Fruticose Lichen-Usnea

Throughout history, people have used lichens for food, clothing, dyes, perfume additives, medicines, poisons, tanning agents, bandaging, and absorbent materials. Compounds unique to lichens are used in perfumes, fiber dyes, and in medicines for their antibacterial and antiviral properties. Lichens have been proven to have theoretically rich nutritional value, and their extracts and active substances have also been shown to have multiple health benefits including anti-cancer, anti-inflammation, anti-oxidative stress, and anti-diabetes. It's a natural air quality indicator, as it absorbs everything in the environment around it, but only thrives when the air quality is clean. In fact, scientists use lichen as a measure of air quality in different areas.

Very few lichens are poisonous. Poisonous lichens include those high in vulpinic acid or usnic acid. Most lichens that contain vulpinic acid are yellow, so any yellow lichen should be considered potentially poisonous.

Be careful, though, in what you use; a few people have been known to have allergic reactions to lichens, resulting in skin disorders.

Identifying Usnea:

Usnea is a hanging and hair-like fruticose lichen, a symbiotic organism made of fungus + alga that grows on the bark and limbs of trees.

There are many species, so the exact type will vary depending on where you live, but a key feature to check for is a white stretchy core.

Find a thicker piece of the lichen, then carefully start pulling it apart. If it’s fresh and moist, then you should see what looks like a thin strand of white elastic stretching when you pull. If the usnea is dry, then it may snap, but you’ll still see a white core inside.

Do not pick usnea directly off trees! The best time to look for it is after a wind or rainstorm, since that’s when branches get blown to the ground.

You really don’t need a lot of usnea – a couple of small handfuls will make plenty of tincture, salve, and a powder to stock in your natural first aid kit.

you can air dry usnea and store in brown paper bags for future use. Store in a cool dry place and out of direct sunlight and shelf life should be at least one year.

it’s used externally for wound healing and stopping bleeding, and internally for sore throat; respiratory, GI, urinary tract, and sinus infection; and as an immune tonic.

It’s generally regarded as safe, but if you’re pregnant or have health concerns, check with a healthcare professional before using internally. As with all topical products, if you develop redness or irritation after using externally, discontinue use.

Usnea Wound Powder:

To make usnea wound powder, take dried usnea and run it through a coffee grinder. Once you have a nice soft sifted powder, store it in a small airtight container. Used to stop bleeding.

To Make the Oil:

You just need chopped pieces of usnea, covered with about twice as much oil. ( about a ¼ cup of Usnea and ½ cup of oil) let sit for 4-6 weeks and strain or use the heat infused method in a crockpot. Make sure to add a few inches of water to the bottom of the crockpot to prevent breaking the glass jar. 3-4 hrs.

Usnea Salve:

combine 1.75 oz of infused oil with 0.25 ounces of beeswax. Heat slowly until the wax melts and store in a jar.

Usnea Tincture:

You’ll need:

1 part chopped usnea.

2 parts boiling water.

3 parts high proof drinkable alcohol (151 proof Everclear, or 75.5% alcohol by volume)

OR

1 part chopped usnea.

5 parts vodka (80 proof, or 40% alcohol by volume)

To make: Place the finely chopped usnea in the bottom of a heatproof half-pint jar. Cover with the boiling water, then add the alcohol. Cover with a lid, then shake well. Store in a warm spot for a minimum of 4 to 6 weeks. Strain and store in a cool dark spot. Shelf life is at least one year.

Side Effects of Usnea

Allergic Reactions: Some people may be allergic to Usnea, particularly those who are allergic to other types of lichen, fungi, or mushrooms. ...

Digestive Issues: Especially in high doses, Usnea may cause digestive issues such as nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. Usnea contains usnic acid, which can be toxic to the liver in high doses.