White trillium (Trillium grandiflorum) is Ontario’s official flower and the standard-bearer of spring. It’s also a traditional edible and mostly medicinal plant. However, it needs our protection. Also called birth root, a hint at its medicinal qualities. And wake-robin, due to being a spring herald. It heralds the black flies too, who I personally suspect … [Read more…]
Black cherry (Prunus serotina) while perhaps the least palatable of our cherries is still a bouncin’ edible and medicinal tree. I absolutely love making stuff with it too! The scent of the sawdust – yum! Black cherry is also called rum cherry because settlers blended the fruit with rum or brandy and called the drink … [Read more…]
White pine (Pinus strobus) was the most towering of edible and medicinal plants here in Ontario 200 yrs ago. Imagine forests of 200-ft tall, 4-ft wide powerful evergreen medicine. This tree has so much life. It has the longest list of mammals and birds and insects allies that I have seen yet in my preparations … [Read more…]
Red oak (Quercus rubra) is an edible and medicinal tree we’re lucky to have even if just admiring it’s deep red foliage in the autumn. Carrying a piece of oak is said to bring good luck. And it’s a lucky tree to have around for many wild ones. It’s a long list: opossum (which nowadays … [Read more…]
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 … [Read more…]
Yarrow (Achillea millefolium) is a “wounderful” edible and medicinal herb. A yarrow salve for healing cuts and scrapes was my first ever herbal medicine maker’s recipe! Yarrow is another European import. It’s most descriptive folk name is woundwort. It’s not the only “woundwort”, so cheers for Latin names. On the same note, it’s been called … [Read more…]