by Heather Hamel

Created on: March 23, 2010

Labrador Tea has also been known as Indian Tea, but historians disagree on who started drinking it. Some believe that immigrants were the ones that discovered this aromatic plant. It is rumoured that after the Boston Tea Party, colonial hostesses served Labrador tea as an alternative to imported teas.

The Athabaskan and Inuit people have enjoyed drinking Labrador Tea for years. It is rich in Vitamin C, and it is good ingested for its many medicinal uses, such as for stomach problems, heartburn, liver or kidney problems, blood cleanser, colds, coughs, sore throat and even hangovers. Tough meats are marinated in the tea. Labrador tea is thought to be a bit bland to some people, so they will make blends by adding rosehips, mints, and other flavourings. Topically it has been used as a wash for allergic reactions, stings, and other skin troubles. The oil present in its leaves can be rubbed on the skin as a mosquito repellent. Leaves may be left among clothing to repel moths and branches left in grain to deter mice.

There are three varieties of Labrador Tea native to North America, and commonly used. The two most often used are Ledum Palustre (Northern Labrador Tea, also known as Rhododendron Tomentosum) and Ledum Groenlandicum (Bog Labrador Tea). Another variety grown in the western regions is Ledum Glanulosum (Trapper’s Tea). This latter variety is thought by some people to be toxic, and there are differences so as not to confuse the teas. The undersides of the leaves of Trapper’s Tea are a mealy white color, and it grows in a drier, rocky environment. They are all members of the Heath family (Ericaceae) of plants.

This shrub can be found in lowland bogs across Canada, in Greenland, and the northern most part of the US. It has narrow, oval shaped leaves, which are a leathery dark green, and magenta when older. They roll under at the edges, and yellowish to brown fur covers the underside. When crushed, they give off a lemony smell. They have fragrant, little clusters of white flowers in June and July. If you just pick a few leaves off each plant, the plants will bounce back easier and provide tea all season.

As always, with plants that grow in the wild, know exactly what you are picking. There are toxic look-alikes, such as bog rosemary, and bog laurel, which will grow right through a nice clump of Labrador Tea. Make sure the leaves you pick are fragrant and furry underneath. Some of the claims of toxicity may be from the look-alike leaves being picked with the tea leaves.

If you try to grow this shrub yourself, you will need to replicate a bog, as close as possible. If you just try to keep it wet all the time, it will suffocate in the dirt. It needs a very spongy, soggy, and very acidic soil. You can add peat and sphagnum to get this affect. It is a hardy plant to zone 2, and likes sunshine.  

Toxicity claims

This tea should only be used in moderation, and not steeped too strong, due to a toxin found in the Heath family of plants, which could cause headaches, indigestion, vomiting, and even death. It also has an oil called ledol, which some people claim can cause cramps, and paralysis in high doses. It takes steeping the leaves for a long time to release this oil. The most controversial species is Ledum Glandulosum ( Trapper’s Tea ), which some people claim is very poisonous. This species is most common in the west, however many communities in the Rocky Mountains enjoy this tea daily with no ill effects. Some sources have claimed that there have been no documented cases of poisoning from Labrador Tea, and other sources will say the opposite.

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