Shepherd’s purse is the second-most prolific wild “weed” in the entire world (Polygonum aviculare/pigweed is #1). In cottage country Ontario it’s not that prolific, but you can still find this edible and medicinal mustard. Shepherd’s purse (Capsella bursa-pastoris) may be found around here on dry sandy sites and moist wooded roadsides. I’ve only found it …
New Jersey teas close relation to prairie redroot. Both have red roots and thus redroot as a folk name. They also have the same uses and host the same caterpillars. This edible and medicinal plant will certainly end up in our pollinator series for the Wood Folk Diaries! (Here is the link to that diary!) …
“Pipsissewa” is a Cree-Montagnais-Naskapi name meaning “It-breaks-into-small-pieces”. It’s one of my favorite edible and medicinal plants to observe blooming in the wild. The delicate umbrella like flowers are unique here. Pipsissewa (Chimaphila umbellata) is uncommon here, and may be found in sparsely wooded, usually rocky areas. I typically find it alongside dirt roads and old …
Who hasn’t heard of coneflowers AKA echinacea (Echinacea spp.)? It’s one of the biggest fads in herbal medicine in recent decades. But are the claims about echinacea legit or overblown hype? Friend or fad? I’ll admit I’ve taken echinacea at the first sign of sniffles before. It’s one of if not the most popular plant …
Alder (Alnus spp.) is a highly astringent edible and medicinal wild plant. Its usage is similar to oak. Alder means red in German, so named because the bark makes your saliva red. But don’t go nibbling on the bark now – it’s emetic (it could make you throw up!) Speckled alder (Alnus rugosa) as listed …
Common elderberry (Sambucus canadensis) is possibly the epitome of edible and especially of medicinal wild plants. If I had to pick a favorite medicinal plant, elder is the one. Its been called “a medicine chest of its own” and “a pharmacy of its own”. I’m excited to finally cover elderberry! I use the syrup and …