The polypody ferns (Polypodium spp.) used to include maidenhair (next month’s feature plant), lady fern and wood ferns amoung other ferns. But the family has been narrowed down to 31 polypody species presently (2024). Rock polypody (Polypodium virginianum) is the most prevalent in Ontario, Canada by far. It’s common on rocky banks and rocky outcrops … [Read more…]
Woodbine AKA American ivy AKA Virginia creeper (Parthenocissus quinquefolia) is a grape relation you can find around Ontario. Locally, it’s found mostly on roadsides and along abandoned railroad tracks. I’ve also found this vine in mixed woods. It’s gorgeously ornamental in Autumn, so you’re likely to find it in town too. In Canada, it’s only … [Read more…]
In Ontario, black walnut (Juglans nigra) and butternut AKA white walnut (Juglans cinerea) are our native walnut species. Around Haliburton we’re barely in range, with only a few black walnuts and butternuts noted on iNaturalist. Both species are more abundant to the south. There are a few nonnative Juglan species around Ontario too. As a … [Read more…]
Spikenard is another edible and medicinal plant from the sarsaparilla family. We’ve covered its relation sarsaparilla before and eventually we’ll cover its other local close relation American ginseng. Be aware, sometimes wild sarsaparilla is also called “spikenard” (plus a few others plants too, who are less related!) American spikenard (Aralia racemosa) was common in shrubby … [Read more…]
Bogbean AKA Buckbean (Menyanthes trifoliata) is native to Ontario and found in wet, boggy habitats. It’s used for brewing and medicinally. Bogbean is closely related to gentian and it shows. Called buckbean in Haliburton Flora, bogbean (Menyanthes trifoliata) is uncommon here. It likes sphagnum mats in bogs and shallow, boggy edges of small lakes, and … [Read more…]
Cleavers (Galium aparine) is a widely popular edible and medicinal plant, but there are over a dozen bedstraws in our neck of Ontario to confuse them with. Bedstraws (Galium spp.) include the most notable cleavers (G. aparine), which will be the star of this feature. When I mention “cleavers” in this article it’ll always be … [Read more…]