Common hops (Humulus lupulus) isn’t that common here, but you may find this edible and surprisingly medicinal plant near where old timers booze stills were hidden. Around Haliburton you may find hops randomly on a dry gravelly roadside. Where I tend to find it is on old farmsteads that were once home brewing. It’s still … [Read more…]
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 … [Read more…]
Chokecherries (Prunus virginiana) 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 here, … [Read more…]
Bull thistle (Cirsium vulgare) is a common sight in sunny pastures and along the roadside here. Its (also euro) cousin Canada thistle (Cirsium arvense) will be covered another time, even though the edible and medicinal usage is similar. Bull thistle is more edible. I’m going to interrupt this piece to invite you to join me … [Read more…]
Often called melilot, our sweet clovers (Melilotus spp.) 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 … [Read more…]
The daisy (Leucanthemum vulgare), 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, … [Read more…]