Here are our featured plants organized into their families alphabetically. It’s even easier to search the whole site in the search box included at the top and bottom of every page, especially if you’re using a common or folk name, as some plants have dozens of names. There are also browsable tags (ex. flower colour) to help you navigate the site.
Table of Contents
- List of Edible & Medicinal Wild Plants
- List of Edible & Medicinal Fungi and Lichen
- Where Our Featured Wild Plants Are Found
List of Edible & Medicinal Wild Plants
- None as of yet
Adoxaceae (incl. Caprifoliaceae, p.pt.)/Moschatel family
- Common Elderberry – Sambucus Canadensis
- Bush-Cranberries – Viburnum SPP.
- Highbush Cranberry – Viburnum Trilobum
Alismataceae/Water plantain family
Amaranthaceae (incl. Chenopodiaceae)/Amaranth family
Amaryllidaceae (Liliaceae, p.pt.)/Amaryllis family
Apiaceae (Umbelliferae)/Carrot family
- Goutweed – Aegopodium Podagraria
- Queen Anne’s-lace – Daucus Carota
- Sweet Cicely – Osmorhiza SPP.
- Wild Parsnip – Pastinaca Sativa
Apocynaceae (incl. Asclepiadaceae)/Dogbane family
Araceae (incl. Lemnaceae)/Arum family
Araliaceae/Sarsaparilla family
Asparagaceae (Liliaceae, p.pt.)/Asparagus family
- Asparagus – Asparagus Officinalis
- Wild Lily-Of-The-Valley – Maianthemum Canadense
- True Solomon’s Seals – Polygonatum SPP.
- False Solomon’s-Seal – Smilacina Racemosa
Aspleniaceae/Spleenwort family
- None as of yet
Asteraceae (Compositae)/Aster family
- Yarrow – Achillea Millefolium
- Ragweed – Ambrosia Artemisiifolia
- Pearly Everlasting – Anaphalis Margaritacea
- Common Burdock – Arctium Minus
- Beggarticks – Bidens SPP.
- Knapweeds – Centaurea SPP.
- Chicory – Cichorium Intybus
- Canada Thistle – Cirsium Arvense
- Bull Thistle – Cirsium Vulgare
- Horseweed – Conyza Canadensis
- Coneflowers – Echinacea SPP.
- Common Fleabane – Erigeron Philadelphicus
- Joe-Pye Weed – Eupatorium Maculatum
- Boneset – Eupatorium Perfoliatum
- Sunflower – Helianthus Annuus
- Wild Lettuces – Lactuca SPP.
- Ox-eye Daisy – Leucanthemum Vulgare
- Pineapple-weed – Matricaria Discoidea
- Black-eyed Susan – Rudbeckia Hirta
- Goldenrod – Solidago SPP.
- Sow Thistle – Sonchus SPP.
- Asters ft. New England Aster – Symphyotrichum SPP.
- Common Dandelion – Taraxacum Officinale
- Salsifies – Tragopogon SPP.
- Coltsfoot – Tussilago Farfara
Balsaminaceae/Touch-me-not family
- Alder – Alnus SPP.
- Yellow Birch – Betula Alleghaniensis
- White Birch – Betula Papyrifera
- Beaked Hazel – Corylus Cornuta
- None as of yet
- Viper’s Bugloss – Echium Vulgare
- Common Gromwell – Lithospermum Officinale
- Forget-me-nots – Myosotis SPP.
- Lungwort (Herb) – Pulmonaria Officinalis
- Common Comfrey – Symphytum Officinale
Brassicaceae (Cruciferae)/Mustard family
- Garlic Mustard – Alliaria Petiolata
- Horseradish – Armoracia Rusticana
- Winter Cress – Barbarea Vulgaris
- Field Mustard – Brassica Rapa
- Shepherd’s Purse – Capsella Bursa-pastoris
- Bittercresses – Cardamine SPP.
- Field Penny-cress – Thlaspi Arvense
Cabombaceae/Water-shield family
- None as of yet
Campanulaceae (incl. Lobeliaceae)/Harebell family
- Creeping Bellflower – Campanula Rapunculoides
- Cardinal Flower – Lobelia Cardinalis
- Indian Tobacco – Lobelia Inflata
Caprifoliaceae/Honeysuckle family
- Mouse-ear Chickweeds – Cerastium SPP.
- Pinks (Carnations) – Dianthus SPP.
- Soapwort – Saponaria Officinalis
- Bladder Campion – Silene Vulgaris
Celastraceae/Staff-tree family
Ceratophyllaceae/Hornwort family
- None as of yet
- None as of yet
Colchicaceae (Liliaceae, p.pt.)/Crocus family
Convolvulaceae/Bindweed family
- Alternate-leaved Dogwood – Cornus Alternifolia
- Bunchberry – Cornus Canadensis
- Red Osier Dogwood – Cornus Stolonifera
- None as of yet
Cystopteridaceae/Fragile fern family
- None as of yet
Dennstaedtiaceae/Hay-scented fern family
- None as of yet
Dryopteridaceae/Wood fern family
- None as of yet
Ericaceae (incl. Pyrolaceae)/Heath family
- Leatherleaf – Chamaedaphne Calyculata
- Pipsissewa – Chimaphila Umbellata
- American Wintergreen – Gaultheria Procumbens
- Ghost Pipe – Monotropa Uniflora
- Shinleaf – Pyrola Elliptica
- Lowbush Blueberry – Vaccinium Angustifolium
- None as of yet
- None as of yet
Fabaceae (Leguminosae)/Bean family
- *Peavines – Lathyrus SPP.
- Alfalfa – Medicago Sativa
- White Sweet Clover – Melilotus Albus
- Hop Clover – Trifolium Aureum
- Black Medick – Medicago Lupulina
- Red Clover – Trifolium Pratense
- White Clover – Trifolium Repens
- None as of yet
Grossulariaceae (Saxifragaceae, p.pt.)/Gooseberry family
Haloragaceae/Water milfoil family
- None as of yet
Hamamelidaceae/Witch-hazel family
Hydrocharitaceae (incl. Najadaceae)/Frog’s-bit family
- None as of yet
Hypericaceae/St. John’s-wort family
- None as of yet
- None as of yet
Lamiaceae (Labiatae)/Mint family
- Giant Hyssops – Agastache SPP.
- Carpet Bugle – Ajuga Reptans
- Wild Basil – Clinopodium Vulgare
- Ground Ivy – Glechoma Hederacea
- Dead Nettles (Incl. Henbit) – Lamium SPP.
- Motherwort – Leonurus Cardiaca
- Water Horehounds – Lycopus SPP.
- Mint – Mentha SPP.
- Bergamot – Monarda Spp.
- Catnip – Nepeta Cataria
- Heal-All – Prunella Vulgaris
- Skullcaps – Scutellaria SPP.
- Wild Thyme – Thymus SPP.
Lentibulariaceae/Bladderwort family
- None as of yet
- None as of yet
Linderniaceae/False pimpernel family
- None as of yet
Loranthaceae (Santalaceae, p.pt.)/Mistletoe family
- None as of yet
Malvaceae (incl. Tiliaceae)/Mallow family
Melanthiaceae (Liliaceae, p.pt.)/Bunchflower family
Melastomataceae/Melastome family
- None as of yet
Molluginaceae/Carpetweed family
- None as of yet
Montiaceae (Portulacaceae, p.pt.)/Spring beauty family
Nymphaeaceae/Water lily family
Onagraceae/Evening-primrose family
Onocleaceae/Sensitive fern family
Ophioglossaceae/Grape fern family
- None as of yet
Orobanchaceae (Scrophulariaceae, p.pt.)/Broomrape family
Osmundaceae/Flowering fern family
- None as of yet
Oxalidaceae/Wood-sorrel family
Papaveraceae (incl. Fumariaceae)/Poppy family
Phrymaceae (Scrophulariaceae, p.pt.)/Lopseed family
- None as of yet
- Balsam Fir – Abies Balsamea
- Tamarack – Larix Laricina
- White Spruce – Picea Glauca
- White Pine – Pinus Strobus
- Eastern Hemlock – Tsuga Canadensis
Plantaginaceae (incl. Callitrichaceae, Hippuridaceae, Scrophulariaceae, p.pt.)/Plantain family
Poaceae (Gramineae)/Grass family
Podostemaceae/Riverweed family
- None as of yet
- None as of yet
- Water Smartweed – Persicaria Amphibia
- Lady’s-Thumb – Polygonum Persicaria
- Docks – Rumex SPP.
- Sheep Sorrel – Rumex Acetosella
- None as of yet
Pontederiaceae/Pickerelweed family
Portulacaceae/Portulaca family
- None as of yet
Potamogetonaceae/Pondweed family
- None as of yet
- None as of yet
Pteridaceae (Adiantaceae)/Maidenhair fern family
- None as of yet
Ranunculaceae/Buttercup family
- *Baneberries – Actaea SPP.
- *Red Columbine – Aquilegia Canadensis
- *Buttercups – Ranunculus SPP.
- Marsh Marigold – Caltha Palustris
- Agrimonies – Agrimonia SPP.
- Serviceberry – Amelanchier SPP.
- Chokeberries – Aronia SPP.
- Hawthorn – Crataegus SPP.
- Wild Strawberry – Fragaria Virginiana
- Avens – Geum SPP.
- Apple – Malus SPP.
- Ninebark – Physocarpus Opulifolius
- Cinquefoils – Potentilla SPP.
- Canada Plum – Prunus Nigra
- Fire Cherry – Prunus Pensylvanica
- Black Cherry – Prunus Serotina
- Chokecherry – Prunus Virginiana
- Rose – Rosa SPP.
- Common Blackberry – Rubus Allegheniensis
- Wild Red Raspberry – Rubus Idaeus Var. Strigosus
- Purple-flowered Raspberry – Rubus Odoratus
- Mountain-Ashes – Sorbus SPP.
- None as of yet
Sapindaceae (incl. Aceraceae)/Maple family
Sarraceniaceae/Pitcher plant family
- None as of yet
Saxifragaceae/Saxifrage family
- None as of yet
Scheuchzeriaceae (Juncaginaceae)/Nut grass family
- None as of yet
Scrophulariaceae/Figwort family
Selaginellaceae/Spikemoss family
- None as of yet
Smilacaceae (Liliaceae, p.pt.)/Greenbriar family
- None as of yet
Thelypteridaceae/Marsh fern family
- None as of yet
Typhaceae (incl. Sparganiaceae)/Cat-tail family
- None as of yet
Xanthorrhoeaceae (Liliaceae, p.pt.)/Asphodels family
Xyridaceae/Yellow-eyed grass family
- None as of yet
List of Edible & Medicinal Fungi and Lichen
Where Our Featured Wild Plants Are Found
Song of the Woods heralds from east of the Rockies, Haliburton, central Ontario, Canada. The edible and medicinal plants we feature can all be found in Ontario, Canada. While our primary emphasis is on cottage country Ontario and Algonquin Park, many of these plants can be found around the world. In the future, because I get around the entire great lakes region, my emphasis may spread out a little.