I’m sure that you’ve probably seen this lichen many times as it grows in lacey bunches attached to trees all over the world. I see it often on my walks in Northeastern Connecticut, but it wasn’t until recently that I realized its medicinal worth.
After doing some research on how best to prepare usnea in order to get the most out of this wonderful specimen, I decided to share what I’ve learned.
Usnea is a greyish-green lichen with medicinal properties that grows on trees, rocks, and shrubs. It’s often referred to as Old Man’s Beard due to its resemblance to an old man’s beard.
A lichen is an organism that has characteristics of a Fungus and Algae. In Traditional Chinese Medicine Usnea Lichen is known for its “cooling and drying” energetic properties and its ability to “clear heat, move damp, and resolve toxicity”.
Usnea is antimicrobial, antibacterial, vulnerary, and antifungal.
I’ve used 100 proof vodka so therefore it is 50% water. Kept in the dark for a couple months as I wasn’t in a hurry and vodka preserves well. Then came winter and time to turn on heater. I put a chair in front of the heater and made reflector from foil around my jar of Usnea which sat for a few weeks being consistently warmed. The liquid changed from a light color to darker, the flavor grew. Would this serve the purpose of dual extraction? Thought process is that there is substantial water in the vodka to start so why would I need to dilute the tincture while doing a separate process that requires more fuel if the heater is already on and the liquid consistently well warmed over time. Thankyou ahead for any feedback you can provide.