Bush-Cranberries – Viburnum SPP.: Edible & Medicinal Uses of the Alt Cranberry of Wild Plants

Bush-Cranberries – Viburnum SPP.

Bush cranberries are a common sight in Cottage country, Ontario. These berried shrubs include hobblebush, wild raisin, nannyberry, maple-leaved viburnum and highbush cranberry. All mentioned have edible and medicinal uses. Bush-cranberries (Viburnum spp.) are common here around Haliburton. Hobblebush (Viburnum lantanoides), pictured in the featured image, is common along wooded roadsides and edges of woods. …

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Ground Ivy – Glechoma Hederacea: Edible & Medicinal Uses of the Houseplant of Wild Plants

Ground Ivy – Glechoma Hederacea

Ground ivy (Glechoma hederacea) is a nonnative (to Ontario) edible and medicinal plant that you can easily grow in a pot indoors if you love it, rather than have it take over yours and your neighbors lawns. If it hasn’t taken over already! Called gill-over-the-ground in Haliburton Flora, ground ivy (Glechoma hederacea syn. Nepeta glechoma, …

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Alternate-leaved Dogwood – Cornus Alternifolia: Edible & Medicinal Uses of the Bee Shrub of Wild Plants

Alternate-leaved Dogwood – Cornus Alternifolia

Alternate-leaved AKA pagoda dogwood is one of our many Cornus spp. Dogwoods aren’t just edible and medicinal, nor just for the moose. They are one of the main allies of our native bees. Every year I watch various bees and other pollinators swarm my pagoda dogwoods. Alternate-leaved dogwood (Cornus alternifolia) is common in central Ontario, …

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Prickly Gooseberry – Ribes Cynosbati: Edible & Medicinal Uses of the Spiky Berry of Wild Plants

Prickly Gooseberry – Ribes Cynosbati

Prickly gooseberry (Ribes cynosbati) is a fuzzy wild currant. Spiky is more apt. Or something in between! Despite the soft flexible spikes on the fruit, it’s an edible and medicinal wild plant. And native to Ontario. There are many Ribes spp. to feature from Ontario. A couple are gooseberries. Prickly gooseberry (Ribes cynosbati) is the …

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Black-eyed Susan – Rudbeckia Hirta: Edible & Medicinal Uses of the Easily-sown of Wild Plants

Black-eyed Susan – Rudbeckia Hirta

Black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta), while not edible like most plants we’ve featured, is a medicinal herb and a butterfly favourite 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, but it’d be “sow …

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Yellow Birch – Betula Alleghaniensis: Edible & Medicinal Uses of the Wintergreen Tree of Wild Plants

Yellow Birch – Betula Alleghaniensis

Yellow birch (Betula alleghaniensis) has a lot in common with other birches. Along with black/sweet birch (which isn’t in Haliburton) yellow birch has a subtle wintergreen scent and taste, making it one of a handful of wintergreen-y edible and medicinal plants around Haliburton. Yellow birch is common around Haliburton in tall mixed woods. I notice …

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