In Chippewa, oda’tagago’minaga’wunj, common blackberry is a cordial wild edible and medicinal bramble. It’s distinguishable from black raspberries by having a core instead of being hollow inside when harvested (second picture down this page). There are around 50 species of black and raspberries in North America and up here in the north, aren’t we lucky it’s […]
Tag Archives: Digestive
Wild Red Raspberry – Rubus Idaeus Var. Strigosus: Berry Sweet Foraged Edible & Medicinal Wild Plant
In Chippewa, mis’kominaga’wunj, wild red raspberry is one of hundreds of wild edible and medicinal brambles. Its fruit is not a true berry, but a cluster of drupelets. So, yeah, bananas are berries and raspberries are not. Around Haliburton you’ll also find purple-flowering raspberry (rubus odoratus) and dwarf raspberry (rubus pubescens) among other brambles. Haliburton Flora […]
Common Plantain – Plantago Major: Mother of Foraged Edible & Medicinal Wild Plants
In Chippewa, o’mukiki’bug, common plantain is often an initial edible and medicinal herb for beginner foragers and herbalists. It may seem mundane, but it’s powerful, and has been called the “Mother of Herbs”. It has been called “soldier’s herb” hinting at its medicinal properties. I’m particularly found of the nickname “waybread”, which calls to mind Middle […]
Stinging Nettle – Urtica Dioica: First Misunderstood of Foraged Edible & Medicinal Wild Plants
In Chippewa, bepadji’ckanakiz’it ma’zana’tig, stinging nettle tends to make a bad impression on first meeting, as the name suggests. But there’s way more to this needled edible and medicinal plant. The Chippewa name given refers specifically to the slender leaf subsp. The sting never lasts long for me, but I’ve heard of it lasting for days […]
Apple – Malus SPP.: Not Just Pie of Foraging Edible & Medicinal Wild Plants
In Ojibwe, mishiimin, apple isn’t just an ordinary edible fruit tree. It also has medicinal qualities. It is another plant that was brought to North America by European colonists, but the species originated in Central Asia. Our apples wild ancestor malus sieversii still grows there today. When a wonderful local lady told me there were apple […]
White Ash – Fraxinus Americana: Crafty Tree of Foraged Edible & Medicinal Wild Plants
In Chippewa, a’gimak’, white ash is a useful tree to know. In fact, it’s one of the top five trees Caleb Kinew Nini Musgrave @canadianbushcraft recommends knowing in our area, the other four being birch, cedar, spruce and soon to be covered – basswood. The “white” refers to the pale underside of leaves, twigs, and […]