Found in lakeshores or edges

Water Smartweed – Persicaria Amphibia: Edible & Medicinal Uses of the Water Buckwheat of Wild Plants

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Water Smartweed – Persicaria Amphibia

Water smartweed (Persicaria amphibia syn. Polygonum amphibium) is another edible and medicinal plant from the buckwheat family. It is native to Ontario and has the showiest flower of all our local smartweeds. Water smartweed (Persicaria amphibia syn. Polygonum amphibium) since the compilation of Haliburton Flora got a new genus, Persicaria. It’s common here in wet ditches, shoresides and banks, and … [Read more…]

Pickerel-weed – Pontederia Cordata: Edible & Medicinal Uses of the Purple Sea of Wild Plants

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Pickerel-weed – Pontederia Cordata

Pickerelweed is another edible aquatic plant in Ontario. Many will notice its lush purple blooms covering the shorelines in our area in the summertime. The bees notice too! Pickerel-weed (Pontederia cordata) is a common sight around Haliburton in shallow water, usually in large dense colonies. When flowering it’s a sea of floating purple. Edible Uses … [Read more…]

Boneset – Eupatorium Perfoliatum: Edible & Medicinal Uses of an Underrated Wild Plant

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Boneset – Eupatorium Perfoliatum

Boneset is a slightly edible and mainly medicinal plant. It’s also an underrated addition to pollinator gardens. Boneset (Eupatorium perfoliatum) was common in damp areas when Haliburton Flora was compiled. However, I don’t see it very often now. Not as often as it’s look-a-like Joe-Pye weed. There is a slight resemblance to water hemlock, which … [Read more…]

Alternate-leaved Dogwood – Cornus Alternifolia: Edible & Medicinal Uses of the Bee Shrub of Wild Plants

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Alternate-leaved Dogwood – Cornus Alternifolia

Alternate-leaved AKA pagoda dogwood is one of our many Cornus spp. Dogwoods aren’t just edible and medicinal, nor just for the moose. They are one of the main allies of our native bees. Every year I watch various bees and other pollinators swarm my pagoda dogwoods. Alternate-leaved dogwood (Cornus alternifolia) is common in central Ontario, … [Read more…]

Speedwells – Veronica SPP.: Edible & Medicinal Uses of the Green Tea of Wild Plants

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Speedwells – Veronica SPP.

Marsh speedwell is the main native speedwell (Veronica spp.) you’ll find here, but we have quite a few species creeping around Ontario. All are edible and medicinal wild plants. Around Haliburton, the most common speedwells are marsh speedwell (Veronica scutellata) and thyme-leaved speedwell (Veronica serpyllifolia). I most often spot marsh and thyme-leaved in lawns left … [Read more…]

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

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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 … [Read more…]