Joe-Pye weed (Eupatorium maculatum) grows well along ponds, wetlands and streams, but any damp sunny area will do. It is one of the pollinator all-stars of edible and medicinal plants. Joe-Pye weed is common around Haliburton in low wet areas by ponds, marshes, streams, and even damp ditches. One spontaneously appeared by my rain barrel … [Read more…]
Salsifies (Tragopogon spp.) are edible and medicinal plants that look like taller, fluffier versions of dandelion. Their giant seed balls resemble dandelions too. They’re a non-native plant in Ontario and part of the sunflower family. In the reference book Haliburton Flora you’ll only find goatsbeard (Tragopogon dubius), better called yellow salsify (there are unrelated plants … [Read more…]
Oh, ragweed (Ambrosia artemisiifolia). This maligned plant while rare-ish in Haliburton and considered a “weed” in this part of Ontario is actually native to North America. It’s at least as valuable to a swath of wildlife as it is likely to cause a human to sneeze. You might find ragweed here along a roadside or … [Read more…]
Despite the popular name Canada thistle (Cirsium arvense), this edible and medicinal plant is not native to Canada. Yup, Canada thistle isn’t from Canada. But it’s common along roadsides and I’ve found it taking over old fields as well. Canada thistles delicate purple-ish flowerheads make it less likely to confuse with burdock than bull thistle. … [Read more…]
Sow thistle (Sonchus spp.) is not a true thistle and also non-native here. Sometimes mistakenly called milk thistle, sow thistles are another edible and medicinal plant to gobble up or feed to the pigs. Sow thistles in these parts include field sow-thistle (Sonchus arvensis), spiny-leaved sow thistle (Sonchus asper), common sow-thistle (Sonchus oleraceus), and sow-thistle … [Read more…]
Bull thistle (Cirsium vulgare) is a common sight in sunny pastures and along the roadside here. Its (also euro) cousin Canada thistle (Cirsium arvense) will be covered another time, even though the edible and medicinal usage is similar. Bull thistle is more edible. I’m going to interrupt this piece to invite you to join me … [Read more…]