Labrador tea

Rhododendron tomentosum

Earlier, the petals and leaves of the Labrador tea were made into tea, and this infusion was used as a treatment for cough, rashes and other skin problems. The infusion was also used for cleansing and washing. Colds, gout and testicle and urinary troubles were treated with a Labrador tea compress. Water in which the leaves of the flower had been steeped was a mosquito deterrent; it was used for washing insects off cows and bedbugs from the house. In Russia, the Labrador tea and birch-bark were infused and made into “Russian oil” for the treatment of skins.

The Labrador tea is an evergreen shrub that does not grow higher than one metre. It thrives in marshes but, in the north, also on forest soil. The strong smell of the flower comes from essential oils that contain ledol, palustrol and myrcene. In Finland, the Labrador tea is listed as a medicine by the National Agency of Medicine.

A word of warning: Today, the Labrador tea is considered a poisonous plant!