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Exploring Iceland Blog

Icelandic Flora

10/20/2020

2 Comments

 
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 Iceland´s flora is made of only approximately 490 wild vascular plants – a much smaller number than in neighboring Scandinavia or Britain which is surprising because these countries have harsh climates, too. So there must be more reasons for these limited quantity of species. Compared to other more southernly countries there has been a rather short length of time since glacier ice covered most of Iceland.  ​Some scientists say that the whole of Iceland was covered in ice during the last ice age which ended roughly 10 000 years ago, others believe that some plants may have survived on so called “nunataks” standing out of the ice.
 Iceland´s location in the North Atlantic is very isolated and there are limited opportunities for new species to reach the island. Still new species arrive in Iceland on a regular basis, they travel to Iceland by wind, they come with birds and since the settlement of Iceland also with humans. Since Iceland was settled in the late 9th century humans have brought new species to Iceland, some by accident and some with the purpose of using them for crops or other purposes.
From the early time of settlement Icelanders have tried to make use of the wild plants they could find in order to expand their diet, to dye clothes,  for medical purposes and even magic.
Viking Vegetables 
One of the most famous plants that even was a valuable trading commodity in Viking times was the plant Angelica (Angelica archangelica) whose stems and roots are edible and which was used both as vegetable and medical plant. Already in the Saga Age “hvannarótarbrennivín”, an aquavit brewed from the roots of the Angelica plant was very popular. The Icelandic Angelica is often found next to rivers or streams and grows up to 1,5 meters high and its blossoms are small, numerous and greenish-yellow.
Another one that was used as vegetable and medical plant alike is skarfakál or scurvygrass. Its high Vitamin C content made it a popular antidote for scurvy, a common illness for seafaring or poor people with little access to a healthy balanced diet. “Fjallagrös” or Iceland moss is another good example for a plant that was part of the Viking diet but also used as a medical plant. In spite of its name it is in fact a lichen and not a moss. Fjallagrös was used both in food such as porridge and other spoon food but also as a drink and is said to improve your immune system. 
​Medical plants 
The list of medical plants includes for example blóðberg/arctic thyme, mariustakkur/Lady´s mantle, garðabrúða/valerian and valhumall/yarrow. The medical powers of these plants were known and passed on from family to family. Still today we have a number of companies who produce plant medicine from Icelandic herbs such as Jurtaapotekið or the Herb Pharmacy run by Kolbrún Björnsdóttir.
Colouring and Magic 
Plants were used for colouring such as Gulmaðra/Yellow bedstraw, sortulyng/bearberry or rabbabari/rhubarb and even for magic!  One of the strangest theories of using magic is connected to the flower holtasóley or mountain avens. You were supposed to find mountains avens which were growing at a place where a thief had been previously executed by hanging. Its magical power was to extract money from the ground once you put a coin underneath its root. But the coin that was to be used as a bait had to be stolen from a “poor widow while she was attending mass on one of the three high church holidays of the year”. Only then the coin would magically draw the same kind of money from the ground. Logically it was recommend to steal the largest coin you could find for greatest profit
If you enjoyed this short excursion into the world of Icelandic plants you should join us on our private small group Hike & Relax tours or new Green Tourism Self drive tour to learn more about the wonderful stories connected to the Icelandic Flora!

Text:  Meike WItt 
Photos:  Meike & Steinunn  
2 Comments
RONALD FRITH
3/13/2021 07:26:17 pm

My travels to southern Greenland as part of a geological study with the Greenland Geological Survey (GGU) showed wild Angelica growing in the fjords. Visiting Greenlanders to the fjords would collect Angelica root and stem, which according to local folkloric knowledge were brought by early Vikings from Iceland and planted as a source of vitamin "C" and eaten as a counter to scurvy. This knowledge was centuries ahead of the British Admiralty.

I would be interested in knowing more about this cultivation and would greatly appreciate any reference material you may know of.

Ronald Frith;
rafrith@gmail.com

Reply
Meike link
3/15/2021 12:55:10 pm

Thank you so much for reading our blog and commenting about the Angelica.
It is a fascinating plant and as you may be aware of there was a settlement of Nordic (predominantly Icelandic) settlers from about 990 to the middle of the 15 century in South Greenland. You can still see ruins from that time in Igaliku.
It probably started with a Viking called Erik the Red who was exiled from Iceland and the last documentation we have from this settlement is from a wedding around 1408 at Hvalsey Church.
So it is most likely that these settlers brought some plants like Angelica with them.
Angelica was widely used for medical purpose in Iceland and this knowledge was probably passed on from generation to generation and also transferred to places outside of Iceland that were frequented by Icelandic farmers, traders or hunters.
In Iceland we have a company using Angelica for drops: https://icelandictimes.com/sagamedica-focuses-on-natural-solutions-for-health/
For more information on Angelica and other herbal remedies you could have a look here as well:
https://www.icelandreview.com/reviews/medicinal-plants-iceland/

I hope that this is of some help to you!
Meike, Exploring Iceland

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