Sweet Fern Tea

About

Common Name: Sweet Fern
Latin Name: Comptonia peregrina

We wild-harvest our ingredients deep within the "third coast" of the Great Lakes, where the pristine moisture and vibrant soil energy create the most potent medicines—a secret the Anishinaabe have known and respected for generations. This profound connection to the living land is why our traditional remedies carry such exceptional strength and healing power.

There’s a certain feeling you get when you walk along a dry, sandy ridge under the high sun. It's a scent that catches you first—warm, spicy, and deeply comforting. That’s the aroma of Sweet Fern, a plant that doesn’t shout for attention but holds a quiet, steady presence. It grows where other plants might struggle, a testament to its resilience. For generations, we have known this plant not just by its fragrance, but as a trusted ally.

Gathering Sweet Fern is a practice of being present. You have to feel the energy of the place, to understand the hardy spirit of this fern-like shrub. It’s a plant that offers its gifts generously. In our tradition, Sweet Fern is a versatile and powerful healer, a tonic that works to bring the body back into balance. Its leaves carry an astringent quality, which our ancestors valued for tightening and toning tissues, both internally and externally.

A tea made from its leaves was a common remedy for an unsettled stomach or diarrhea, its astringent nature helping to calm and restore digestive harmony. It was also known as a blood purifier, a way to gently cleanse the body from the inside out. When someone came into contact with poison ivy, a wash made from Sweet Fern tea was the first thing we’d turn to for relief from the itch and irritation. It was also used on other skin conditions, offering its soothing properties. Drinking a cup of Sweet Fern tea is more than just enjoying a beverage; it’s a way of partaking in a story of resilience, a connection to the sun-warmed ridges and the deep knowledge of the land.

Ingredients

• Wild-harvested Sweet Fern leaves (Comptonia peregrina)

Tags

• Digestive Health
• Skin Support
• Astringent
• Poison Ivy Remedy
• Tonic
• Blood Purifier
• Wild-Harvested
• Traditional Medicine
• Natural Remedy
• Anishinaabe