I haven’t found a word for sunflower in Anishinaabemowin, but *giizis means sun and waabigwan means flower. While most folks know sunflower is edible, did you know it’s a medicinal plant as well? *The Ojibwe words link to The Ojibwe People’s Dictionary which is the first place I look if Frances Densmore’s book doesn’t include […]
Category Archives: Edible & Medicinal Wild Plants
Willow – Salix SPP.: Original Aspirin of Edible & Medicinal Wild Plants
In Chippewa, ozi’sigo’bimle, willow is an edible, medicinal and heavily utilized plant. Its powerful component salicin was synthesized to make the well known OTC medicine Aspirin. “Sal lis” means “near water”. And our many Haliburton waters are surrounded by salix! The marshes I visit for birding and herping are filled with a wide variety of […]
Pineapple-weed – Matricaria Discoidea: Wild Chamomile of Edible & Medicinal Wild Plants
Does anyone have an Anishinaabemowin word for pineappleweed? Also called wild chamomile, which is more alluring on the medicinal side of naming. I suppose pineapple triggers a thirst for learning about its edible qualities. I would rather have titled this one Wild Chamomile, but I’m using the common names as seen in our local guidebook Haliburton […]
Marsh Marigold – Caltha Palustris: Early Greens of Edible & Medicinal Wild Plants
In Chippewa, o’gite’bug, marsh marigold is a wild edible and medicinal plant that grows too close to water hemlock for the comfort of many. Although they look nothing like each other! Also note marsh marigold across the Atlantic is a different plant. Early spring, when wild food is slim pickings, pollinators and foragers alike can […]
Wild Parsnip – Pastinaca Sativa: Sweetest of Edible & Medicinal Wild Plants
Does anyone have an Anishinaabemowin word for parsnip? There isn’t a traditional word because this plant is an invasive settler plant. Edible and medicinal carrot/parsley family plants are notorious on the internet. Their relation giant hogweed is especially villainized. My library of herbal books tends to focus on cow parsnip, and even then, these parsnip […]
Red Osier Dogwood – Cornus Stolonifera: Substitute Willow of Edible & Medicinal Wild Plants
Joe from *Creator’s Garden calls it mskwabiimnagohns. Red osier dogwood is our most recognizable dogwood. It’s both a wild edible and a medicinal that you may be aching to know. *Link is to Joe’s video about red osier on Facebook, have a listen and follow 🙂 Our local dogwoods include at least five: pagoda (cornus […]