In Chippewa, wa’bigwun meaning “flowers”, pearly everlasting is a unique looking edible and medicinal plant. While not used much these days for food or medicine, it’s still a hit for American Lady butterflies and florists alike. Pearly everlasting (anaphalis margaritacea) is especially common along roadsides and damp ditches. It’s named for its pearly colored flower …
Does anyone have an Anishinaabemowin word for ground ivy? Ground ivy is a nonnative (to Ontario) edible and medicinal plant that you can easily grow in a pot indoors if you love it, rather than have it take over yours and your neighbors lawns. Called gill-over-the-ground in Haliburton Flora, ground ivy (glechoma hederacea syn. nepeta …
In Chippewa, muj’omij meaning “moose plant”, alternate-leaved dogwood is one of our many cornus spp. Dogwoods aren’t just edible and medicinal, nor just for the moose. They are one of the main allies of our native bees. Alternate-leaved dogwood (cornus alternifolia) is common in central Ontario, especially around forest edges. Its relation red osier dogwood (cornus …
Does anyone have an Anishinaabemowin word for speedwell? Marsh speedwell is the main native speedwell you’ll find here, but we have quite a few species creeping around Ontario. All are edible and medicinal wild plants. Around Haliburton, the most common speedwells are marsh speedwell (veronica scutellata) and thyme-leaved speedwell (veronica serpyllifolia). I most often spot …
Does anyone have an Anishinaabemowin word for Christmas fern? We have a few edible and medicinal ferns in central Ontario, although ostrich fern is the most popular for fiddleheads. Oh, Merry Christmas fern! Christmas fern (polystichum acrosthichoides) may be common in deciduous or mixed woods around Haliburton, Ontario, usually in damp hummus. It’s this areas …
Does anyone have an Anishinaabemowin word for partridge-berry? Not to be confused with wintergreen or cranberries, also sometimes called partridgeberries, or for lingonberry. Partridge-berries are an edible and medicinal evergreen vine, non climbing, with double-berry fused red fruits. The leaves have white veins. Partridge-berry (mitchella repens) is common around Haliburton, Ontario. The first specimen I …