Bergenia cordifolia, known to gardeners as Pig Squeek makes a great tea.
Here is what I found on Wikipedia (in Russian, translated with Google Translate):
"used for landscaping in stone gardens, shrubs and trees arrays. Gardeners brought several forms of flowers of different colors. The plant prefers partial shade and shady places with moderately dry, fertile soil. Propagated by dividing the bush in autumn.
The plant is in the first row of the world tannins (content tanidov 2 times greater than willow or spruce bark, and 4 times greater than in oak bark), it is used for the sole tannage and yufti and nets and tarps impregnation.
Gives a black and brown paint.
Soaked in water and washed from tannins rhizomes are edible, and overwintered, blackened leaves are used to flavor tea - Mongolian tea [5], or chigirsky tea."
I received a jar of tea from the botanical garden on Solenetsky Island in the region of Archangelisk, Russia. I have been wondering what's in it for years. But it's really good tea, and I suspected it might be Bergenia because of the photo on the tea box. Finally today, I thought to look up the plant on Wikipedia. I was surprised to find more information on the Russian language version of the page about this plant. Maybe Google Translate can help me learn more Russian herbal knowledge.
I am so excited to discover the high tannin content of this plant! I hope to start printing on fabric using homemade ink. This is going to be so wonderful! India Flint - here's to you! I need to buy her book of natural dyes and art projects.
The Bergenia tea tastes like orange pekoe black tea but without the caffeine. I bet that I can find a nice big patch of Pig Squeak, and gather some leaves today.
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