You have most likely seen usnea , also known as Old Man ’s Beard , when you are out in the forest . I see it all the time hanging in recollective strands from conifers when I ’m hike up here in the peaceable northwest . What you may not have experience is that usnea is a super medicinal lichen ! I love it when I regain out that a plant ( or lichen in this case ) that I ’ve check for age is beneficial in some way . Foraging for usnea and learning how to identify it is n’t hard and is the first dance step to using this powerful born medicine .
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Wildcrafting Weeds
If you want to learn more about the edible and medicinal weeds that surround us and how to utilize them , check over out my eBook : Wildcrafting Weeds : 20 soft to Forage Edible and Medicinal Plants ( that might be growing in your backyard ) !
Foraging & Identifying Usnea Lichen
Usnea is a lichen that grows worldwide on the barque of trees , usuallyconifers , but can also be find on oak , hickory , walnut , and apple tree .
It often produce in foresighted byssus like strands , which is where it got the soubriquet Old Man ’s Beard and Beard Lichen .
The best way to positively key usnea is to gently pull apart the strands and see that it has a stretchy white core in the center . Usnea is the only lichen with a white substance .
Usnea is a great plant to forage in the fall and winter time when there is n’t much else available .
Related : What to Forage in Winter : 30 + eatable and Medicinal Plants and Fungi
Harvesting Usnea Lichen Sustainably
When collecting usnea , it is best to only gather what has fallen to the wood floor , rather than taking it straight from the tree diagram itself . This is because lichens raise very slowly which makes them at endangerment for over - harvesting .
When you are out walk in the Natalie Wood where usnea grows , keep an oculus out for genus Usnea on decrease outgrowth and gather from there . I normally have no trouble finding usnea on the primer in forests where it is growing abundantly .
One interesting affair to note is that lichen like usnea are sometimes used to determine air quality because they wo n’t subsist in contaminated air .
So if you are in a forest that is full of usnea , breath late because the air is pure !
Usnea Medicinal Benefits
While usnea is technically edible , it is n’t particularly tasty and can stimulate some stomach disordered if it is n’t leach properly .
Where usnea really shines is with its awesome medicinal benefits !
First and first , usnea is an immune system soda and has brawny antibiotic and antiviral properties .
It has awful benefit for the respiratory system and can effectively help to bring around bronchitis , pneumonia , sinus infections , strep throat , colds , flus , and other respiratory complaint .
Usnea is also highly good for urinary tract and kidney infection .
The best way to use usnea for health , respiratory , and immune system benefits is tomake an usnea tincture .
It can also be made into a teatime , but it is very bitter and does n’t taste very pleasant .
Usnea is also well known as a wound healer and helps to preclude infection . It can be made into a poultice to be applied forthwith on a combat injury , which is serious to know when you are out hiking in the woods !
If you prefer to buy tinctures rather than make your own , I highly recommend Herb Pharm ! They carryUsnea Tincture , as well as dissimilar immune boosting blends , intoxicant - detached glycerole , and product for kids . Use this codification for 15 % off your order of magnitude : COLLEEN15
Herb Pharm products can also be find onAmazon here .
Usnea is such a great lichen to bang about !
It grows almost everywhere and has some awing medicinal benefit . It is a very dependable herb that can be used by the whole house .
Take some care when call for it and bring it home to turn it into a vestige to let in in your herbal pill roller for optimum wellness !
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