Ground ivy (Glechoma hederacea) is a nonnative (to Ontario) edible and medicinal plant that you can easily grow in a pot indoors if you love it, rather than have it take over yours and your neighbors lawns. If it hasn’t taken over already! Called gill-over-the-ground in Haliburton Flora, ground ivy (Glechoma hederacea syn. Nepeta glechoma, …
Wild basil is an edible and medicinal native plant has been flying under-the-radar. Basil lovers, sorry, but it’s more of a cilantro tasting plant. Wild basil (Clinopodium vulgare) is fairly common in cottage country, Ontario. You’ll find it along damp woods, trails and roadsides and even in meadows. It’s a pretty easy plant to know, …
Motherwort (Leonurus cardiaca) is an edible and medicinal wild plant that I wish was native to Ontario. This herb is so popular it has been planted all around the world. Motherwort is uncommon here, yet it spontaneously showed up in my brush pile beside my driveway one year. It does have lookalikes, particularly in the …
Catnip isn’t native to Ontario, but at least it’s not as aggressive as many other mints. It’s a surprisingly useful edible and medicinal plant, if you’re not pregnant. And whether or not you’re a cat. Catnip (Nepeta cataria) is uncommon around Haliburton, but I find it around old farmsteads. It may also show up in …
Selfheal or heal-all (Prunella vulgaris) is another edible and medicinal wild plant from the mint family. It doesn’t really heal-all, but it’s still a well rounded astringent plant with many uses. We have a mix of European and native selfheal in Ontario. Common around Haliburton, you’re most likely to find it in your lawn. You …
Bergamot (Monarda spp.) is also popularly known as bee balm. It’s a native edible and medicinal plant that’s frequented by pollinators (although that’s not why it’s called bee balm!) And it’s a mint, named after the similar tasting bergamot orange that flavors earl grey tea. Wild bergamot (Monarda fistulosa) is rare here. It’s the light …