Wintergreen: Onesided

One-Sided Wintergreen

Orthilia secunda

A little patch of this plant sprang up in my side yard.  I first noticed it last fall so have been watching it this spring.  The first I've seen it around my immediate area though I had seen it in the Canim Falls area.  Every now and again something surprises you.

2013 June 28

2013 June 28

This is an evergreen plant, hence the name ... even in our climate!  This is not the wintergreen that wintergreen flavouring comes from.

Self Heal

Self Heal or Heal All

Prunella vulgaris

I can't say as I've seen this plant in my own, immediate area but I recently came across it in the Quesnel area (which is still part of the Cariboo) where it seemed quite common.  Quesnel definitely receives more precipitation than we do and perhaps that is why this plant can be found there as it is a member of the mint family.  I wouldn't be surprised to find it out in the Canim and Mahood Lake area as that area too, receives more precipitation.

2012 July 17

2012 July 16

2012 July 16

2012 July 16

This plant is edible.  The young leaves and stems can be eaten raw or the plant can be boiled and eaten as a green or it can be dried and then infused to make a purportedly tasty tea in itself but the infusion can also be used as a mouth wash for gum issues.  Called self heal or heal all, the whole plant was made into a poultice and placed on wounds, especially cuts, to help them heal.  For other, interesting medicinal information about this plant you can go here.

Prairie Pepper Grass

Prairie Pepper Grass

Lepidium densiflorum

One of those wayside weeds that one often overlooks and forgets to photograph ...

2011 June 25

2011 June 25

This plant is native to our region.

Coralroot

My neighbour came over to say she found a neat plant back in the bush and wanted me to come see. As we walked she described it to me. I said it sounds like coralroot and it was. I have had them grow in one general area of my front yard over the years we've been here. This year I have only one shoot. I went to email her the link to my site regarding Coralroot only to find I've never written anything up on it. So I'm about to rectify that!

Coralroots cannot be cultivated as they are parasitic and grow in a symbiotic relationship with soil fungi. As a result, they can be found in a place one year and not the next. I notice the one growing in my yard this year isn't in quite the same place as in other years. The coralroot growing in my yard is the Ozette Coralroot but I have also found Spotted Oralroot growing in the woods not far away.

Ozette Coralroot (awaiting confirmation on this)

Corallorhiza maculata var. ozettensis

2009 June 7

2008 June 11

2008 June 14

2008 June 12

2008 July 2

Spotted Coralroot

Corallorhiza maculata var. maculata

2010 June 14

Link: http://www.wanativeorchids.com/Corallorhiza/index.html

Flixweed

Flixweed or Fluxweed

(Descurainia sophia)

To make a liar of myself, I'm posting two mustards in one day.  Can you believe it?  I've seen this one on the trail often and love how frondy it is!

2010 May 27

2010 May 27

2010 May 27

This is an introduced weed.  Sophia means "wisdom" or "skill" ... those that were wise and in the know, knew to use this plant for dysentry, to expel worms from the intestinal tract and to heal wounds.  All good things to know when all else fails.

Clasping Leaved Pepper Grass

Clasping Leaved Pepper Grass  

(Lepidium perfoliatum)

Just when you think you've seen about all the plants you can see that grow in your area, you find another new one!  Aren't the leaves on this one cute!

2010 May 27

2010 May 27

This cutie is from the Mustard Family.  There are many mustard plants growing around here but I haven't tackled most of them ... the task has seemed to onerous for some reason.  Actually, they are really tricky to photograph!

Silverweed

Silverweed (Potentilla anserina)

Silverweed is common around here yet it has taken me until now to post about it!

2010 May 26

2010 May 26

2010 May 26

Found in moist, alkaline places.  Our area is very alkaline!  This plant is sometimes called the Indian sweet potato as many interior First Nations people used the roots, cooked or raw.    Apparently it has a crisp, nutty, starchy taste.  This site states that the leaves can also be made into a tea. An infusion of the leaves can be used as a cleanser for delicate skin, even the skin of babies.  A mildly astringent plant with most of the astringency in the roots.  Leaves are harvested in early summer and dried while the roots are harvested in late summer, early fall.

Buttercup: Alkali

Alkali Buttercup or Shore Buttercup  

Ranunculus cymbalaria

We've taken many walks down by the lake over the last 3-4 years but this is the first year (2010) that I've noticed these tiny, tiny plants/flowers down by the lake shore:

2010 May 26

The flowers had that shiny look of buttercups so I knew what family to begin looking under!

2010 May 26

Rockcress: Drummond's

Drummond's Rockcress (Arabis drummondii)

This small plant blooms fairly early in the spring.  It is not all that conspicuous so can be easily overlooked.  The leaves are edible.

2010 April 17

2010 April 17

2010 April 18

Gooseberry: Northern

Northern Gooseberry (Ribes oxyacanthoides)

2008 May 23

2008 May 27

2008 July 4

2008 July 28

2009 August 10

Notice, no bristles on the berries.

Gooseberry: Black

Black Gooseberry (Ribes lacustre)

2009 August 10

I have mostly found the Northern Gooseberry in our area but have found the odd bush of Blacks. Click on the picture and notice how prickly the berries are ... Northern Gooseberries are smooth.

These can be eaten fresh or cooked into jams and jellies. Be careful picking them though, because the spines can cause an allergic reaction in some.

Black Hawthorn

Black Hawthorn (Crataegus douglasii)

I saw this in shrub form out at Mahood Lake but then found it as a small tree growing by our own lake ... my eye was drawn to the fruit. Funny how I missed seeing it in flower and we walk that way often!

2009 August 27

2009 August 16

2009 August 16

2009 August 16

The fruits are seedy but were used medicinally, mostly for diarrhea. The bark also was used to treat diarrhea, dysentery and stomach aches and pains.

2009 August 16

The wood of this plant is very hard and fine grained used by First Nations for tool handles and weapons.

2009 August 18

The spines had a variety of uses: like a needle to probe skin blisters and boils, piercing ears, fish hooks, etc.

Some people use this as a hedging plant to create a "fence with thorns".

Hawksbeard: "Annual" or "Narrowleaf"

"Annual Hawksbeard" or "Narrowleaf Hawksbeard"
(Crepis tectorum)

2009 July 26

2009 July 26

An introduced weed from Europe occurring in disturbed sites ... in this case, alongside our driveway.

Cinquefoil: Graceful

Graceful Cinquefoil (Potentilla gracilis var gracilis)

2009 July 15

2009 July 15

2009 July 15

2009 July 15

2009 July 15

We found this cinquefoil growing on a trail just behind our place.

Some first nation peoples made an infusion of the pounded roots to take for pain and as a general tonic.

Swamp Hedge Nettle

Swamp Hedge Nettle (Stachys palustris ssp. pilosa)

We found this plant growing around our local lake:

2008 July 14

2008 July 14

2008 July 19

A perennial herb also called Woundwart.

Sedge: Golden

Golden Sedge (Carex aurea)

We found this sedge on the shore of our local lake:

2008 July 14