Sweet Cicely – Osmorhiza SPP.: Edible & Medicinal Uses of the Black Licorice of Wild Plants

Sweet cicely – Osmorhiza SPP.

In Chippewa, osaga’tigom meaning tangled branches, edible and medicinal sweet cicely (osmorhiza claytonii) and its close relations have an anise like scent. Wooly AKA hairy sweet cicely (osmorhiza claytonii) is the only osmorhiza listed in Haliburton Flora. It’s fairly common on bush roads and trails and in thin deciduous woods. I tend to find it …

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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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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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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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Indian Tobacco – Lobelia Inflata: Medicinal Uses of the Smoking Cessation Herb of Wild Plants

Indian Tobacco - Lobelia Inflata

Indian tobacco (lobelia inflata) has yet to be renamed, but I imagine it will be decolonized in the future. Another less common name for it is “wild tobacco”. I was going to cover cardinal flower this month, a showier, bright-red close relation. But usage-wise our title plant is stronger. It’s considered toxic yet has medicinal …

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American Spikenard – Aralia Racemosa: Edible & Medicinal Uses of the Jumble Berry of Wild Plants

American Spikenard – Aralia Racemosa

In Chippewa, o’kadak or aya’bidjidji’bikugi’sin, the later implying adhesiveness, spikenard is another edible and medicinal plant from the sarsaparilla family. We’ve covered its relation sarsaparilla before and eventually we’ll cover its other local close relation American ginseng. Be aware, sometimes wild sarsaparilla is also called “spikenard” (plus a few others plants too, who are less related!) …

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