Polypody Ferns – Polypodium SPP.: Edible & Medicinal Uses of the Rock Fern

Polypody Ferns – Polypodium SPP.

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 …

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Cardinal Flower – Lobelia Cardinalis: Not-so Edible & Medicinal Uses of the Reddest Flower of Wild Plants

Cardinal Flower – Lobelia Cardinalis

Cardinal-flower (Lobelia cardinalis) is a similar but less potent medicinal as its close relation Lobelia inlata, and it’s similarly inedible. But it’s got one of the most stunning, if not the most stunning, red flowers of all of Ontario’s native plants. In Haliburton county, cardinal flower (Lobelia cardinalis) is an uncommon but memorable sight on …

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Wild Thyme – Thymus SPP.: Edible & Medicinal Uses of the Five-star Kitchen Herb

Wild Thyme – Thymus SPP.

It may surprise folks that basic kitchen herbs and spices have any medicinal value. Thyme (Thymus spp.) is actually a powerful medicinal herb for respiratory issues and more. Wild thymes (Thymus spp.) have one species noted in Haliburton Flora: mother of thyme (T. praecox). The few specimens were found on an open hillside and in …

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Indian Tobacco – Lobelia Inflata: Medicinal Uses of the Smoking Cessation Herb of Wild Plants

Indian Tobacco - Lobelia Inflata

Indian tobacco (Lobelia inflata) has yet to be renamed, but I imagine it will be decolonized in the future (please let me know if you see this happening). Another less common name for it is “wild tobacco”. I was going to cover cardinal flower this month, a showier, bright-red close relation. But usage-wise our title …

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Swamp Milkweed – Asclepias Incarnata: Edible & Medicinal Uses of the Hot Pink Milkweed of Wild Plants

Swamp Milkweed – Asclepias Incarnata

Swamp milkweed is not as edible and medicinal as its common relation. So we’re all the more talking about how much of an all-star this plant is for pollinator gardens and native landscaping. Swamp milkweed (Asclepias incarnata) can be found in the margins of swamps, marshes and other low wet areas. It’s not as prolific …

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Mulberries – Morus SPP.: Edible & Medicinal Uses of the 1 Endangered vs. 1 Invasive Tree of Wild Plants

Mulberries – Morus SPP.

Ontario’s local red mulberry is precariously close to extinction. The Asian white has taken over and hybridized with the red. Only around 200 true red mulberries are left. Mulberries (Morus spp.) are absent from Haliburton Flora; just its relations hops and marijuana made the cut. I have seen them around, likely all planted for landscaping. …

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