Ledum Greenland Moss Essential Oil Canada

Greenland moss is somewhat of a newcomer to the American essential oil landscape but for me, I feel like I grew up with Labrador tea or at least the mossy scent this aromatic provides. Its use was interspersed in our history books marking the survival of indigenous peoples of Canada. It was mostly know to Canadians as Hudson’s Bay tea as so many things are named but it was occasionally labeled Indian tea as well. Greenland moss grows in northern Canada and in peat bogs closer to the 49th parallel and it carries much historical weight as a traditional plant. I suppose it’s why I sat on this oil for a long time. I didn’t want to expose the plant to consumerism without first acknowledging the cultural origin of it. This oil is sacred to me in ways different than the First Nations Peoples of Quebec and Northern Canada. The Algonquin and Cree nations were particularly iconic in their use of this beautiful plant; as tea in smudges and natural remedies for the inflamed body. I’ve taken a turn in how I feel about sharing this oil. I see it as an important gateway to its indigenous history, a way to not only appreciate its importance in our Canadian landscape but to experience one of the many fine boreal aromas of our land.