Kinnikinnick

"Kinnikinnick" or "Bear Berry" (Arctostaphylos uva-ursi)

2008 May 7
Kinnikinnick in Leaf Bud

2008 May 7
Flower Bud

2007 June 25

2007 June 25

2007 June 25

2007 August 5

2007 August 15

A very common plant but I love its name, Kinnikinnick ... I just like the sound of it. Kinnikinnick means "mixture" and was a term that originally applied to any smoking mixture. Greek Arktos ( bear) staphylos (a bunch of grapes); Latin uva (grape), ursa (bear). Anyway, I've tasted these berries ... mealy and dry but the birds sure like them in the spring, as the berries last through the winter. Other critters like them too, obviously, bears being one of them.

Some ways this plant was put to use:

• the leaves were smoked ... like tobacco
• leaves were boiled to make a tea
• a decoction was made of the leaves and stems as a diuretic
• the berries were fried in salmon or bear fat ... sounds so, "oh yum"
• berries were boiled into a soup