MEDICINAL:
Uva Ursi, also called Bearberry, strengthens and tones the urinary tract. It is especially useful for kidney infections, bladder infections, and inflammatory disease of the urinary tract. It is used as a diabetes remedy for excessive sugar in the blood. It is used for postpartum women to return the womb to its natural size, as well as to prevent infection of the womb after childbirth. It should not be used by pregnant women.
GROWING:
Uva Ursi rarely grows more than a few inches tall. It is best propagated from cuttings. It takes an unusually long time to root, so consider instead buying small plants from nurseries. It does poorly in rich soil, as it prefers poor soils in full sun. Once established, it spreads and becomes an attractive, hardy ground cover, surviving temperatures of -50.