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 …
In Chippewa, wini’sibugons’ meaning “dirty leaf”, American wintergreen is often called Eastern tea berry now. It’s edible and medicinal, but you have to mind the amount you use because the oil is toxic if overdosed. Similar to Aspirin, just a tsp of pure wintergreen oil is the equivalent of 21 and a half adult aspirins. American …
Does anyone know an Anishinaabemowin word for black-eyed Susan? While not edible like most plants we’ve featured, this medicinal herb is a butterfly favorite that is so easy to plant. It adds bountiful pops of sunny yellow to meadows and path sides. For the most part I’m covering plants that are both edible and medicinal, …
In Chippewa, abo’djigun meaning “something turned out or over”, reed grass has turned me over too. It changed my completely black-and-white thinking about herbicides. It’s hard to tell our native reed grass from the invasive European subspecies, and it may be hard to tell if a patch has been treated. It’s a tread with caution sort …
Does anyone have an Anishinaabemowin word for hops? Common hops isn’t that common here, but you may find this edible and surprisingly medicinal plant near where old timers booze stills were hidden. Around Haliburton you may find hops randomly on a dry gravelly roadside. Where I tend to find it is on old farmsteads that …
In Chippewa, bima’kwud meaning “twisting around”, American bittersweet is much less edible and medicinal than our usual featured plants, but the berries on this vine are stunning in the fall and winter. Cheers to our 100th plant! Is it bittersweet? Yes and no. Is it very edible and medicinal? Nah. The berries are poisonous, although that’s …