🍀Celtic & Norse Herbalism

Crowberry (Krøkebær)

fruit

Crowberry (Krøkebær)

Empetrum nigrum, the crowberry, black crowberry, mossberry, rockberry, or, in western Alaska, Labrador, etc., blackberry, is a flowering plant species in the heather family Ericaceae with a near circumboreal distribution in the Northern Hemisphere. The scientific name of the plant comes from the combination of the Greek for 'upon a rock' and the Latin for black. North American Indigenous names for this species include asiavik (Iñupiaq), dineechʼúh (Gwichʼin), paurngaq (Inuktut), xéelʼi (Tlingít), xa skáawaa (Haida), and ts'nełt'ida (Dena’ina).

Conditions addressed

Immune SupportInflammationUrinary HealthAntioxidantDigestive Issues

How to use

½–1 cup fresh daily, or 2–3 tbsp dried
  • Eat fresh, raw, or dried.
  • Can be blended into smoothies, juiced, or added to salads and grain bowls.

Pregnancy, Breastfeeding & Children

No herb-specific pregnancy/child safety research is documented for Crowberry (Krøkebær) in our references — the guidance below is based on its general effect category, not research on Crowberry (Krøkebær) itself. Always confirm with a midwife, doctor, or pediatrician.

Pregnancy

Use Caution

This herb has immune-modulating activity. Short-term, food-level use is generally lower risk, but concentrated/long-term use is generally reserved for when needed rather than routine — this is a general, mechanism-based caution, not herb-specific research.

Breastfeeding

Likely Safe

Immune-supportive herbs are generally considered lower-risk during breastfeeding at normal amounts; caution is reasonable with autoimmune conditions or immunosuppressant medications.

Children

Use Caution

Short-term, age-appropriate use for colds/immune support is common practice; long-term daily use is generally avoided without pediatric guidance.

Interactions & contraindications

May affect immune activity

Watch for: Immunosuppressants (for transplant or autoimmune conditions)

Immune-stimulating herbs can work against immunosuppressive therapy.