Heather / Ling
Calluna vulgaris
Description
A dwarf shrub up to 60 cm tall with tiny leaves; flowers are pink to pale violet or white, arranged in elongated clusters. It inhabits poor, sandy soils in heaths, moors, and open forests. Related plants include bilberry, bearberry, and cranberry.
Used plant parts
Healing Properties
Helps against melancholy, bladder infections, urinary tract issues, joint pain, and has calming and invigorating effects.
Applications: Heather tea is a good urinary antiseptic and weakly increases urine production. In addition to treating bladder infections, it has also been used to treat kidney and bladder stones.
Heather cream: Its cleansing effect is beneficial for rheumatism, arthritis, and gout. The affected joints are rubbed with an emulsion made from crushed flower tips.
Herbal Priest Weidinger: Heather symbolizes "will to recover." It dispels gloom, lifting one out of inactive, negative, and depressive states. It is recommended for people looking to strengthen their willpower.
Known as "Erica" in our region, it may be the same "Erica" Dioscorides discussed in the 1st century in his Materia Medica, used in ancient times to treat snakebites with flower extracts. Galen (131–201) mentions the plant's diaphoretic properties. The rootstock is used to carve flutes, the herb serves as mattress filling, and honey from heather flowers is very tasty.
Other plants of the trail
The plants of the trail
- Arnica
- Eyebright
- Clubmoss
- Burnet Saxifrage
- Birch
- Tormentil
- Broadleaf Plantain
- Nettle
- Speedwell
- Angelica
- Fern
- Spruce
- Lady’s Mantle
- Heather
- Raspberry
- Coltsfoot
- Iceland Moss
- St. John’s Wort
- Small Willowherb
- Green-winged Orchid
- Mullein
- Mountain pine
- Dandelion
- Meadowsweet
- Masterwort
- Wild Thyme
- Horse mint
- Yarrow
- Cowslip
- Bilberry
- Plantain
- Rowan berry
- Horsetail
Notes on the Herbal Education Trail
The abundance of Alpine flowers on the mountains from June to early August is a beautiful reward for the climb along the herbal education trail. In all these plants lies not only beauty but often health benefits as well. All the useful and beneficial gifts from nature can certainly not replace a doctor.
But taking responsibility for prevention and, above all, paying attention to our body’s signals in time is a very good step toward effective folk medicine. On behalf of the Plattform Planneralm 3000, I wish you much joy in rediscovering our natural world!
Andrea Stieg, Wild Herb Guide
With the support of
The content of the herbal education trail information has been created with care. However, errors can never be fully excluded. Advice on the use of plants is not medical guidance and has no legal implications. For questions regarding the content, you can contact Andrea Stieg directly; she is available at the Alpengasthof Grimmingblick: Planneralm 18, 8953 Donnersbach, +43 3683 / 8105 · info@grimmingblick.at
Content responsibility: Plattform Planneralm 3000 e.V.
Photos of the herbal education trail plants: © Harald Waupotitsch, (Arnica, Eyebright, Clubmoss, Burnet Saxifrage, Birch, Tormentil, Broadleaf Plantain, Nettle, Speedwell, Fern, Spruce, Lady’s Mantle, Yellow Bedstraw, Heather, Raspberry, Coltsfoot, Iceland Moss, St. John’s Wort, Orchid, Mountain Pine, Dandelion, Meadowsweet, Masterwort, Wild Thyme, Horse Mint, Yarrow, Cowslip, Bilberries, Rowan, Willowherb, Horsetail) and iStockphoto.com (Mullein, Narrowleaf Plantain, Angelica).
Technical and communicative implementation: Harald Waupotitsch | Werte Dialog
AlpenJones Werte Dialog initiated by Harald Waupotitsch
Conscious communication that connects and moves.
