In Chippewa, wa’bigwun meaning “flowers”, pearly everlasting is a unique looking edible and medicinal plant. While not used much these days for food or medicine, it’s still a hit for American Lady butterflies and florists alike. Pearly everlasting (anaphalis margaritacea) is especially common along roadsides and damp ditches. It’s named for its pearly colored flower …
Viper’s bugloss (echium vulgare) is an edible and medicinal plant that’s a lot like comfrey and borage in usage. It even has the same toxic PAs (pyrrolizidine alkaloids) as comfrey. That’s something to consider besides the spiny bristles covering this plant. If you’re prone to roadside walks, I’m sure you’ve noticed this electric blue flowered …
In Chippewa, a’sisuwe’minaga’wunj, chokecherries are one of our most commonly found edible and medicinal berry shrubs. The “choke” is a reference to how sour they are. Pucker up! Common around Haliburton and in Algonquin park too, chokecherry dots the roadsides, stream edges and fencerows. They may be the most widespread tree in North America. Up …
Often called melilot, our sweet clovers are a settler imported edible and medicinal plant. But you’re going to need to be careful about mold. And you might want to report it. Around here white sweet clover (melilotus alba) is common. We also have yellow sweet clover (melilotus officinalis), identical in uses, but uncommon in these …
The daisy, commonly seen woven into a crown on the heads of ethereally dressed children in aesthetic photography.. who knew this familiar flower is edible and medicinal too? Daisies are quite neglected in my herbal library. Yet they’re one of the first plants many young folks will recognize; the token “he loves me, he loves …
Chicory is a popular edible and medicinal plant with a knack as a coffee substitute. And yet another naturalized plant from Europe. Its bright blue blooms are eye catching, scattered along the roadside throughout summer. But keep reading – they aren’t just flair! I thought about calling it the time teller of edible and medicinal …