Yellow birch (Betula alleghaniensis) has a lot in common with other birches. Along with black/sweet birch (which isn’t in Haliburton) yellow birch has a subtle wintergreen scent and taste, making it one of a handful of wintergreen-y edible and medicinal plants around Haliburton. Yellow birch is common around Haliburton in tall mixed woods. I notice … [Read more…]
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 … [Read more…]
Sugar maple (Acer saccharum) is a Ontario staple. I’m not sure you’re going to come across another edible and medicinal plant quite as “Canadian” as this! My sugar maples are young and mostly line the road-side of my property. Thankfully there is one on my property that’s large enough for a tap. Everyone is doing … [Read more…]
White pine (Pinus strobus) was the most towering of edible and medicinal plants here in Ontario 200 yrs ago. Imagine forests of 200-ft tall, 4-ft wide powerful evergreen medicine. This tree has so much life. It has the longest list of mammals and birds and insects allies that I have seen yet in my preparations … [Read more…]
White spruce (Picea glauca) is one of the first edible and medicinal plants I enjoy come spring. Its new fresh green tips are a popular forage – a top tip! These next two edible and medicinal wild plants are very similar: white spruce and white pine. They’re named for the white crust that often coats … [Read more…]