Thousands of the animals had to be destroyed. She has traveled extensively to such places as India and Sri Lanka to widen and enhance her writing and knowledge base. Once he was able to free himself from the leaves, much of his hair was entangled in the branches. Using reindeer moss in rock gardens and for xeriscaping landscaping has become a popular practice. Copyright Leaf Group Ltd. // Leaf Group Lifestyle. Most lichen contain 94% carbohydrates, but due to their growth on rocks and stones, result in a rock dissolving acid that can burn your insides, however Reindeer moss in the most nutritious and least acidic. China have their alternative way to make Lichen edible, which was to boil them for thirty minutes, they then soaked them for two days in several changes of water. She writes for numerous online publications. The medicinal use of lichens in the 18th century where it was first used as a drug, being claimed to be good for coughs, jaundice, rabies and restoring hair loss. They let him go when he was high up in the air, as he fell he became caught on the branches of the trees. In addition it could also help with constipation, convulsions, tuberculosis and a useful remedy of whooping cough. The moss looks like tiny shrubs and trees when used in art projects. Reindeer moss has the unique ability of maintaining life even in dry conditions. Humans cannot digest lichens due to their acidic nature without boiling or cooking it first. In addition another version of this legend was that the lichens were the scabs from Ma’napus buttocks where he burned it, and as he slid down a slanting rock they came off. These names, and its highly branched growth pattern known as fruticose are often misleading in its appearance to moss. HabitatBeing a hard plant in can grow in a variety of habitats from hot and cold climates that are well-drained, open environments. They dry out and go dormant when there is little water or light. Throughout history, reindeer moss has served many uses. Native Americans added reindeer moss in a powdered form to their soups and stews to thicken the mixture. The species name comes from the reindeer and caribou genus ‘rangifer’. It is an erect, many-branched plant that grows up to 8 cm high, covers immense areas, and serves as pasture for reindeer, moose, caribou, and musk oxen. The term lichen comes from the Greek word ‘leprous’ referring to the use of lichens treating skin disease, due to their peeling skin appearance. They are prepared in a variety of ways to be eaten, and can be left plain or mixed with other foods, they are dried and added to flour to thicken soups, in addition to being used to thicken desserts. Medicinal usesIn the 15th century the Doctrine of Signatures stated that ‘a planet could treat a disease it most looked like’ this created the phyto-therapeutics in traditional medicines such as traditional Indian medicine, Chinese medicine and Western herbal medicine. It can absorb water and nutrients from the surrounding air which makes it intolerant of pollution. The coming people will gather you and make you into food.’, Read full proving here: Reindeer Moss (Cladonia Rangiferina). During the Middle Ages lichens figured prominently as the herbs used by practitioners. A symbiotic relationship between a fungus and an alga or cyanobacterium forms the lichen plant known as reindeer moss (Cladonia spp). Source and DescriptionReindeer lichen is a slow growing plant that is only reported to grow by 3-5mm per year. A modern version to this is to soak them with hardwood ashes. The crystals would cut up the wolf's digestive tract and kill the animal, according to the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse. He placed the scabs where they were to keep his uncles and aunts from starving. It can particularity dominant the ground in many pine forests and low alpine sites, in addition to rocky ground and in humid areas. The indigenous people of the Arctic known as Dene eat reindeer lichen by killing the reindeer or... Wolf Killer. Using reindeer moss in rock gardens and for xeriscaping landscaping has become a popular practice. In 1986, after the Chernobyl explosion in the Soviet Union, reindeer moss quickly absorbed the radioactive fallout of the reactor which showed how many miles the radiation traveled. Reindeer moss is widely used to make natural dyes for tweed cloth. Lichen also thrives with little or no care in extreme weather conditions. It is a common food for musk oxen, reindeer and caribou. MythologyAccording to Menomini legend, lichens are said to be the scabs from the head of Ma’napus. In the winter months it is their primary food source. In the far reaches of the Northern Hemisphere where food is often scarce, grazing animals consume reindeer moss. The indigenous people of the Arctic known as Dene eat reindeer lichen by killing the reindeer or caribou and harvesting its stomach after the animal has consumed reindeer moss. They would stuff a dead chicken with the lichen so the wolf would consume the chicken and inadvertantly digest the reindeer moss. The moss is also ground into a powder and marketed as an herbal tea. The indigenous people of the Arctic known as Dene eat reindeer lichen by killing the reindeer or caribou and harvesting its stomach after the animal has consumed reindeer moss. In the far reaches of the Northern Hemisphere where food is often scarce, grazing animals consume reindeer moss. Reindeer moss is popular with model train builders who use it to decorate their track setups. About the PlantCladonia rangiferina is also known as Reindeer Moss, Caribou Moss, and Reindeer Lichen. All Rights Reserved. Plan the perfect garden with our interactive tool →, University of Wisconsin-La Crosse: Cladonia rangifera, University of Florida: Reindeer Moss (Cladonia spp. The coyote transformed this hair into Bryoria fremontii, and said ‘you, my hair, will not be wasted. Unfortunately, the reindeer in the region continued to consume the lichen which caused radiation to build up in the meat and milk of the animals rendering them unsafe for human consumption. The bacteria and protozoans in the animal's rumen break down the reindeer moss and turn it into sugar. Reindeer moss was used by early setters to kill wolves. The lichen offers a unique appearance to the rocks and surrounding area in the garden. Lichen is soaked in several changes of water to make it edible. HistoryIn the 1800’s Sweden led the world in lichen alcohol production where the rest of Europe and Russia followed. Reindeer moss fixes nitrogen into the soil whereever it grows, which benefits its surroundings. The lichen does not do well if the surrounding area is polluted because it acts as a sponge and absorbs all the impurities from the atmosphere. Learn which plants thrive in your Hardiness Zone with our new interactive map! Renideer linchen is refereed to as any several species that are consumed by the reindeer in Euraisa and Carbiou of North America it constitute about 90% of their diet during the winter months and 50% in the summer. Uses for Reindeer Moss Wildlife Food Source.