Watershield (Brasenia schreberi) is common around Haliburton, Ontario in still or slow flowing waters up to 1 m deep. Like lilypads, the leaves float on surface. They may also be confused with some species of pond leaves. The underside of the leaves are coated in slime. Edible Uses of Watershield The young leaves when still … [Read more…]
Pickerelweed is another edible aquatic plant in Ontario. Many will notice its lush purple blooms covering the shorelines in our area in the summertime. The bees notice too! Pickerel-weed (Pontederia cordata) is a common sight around Haliburton in shallow water, usually in large dense colonies. When flowering it’s a sea of floating purple. Edible Uses … [Read more…]
Variegated pond-lily is not just an edible and medicinal plant to the 2-leggeds, but a favourite of aquatic wildlife. It’s also visited by many pollinators. Variegated or yellow water-lily (Nuphar variegata) is common here in gently flowering shallow waters, up to a few metres deep. There was one small yellow water lily (Nuphar pumila) spotted … [Read more…]
Arrowhead (Sagittaria spp.) is an edible and medicinal plant in the humans case as well as moose. Not to be confused with arrowroot, which you can find at health food stores, you’ll find arrowhead in the marsh instead. Usually surrounded by cattail and the like, arrowhead (Sagittaria spp.) is a common aquatic plant in North … [Read more…]
Scouring rush and common horsetail (both Equisetum spp.) are used to scrub and clean, but common horsetail also has edible uses. And scouring rush is the Equisetum plant preferred for medicinal uses. Related to ferns, common horsetail AKA horsetail fern is the only living genus of the subclass Equisetidae. Common horsetail (Equisetum arvense) is indeed … [Read more…]