Around Haliburton, nannyberry (Viburnum lentago) is one of our uncommon bush cranberries. It may be found on wet banks, river edges, or in wet meadows. It’s on the taller side as bush cranberries go. In appearance and usage, it’s much like black haw, which grows just to our south in the States. It’s also similar …
Lesser celandine (Ficaria verna) is not listed in Haliburton Flora, nor would we want it to be. It’s very invasive and can quickly carpet a wetland, choking out the native plants. My sister lives near a park where the entire riverbank for a hundred feet or more – the whole floodplain – is filled with …
Black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia) is the most common locust tree in Ontario by far, although you may find a couple other species. When Haliburton Flora was compiled, they only found two of these on the west side of the county. It’s one of the thorny trees, although not as large of thorns as its relation …
Hardy slipper orchids (Cypripedium SPP.) are presently typically called lady’s slippers. Moccasin flower and “many fine roots” are a couple other folk names for these orchids. The most common Cypripedium around Haliburton, Ontario is yellow lady’s slipper (Cypripedium parviflorum). I’ve spotted clusters of them along trails, somewhat hidden in partial shade. You may also find …
Common valerian (Valeriana officinalis) is a rare garden escape around Haliburton, Ontario. The pictures here are of plants I grew and harvested for medicinal root tea. Valerian is one of my primary go-to herbal medicines. If I am having an anxious time, especially acutely, this is the medicinal tea I brew. Doctors used to recommend …
All six species of skullcaps (Scutellaria spp.) presently noted in Ontario on iNaturalist are native plants. The main two being the common/marsh skullcap (Scutellaria galericulata) and side-flowering/mad-dog (Scutellaria lateriflora). You can find them in wet shores, swampy areas in the woods and sometimes on sandy roadsides. These two common skullcaps around Haliburton are used similarly …