American wintergreen (Gaultheria procumbens) is often called Eastern tea berry now. It’s edible and medicinal, but you have to mind the amount you use because the oil is toxic if overdosed. Similar to Aspirin, just a tsp of pure wintergreen oil is the equivalent of 21 and a half adult aspirins. American wintergreen (Gaultheria procumbens) …
False Solomon’s seal AKA Solomon’s-plume (Maianthemum racemosum syn. smilacina racemosa syn. vagnera racemosa. For now I’ve left an older Latin name in the title, as it’s the one you’ll find in reference books for the most part. If you’ve seen a plant with a massive cluster of speckled pink and red berries hanging from it …
Another escapee from settler cultivation around here, comfrey is an historically renown and presently semi-controversial edible and medicinal plant. Around Haliburton, we have both common comfrey (Symphytum officinale) and the blue flowered wild sort (now classified as Andersonglossum boreale). The proper one of the title name has creamy yellow flowers. The pictured purple flowered I …
Here in Canada, cannabis (Cannabis sativa) is a legal medicinal and industrial plant. When Haliburton Flora was compiled, there was one Cannabis sativa noted on waste ground up in the northeast corner of Haliburton county. In the Haliburton Flora entry it’s called “marijuana”, but that name is used less and less for its racist origins. …
While we have other thorny trees, no other “shrub” in Canada has these awl like thorns. Hawthorn (Crataegus spp.), despite its thorny appearance, is both an edible and strongly medicinal plant. Be very careful with the thorns – don’t poke your eye out! They are scary sharp! Northern shrikes have been seen impaling their dinner …
White pine (Pinus strobus) was the most towering of edible and medicinal plants here in Ontario 200 yrs ago. Imagine forests of 200-ft tall, 4-ft wide powerful evergreen medicine. This tree has so much life. It has the longest list of mammals and birds and insects allies that I have seen yet in my preparations …