In Ojibwe, wiinizik, yellow birch has a lot in common with other birches, but along with black/sweet birch (which isn’t in Haliburton) yellow birch has a subtle wintergreen scent and taste, making it one of the few wintergreen-y edible and medicinal plants around Haliburton. Yellow birch is common around Haliburton in tall mixed woods. I notice …
Tag Archives: Edges of woods
Canada Plum – Prunus Nigra: Scorned of Edible & Medicinal Wild Plants
In Ojibwe, bagesaanaatig means plum tree. This edible and medicinal plum tree used to be widespread throughout Ontario. The stones were dropped along trails and around villages, wrapping the world in a plum thicket. But now Canada plum is uncommon here, which is surprising as wildlife loves to gobble up the fruit, so you’d think it …
Continue reading “Canada Plum – Prunus Nigra: Scorned of Edible & Medicinal Wild Plants”
Sow Thistle – Sonchus SPP.: Rabbit-food of Edible & Medicinal Wild Plants
Does anyone have an Anishinaabemowin word for sow thistle (sonchus spp.)? Not a true thistle and also non-native here, and sometimes mistakenly called milk thistle, sow thistles are another edible and medicinal plant to gobble up or feed to the pigs. Sow thistles in these parts include field sow-thistle (sonchus arvensis), spiny-leaved sow thistle (sonchus …
Continue reading “Sow Thistle – Sonchus SPP.: Rabbit-food of Edible & Medicinal Wild Plants”
Rose – Rosa SPP.: Cultured Flower of Edible & Medicinal Wild Plants
In Chippewa, ogini’minaga’wunj means rose hips or rose berries. Roses are both edible and medicinal. They have a global epicurean history that surpasses other herbs we’ve covered. A rosy pink Turkish delight may come to mind. Or your grandmothers beauty products. We have a handful of wild roses around Haliburton. All of our rose species are …
Continue reading “Rose – Rosa SPP.: Cultured Flower of Edible & Medicinal Wild Plants”
False Solomon’s-Seal – Smilacina Racemosa: Beetle-Friend of Edible & Medicinal Wild Plants
In Chippewa, agong’osiminun, false Solomon’s-seal is known by multiple Latin names: smilacina racemosa, maianthemum racemosum, and vagnera racemosa. If you’ve seen a plant with a massive cluster of speckled pink and red berries hanging from it along the border of your woods, this edible and medicinal plant is likely the one. Around Haliburton we have …
Beaked Hazel – Corylus Cornuta: Nut of Edible & Medicinal Wild Plants
In Chippewa, one word for hazel is bagan‘, which means nuts, burs or wood. Beaked hazel or hazelnut is our local edible and medicinal filbert. And it can be used just the same as the store bought one! Like many related (and similarly leaved) trees and shrubs, you’ll find them most along the edges. If …
Continue reading “Beaked Hazel – Corylus Cornuta: Nut of Edible & Medicinal Wild Plants”