Bilberry, Vaccinium myrtillus
Sweet and very tasty, they make an excellent preserve, their small seeds making them suitable for jam.
A slightly acid flavour when eaten raw.
The fruit can be dried and used like currants.
The fruit is up to 10mm in diameter.
A tea is made from the leaves.
The leaves contain gluco quinones, which reduce the levels of sugar in the blood.
A decoction of the leaves or bark is applied locally in the treatment of ulcers and in ulceration of the mouth and throat.
A distilled water made from the leaves is an excellent eyewash for soothing inflamed or sore eyes.
Whilst the fresh fruit has a slightly laxative effect upon the body, when dried it is astringent and is commonly used in the treatment of diarrhoea etc. The dried fruit is also antibacterial and a decoction is useful for treating diarrhoea in children.
The skin of the fruits contains anthocyanin and is specific in the treatment of hemeralopia (day-blindness).
The fruit is a rich source of anthocyanosides, which have been shown experimentally to dilate the blood vessels, this makes it a potentially valuable treatment for varicose veins, haemorrhoids and capillary fragility.
A green dye is obtained from the leaves and the fruit and is used to colour fabrics.
A blue or black dye is obtained from the fruit. This can be used as an ink.