Found in wet ditches

Water Smartweed – Persicaria Amphibia: Edible & Medicinal Uses of the Water Buckwheat of Wild Plants

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Water Smartweed – Persicaria Amphibia

Water smartweed (Persicaria amphibia syn. Polygonum amphibium) is another edible and medicinal plant from the buckwheat family. It is native to Ontario and has the showiest flower of all our local smartweeds. Water smartweed (Persicaria amphibia syn. Polygonum amphibium) since the compilation of Haliburton Flora got a new genus, Persicaria. It’s common here in wet ditches, shoresides and banks, and … [Read more…]

Docks – Rumex SPP.: Edible & Medicinal Uses of the Yellow Root of Wild Plants

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Docks – Rumex SPP.

The nonnative yellow rooted docks, sour and bitter, have a long history of medicinal use. We have a couple dozen (native and nonnative) edible and medicinal docks. Last week’s sheep sorrel is a Rumex species too, but docks stand alone. There are at least 26 species spotted on iNat for Ontario. The three docks listed … [Read more…]

Water Horehounds – Lycopus SPP.: Edible & Medicinal Uses of the Culvert Mint of Wild Plants

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Water Horehounds – Lycopus SPP.

Known as bugleweeds or water horehounds, these edible and medicinal plants are one of the least minty of the mint family. Water horehounds (Lycopus spp.) can be found, as the name suggests, in wetlands, damp meadows and stream banks. There are two found around Haliburton, Ontario. The most common is American bugleweed (Lycopus americanus), also … [Read more…]

Purple Loosestrife – Lythrum Salicaria: Edible & Medicinal Uses of the Purple Marsh Eater of Wild Plants

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Purple Loosestrife – Lythrum Salicaria

Purple loosestrife is causing a bit of strife here. This introduced edible and medicinal plant sure is pretty, but purple loosestrife is taking over our marshes and crowding out native plants necessary for a healthy ecosystem. Purple loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria) was rare here when Haliburton Flora was compiled. They only found it in two locations. … [Read more…]

Joe-Pye Weed – Eupatorium Maculatum: Edible & Medicinal Uses of the Bee Bed of Wild Plants

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Joe-Pye Weed – Eupatorium Maculatum

Joe-Pye weed (Eupatorium maculatum) grows well along ponds, wetlands and streams, but any damp sunny area will do. It is one of the pollinator all-stars of edible and medicinal plants. Joe-Pye weed is common around Haliburton in low wet areas by ponds, marshes, streams, and even damp ditches. One spontaneously appeared by my rain barrel … [Read more…]

Willow – Salix SPP.: Edible & Medicinal Uses of the Original Aspirin of Wild Plants

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Willow – Salix Spp.

Willow (Salix spp.) is an edible, mostly medicinal and heavily utilized plant. Its powerful component salicin was synthesized to make the well known OTC medicine Aspirin. “Sal lis” means “near water”. And our many Haliburton waters are surrounded by salix species! The marshes I visit for birding and herping are filled with a wide variety … [Read more…]