Found in sandy disturbed sites Archives

Wild Geraniums – Geranium SPP.: Edible & Medicinal Uses of One of the Strongest Astringent Herbs

Wild geraniums are not your common garden centre “geraniums” (Pelargonium spp.). Today’s featured plant is from a different genus. Sometimes called cranesbills, this species is slightly edible, a popular medicinal astringent and also wonderful for native landscaping. Around Haliburton, Ontario, Northern Cranes-bill (Geranium bicknellii) and the more common herb Robert (G. robertianum) are found. In …

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 …

Coltsfoot is another settler import to North America with a longstanding edible and medicinal history. But keep reading because things have gotten complicated due to health concerns about one of the constituents. Coltsfoot has gone out of vogue for a couple reasons. Firstly, antihistamines and new cough syrups surpassed “coughwort” in popularity. And more recently, …

A type of buckwheat, lady’s-thumb is a common garden “smartweed” here. It’s a smart beginner wild edible and medicinal green because of the distinguished triangular purple spot on the leaf making it easily identifiable. Syn. persicaria maculosa. Check out the nice, clearest “thumb”print, bottom-left: There are lookalikes throughout Ontario, primarily also in the buckwheat family, …

Queen Anne's-lace Syn. Wild Carrot - 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 …

In Chippewa, wabos’odji’bik meaning “rabbit root”, wild sarsaparilla is a prized edible and medicinal herb. And not just for the rootbeer. (Though that’d be enough for me!) Wild sarsaparilla’s folk names include rabbit foot and wild licorice. In some of my herbal books, it’s called spikenard instead. But there are many plants called spikenard. And …

Found in sandy disturbed sites

Wild Geraniums – Geranium SPP.: Edible & Medicinal Uses of One of the Strongest Astringent Herbs

Catnip – Nepeta Cataria: Edible & Medicinal Uses of the Nightcap of Wild Plants

Coltsfoot – Tussilago Farfara: Edible & Medicinal Uses of the Salt of Wild Plants

Lady’s-Thumb – Polygonum Persicaria: Edible & Medicinal Uses of the Buckwheat of Wild Plants

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

Wild Sarsaparilla – Aralia Nudicaulis: Edible & Medicinal Uses of the Rootbeer of Wild Plants