Eastern White Cedar – Thuja Occidentalis: Edible & Medicinal Uses of the Tree of Life of Wild Plants

Eastern white cedar – Thuja occidentalis

In Anishinaabemowin, eastern white cedar is sometimes called giizhik, and also gi’jikan’dug meaning cedar-like, as it’s not a “true cedar”. This Tree of Life is both edible and medicinal. One of the alternative names for eastern white cedar is swamp cedar as it likes to grow in damp woods. Another name is Tree of Life, …

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White Birch – Betula Papyrifera: Edible & Medicinal Uses of the Craftiest of Wild Plants

White birch - Betula papyrifera

In Chippewa, wi’gwass’tig, white birch is not only edible and medicinal, but is traditionally used in many other ways from making canoes to baskets to birch bark biting. I think of it as the craftiest tree! White birch is sometimes called paper birch or canoe birch after two of its many utilizations. Are you curious …

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