Rhododendron groenlandicum

Rhododendron groenlandicum, known by the common names bog Labrador tea, muskeg tea, swamp tea, in northern Canada, Hudson's Bay tea, and in Greenlandic, Qajaasaq, is a species of flowering shrub in the family Ericaceae. Found in northern parts of North America and Greenland, R. groenlandicum grows primarily in bogs and other wetlands, which tend to be also in cold, acidic, and nutrient-poor environments. It has traditionally been used to make medicinal herbal teas among the Dene, Athabaskan, and Inuit, and other indigenous cultures of North America peoples.

Description

It is a low shrub growing to tall – rarely up to – with evergreen leaves long and broad. The leaves are wrinkled on top with a thick waxy cuticle and have a leathery texture. The underside is covered in dense white hair that turns red-brown with age. The flowers of R. groenlandicum are small, white, and perfect (bisexual). Their hemispherical clusters have up to 35 flowers with petals approximately 1 cm long. With 5 oval shaped petals it produces a sweet aroma and sticky nectar to attract pollinators. {{gallery|mode=packed == Distribution and habitat ==

Distribution and habitat

, Quebec, Canada It is reported from Greenland, as well as from every province and territory in Canada and in the northern United States including the Northeast (New England, New York, Pennsylvania), the Northwest (Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Alaska), and parts of the Upper Midwest (Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota). It grows in bogs, muskegs, and open tundra, as well as occasionally on wet shores and rocky alpine slopes. == Toxicity ==

Toxicity

The plant contains toxic alkaloids which are poisonous to livestock and may be toxic to humans in concentrated doses. == Harvesting ==

Harvesting

Due to the plant’s slow growth, tea leaves are collected only from multiple plants in the spring by taking one. Labrador tea is slow-growing, so only a single new leaf is collected from a plant every other year to avoid damaging the plants. == Uses ==

Uses

The leaves are regularly used to make beverages and medicines—most commonly a fragrant tea—by many Native American tribes such as the Quinault and Makah, the Potawatomi, the Anishinaabe, the Iroquois, and First Nations tribes in Canada. When European explorers arrived, they soon adopted these uses as well, dubbing it "Indian plant tea". Rhododendron groenlandicum is sometimes grown as an ornamental shrub. Its essential oil is also popular in aromatherapy. ==See also==

Source: Wikipedia ↗

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