Labrador Tea Spice

Labrador Tea (Ledum groenlandicum) is a small and fragrant perennial slow-growing shrub that is found in bogs, swamps, and forests of Canada and northern United States. It belongs to the Ericaceae (Heath or Heather family). As with many other species of the Heath Family, they thrive in acidic ground conditions. When so many other plants lay dormant, the Labrador is able to bear the harsh winters and finally blooms small white flowers in the spring. Upon reaching maturity, the leaves are highly recognizable by their curled-under edges and the rusty orange brown underneath. Labrador tea provides some forage to deer and moose, usually in the winter months when no other food source is available.

As this shrub thrives in wet and organically rich areas, it can generally survive wildfires as its root crowns and rhizomes have been found deep in the earth’s organic layers. As one of the first plants to recolonize following a forest fire, this plant actually grows rather quickly after the fire, unlike its typically slow growth pattern.

Harvesting:

Due to Labrador Leaf Tea’s evergreen nature, you can harvest the leaves year round. From a taste and flavour perspective, there are different opinions about the right time to collect the leaves. There are people who prefer the new spring leaves, some who say that the flavor is best when the plant is in bloom, while some prefer the Autumn or Winter leaves.

Tea can be made with fresh or dried leaves, but dried leaves are more versatile, and suitable for long term storage.

Wilderness Manufacturing:

Crafted in small batches at our remote “off-the-grid” wilderness facility located deep in the Northwest Territories boreal forest. Our entire facility is run using solar energy.  This ensures that the air drying of the collected herbs is done in a location far from any pollutants or contaminations.  All of our harvesting locations are in pristine virgin forests (old-growth), as here in the Northwest Territories of Canada,  there has been very little development or natural resource activity.