Wild Red Raspberry – Rubus Idaeus Var. Strigosus: Edible & Medicinal Uses of a Berry Sweet Wild Plant

Wild red raspberry - Rubus idaeus var. strigosus

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 …

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White Trillium – Trillium Grandiflorum: Edible & Medicinal Uses of Ontario’s Official Flower and Most Photogenic Wild Plant

White trillium - Trillium grandiflorum

In Chippewa, ini’niwin’dibige’gun, white trillium is Ontario’s official flower and the standard-bearer of spring. It’s also a traditional edible and mostly medicinal plant. However, it needs our protection. Also called birth root, a hint at its medicinal qualities. And wake-robin, due to being a spring herald. It heralds the black flies too, who I personally …

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Yarrow – Achillea Millefolium: Edible & Medicinal Uses of the Woundwort of Wild Plants

Yarrow - Achillea millefolium

In Chippewa, a’djidamo’wano meaning ajidamoo (squirrel or red squirrel) and wano (tail), yarrow is a “wounderful” edible and medicinal herb. A yarrow salve for healing cuts and scrapes was my first ever herbal medicine maker’s recipe! Yarrow is another European import. It’s most descriptive folk name is woundwort. It’s not the only “woundwort”, so cheers …

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Red Clover – Trifolium Pratense: Edible & Medicinal Uses of the Honey of Wild Plants

Red clover - Trifolium pratense

In Ojibwe, nisoobag+oon ezhi-wadong+in, red clover is honeylicious and this edible and medicinal plant is not just for honey bees! My favorite folk name for red clover is honey/honey-stalks, but it isn’t just honey bees that like this honey. Mammals like the opossum, snowshoe hare, eastern chipmunk, raccoon, striped skunk, and white-tailed deer are buzzing …

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Common Mullein – Verbascum Thapsus: Edible & Medicinal Uses of the Coziest Wild Plant

Common mullein - Verbascum thapsus

In Anishinaabemowin, mullein is sometimes called Waabooyaanibag (blanket leaf). Its uses are blanketly more medicinal than edible. But you can eat the delicate yellow flowers too! Mullein’s folk names include but are not limited to flannel leaf (leaves stuffed in shoes for warmth), tinder plant/torches/torch-wort, candlewick (dried stems used to be dipped in wax to …

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