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Alaska
KINIKINNICK; UVA-URSI Arctostaphylos uva-ursiDescription:
Plant
Habitat: Dry sites in
the boreal forest, usually under aspen, but sometimes in open spruce
stands, or on open, dry hillsides and bluffs. Uses: Also called
Bearberries, they may be eaten, although they are mealy, tasteless and not
choice. Cooking and blending with other berries helps make them more
palatable. The leaves make a pleasant tea, which is popular in some parts
of the world. The tea or tincture is astringent, used as a disinfectant
diuretic. Recommended for nephritis, kidney stones, cystitis and bedwetting.
A commercial
drug, arbutin is derived from the
leaves. Uva-ursi leaves have been traditionally used as a tobacco;
“Kinikinnick" is an Algonquian word meaning “something to
smoke.” The leaves are grown commercially in Spain, and, on a small scale in Canada and the U.S. It is usually marketed as uva-ursi. Special
Harvest or Processing Comments: Kinikinnick is often found growing among low-bush cranberry plants, and can be mistaken one for the other; however, cranberry leaves and fruit are smaller and shinier. You must be conscientious about not over-harvesting Kinikinnick, as it is easy to pull up the whole mat. Leave at least one-third of each mat to regrow, so you'll have more to gather in future years. Because it grows low and in sandy soil, you will need to clean it well. Immediate rinsing is good. Pick off or brush off the old dead leaves on the underside of the stem. Dry leaves while on the stem and crumble them as soon as possible. |
