* Please Note: This information is based partly on Traditional Medicine which uses natural materials to support health. This information has not been evaluated or approved by the FDA. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). These products are intended to support general well being and are not intended to treat, diagnose, mitigate, prevent, or cure any condition or disease. If conditions persist, please seek advice from your medical doctor.
Description
Common names are black whortleberry; blueberry, burren myrtle, dyeberry, huckleberry; hurtleberry, whinberry; and wineberry; This herb is known for its antiseptic and astringent properties. It's an effective remedy for diarrhea in some, but for others it produces diarrhea! Elizabethan pharmacists made a syrup of the berries with honey, which they called rob, as a remedy for diarrhea. The berries pass through the stomach without affecting it and then begin working in the small intestine. Bilberry also is a known urinary antiseptic. A concentrated decoction is said to be good for typhoid fever, and it's also been used to treat coughs, vomiting, and stomach cramps. The fresh or well-preserved berry juice is a good mouthwash or gargle for respiratory problems and inflammation of tongue or gums.
Plant Facts and Growing Tips
Plant: A shrubby, deciduous perennial with angular, branched stems that grow from a creeping woodstock. The leaves are dark green and shiny, about 1/2 to 1 inch long. Reddish pink or red and white flowers are produced in May and June. The fruit is a blue-black, reddish, five-seeded berry. Although sometimes called a huckleberry, it more closely resembles a cranberry, and is a relative of bearberry.
Height: 1 to 2 feet.
Soil: Sandy, peaty, acidic in northern United States; woods and forest meadows in Europe. Bilberry doesn't like limy soils.
Exposure: Sun.
Propagation: Division of rhizomes or clumps, layering, cuttings.
Parts Used for Tea: Leaves and berries. Gather leaves when the plant is fully developed but before the berries are ripe. Collect berries and dry them. When ripened, they have the highest vitamin and mineral content.
Taste: Sour, astringent, cold, dry.
How to Brew
By Infusion: Steep 2 to 3 teaspoons leaves in 1 cup water. Drink one cup per day.
By Decoction: Steep 1 teaspoon dried berries with 1 cup water. Drink one or two cups per day, cold. Lemon rinds blend nicely with the decoction and add a tangy flavor.
Bilberry Fruit Tea
In a large punch bowl, add your choice of diced fruits and juices, sprigs of mint, apple cider, and lemon juice. Then add cold bilberry tea for flavor and color.
User Group Forum
Share your questions and information with the ZooScape community!
Be the first to post!
Cautions
Leaves can produce symptoms of poisoning if used over long periods. The herb also lowers blood sugar levels, so diabetics who take insulin should avoid bilberry.
Additional Information
ZooScape is proud to be the exclusive distributor of TerraVita teas, herbs and supplements in the United States, Canada and around the world. Please direct all wholesale and bulk inquiries to Simona Heather at 905-494-1785.
These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Products are intended to support general well being and are not intended to treat, diagnose, mitigate, prevent, or cure any condition or disease. If conditions persist, please seek advice from your medical doctor. The essence of the current American rule on Traditional Uses is, as stated by FTC, "Claims based on historical or traditional use should be substantiated by confirming scientific evidence, or should be presented in such a way that consumers understand that the sole basis for the claim is a history of use of the product for a particular purpose."
