BOTANICAL NAME: Chamaenerion angustifolium (Chamerion angustifolium/Epilobium angustifolium)

SVENSK: Mjölke/ rallarros

COMMON NAMES: fireweed, Willow herb

EDIBLE PARTS: Young leaves and shoots can be consumed. They can be used in salads, as a vegetable, and young shoots can be used as an asparagus substitute. Older shoots become too tough to ingest.

The root can be roasted after scraping off the outside, but often tastes bitter. To mitigate this, the root is collected before the plant flowers and the brown thread in the middle removed. Flower stalks can be consumed raw or cooked and are used when the flowers are in bud. The pith of young or older stems are consumable raw or cooked.

NUTRITION HIGHLIGHTS:   good source of vitamins A and C

SUPER POWERS: Antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, detoxifying, stimulating the regeneration of tissue, antiallergic,

MEDICINAL USE:

inward:

 

  • Prevents tumors by sweeping away free radicals and removing peroxides and preventing them from forming. Activates NK and ADCC (Natural Killer cell cytotoxicity) lymphocytes.
  • treatments for enlarged prostate, inflammation of the prostate
  • gastrointestinal disorders, kidney and bladder disorders, rectal bleeding,
  • menstrual disorders, cystitis,
  • urinary infections, controlling urinary incontinence
  • powdered leaves has been used to control internal hemorrhage.

 

outward:

 

  • They reduce sebum secretion, reduce keratinisation of epidermis and hair follicles and epithelial overgrowth, including epidermis. They also liquefy the sebum to prevent the formation of blackheads.
  • Skin diseases (psoriasis, acne, eczema, dermatitis, urticaria, seborrheic dermatitis, figs, purulent folliculitis, fatty dandruff, perioral dermatitis)