My Herbal Wellbeing - Herbal Tea Database - Labrador Tea (Ledum latifolium or L. groenlandicum)

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Labrador Tea
Common Name	Labrador Tea
Scientific Name	Ledum latifolium or L. groenlandicum
Other names for this plant are Continental Tea, Swamp Tea, Marsh Tea, Bog Tea, Hudson's Bay Tea, and Moth Herb. During the Revolutionary War, this herb was a popular substitute for China tea. Native to Canada and Greenland, where it grows profusely (hence one botanical name, groenlandicum), it can also be found in cold, moist places in the northern areas of the United States, Europe, and Asia. Eskimos and the Indians of eastern Canada used this tea extensively, as did explorers, trappers, and settlers who found imported teas hard to come by. An untidy-looking shrub, Labrador tea is similar in appearance to a straggly rhododendron. Its tea stimulates the nerves, and is believed to alleviate the pains of rheumatism, gout, and arthritis. CAUTION: More than 1 or 2 cups of this tea can cause drowsiness and possible poisoning.
Plant	Perennial. Rust-colored woolly branches bear aromatic, alternate, folded-back, leathery leaves that are green on top, rust-colored and downy underneath. Clusters of scented white flowers appear on the stem ends from May to July.
Height	1 to 3 feet.
Soil	Moist, peat-like.
Exposure	Partial shade.
Propagation	By root divisions taken in mid-autumn, or, less successfully, by seeds.
Care	Labrador tea is hard to cultivate unless you have a properly cold, damp, exposed site in which to grow it.
Part used for Tea	Leaves gathered throughout the year, except when the plant is flowering. Flowers.
Taste	Delicate, fragrant. Similar to China tea.
How to Brew	FLOWERS, BY INFUSION: Steep 1 teaspoon of dried flowers, or 2 teaspoons of fresh flowers, in 1 cup of boiling water. LEAVES, BY DECOCTION: Crush 1 tablespoon of dried leaves, and add to cup of boiling water. Cover and simmer for 5 to 7 minutes.