Wild Cranberry
Vaccinium macrocarpon
Description
This plant has tiny leaves arranged alternately. Its stem
creeps along the ground. Its fruits are red berries. (They look
just like the domestic ones.)
Habitat and Distribution
It only grows in open, sunny, wet areas in the colder regions
of the Northern Hemisphere.
Edible Parts
The berries are very tart when eaten raw. Cook in a small
amount of water and add sugar, if available, to make a jelly.
Other Uses
Cranberries may act as a diuretic. They are useful for treating
urinary tract infections.
Steve's notes:
Wild cranberry is not a particularly great survival food,
because you usually will have to cook the berries to make them
palatable.
Research has shown that cranberries contain arbutin, which
prevents bacteria from sticking to the sides of the bladder and
urinary tract, thus curing many infections.
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