In-Depth Description
Kinnikinnick, aka red bearberry, is of the genus Arctostaphylos. This native groundcover is very common on Cape Cod, covering vast areas in open, sandy, pine-studded communities. In Greek, arctos is ‘bear’ and staphyle ‘grape’, whereas in Latin, uva is a ‘bunch of grapes’ and ursus is ‘bear’. The berries are indeed eaten by bears, as the name indicates. Kinnikinnick, an Algonquin word for many tobacco substitutes, is most frequently applied to this species, which also had many medicinal uses. An astringent tea can be made by steeping the dried leaves in boiling water.
