Mountain ash
Mountain ash (Sorbus aucuparia) grows both as a tree or as a shrub.
The leaves are sharply toothed with up to 19 individual pinnules. The white, stoutly fragrant, umbel-like flowers form orange-red berries in late summer.
Mountain ash
Image source: 199909796 – stock.adobe.com
The mountain ash is also popularly called rowan. The fruits can be enjoyed individually pure. However, too much of it is not so good for the gastrointestinal tract (vomiting and diarrhea). This is also the reason why rowan is said to be poisonous. Cooked they are no longer a problem and can be used in liqueurs, jams or juices.
Family and collection time
Mountain ash belongs to the Rosaceae family (rose family).
Parts of the plant used: Berries
Collection time in detail:
- Berries: Late summer and autumn
Healing effect and application
Healing properties:
Immune system enhancing, intestinal and stomach disorders, diarrhea, constipation, hemorrhoids, liver and gall bladder disorders, rheumatism, gout, cough, bronchitis, pneumonia, scurvy.
Ingredients: (selection)
- Very much protein
- Vitamin C (especially the fruits)
- Minerals
Applications
Recipe for the kitchen: bitters syrup from red fruits
Ingredients
-
250 g elderberries
-
250 g rowan berries
-
2 tablespoons dried or fresh yarrow
-
4 small sprigs of wormwood
-
2 tablespoons mugwort leaves
-
1 liter water
-
200 g maple syrup
-
Grated zest of one organic lemon
Put everything together in a pot and boil for 10 minutes. Strain and pour hot into bottles.
(For Thermomix owners: 15 minutes/flavor/stage 1 (but stick with it)).
Tastes very good pure or with ice cubes or in orange juice.
Recipe according to: Heike Engel, www.strahlemensch.de
Recipe for the kitchen: Sour spread
“Put 1 kg of frozen rowan berries in a pot and pour about ¼ l of apple juice over them. Let it all simmer for 10 min, then pass it through a sieve to retain the seeds. Boil the fruit pulp with the same amount of jelling sugar, then pour into clean screw jars and close tightly”.
Recipe from: Unsere eßbaren Wildpflanzen, page 207, Rudi Beiser, Franckh-Kosmos Verlags-GmbH & Co.KG, Stuttgart
References:
Beiser, Rudi: Our edible wild plants. Kosmos Nature Guide 2018
Bühring, Ursel: Praxis-Lehrbuch der modernen Heilpflanzenkunde; Grundlagen – Anwendung – Therapie. Sonntag Publishing House Stuttgart 2005
Pahlow, M. Pharmacist: Medicinal Plants. Bechtermünz Publishing House Augsburg 2001
Schneider, Christine: Finding wild herbs. Ulmer Publishing House Stuttgart 2017
Recipe by Dr. Markus Strauß www.dr-strauss.net
