Does anyone have an Anishinaabemowin word for bull thistle (cirsium vulgare)? It’s a common sight in sunny pastures and along the roadside here. Its (also euro) cousin Canada thistle (cirsium arvense) will be covered another time, even though the edible and medicinal usage is similar. Bull thistle is more edible. I’m going to interrupt this […]
Category Archives: Edible & Medicinal Wild Plants
White Sweet Clover – Melilotus Albus: Vanilla of Edible & Medicinal Wild Plants
Does anyone have an Anishinaabemowin word for white sweet clover? Often called melilot, our sweet clovers are a settler imported edible and medicinal plant. But you’re going to need to be careful about mold. And you might want to report it. Around here white sweet clover (melilotus alba) is common. We also have yellow sweet […]
Coltsfoot – Tussilago Farfara: Salt of Edible & Medicinal Wild Plants
Does anyone have an Anishinaabemowin word for coltsfoot? Coltsfoot is another settler import to North America with a longstanding edible and medicinal history. But keep reading because things have gotten complicated due to health concerns about one of the constituents. Coltsfoot has gone out of vogue for a couple reasons. Firstly, antihistamines and new cough […]
Rose – Rosa SPP.: Cultured Flower of Edible & Medicinal Wild Plants
In Chippewa, ogini’minaga’wunj means rose hips or rose berries. Roses are both edible and medicinal. They have a global epicurean history that surpasses other herbs we’ve covered. A rosy pink Turkish delight may come to mind. Or your grandmothers beauty products. We have a handful of wild roses around Haliburton. All of our rose species are […]
Bulrush – Scirpus SPP.: Sweet Root of Edible & Medicinal Wild Plants
In Chippewa, ana’kun, bulrush is often neighbor to the similarly highly edible cattail. Across the pond, cattail is called bulrush. Perhaps “bulrush” being used for unrelated plants is one of the reasons scirpus SPP. is an often overlooked edible and medicinal plant here in North America. Or perhaps it’s due to cattail being so similar yet […]
Indian-Pipe – Monotropa Uniflora: That’s Not a Mushroom of Edible? & Medicinal Wild Plants
Does anyone know an Anishinaabemowin name for ghost pipe? Or an indigenous owned site that tells its story? An herb most will mistake for a mushroom, this pale wildflower has forgone photosynthesis and can often be found in the darkest woods. It’s one of the many edible and medicinal plants that should probably be left […]