Picking Indian Tea

Yesterday, High School and Middle School picked Indian Tea. Luckily, we missed the rainstorm by a couple hours, and the weather was beautiful. Thanks to Miss Ann and Miss Crystal for taking us out, and thanks to the students who wore proper footgear, got grass cuts on their picking fingers, and braved the hordes of spiders.

Much appreciation goes out to the efforts of tribal leaders and Rayonier employees to forge a relationship for gathering rights in Usual and Accustomed Treaty Areas on Treaty Ceded Lands.

Indian Tea, also called Bog Labrador Tea or Rhododendron groenlandicum, is an important part of traditional Quileute ethnobotany.  Also:

• In Russia, the leaves are used for tanning leather.
• In Finland, the branches are placed among grain to keep away mice. 
• Strewn among clothes, the leaves will keep away moths.
• Washing with the tea will kill lice. 
  
• The leaves are tonic and diaphoretic.  They have a minty, pleasant odor.  Steeped in hot water, the spicy tea is commonly used to soothe sore throats and other symptoms of flu and colds.

It can be toxic in concentrated doses.  More awesome information can be found here.