Northern bayberry (Morella pensylvanica syn. Myrica pensylvanica) isn’t listed in Haliburton Flora and despite the name is more abundant to the south. Its relation sweet gale/ bog myrtle is more common in our area. It’s native to Ontario but may be closer to near native in cottage country. Edible Uses of Northern Bayberry As the … [Read more…]
As far as Medicago spp. go, alfalfa takes the edible and medicinal plant spotlight. Black medick (Medicago lupulina) is a less potent version of alfalfa, an invisible sibling that gets no mention in my herbal library. Black medick (Medicago lupulina) is uncommon around Haliburton, Ontario. Patches can be found trailside, along roadsides and in other … [Read more…]
New Jersey teas close relation to prairie redroot. Both have red roots and thus redroot as a folk name. They also have the same uses and host the same caterpillars. This edible and medicinal plant will certainly end up in our pollinator series for the Wood Folk Diaries! (Here is the link to that diary!) … [Read more…]
Alder (Alnus spp.) is a highly astringent edible and medicinal wild plant. Its usage is similar to oak. Alder means red in German, so named because the bark makes your saliva red. But don’t go nibbling on the bark now – it’s emetic (it could make you throw up!) Speckled alder (Alnus rugosa) as listed … [Read more…]
Red clover (Trifolium pratense) 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 about it. … [Read more…]