Uses:
An essential oil is obtained from the leaves by steam distillation. In order to obtain the oil, the leaves need to be steeped for 12 – 24 hours in water.
The essential oil is used as a food flavoring, medicinally (the original source of Wintergreen oil used as a liniment for aching muscles) and in perfumery and toothpastes.
WARNING:
In large doses it can be toxic. A good ground-cover plant for shady positions though it requires weeding for the first year or so. Forming a dense tuft-like carpet, it roots as it spreads and should be spaced about 45cm apart each way.
NOTE: When harvesting leaves from this plant only take a couple from each stem so that you are not killing the plant and that way you will have a viable source for years to come.
As always... Do your research and enjoy.
Courtesy of Preppers Are We.
