Does anyone know an Anishinaabemowin word for blue vervain? This edible and medicinal plant is highly valued for its tranquilizing effect on the nervous system. Ontario’s native blue vervains are pollinator friendly beauties. Finding blue vervain in the wild around Haliburton is uncommon, although possible along the roadside or in a field or meadow. Even …
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In Chippewa, wadub, alder is a highly astringent edible and medicinal wild plant. Its usage is similar to oak. Alder means red in German, so named because the bark makes your saliva red. But don’t go nibbling on the bark now – it’s emetic (it will make you throw up!) Speckled alder (alnus rugosa) as listed …
Continue reading “Alder – Alnus SPP.: Oak-like of Edible & Medicinal Wild Plants”
Does anyone have an Anishinaabemowin word for elder? Common elderberry is possibly the epitome of edible and especially of medicinal wild plants. If I had to pick one, elder is The One. Its been called “a medicine chest of its own” and “a pharmacy of its own”. I’m excited to finally cover elderberry! I use …
In Chippewa, ini’niwunj meaning “man like”, common milkweed is a monarch of the edible and medicinal wild plant kingdom. Let’s cultivate this king of herbs for the butterflies more than we eat it, please! Milkweeds folk names are somewhat all over the place, as there are tons of varieties, and many probably don’t refer mainly …
In Ojibwe, omakakiibag sometimes refers to Jewelweed, the snappiest edible and medicinal herb. It’s handy to have around if you like clumsily rooting through wild plants like me, and end up grazing yourself with stinging nettle or worse – poison ivy. Jewelweed is so named because of the way the dew beads on it. Sometimes …
