Wild Edibles (Fire Bush)

Acquiring food and medicine from the natural environment are skills which all survival and self reliance enthusiasts should seek to develop.  Even if for no other reason than it is extremely rewarding.  In this treatment  I will be discussing one of my favorite wild edibles/medicinals commonly found in my area. The Hamelia Paterns also known variously as fire bush, scarlet bush, Texas fire cracker, humming   bird bush,  and  sanalo-todo.  

Fire bush is a fast growing, semi-woody bush that is native to the American subtropics and tropics and easily found in the lower united states including Texas , Florida, and California.  It is also very easy to indentify with distinctive flowers and red veined leaves.  It also produces an edible fruit berry which turns from green, to red, to then black when ripe.  Its beauty and adaptability make it real popular for landscaping.   

While the berry is edible it does have a bitter after taste and its astringent qualities tend to dry out the mouth some.  It is used as a condiment for fish in some parts of the Caribbean and even fermented into wine in Mexico.  I suppose it could probably be made into syrups or jellies although I’ve never tried it.  Its real strength I believe is as a wild Medicinal.  It has a long history as a medicinal plant throughout the Americas and even the Caribbean.  The ancient Mayans called it Ix-canan “the guardian of the forest.”  Indigenous people of Belize use this plant to treat a variety of skin ailments including sores, rashes, burns, cuts, stings, and even skin fungus.  In the Peruvian Amazon the leaves have been used by indigenous people for treating dysentery, fevers, rheumatism and scurvy.  It can be prepared as a poultice and used to treat bruises, strains and sprains.  In Cuba the leaves are used externally for headaches and in a decoction used for rheumatism.  

This fascinating plant has many uses ranging from culinary uses to the various medicinal uses.  My favorite quality is its hypothermic or body cooling effect.  To use it like the natives of the rain forest simply take a leaf and chew on it.  You should be pleasantly surprised with a mild cooling of your body and most noticeably your forehead.  This very neat trick I learned from a landscaper is very useful to know here in sunny South Florida where heat injuries such as heat exhaustion and sun stroke are common.

Now folks while this is a relatively safe plant to use, it should be known that none of this should be considered medical advice.  This information is for information purposes only and any use of it is at your own risk.  That said go out forage, learn, and most of all enjoy!