Heather Flowers as an Herb

(Calluna vulgaris)

Heather flowers are a traditional remedy in Swedish herbal medicine. Heathers are native to Ireland, Scotland, Scandinavia, Russia, and northern North America.

Branches are used as broom straw, the leaves flavor beer and tea, the bark can be used for tanning, and the flowers yield nectar for honeybees.

Heather contains many antimicrobial compounds and even honey made from heather flowers has been shown to have high antibacterial activity compared to many other types of honey.

Medicinal Uses for Heather Flowers

Heather tops were infused and used as a tonic to treat consumption, coughs, nerves, depression and heart complaints. Heather tea, liniments and ointments were used to help treat arthritis and rheumatism.

In 1543 one writer guaranteed that heather plants could ease insect bites while another used the plant in drug form to heal snake bites, eye infections, infections of the spleen and to prevent stones forming in the internal organs.

Nicolas Alexandre, a Benedictine monk, believed that boiling the stems and drinking the brew for 30 days could dissolve kidney stones - he also stated that the patient should bathe in the heather water.

Around the time of WWI, heather was used as a household remedy for all kinds of illnesses and complaints and was recommended to nursing mothers to help them produce more milk.

Medicinal herbalists still use heather to treat cystitis and to use as a diuretic and anti-microbial.

In certain mountainous regions of Europe, heather continues to be used to make a liniment for arthritis and rheumatism, and a hot poultice made from the flowers is still a traditional remedy for chilblains.

Heather flowers come into bloom at the start of August. The sight of the flowers en masse is as refreshing to the eye as they are to the tongue in a cup of 'moorland tea'.

A tea made of Heather blossoms is used to suppress coughing, and as an aid for sleeplessness. A stronger infusion is used to treat urinary tract infections.

Culinary

Heather Tea: Unless otherwise prescribed, boiling water is poured over 1 to 2 grams of finely chopped heather and after ten minutes strained. Heather tea is taken 3 times per day. Heather tea is not recommended for prolonged use, due to the high tannin content of the leaves that may damage the liver and alimentary canal.

Heather Ale:

1 gallon (4.5 litres) heather tops
2 pounds (1 kg) malt extract
1 and 1/2 pound (700 g) sugar
3 gallons (13.5 l) water
1 ounce (30 g) yeast

Cut the heather tops with scissors when in full bloom, but not overblown, and boil them in 1 gallon (4.5 l) of the water for nearly an hour. Strain on to the malt extract and sugar through a jelly bag and stir until dissolved. Add remaining water and, when lukewarm, add the dried yeast.

Other culinary uses not generally recommended.

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DISCLAIMER: These pages are presented solely as a source of INFORMATION and ENTERTAINMENT and to provide stern warnings against use where appropriate. No claims are made for any historical herbal treatment. In no way can the information provided here take the place of the standard, legal, medical practice of any country. Some plants are extremely toxic and should be used only by licensed professionals. Some plants used for illness in the past have proven to be ineffective for the problems to which they were applied.