There are dozens of species of puffballs (Lycoperdaceae spp.) in Ontario alone. The pear shaped puffball (Apioperdon pyriforme syn. Lycoperdon pyriforme) pictured below is the most common. Fairly common is the widely sought after giant puffball (Calvatia gigantea). And pictured in the header image as well as furthur below, common puffball (Lycoperdon perlatum) is the …
American silverberries or wolf-willow (Elaeagnus commutata) is Ontario’s native mealy sour silverberry shrub. It does somewhat resemble willow. There are several nonnatives around too. Japanese silverberry AKA Autumn olive (E. umbellata) is invasive around Ontario, especially to the south. In cottage country, it’s more of an introduced small tree you’ll occasionally spot in someone’s lawn. …
Black-eyed Susan, 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 easy” to …
In Chippewa, ga’gawan’dagisid meaning deceptive, common junipers “berries” aren’t as sweet as they appear. (I’m not actually sure that is why deceptive is the descriptive name.) But common juniper is still an edible and medicinal plant, especially popular in Northern Europe. In Haliburton, Ontario, you’ll find communis var. depressa Pursh. It’s been fairly common around here, especially …
Called nsidaiindamowin mshkiki by Joe from Creators Garden, “depression medicine”, St. John’s-wort is worthy of the happy little Bob Ross reference. It’s an edible and renown medicinal plant. Locals especially, check Joe out! He’s in Peterborough area. While picking common for the title plant, I could just as well go all out hypericum var. There …
In Chippewa, mis’kominaga’wunj, wild red raspberry is one of hundreds of wild edible and medicinal brambles. Its fruit is not a true berry, but a cluster of drupelets. So, yeah, bananas are berries and raspberries are not. Around Haliburton you’ll also find purple-flowering raspberry (rubus odoratus), which will be covered in its own feature someday, and …