| Tea should not be overlooked as a food staple in
the wilderness. Offering nutritional value,
helping to hydrate and encourage the drinking of
boiled lake water (which often tastes quite flat and
sometimes smoky). However, one does not need to buy
a whole box of earl gray or orange pekoe for a trip
to the wilderness. Mother Nature provides a great
collection of useful teas. Some do indeed have an
acquired taste, however some are delicious, and
others are even hard to discern from store bought
tea. However, let us make something clear; according
to tea connoisseurs, only a beverage made from the
Asiatic tea plant is an actual "tea". All others are
most often called "tisanes". However, seeing as they
are simply a hot herb beverage similar to tea, it is
acceptable to refer to them all as "tea". There are
countless varieties of wild teas out there, and many
of them can be blended with another to make your own
unique beverage. Seeing as many people seem to focus
on the Boreal and Carolinian plants of the American
North-east and Eastern Canada, let's list some
plants found in these regions that are beneficial
teas.
Wintergreen is a very popular one, used by many
people. Though there is some toxicity to the plant
(which is common in many wild plants, so please
research all wild edibles thoroughly), the tea is
nonetheless delicious, especially on cold winter
mornings. It is an evergreen low plant that has red
berries and can be found throughout the Boreal
forests and even down the Appalachian mountains. The
toxin in the plant is in the oil of the Wintergreen
plant. This includes a potent aspirin-like chemical
which helps relieve headaches and muscle pain. If
you are allergic to aspirin, I would suggest
avoiding the Wintergreen tea for simple safety.
White cedar (eastern Aborvitae) is one of the
more well known "wild teas", due to its' history in
Canada. Jacues Cartier is believed to have had his
entire crew cured of scurvy after arrving in Canada
by the Micmaq people when given cedar tea
continually. This belief is impressed upon by the
potent amount of vitamin C found in the needles and
bark of the tree. Though cedar oil (a scummy sheen
on the surface of the tea) is toxic and can cause
painful side effects, simply pouring off the scum is
all that needs to be done to make the tea safe. The
true name of White cedar is Aborvitae, roughly
translated from Latin this means "Tree of Life". Due
to the vitamin C alone, the name was definitely well
earned. This tea has a strong flavour and many
people state that it is a required taste, however
after several cups, with the occasional seasoning of
maple sugar or honey, the tea definitely grows on
one. Many pines, spruces and other non-poisonous
conifer trees can make similar teas with strong
amounts of vitamin C.
Simply boil the needles/scales with water, steep
until cool enough to drink, pour off any film and
enjoy.
In many parts of southern Ontario and the
northern states a plant called New Jersey Tea (Ceanothus
americanus) can be found. This was often used by
settlers as a black tea substitute. Often found in
central Ontario near the Pine Oak forests, this tea
should definitely not be overlooked. Simply steeping
the leaves in hot water for five minutes will
produce a delicious and satisfactory tea.
Throughout the bogs, marshes and rocky islands of
the Boreal forest slowly grows a very aromatic
plant. Bog Labrador tea (Rhododendron groenlandicum)
is an evergreen marsh and bog plant, with hairy
undersides to its' leaves. Careful studying of
photos and field guides (and a proper class on wild
plants) can help make this plant stand out anywhere
to those seeking it. Stories are told of the Hudson
Bay Company sending men out into the Muskegs of
James Bay and Hudson Bay to harvest great quantities
of this plant. It would then be sold back to those
men under the guise as "English Tea". This variety
of Labrador tea is well known by many who study
Russian and Native healing, as it tightens the
intestines and colon, assisting with both diarrhea
and constipation. It definitely helps settle a
stomach. As it grows slowly, please only harvest a
few leaves from each plant.
Steeping the leaves for up to ten minutes in very
hot water, or boiling the leaves produces a tea that
has a slight conifer aroma, blended with the taste
of Black tea. There is some danger, where recent
research has discovered that overdosing of Labrador
tea could possibly cause paralysis, so drink in
moderation.
One of the most interesting northern wild teas
come from a peculiar and ancient plant. Native to
eastern North America, the Sweetfern (Comptonia) is
a very spicy scented herb. Looking similar to a
fern, the name is easily understood, but it is in
fact a deciduous shrub and not a fern. The tea is
very soft and sweet, and makes a great mix with
Labrador tea, which can often be found nearby.
Sweetfern enjoys sandy and well drained soil, and is
often found near pine forests, which is common in
the Boreal forest, making it easy to find Sweetfern
while gathering Labrador tea. Many animals rely on
Sweetfern, so please harvest conservatively.
So these plants all make wonderful teas, but are
there others?
Most edible berries have leaves that can be produced
into sweet teas.
My favourite is blueberry leaves steeped with some
raspberry leaves.
Many edible flowers can be steeped into teas, as can
many wild herbs such as mint. Research this
interesting subject and start enjoying our bountiful
tea pantry called the outdoors! |
