Herb. No. 183 · Betulaceae
Silver birch of sandy Eurasian ground; related Betula across the boreal north.
Native · Europe
Birch
Betula pendula
A mild, green, slightly wintergreen spring cup from young birch leaf — not a methyl-salicylate binge.
Silver birch is a pioneer tree of sandy northern ground. Young leaf makes a short spring tea with a faint wintergreen note because birch carries salicylates. Traditional European use is as a spring green and a mild ‘water’ herb. The oil distilled from bark is a different, dangerous object — do not drink it, and do not stack the leaf tea on aspirin. A week or two of young leaf is the folklore; a quart all year is not.
Flavor
Green, faint wintergreen, a little tannin. Young leaf is kinder than old.
Parts used
Young leaf · Twig (traditional)
Helpful
- A common, nameable tree
- A gentle leaf tea if you respect salicylates
Cautions
- Aspirin-family caution
- Birch oil is not this cup
- Catkins make some people sneeze