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Free-Range Plants

The plants I dub the “free rangers” are extremely adaptable and difficult to pin down to any one habit. With mustards, for example, I address the entire forager-friendly family in one entry. Some mustards tend to favor beaches, others open rocky places, and some prefer your garden soil. Listing them under one habitat is far too limiting. And plants like coltsfoot mystified me, as our first encounter was in open forest, by a creek. Then I discovered it thriving in a sunny meadow. And later, in the mountains on rocky scree slopes. In Kotzebue, coltsfoot is prolific on the tundra. So coltsfoot, shown here below, is now another of the free-range plants.

WILD MUSTARD

Mustard family (Brassicaceae, formerly Cruciferae family)

BRASSICA

SPOONWORT

MUSTARD FLOWER (ROCKCRESS)

SHEPHERD’S PURSE

Alaska’s mustards are highly variable in genera, habitat, leaf shape, and in the shape of their seedpods. The good news is that the entire family is highly “friendly” to foragers. Moreover, all mustard flowers have an easily recognizable floral pattern: 4 petals, with 6 yellow thread-like male stamens—of which 4 are tall and 2 are short. As a memory boost, remember: “4 fine fellows with 2 tiny tims.” The female portion is the pistil. Mustard pistils mature into the seedpods of remarkable variety. To see mustard’s floral characteristics well, use a pocket loupe (magnifier). Most wild mustards have small flowers, but pods and flowers are often visible at the same time. After a short while, you will just begin to spot mustards at a glance wherever you go, even in your own backyard. All of Alaska’s mustards are safe to nibble, though not every single species appeals to the palate, the highly bitter “wormseed” (Erysimum) being my personal “yuck” on edibility. But as long as you can positively discern “mustard” and your plant passes your palatability test, you’re good to go.

Common to cultivated and disturbed soils are mustards including the ubiquitous yellow-flowered Brassicas (commonly called wild mustard or rapeseed), and the tasty rockcress, aka wild cress (Arabis species).

Spoonwort, aka scurvygrass (Cochlearia officinalis). This is a round-to spoon-leafed beach mustard whose leaves add zest and vitamin C to coastal camping meals.

Shepherd’s purse (Capsella bursa-pastoris) is exceptionally easy to recognize with its distinctive heart-shaped seedpods. Petals are white. The peppery-tasting stem leaves are arrow shaped and alternate along the stem. The lower leaves, like those of dandelions, are deeply lobed and arranged in a basal rosette, i.e. they grow in a circular pattern at the base of the stem.

Other commonly eaten Alaskan mustards include:

• Bittercress, aka spring cress (Cardamine species) has white- to rose-colored flowers and long narrow seedpods (siliques).

• Sea rocket, aka beach rocket (Cakile edentula). A pink-petaled beach species with leaves with wavy or saw-toothed edges.

Refer to Discovering Wild Plants for detailed illustrations and line drawings of these and other Alaskan mustard species.

RANGE: Mustards range throughout all regions of Alaska and in diverse habitats.

HARVESTING DIRECTIONS: Leaves are prime before flowering; flavor becomes stronger and more peppery with age. Selectively pick flowers and seedpods throughout the summer, leaving some remaining on the plant to propagate.

FOOD USE: Leaves add zest to salads, stir-fries, and soups. Seeds and roots are traditional spices. Blend mustard with cream cheese as a dip; dairy-free foragers can blend chopped mustard (leaves, young pods, seeds) with ground, soaked cashews, nutritional yeast, lemon, and salt.

HEALTH USE: Mustards in general are good sources of vitamins A and C, and the minerals calcium, potassium, and manganese. Shepherd’s purse, in particular, is an excellent source of blood-clotting vitamin K, making it of use in the field as a poultice for cuts. Shepherd’s purse tea has traditionally been drunk to soothe stomach ulcers and can be applied with a cotton swab to hemorrhoids.

OTHER: Tulane University, in the 1970s, conducted experiments documenting that shepherd’s purse seeds, placed in water, release a gummy exudate that entraps and destroys mosquito larvae.

BLUEBERRY & HUCKLEBERRY

Vaccinium species Heath family (Ericaceae), Blueberry subfamily (Vaccinioideae)

FLOWER STAGE

FRUIT STAGE

Alaska’s blueberries, aka bilberries, are truly free-rangers, growing in acid soils in woods, wet meadows, heaths, bogs, and in the mountains to over 3,000 feet. “Mother’s Day flowers” is a common name for the bell-like pinkish to whitish blooms that generally flower in early May. These shrubby plants range from low tufted varieties to species more than 3 feet high. Vaccinium fruits are blue to bluish-black, with a couple exceptions: Vaccinium parvifolium, red huckleberry found only in south coastal to Southeast Alaska, and the dwarf red-fruited lingonberry, aka lowbush cranberry, Vaccinium vitis-idaea (see page 114).

DERIVATION OF NAME: Vaccinium is the classical name for blueberry and cranberry.

OTHER NAMES: huckleberry, great bilberry, whortleberry, dyeberry, wineberry, Mother’s Day flowers.

RANGE: Throughout Alaska except the extreme north Arctic.

HARVESTING DIRECTIONS: The early blooming flowers are edible and sweet, but most gatherers prefer waiting for the delectable fruits!

FOOD USE: Nibble Vaccinium blooms to savor their refreshing, light, blueberry tang. Toss a few blossoms on a salad or dip as a garnish. Limit your flower intake to ensure abundant fruits. Snack on the berries in the field while gathering. Bake in pies. Mix into a morning smoothie. Add to pancakes, muffins. biscuits, nut breads, salads. Make jam or juice. How about a blueberry vinaigrette, marinade, or liquor?

HEALTH USE: A study published in the International Journal of Circumpolar Health noted antioxidant values of Vacciniums and other berries. Values were compared using an ORAC scale (Oxygen Radical Absorption Capacity). The higher the ORAC value, the more antioxidants to protect the body against cellular damage that can lead to cancer, heart disease, and Alzheimer’s. Interestingly, while cultivated blueberries rank 30 on the ORAC scale and Lower 48 wild blueberries rank 61, Alaskan wild blueberries test a stunning 85. Blueberries have hypoglycemic and antidiabetic activity and are a valuable aid to those experiencing excess weight. Statistically, 32% of Americans classify as obese, and indigenous populations are particularly at risk. Trials published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry document blueberry’s abundant anthrocyanins, which “actively regulate genetic markers associated with obesity. Rats on high fat diets failed to get obese in the presence of the compounds so richly available in blueberries.” Blueberries also contain proanthocyanins, compounds having antiadhesion and antiproliferation properties, effective in easing urinary tract infections. For urinary tract infections while in the bush, young leaves (with a tart aftertaste) are often blended with blueberries and drunk 2 to 3 cups a day for up to a week.

OTHER: Blueberries are a valued subsistence food for Native communities and bush residents, both culturally and nutritionally. Blending blueberries with sugar and seal oil is a traditional Iñupiaq dessert. And blueberry pickled fish is another favorite. “Any meat or fat stored in blueberries” writes Anore Jones, “will get pickled, flavored, and brilliantly colored in a few days to a week.”

LOOKALIKES: Some foragers have been fooled by finding bell-like blooms on shrubby false azalea (Menzisia ferrugina), only to return at berry time to find no berries! Aptly called “fool’s blueberry,” this plant is a good teacher in observation as its family pattern is quite different from the Vacciniums.

COLTSFOOT

Petasites species Aster family (Asteraceae), Groundsel tribe (Senecioneae)

Coltsfoot is wide ranging and widely loved in Native villages throughout Alaska. Habitats vary from moist places in woods to Arctic tundra to rocky mountain passes. Its nickname “son before father” refers to coltsfoot’s unusual habit of flowering before the leaves develop. The fragrant cluster of blossoms sits atop a rather thick and hairy stem. Leaves vary from triangular to lobed and bear a thick felt-like covering on their undersides. All species are equally useable.

DERIVATION OF NAME: Petasites translates as “broad-brimmed hat” and refers, rather imaginatively, to the shape of the leaves.

OTHER NAMES: sweet coltsfoot, qaltaruat and pellukutar (Yup’ik), kipmimanggaun (Iñupiaq, Kotzebue), k’ijeghi ch’da (Dena’ina/Tanaina, “owl’s blanket”), penicillin plant (Iliamna area), son before father.

RANGE: Throughout Alaska. Petasites frigidus and P. hyperboreus can be found from the far north to the end of the Alaska Peninsula and to the Canadian Border. P. palmatus and P. sagittatus are mainly found in the eastern half of the state.

HARVESTING DIRECTIONS: Pick coltsfoot flowers in very early spring, before they start to turn brown. Leaves are safest for harvesting later in summer (when pyrrolizidine alkaloids are lowest; see Caution below). Rootstalks are dug spring or fall.

FOOD USE: Coltsfoot flowers are one of the earliest spring wild foods. During a June plant class in Kotzebue years ago, coltsfoot flowers emerging from the exceptionally late snowmelt starred in our soups, stir-fries, spring rolls, and tempura. Young leaves, in small quantities, were also added. In Flora of Alaska, Eric Hultén notes that roots were roasted and eaten by the Siberian Eskimos.

HEALTH USE: Coltsfoot has a plethora of names culturally, but a commonality of use. It is a “specific” herb for acute respiratory congestion and cramps. Petasites species contain the antispasmodic petasin. Leaf syrup provided dramatic relief when I experienced an acute bronchitis at my wilderness cabin. Indigenous people chew the root (and swallow the juice) for easing sore throat. Root decoctions and tinctures are used to ease asthma attacks. In addition, herbalists favor coltsfoot teas for stress-aggravated stomach cramps. Alaskan west coast Yup’ik also use leaf tea for stomach pain and diarrhea. Use of coltsfoot for relief of menstrual cramps is reported by Kodiak Alutiiq as well.

OTHER: A standardized root extract Petadolex demonstrates effectiveness in migraine prevention. The International Journal of Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics published a clinical trial in which, “the frequency of migraine attacks decreased by a maximum of 60% compared to the baseline.” (Note: this pharmaceutic formulation removes the P.A. alkaloids discussed in the following caution, thus deemed safe for long-term use.)

CAUTION: Coltsfoot has been safely used for centuries by diverse people taking it short term for easing acute respiratory distress and cramps. Coltsfoot contains pyrrolizidine alkaloids (P.A.), which, in excess, can damage the liver. Herbalist Kathi Keville reports that in Germany, the recommended maximum dose of coltsfoot is 1 teaspoon dry herb daily for a maximum of 1 month. If pregnant, check with your physician before ingesting.

DANDELION

Taraxacum species Aster family (Asteraceae), Chicory subfamily (Cichorioideae)

Alaska has 11 dandelion species that free range from backyards to tundra to alpine. Species include the “common dandelion” of Eurasian origin Taxaracum officinale (used globally as food and medicine), the rare Alaska-only nodding dandelion (T. carneocoloratum) of scree slopes, and Alaska dandelion (T. alaskanum) of alpine and tundra, etc. All dandelions are forager friendly, though nodding dandelion should be spared because of its rarity. Dandelions bear yellow composite blossoms with only 1 blossom per stem (be certain to differentiate from false dandelions, which have stems that branch). Break a dandelion stem and it yields a milky sap. The smooth leaves have jagged edges, hence their French name dent-de-lion, or lion-tooth; tooth depth varies with species. Though taproots are normally a few inches deep, a Palmer student grew roots 2 feet long in her raised bed. Taraxacum roots have been recorded to penetrate the earth to a depth of 20 feet.

DERIVATION OF NAME: Taraxacum means “remedy for disorder.”

OTHER NAMES: blowball, dent-de-lion, pissenlit.

RANGE: Diverse habitats throughout Alaska.

HARVESTING DIRECTIONS: Leaves are most mild flavored early spring before flowering, and in autumn when new growth occurs. Plants in the shade tend to be milder tasting. Pick buds as available, and flowers in full bloom. However, if you intend to dry the flowers, harvest when just beginning to open; they will continue to “mature” while drying. If you dry fully open flowers, they will turn to seed. Dig roots early spring and late fall; brush firmly to remove dirt, and rinse well.

FOOD USE: Add mild dandelion leaves to salads, spring rolls, stir-fries, soups, and scrambled eggs. Rub with olive oil and sprinkles of salt and seasonings and dry as a snack chip. Blend dandelion with lamb’s quarter, chickweed, sorrel, and tomato juice as a refreshing elixir. Marinate summer leaves as salad or try the Tlingit way of cooking leaves in a change of salted water to remove any bitterness. Pickle buds like capers. Dandelion flower petals (pinch off and discard the green sepals) are a delightful salad garnish: mix with salmon, onion, rice, and your favorite seasonings and cook as a burger. I love greeting the morning with “dandelion expresso.” Roast dry chopped dandelion root in a cast iron skillet until desired degree of roast is achieved. Roots become highly aromatic (be careful not to burn). Then grind and use in an espresso maker or simmer 1 tablespoon of the roasted root per cup (starting in cold water) for 15 minutes.

HEALTH USE: Nutritionally, dandelion is a rich source of vitamins A to E, plus inositol, lecithin, and minerals such as iron, magnesium, manganese, calcium, copper, silicon, sodium, phosphorus, and zinc. Dandelion leaf is noted to be one of the richest vegetable sources of beta-carotene. Dandelion’s name “pissenlit” (originating from the French pisser en lit—“to pee in bed”) indicates use of leaves as a potassium-sparing diuretic. When my husband was released from the hospital after a surgery and suffered extreme edema late that night (while we were far away from medical help or phone contact), a strong dandelion leaf tea provided profound relief. Dandelion root could well be Alaska’s number one herbal helper for livers compromised by overindulgence of alcohol or fats. A scientific paper published by an Iraq university states, “Dandelion improves the function of liver, pancreas and stomach. It is used to treat anemia, cirrhosis of the liver, hepatitis and rheumatism. An active dandelion constituent reduces serum cholesterol and triglycerides because it intensifies bile secretion.” In addition, dandelion has been considered a key antidiabetic plant because of its antihyperglycemic, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidative properties.

OTHER: Dandelion flower massage oil provides soothing relief for muscular tension. To make, gently heat flowers in almond oil in the top of a double boiler until a rich color results.

CAUTION: Avoid harvesting in sprayed areas. Be certain to distinguish dandelions from other yellow composites like “false dandelion” (Hypochaeris), which is characterized by yellow composite “dandelionlike” flowers borne on long branched stems and hairy basal leaves.

BEDSTRAW

Galium species Madder family (Rubiaceae)

Bedstraw is another free ranger, adapting to diverse conditions of seashores, moist woods, gardens, and mossy wet places. Galiums have square stems and leaves arranged in whorls. The small flowers have 4 white petals that vary with species from sparse to dense clusters. Fruits may be paired or singular, smooth, bristly, or covered with hooked hairs. Alaskan species include northern bedstraw (G. boreale), sweet-scented bedstraw (G. triflorum), the weak-stemmed sticks-to-everything cleavers (G. aparine, above), and others.

DERIVATION OF NAME: The botanical name Galium is from Greek gala, meaning “milk.” Bedstraws were traditionally used as rennet for coagulating milk in cheesemaking.

OTHER NAMES: goosegrass, stick-a-back, maid’s hair, Our Lady’s bedstraw, ts’ał t’áwsgad (Haida, “its-seeds-stick-to-you”).

RANGE: Throughout Alaska, except for the extreme north Arctic.

HARVESTING DIRECTIONS: Collect spring leaves and stems before flowering. Harvest the fruits in late summer.

FOOD USE: Only smooth-stemmed varieties can be eaten raw. Use in green drinks, pesto, herbal vinegars, and rice dishes. To improve texture, steam greens lightly. The flowering herbs can substitute for green tea. The fruits (which look like 2 little balls stuck together) are related to coffee. United Kingdom forager Rachel Lambert recommends roasting cleavers fruits for 40 minutes at 275°F (140°C) until a rich coffee aroma results. Grind and then brew in a French press or, for a stronger flavor, decoct (simmer) the brew.

HEALTH USE: Herbalists advocate cleavers (G. aparine) as a tea and a tincture to treat lymphatic system and urinary tract imbalances. Galium juice, ointment, and poultices soothe burns and skin ulcers. Dena’ina Athabascans apply G. boreale, which they call ts’elveni vets’elq’a “wormwood’s partner,” as a hot pack for aches and pains. In the Ukraine, clinical trials demonstrated that Galium species have “low toxicity and a broad spectrum of antimicrobial activity.” An Iraqi medical journal states that “Previous pharmacological studies showed that Galium aparine extracts possessed antimicrobial, anticancer and hepatoprotective effects.”

OTHER: Scottish forager Monica Wilde thoroughly describes the process of using bedstraw in cheese in her blog, monicawilde.com. Campers can use the tangled mats of cleavers as strainers for wilderness tea.

CAUTION: Some individuals experience contact dermatitis with cleavers.

WILLOW

Salix species Willow family (Salicaceae)

Moose and humans enjoy eating willow, but both are quite particular about the species they consume. A mutual favorite is surah (Salix pulchra); its long, narrow leaves are smooth on both sides, darker green above, with margins that are generally smooth. The young leaves produce a refreshing aftertaste. Surah ranges from the northern Panhandle to Kodiak and the Alaska Peninsula and across the Interior to Utqiagvik (formerly Barrow). The sweet, inner bark and peeled shoots of the feltleaf willow, Salix alaxensis, are favored by the Iñupiat. Nearly 60 Alaskan species collectively range into all parts of the state. The diminutive, round-leaved netted willow (S. reticulata) roams from tundra to mountains. Dwarf S. ovalifolia favors salt marshes of the Arctic. The long-beaked willow S. depressa prefers woods and can grow to 30 feet tall.

DERIVATION OF NAME: Salix is the classical Latin name for willow.

OTHER NAMES: osier, pussy willow, sura (Iñupiat) tsuaq (Yup’ik), ch’áal’ (Tlingit).

RANGE: Throughout Alaska.

HARVESTING DIRECTIONS: Pick surah leaves in early spring, when bright green and sweet. Peel shoots of the feltleaf willow, keeping the tasty green cambium (inner bark) and discarding the outer bark and woody core.

FOOD USE: Nibble surah leaves as a snack or add to salads. Their mild leaves blend well in soups and casseroles. Ferment with cabbage as sauerkraut. A mere 1 ounce of willow leaf fulfills your daily requirement for vitamin A and 89% of your vitamin C. The green cambium can be dried and ground as a flour substitute. (Such use is uncommon unless in survival situations).

HEALTH USE: Willow introduces foragers to the scientific discipline of organoleptic testing. This methodology uses human senses for evaluating substances. Foragers who taste willows will quickly differentiate those that are palatable for food purposes versus those high in the anti-inflammatory salicin. The rule of thumb is the more “yuck!” the willow tastes, the higher in pain-relieving compounds. Though slower acting than aspirin, willows offer advantages of longer-lasting pain relief, no stomach bleeding, and no effect on blood platelets. If troubled by headache in the wild, chew willow inner bark and leaves. Alternately, simmer the chopped inner bark in water, and sip the dark brew. For insect stings and bites, mash willow leaves and place the pulp on the irritated area. Use bark decoctions as an antiseptic wash for wilderness wounds. European herbalists use willow for treating colds, flu, fevers, headaches, and arthritis. Similar use is shared by Natives throughout Alaska. In addition, Iñupiat use willow bark ash for soothing burns. Yup’ik chewed willow bark and leaves for mouth sores.

OTHER: Soak sore feet in a willow footbath. Use leafy branches as a switch in the sauna to stimulate circulation. Use willow stems in basketry. To banish winter blues, place twigs in a vase of water and celebrate the pussy willow’s promise of spring.

CAUTION: Individuals with sensitivity to aspirin are typically warned not to ingest salicin-containing plants (willow, poplar, birch). The American Botanical Council, however, points out that “the salicylates in willow metabolize differently than aspirin (acetylsalicylic acid).” Though it’s possible for salicylate interactions to arise, studies do not indicate this potential toxicity. If in doubt if willow is right for you, check with your health care provider.

RHODIOLA

Sedum rosea, subspecies integrifolia, aka Rhodiola rosea Stonecrop family (Crassulaceae)

I cultivated roseroot in my Kachemak Bay garden decades before the boon of commercial Alaskan cultivation. My start was finding a clump of Sedum rosea nesting in an eroded clump of earth, about to wash out to sea. I added it to my herb garden, envisioning a steady source of spring food; it thrived despite my total ignorance of its needs. Since the 1990s, research on this plant has expanded, as has cultivation knowhow. Today, it is marketed as Rhodiola. The name “roseroot” hints at the aroma of the rootstalk. The fleshy blue-gray leaves are spoon-shaped and overlap in a spiral fashion. The early blooming flowers sit at the top of the stem.

DERIVATION OF NAME: Sedum is from the Latin “to sit”; rosea means “rose.”

OTHER NAMES: roseroot, Arctic root, hen and chickens.

RANGE: Moist rocky places, and alpine slopes throughout Alaska.

HARVESTING DIRECTIONS: For food use, leaves are most prime before flowers but can be used throughout the summer to extend food supplies. For health use, roots are harvested autumn or early spring.

FOOD USE: Eat Rhodiola leaves raw, in salads and coleslaws, or steam as a potherb. Add to immune support soup, with seaweed, miso, wild chives, and shitake. Try a Rhodiola relish or salsa. Include Rhodiola in egg dishes, stir-fries, and casseroles. Anore Jones reports that St. Lawrence Iñupiat ferment the rootstalks in water, adding successive layers every few weeks until the barrel is full. When it tastes sour, it is eaten with seal oil or blubber; the remainder is frozen for winter use.

HEALTH USE: The greens are high in vitamins A and C. Dena’ina Athabascans use leaves and rootstalks as tea for colds, sore-throat gargles, and eyewashes; the mashed rhizome is a poultice for cuts. Dr. Robert Fortuine documented use of roseroot flowers by Nelson and Nunivak Island Yup’ik for treatment of tuberculosis. Herbalists classify Rhodiola as an adaptogen, an herb that helps the body adapt to stress and anxiety. A Swedish clinical trial confirmed that standardized extracts exhibited a positive effect on fatigue levels and stress-related cognitive function, increasing attention and endurance.

OTHER: In 2009, Dr. Petra Illig successfully trialed 100,000 Rhodiola seedlings in Anchorage. But be warned: Illig writes that “it takes Rhodiola rosea at least 5 years in carefully tended fields to reach the state of maturity required to produce potent rosavin and saldiroside levels at the same concentrations as is found in mature wild roots.” Also, Rhodiola prefers cold winters and cool summers; thus, ongoing global warming could potentially have adverse effects on future success. “At present Rhodiola,” points out Smithsonian.com “already fetches a higher price per acre than other crops, such as potatoes.”

CAUTION: An American Botanical Council HerbGram concludes that though R. rosea has very few side effects with most users finding it improves their mood, energy level, and mental clarity, it should be used with caution by individuals who tend to be anxious, jittery, or agitated. Also, those with bipolar disorder with a tendency to have manic periods may find it overly stimulating.

SAXIFRAGE

Saxifraga species Saxifrage family (Saxifragaceae)

The Saxifraga genus is a large one and can be confusing, but fortunately it’s forager friendly. My preferred species for eating is brook saxifrage, Saxifraga punctata, which has smooth, kidney-shaped leaves with toothed margins and a spike of white flowers; as the name indicates, it is common along streams. Leaves grow singly on basal stems. Inuit people eat flowers and petals of aupilaktunnguat, purple mountain saxifrage, Saxifraga oppositifolia. Saxifrage flower colors vary from white to yellow to violet red. Look closely and you’ll note 5 petals with 10 stamens with a very visible ovary in the center. Seed capsules are red. A plant sometimes mistaken for brook saxifrage is mist maiden (Romanzoffia); leaves are similar in shape and equally edible.

DERIVATION OF NAME: Saxifraga is from the Latin saxum, “rock,” and frango, “to break.” Saxifrage thrives in rock fissures, creating the illusion it breaks rocks. Another theory of derivation relates to saxifrage’s ancient use in dissolving urinary stones.

OTHER NAMES: brook saxifrage, salad greens, deer tongue.

RANGE: Throughout Alaska. Habitats vary with species from moist places to rockslides to rock crevices to bogs.

HARVESTING DIRECTIONS: Leaves are prime before flowers appear, but for camping purposes can be harvested all summer.

FOOD USE: Add saxifrage leaves to salads or stir-fries. Though they won’t win kudos on MasterChef due to their rather bland flavor, they’re a good source of vitamins A and C and can be dressed up with more flavorsome greens or sauces. Use in soups, quiche, spanakopita, and casseroles.

HEALTH USE: Bog saxifrage, Saxifraga hirculus, is a tufted species with short runners and yellow petals. It ranges in Alaska as well as in Pakistan, where the plant’s decoction is given in fever, diarrhea, cough, chest complaints and pulmonary disorders. Spanish Saxifraga species are used as poultices for bruises, bites and boils. If camping in the alpine and needing relief from mosquito bites, a poultice of mashed saxifrage leaf could be worth trying.

OTHER: In the UK, University of Cambridge scientists have discovered the rare mineral vaterite in the “crust” that forms on various alpine saxifrage species. Vaterite is of significant interest to the pharmaceutical industry as a superior carrier for medications and as an ingredient in cements for orthopedic surgery.