Blueberry (Vaccinium frondosum, V. ovatum, V. angustifolium, V. caespitosum, V myrtillus)
Folk Names: (V. ovatum) Box Blueberry, (V. angustifolium) Low Bush Blueberry, (V. caespitosum) Dwarf Bilberry, (V. myrtillus) Airelle, Bilberry, Black Whortles, Bleaberry (Scottish – bluish-berry), Bollebar (Danish – dark berry), Bulberry, Huckleberry, Hurtleberry, Hurts, Trackleberry, Whinberry, Whortleberry
Description: Blueberries are edible members of the heath family. They prefer acidic soil and plenty of sunlight and do best on high ground. Blueberries are found throughout Europe, and in North America from Arctic and subarctic Canada through the US. The typical blueberry is a small, branched bush or shrub with wiry, angular branches. It is rarely more than a foot high and is covered in simple, leathery, alternate leaves with smooth margins. The leaves grow in a rosy color at first, deepening to a yellow-green, and finally turning red in the autumn. The flowers are white to pink and tightly clustered. The berry appears from early summer to early autumn in twos and threes at the bases of the leaves. It is typically blue-black with a puckered indentation at top, though some are bright red and even white in certain species. The berries are filled with numerous soft, edible seeds.
Effects:
Planet: Jupiter, Pluto
Element:
Associated Deities:
Traditions:
Lammas, Lughnasadh
Magic:
To keep evil and undesirables away from your property or from entering home, place blueberries under your doormat. Blueberries are also useful for warding off psychic attack when prepared in a pie or tart. They create confusion and strife if tossed at the doorway or in the path of your enemy.
Known Combinations:
none noted
Medical Indications: (Caution: Blueberry interferes with iron absorption when taken internally) Parts Used: entire plant
Blueberries contain fatty acids, flavinoids, hydroquinone, loeanolic acid, ursolic acid, neomyrtillin, and tannins. The tannins from dried berries are particularly good for easing diarrhea, and the leaves are especially astringent. They are also diuretic and act as a urinary tract antiseptic. I prefer blueberry yogurt when I’m having an intestinal or urinary problem for the added benefit of the acidophilus in the yogurt.
Most recently, blueberries have been recommended to people suffering from diabetes or hypoglycemia. The berries are helpful in controlling insulin levels and so may also be eaten during times of stress and anxiety when sugar levels fluctuate. Blueberry is also known to strengthen connective tissues and reduce inflammation.
Another almost universal medical application of blueberries is for the eyes. The flavinoids in blueberries have been used for years to combat night blindness, cataracts (helping to halt or prevent macular degeneration), and glaucoma.
Nutrition:
Blueberries are one of my favorite fruits and one of the few I can eat without worrying about an allergic reaction. The fresher the blueberries, the better they will taste. They may be used in jams, pies, preserves, cakes, and jellies. I love blueberries in my yogurt and a good blueberry pie beats out all others in my eyes. Due to the large amount of juice contained in blueberries, you need only add a half pound of sugar to a pound of berries when making preserves.
The leaves have been added to teas.
Mercantile Uses:
In addition to the tasty berries, the color variation blueberry leaves go through make them a popular ornamental plant to have in the garden. The fruit of most blueberry plants may be used to make rose, pink, or purple dyes. The fruit of V myrtillus requires a mordant to set the dye into cloth. During WWII, when dye imports from Germany were restricted in England, blueberries were eagerly sought by the dye manufacturers.