Bog myrtle wax

[Jjja]

Hello all, just joined today and have a question:
I have been reading in woodland crafts in Britain by H.L.Edlin that the brown shoots of bog myrtle can be washed in warm salted water to extract wax for candles. Has anyone out there tried this and how did you get on? Have tried the usual google search etc but haven't found anything much.

Cheers
Jjj

 

[Toddy]

Never tried it with salt, but if you boil up the resin rich yellow flower seedy bits there's a waxy scum forms that makes beautiful scented candles and a useful anti midge cream

Does it give any more information on the 'brown shoots' ? Bog Myrtle is pretty green, and it's only brown in winter when the leaves are off, or it's dead.

Oh, and welcome to the forum


cheers,
Toddy

 

[Hugo]

Welcome to the forum JJ.

 

[Jjja]

Thanks toddy, the bits I have just tested were the brown buds and after a while in boiling water I got precisely nothing. So I will try again later in the year when the plants are a bit more alive!
I seem to recall that the leaves are fragrant when crushed so I will do some experiments. The wax yield will determine whether I make a birthday cake candle or something larger. I am guessing they will bud and flower a bit earlier down here in Dorset than in Scotland?
Thanks again
Jjj
Haven't had the chance to look around the whole forum yet but I will do soon.

 

[Toddy]

Those wee scented cones make lovely tincture, but they don't give much wax I find. A ring of scum around the pot's about all.

Even boiling up the resinous yellow bits I don't get enough for a candle on it's own; it's more an addition to a candle iimmc.
Like the juniper berries

cheers,
Toddy

 

[Jjja]

I now have a bundle of bog myrtle which is fresh and fragrant. I will try to extract some wax/oil over the next week or so and let you know how I get on.
Harvested a few days ago from the isle of Arran, what a fantastic place, highly recommended!
Jjj