Elms – Ulmus SPP.: Edible & Medicinal Uses of the Slippery Bark of Wild Plants

Elms - Ulmus SPP.

In Chippewa, gawa’komic, slippery elm is the medicinal star of the elms (ulmus spp.) native to Ontario. It’s also most popular local/Haliburton elm for foraging. But elm is at risk due to Dutch elm disease. Around cottage country Ontario there are three main native elm (ulmus spp.) trees. The most common is American/white elm (ulmus americana) …

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Yellow Birch – Betula Alleghaniensis: Edible & Medicinal Uses of the Wintergreen Tree of Wild Plants

Yellow Birch - Betula Alleghaniensis

In Ojibwe, wiinizik, yellow birch has a lot in common with other birches, but along with black/sweet birch (which isn’t in Haliburton) yellow birch has a subtle wintergreen scent and taste, making it one of a handful of wintergreen-y edible and medicinal plants around Haliburton. Yellow birch is common around Haliburton in tall mixed woods. I …

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Balsam Fir – Abies Balsamea: Edible & Medicinal Uses of the Most Resin-ating of Wild Plants

Balsam Fir - Abies Balsamea

In Chippewa, a’ninandak’, balsam fir is an edible and mostly medicinal tree that’s the closest local plant to frankincense that I know of, scent-wise. (But it’s not a sedative.) Its resin can also be used to make Balm of Gilead, mentioned in poplar posts. A little ecological history: When the fight against eastern spruce budworm vs …

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White Pine – Pinus Strobus: Edible & Medicinal Uses of Ontario’s Tallest Wild Plant

White Pine - Pinus strobus

In Chippewa, jingwak’, white pine was the most towering of edible and medicinal plants here 200 yrs ago. Imagine forests of 200-ft tall, 4-ft wide powerful evergreen medicine. Like the now “trending” and controversial sage smudge, pine needles are said to clear negative energy when burned. “Smoke cleansing” is a more acceptable term for general …

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