Wild Thyme – Thymus SPP.: Edible & Medicinal Uses of the Five-star Kitchen Herb

Wild thyme – Thymus SPP.

It may surprise folks that basic kitchen herbs and spices have any medicinal value. Thyme (thymus spp.) is actually a powerful medicinal herb for respiratory issues and more. Wild thymes (thymus spp.) have one species noted in Haliburton Flora: mother of thyme (t. praecox). The few specimens were found on an open hillside and in …

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Pinks (Carnations) – Dianthus SPP.: Edible & Medicinal Uses of the Cloves of Wild Plants

Pinks (Carnations) – Dianthus SPP.

Pinks AKA carnations (dianthus spp.) noted in Haliburton Flora include the uncommon to likely now more common Deptford pink (dianthus armeria), found on sandy roadsides amoung grasses. I see Deptford’s bright pink often along park edges and well used trails. A couple rare varieties included are maiden pink (d. deltoides) and garden pink (d. plumarius). …

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Common Gromwell – Lithospermum Officinale: Edible & Medicinal Uses of the “Ugly Duckling” of Wild Plants

Common Gromwell – Lithospermum officinale

In Chippewa, odji’biknamun refers to one species of gromwell. Common gromwell (lithospermum officinale) was noted in Haliburton Flora in a dry sandy waste area and in open damp ground beside a swamp. I found the pictured specimen in the middle of a spruce grove. The spruce had grown over an old foundation for a homestead that …

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Forget-me-nots – Myosotis SPP.: Edible & Medicinal Uses of the Scorpion Grasses of Wild Plants

Forget-me-nots - Myosotis spp.

Forget-me-nots (myosotis spp.) are a well known European flower, but did you know there are Ontario native varieties of this edible and medicinal plant? The nonnative field forget-me-not (m. arvensis) was uncommon when Haliburton Flora was compiled, and may be found in damp ditches and open sandy areas. Back then, European forget-me-not (m. scorpioides) was …

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Knapweeds – Centaurea SPP.: Edible & Medicinal Uses of the Cornflower of Wild Plants

Knapweeds - Centaurea spp.

Most local knapweeds (centaurea spp.) look similar to bull thistle. However, you’re more likely to find your knapweed in patches instead of lone like bull thistles. Spotted knapweed (c. maculosa) is noted in Haliburton Flora on the edge of the highway, which is where I’ve seen it too. Another centaurea is bachelor’s buttons, as pictured …

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Asters ft. New England Aster – Symphyotrichum SPP.: Edible & Medicinal Uses of the “Move Over, Mums”

Asters ft. New England aster - Symphyotrichum spp.

In Chippewa, there’s name’g osibug meaning “sturgeon leaf”, referring to an aster that was served with fish. New England asters (symphyotrichum novae-angliae) names include wini’sikens and waanisikensiwang. Asters are all-stars for pollinators and they’re also somewhat edible and medicinal. The American asters (symphyotrichum spp. formerly included in aster spp.) are native to the Americas. A single …

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