Marsh Tea

Parts Usually Used

Ledum palustre: The entire plant Ledum latifolium: Leaves Ledum groenlandicum: Leaves

Description of Plant(s) and Culture

Ledum palustre: Marsh tea is an evergreen shrub; the rust-colored, woolly branches bear alternate, leathery, linear leaves that are green and glabrous on top and covered with rust-colored down beneath. Terminal umbels of white, or sometimes rose-colored, bell-shaped flowers appear from May to July. Ledum latifolium: This species is called both Labrador tea and Marsh tea; it is an evergreen shrub; a low ornamental plant from 1-6 feet high, having narrow, dark leaves lined underneath with rust-colored woolly hairs and bearing white, bell-shaped flowers in early spring.

During the American Revolution the leaves are said to have been used as a substitute for commercial tea. Ledum groenlandicum: Labrador tea is an evergreen shrub; growing 3 feet high, the leathery leaves are fragrant, oblong or linear-oblong; white or rusty woolly hairs underneath; edges turned under. Small white flowers in terminal clusters from May to July.

Where Found

Ledum palustre: Grows particularly in peat bogs and moist places in the northern areas of North America, Europe, and Asia. It is sometimes cultivated as an ornamental. Ledum latifolium: Common to North America and is found as far south as Wisconsin and Pennsylvania. Ledum groenlandicum: Found in peat soils, bogs; from Labrador to New Jersey; Ohio, Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota; across Canada to Alaska.

Medicinal Properties

Ledum palustre: Astringent, diaphoretic, diuretic, expectorant Ledum latifolium: Expectorant, diuretic, pectoral Ledum groenlandicum: Astringent, diaphoretic, diuretic, expectorant

Uses

Historically, herbalists applied Ledum palustre, known as marsh tea, externally for various skin conditions and boils. Internally, traditional practitioners administered it for headaches, to stimulate the nerves and stomach, and as an infusion or cold extract for rheumatism, gout, and arthritis. A syrup prepared from the plant was also utilized in folk medicine for coughs and hoarseness.

Ledum latifolium was historically recommended for colds, asthma, and bronchial or pulmonary complaints. External preparations were applied for skin issues such as eczema, acne, erythema nodosum, prickly heat, scabby dandruff, boils, bruises, and wounds, as well as for stings, gout, rheumatism, tinnitus, deafness, and ear inflammations. Native American traditions utilized leaf teas of Ledum groenlandicum for asthma, colds, stomachaches, kidney ailments, scurvy, fevers, rheumatism, and as a general blood purifier.

Externally, they used it as a wash for burns, ulcers, stings, chafing, and poison ivy rash. Other folk traditions made use of the plant for coughs, lung ailments, indigestion, skin itching, and lice.

Bibliography

Eastern/Central Medicinal Plants , by Steven Foster and James A. , Houghton Mifflin Company, 215 Park Avenue South, New York, NY 10000 The Herb Book , by John Lust, Bantam Books, 666 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY. copyright 1974. Indian Herbalogy of North America , by Alma R. , Horticultural Hall, 300 Massachusetts Avenue, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, 1973