Mouse-ear Chickweeds – Cerastium SPP.: Edible & Medicinal Uses of the Furries of Wild Plants

Mouse-ear Chickweeds - Cerastium SPP.

In Chippewa,  wi’nibidja’bibaga’no meaning “toothplant”, refers to the European stellaria spp. But the one we’re talking about here is the cerastium spp., known as mouse-ear chickweeds. They’re almost as edible, furriness aside, but not as medicinal as the stellaria species. It’s important to note the hairless “common chickweed” (stellaria media) is a rare nonnative in the …

Read more

Queen Anne’s-lace – Daucus Carota: Edible & Medicinal Uses of the Carrot of Wild Plants

Queen Anne's-lace - Daucus Carota

In Ojibwe, okaadaak means carrot, and Queen Anne’s-lace is literally a wild carrot. It’s another likely garden escapee, naturalized to Haliburton, and a surprisingly edible and medicinal wild plant. (If you’re not possibly pregnant, anyway!) Edible Uses of Queen Anne’s-lace (Wild Carrot) The whole plant smells distinctly of carrot. But the edible roots are white …

Read more

Common Fleabane – Erigeron Philadelphicus: Edible & Medicinal Uses of the Early Old Man of Wild Plants

Common Fleabane – Erigeron philadelphicus

These edible and medicinal fleabane are smaller daisies, that bloom earliest of daisies here, and they are quickly raggedly looking. From all that you can probably figure out why they’re called eri (early) and geron (old man) in greek. Around Haliburton, we have common fleabane, rough daisy (erigeron strigosus) – more likely found at rocky …

Read more

Common St. John’s-Wort – Hypericum Perforatum: Edible & Medicinal Uses of the Happy Little Flower of Wild Plants

Common St. John’s-wort – Hypericum perforatum

Called nsidaiindamowin mshkiki by Joe from Creators Garden, “depression medicine”, St. John’s-wort is worthy of the happy little Bob Ross reference. It’s an edible and renown medicinal plant. Locals especially, check Joe out! He’s in Peterborough area. While picking common for the title plant, I could just as well go all out hypericum var. There …

Read more