Vaccinium uliginosum

Bilberry

The bog bilberry (Vaccinium uliginosum ), also Trunkelbeere, bog berry berry or mist, is a shrub of the genus blueberries.

The species name refers to the uliginosum growing area and is called " swamp -loving ".

Description

The noise berry grows as a small shrub and bears whitish to pink small flowers. They bloom from May to June. The berries are similar to those of the blueberry or blueberry, but are frosted, much larger than this and about ovate. They ripen in late summer, are blue on the outside, but inside are bright pulp and juice in bright contrast to the blueberry, which has blue flesh and blue juice leads.

The leaves are blue-green on the upper side, gray- green and oval.

Toxicity

The known as cranberries, cranberries, blueberries or red stone berries berries Bilberry may contain psychotropic substances could not be determined whose identity. After the consumption of fruits were occasionally poisoning symptoms - such as noise-like excitation, vomiting, dilated pupils and dizziness - observed. Intoxications are possible only after the consumption of large quantities. Responsible for this is probably the parasitic ascomycete Monilinia megalospora ( Voronin ) Whetzel (formerly also Sclerotina megalospora WOT).

Folk etymology of this name of bog bilberry is based on the observed state of intoxication.

The leaves contain the active ingredients hyperoside, ursolic acid, alpha- amyrin, friedelin, oleanolic acid, ( ) -catechin and organic acids.

Distribution area

The noise berry grows in forest bogs and raised bogs with moist, torfhaltigem ground. In the rainy western Scandinavia it occurs disseminated and displaces part, the blueberry. In central and southern mountains they are found occasionally up to 3,000 m altitude.

Utilization

The berry is less gladly picked as the blueberry, but is of similar tastes and can be processed for the same purposes as this. That is, it can also win jam, puree, liqueur or fruit wine from them.

The Bilberry has been used in folk medicine for diarrhea and bladder trouble. In eastern Siberia, the shrub is used for tanning and from the berries a strong brandy is made.

Others

The name derives from the Latin Bilberry ruscus ' scrub ' ago, are named similarly also more socialized shrubs.