Fire Cherry – Prunus Pensylvanica: Edible & Medicinal Uses of the Bird Cherry of Wild Plants

Fire Cherry – Prunus Pensylvanica

We’ve covered almost every native cherry in Ontario and this fire cherry, also called bird cherry for one, is no exception to the fact cherries are fantastic for birds and other wildlife. And not just jam! Pin cherry / Fire cherry (Prunus pensylvanica) was common along roadsides, woodland slopes, lake banks, and stream banks in …

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Mountain-Ashes – Sorbus SPP.: Edible & Medicinal Uses of the Rose Tree of Wild Plants

Mountain-Ashes – Sorbus SPP.

Mountain ash (Sorbus spp.) isn’t a true ash tree, but a rose family tree. It’s one of a few edible and medicinal plants with berries that look like tiny apples. A larger version of hawthorns tiny apples. Mountain-ashes are called sorb apples for short. When Haliburton Flora was compiled, mountain ash (Sorbus americana) was fairly …

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Red Osier Dogwood – Cornus Stolonifera: Edible & Medicinal Uses of the Salicylate-free Willow of Wild Plants

Red Osier Dogwood – Cornus Stolonifera

Joe from *Creator’s Garden calls it mskwabiimnagohns. Red-osier dogwood (Cornus stolonifera) is our most recognizable dogwood thanks to its bright red bark. It’s both a wild edible and a medicinal that you may be aching to know. *Link is to Joe’s video about red osier on Facebook, have a listen and follow 🙂 Our local …

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Serviceberry – Amelanchier SPP.: Edible & Medicinal Uses of the Early Bloomer of Wild Plants

Serviceberry – Amelanchier Spp.

The English name serviceberry (Amelanchier spp.) has origins related to when one can finally have funeral services/burial for winters dead. They’re also called juneberries even though you’ll be waiting until the end of June or later for ripe berries. Here around Haliburton, Ontario you’ll find, to the least: downy (Amelanchier arborea), mountain (Amelanchier bartramania), smooth …

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White Pine – Pinus Strobus: Edible & Medicinal Uses of Ontario’s Tallest Wild Plant

White Pine - Pinus Strobus

White pine (Pinus strobus) was the most towering of edible and medicinal plants here in Ontario 200 yrs ago. Imagine forests of 200-ft tall, 4-ft wide powerful evergreen medicine. This tree has so much life. It has the longest list of mammals and birds and insects allies that I have seen yet in my preparations …

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White Spruce – Picea Glauca: Edible & Medicinal Uses of the Top Tip of Wild Plants

White Spruce - Picea Glauca

White spruce (Picea glauca) is one of the first edible and medicinal plants I enjoy come spring. Its new fresh green tips are a popular forage – a top tip! These next two edible and medicinal wild plants are very similar: white spruce and white pine. They’re named for the white crust that often coats …

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