In Chippewa, odjici’gomin refers to Canada wild lettuce (lactuca canadensis), one of many edible and medicinal wild lettuces (lactuca spp.) you’ll find in Ontario. They are often confused with chicory, dandelion or sow thistles, but fortunately these tall wild lettuces have no poisonous lookalikes. Although, at a glance rattlesnake roots have a similar look and height. …
Ground ivy is a nonnative (to Ontario) edible and medicinal plant that you can easily grow in a pot indoors if you love it, rather than have it take over yours and your neighbors lawns. Called gill-over-the-ground in Haliburton Flora, ground ivy (glechoma hederacea syn. nepeta glechoma, nepeta hederacea) is uncommon here. You may find …
In Chippewa, gajugens’ibug meaning “little-cat leaf”, catnip isn’t native to Ontario, but at least it’s not aggressive. It’s a surprisingly useful edible and medicinal plant, if you’re not pregnant. And whether or not you’re a cat. Catnip (nepeta cataria) is uncommon around Haliburton, but I find it around old farmsteads. It may also show up …
In Chippewa, name’wuskons, selfheal or heal-all is another edible and medicinal wild plant from the mint family. It doesn’t really heal-all, but it’s still a well rounded astringent plant with many uses. We have a mix of European and native selfheal in Ontario. Common around Haliburton, you’re most likely to find it in your lawn. …
Strict blue-eyed grass is in the iris family, and isn’t truly a grass. This edible and medicinal wildflower is widespread and around here may be one of the first you see dotting your lawn when you haven’t mowed. Sisyrinchium montanum is Halliburton’s only blue-eyed grass, but the whole species is similar. If you’ve ever let …
Like red osier berries, wood sorrel (oxalis spp.) is a sour edible to spice up your culinary adventures. It’s almost as easy of an edible and medicinal wild plant to find as dandelion. We have at least two fairly common sorrels. Firstly, mountain wood-sorrel (oxalis montana), whose flower looks like spring beauties, only with shamrock …