Staghorn sumac (Rhus typhina) is the “lemonadiest” and most vinegary of edible and medicinal shrubs. Staghorn sumac has been called the vinegar tree and the lemonade tree as its juice can be used as a substitute for vinegar or lemon juice. The “staghorn” part comes from the velvety branches that somewhat resemble antlers. You’ll see …
In Anishinaabemowin, eastern white cedar (Thuja occidentalis) is sometimes called giizhik, and also gi’jikan’dug meaning cedar-like, as it’s not a “true cedar”. This Tree of Life is both edible and medicinal. One of the alternative names for eastern white cedar is swamp cedar as it likes to grow in damp woods. Another name is Tree …
In Chippewa, wi’gwass’tig, white birch (Betula papyrifera) is not only edible and medicinal, but is traditionally used in many other ways from making canoes to baskets to birch bark biting. I think of it as the craftiest tree! White birch is sometimes called paper birch or canoe birch after two of its many utilizations. Edible …
Jewelweed (Impatiens capensis) is a snappy edible and medicinal herb, known for its exploding seedpods. It’s handy to have around if you like clumsily rooting through wild plants like me, and end up grazing yourself with stinging nettle or worse – poison ivy. Jewelweed is so named because of the way the dew beads on …