Does anyone have an Anishinaabemowin word for mint? We’ll cover the edible and medicinal wild mint, peppermint and spearmint in this post. There are other mints I will cover separately: heal-all, catnip, wild bergamot, etc! Wild mint (mentha arvensis) and peppermint (mentha x piperita) are listed in Haliburton Flora, with wild mint being more common. […]
Tag Archives: Nervine
Pineapple-weed – Matricaria Discoidea: Wild Chamomile of Edible & Medicinal Wild Plants
Does anyone have an Anishinaabemowin word for pineappleweed? Also called wild chamomile, which is more alluring on the medicinal side of naming. I suppose pineapple triggers a thirst for learning about its edible qualities. I would rather have titled this one Wild Chamomile, but I’m using the common names as seen in our local guidebook Haliburton […]
Highbush Cranberry – Viburnum Trilobum: Sour Patch of Foraged Edible & Medicinal Wild Plants
In Ojibwe, aniibimin. Not a true cranberry, highbush cranberry is just as tart. It’s related to blueberries. Sometimes it’s called viburnum opulus var. americanum (trilobum). Opulus is the European relation, commonly called “guelder rose” in those parts. Our county is full of maple leafed looking plants. For instance, the literal maple-leaved viburnum (viburnum acerifolium). Highbush has […]
Basswood – Tilia Americana: Bee Tree of Foraged Edible & Medicinal Wild Plants
In Chippewa, wigub’imij, basswood is also called bee-tree, lime-tree, and linden*. It’s an amazing woodcarving material, and those familiar with just that aspect might be surprised at basswood’s edible and medicinal qualities! Plus, bees! *It’s not the same tree as European Linden but the uses are mirrored. Bee lovers, hear, hear – Basswood blooms are […]
Red Clover – Trifolium Pratense: The Honey of Edible & Medicinal Wild Plants
In Ojibwe, nisoobag+oon ezhi-wadong+in, red clover is honeylicious and this edible and medicinal plant is not just for the 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 […]
Common Mullein – Verbascum Thapsus: The Coziest of Foragable Edible & Medicinal Wild Plants
In Anishinaabemowin, mullein is sometimes calledWaabooyaanibag (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 make […]