German chamomile alternately spelled camomile (Matricaria chamomilla syn. Matricaria recutita) is one of the few medicinal herbs that’s more of a household name. Although nonnative to Ontario, Canada, it’s an annual that isn’t much of a garden escapee. You’re unlikely to find it in the wild. And if you did find it, it’s likely near someone’s garden …
Hardy slipper orchids (Cypripedium SPP.) are presently typically called lady’s slippers. Moccasin flower and “many fine roots” are a couple other folk names for these orchids. The most common Cypripedium around Haliburton, Ontario is yellow lady’s slipper (Cypripedium parviflorum). I’ve spotted clusters of them along trails, somewhat hidden in partial shade. You may also find …
Common valerian (Valeriana officinalis) is a rare garden escape around Haliburton, Ontario. The pictures here are of plants I grew and harvested for medicinal root tea. Valerian is one of my primary go-to herbal medicines. If I am having an anxious time, especially acutely, this is the medicinal tea I brew. Doctors used to recommend …
All six species of skullcaps (Scutellaria spp.) presently noted in Ontario on iNaturalist are native plants. The main two being the common/marsh skullcap (Scutellaria galericulata) and side-flowering/mad-dog (Scutellaria lateriflora). You can find them in wet shores, swampy areas in the woods and sometimes on sandy roadsides. These two common skullcaps around Haliburton are used similarly …
Cardinal-flower (Lobelia cardinalis) is a similar but less potent medicinal as its close relation Lobelia inlata, and it’s similarly inedible. But it’s got one of the most stunning, if not the most stunning, red flowers of all of Ontario’s native plants. In Haliburton county, cardinal flower (Lobelia cardinalis) is an uncommon but memorable sight on …
Asters are all-stars for pollinators and they’re also somewhat edible and medicinal. The American asters (Symphyotrichum spp. formerly included in Aster spp.) are native to the Americas. A single species, S. ciliatum, is also native to eastern Eurasia. We are fortunate to have many of these late summer and autumn blooming, wildlife supporting all-stars. Some are truly …