Bearberry, Arctostaphylos uva-ursi
Added to stews etc, it is a good source of carbohydrates.
The fruit can also be used to make a cooling drink or used for preserves etc.
It can be dried and stored for later use. The fruit is about 6mm in diameter.
A tea is made from the dried leaves.
Bearberry was commonly used by many native North American Indian tribes to treat a wide range of complaints and has also been used in conventional herbal medicine for hundreds of years, it is one of the best natural urinary antiseptics.
The leaves are strongly antibacterial, especially against certain organisms associated with urinary infections.
Externally, a poultice of the infused leaves with oil has been used as a salve to treat rashes, skin sores etc, and as a wash for a baby's head.
An infusion of the leaves has been used as an eyewash, a mouthwash for cankers and sore gums and as a poultice for back pains, rheumatism, burns etc.
The herb should not be prescribed to children, pregnant women or patients with kidney disease.
Another report says that some native North American Indian tribes used an infusion of the stems, combined with blueberry stems (Vaccinium spp) to prevent miscarriage without causing harm to the baby, and to speed a woman's recovery after the birth.
A yellowish-brown dye is obtained from the leaves, it does not require a mordant. A grey-brown dye is obtained from the fruit.
The dried fruits are used in rattles and as beads on necklaces etc.
A good groundcover for steep sandy banks in a sunny position or in light shade. A carpeting plant, growing fairly fast and carpeting as it spreads.
It is valuable for checking soil erosion on watersheds.
This is also a pioneer plant in the wild, often being the first plant to colonize burnt-over areas, especially on poor soils.