Wood nettle (laportea canadensis) is the most common native nettle in Ontario, and like the introduced stinging nettle it’s edible and medicinal. In fact, wood nettle is considered to be the favoured of the two. Wood nettle (laportea canadensis) is common in open moist woods, low damp areas and wet swamps. I found a great …
In Chippewa, cigagwa’tigon meaning “skunk-like”, refers to swamp red currant, one of our native currants around Ontario. These edible and medicinal plants aren’t the same “currant” you find dried in grocery stores. Currants (ribes spp.) are spattered everywhere around Haliburton county, Ontario. Gooseberry was covered earlier this year and is also a ribes. But here we’re …
In Chippewa, oza’widji’bik meaning “yellow root” refers to bitter dock (rumex obtusifolius), a nonnative here in Ontario. The nonnative yellow rooted docks, sour and bitter, have a long history of medicinal use. We have a couple dozen (native and nonnative) edible and medicinal docks. Last week’s sheep sorrel is a rumex too, but docks stand alone. …
In Chippewa, ande’gopin meaning “crow plant” refers to rough bugleweed, a lycopus you can find in parts of Ontario. Also known as water horehounds, these edible and medicinal plants are one of the least minty of the mint family. Water horehounds (lycopus spp.) can be found, as the name suggests, in wetlands, damp meadows and stream …
Purple loosestrife is causing a bit of strife here. This introduced edible and medicinal plant sure is pretty, but purple loosestrife is taking over our marshes and crowding out native plants necessary for a healthy ecosystem. Purple loosestrife (lythrum salicaria) was rare here when Haliburton Flora was compiled. They only found it in two locations. …
In Chippewa, gijib’inuskon meaning “it is round”, refers to scouring rush. Common horsetail is used to scrub and clean too, but it also has edible uses. And scouring rush is the equisetum plant preferred for medicinal uses. Related to ferns, common horsetail (sometimes called horsetail fern) is the only living genus of the subclass equisetidae. Its …