The Plants of the Boreal Growth Mural

Identifiers

Height  2-24 inches (approx. 5-61cm)

Spread  Approx. 6-9 inches (approx. 15-23cm)

Colours Bright yellow flowers, resembling the sun. 

Shapes Jagged leaves that rosette from the base of the stem, round flower head made up of small thin petals that typically have a blunt end. When gone to seed, they will have a white puffball of seeds.

Other Stem is hollow and when snapped will produce a white sap. The insides of the stem are white and have a latex-like substance inside. Taproots can get fairly big, both in length and thickness. 

Plant Parts Used

Roots, stems, leaves, flowers

Harvest Time

Roots: in spring before the plant flowers or in autumn after the first frost 

Young Leaves: in early spring and throughout the summer (the older they are, the more bitter they will be)

Flowers: when in full bloom (if harvesting, it is best to process sooner rather than later. Make sure to pluck flower petals from the green sepals. The longer you let them sit, they will start to close up which makes it difficult to pull out the petals)

Medicinal Actions

Antibilious, anti-rheumatic, anti-inflammatory, antispasmodic, astringent, bacteriostatic, bitter, cholagogue, choleretic, digestive, diaphoretic, diuretic, fungistatic, galactagogue, hepatic, laxative, stomachic, tonic 

Medicinal and Food Uses

Medicinal

Root: used by herbalists to treat a variety of liver and digestive disorders. The root’s digestive and bitter properties help with indigestion, spleen disorders, relieving heartburn and constipation, and stimulating the appetite. The roots also have anti-inflammatory properties with some use to treat rheumatism, gout, and eczema. 

Leaf: supports kidneys as a natural diuretic which helps with urine output (helps support the blood pressure, weight loss, sometimes even kidney stones). 

Stem: the latex-like substance inside the stem can be used topically to help get rid of warts 

Food

Young roots: can be eaten like carrots or other root vegetables, can be boiled, baked, or diced up to add to soups or stews. Roots can be dried and powdered to make a caffeine-free coffee substitute. 

Leaf: can be eaten fresh in salads, steamed like spinach, added to stir-fries, soups or stews, as well as used for tea. 

Flower: can be eaten on their own, fried up with butter and garlic, dipped in batter and baked or fried. Can also be used as is in salads.  

Cautions

Dandelions that are on the roadside are likely to be full of contaminants from vehicles. Dandelions on a lawn might have been sprayed with pesticides. 

Fun Facts

A dandelion can have up to 200 elliptical seeds per head. A single plant can produce more than 5,000 seeds per year

The taproot can descend into the soil more than one meter 

The flowers open towards the sun and close if it is dark or cloudy

Identifiers

Height 4-6 Feet (approx. 1.2-1.8meters)

Spread Approx. 24 inches (approx. 61 cm)

Colours Magenta pink flowers

Shapes Flower has four fan shaped petals that, from a distance in a cluster on the same plant, appear like a rounded triangle on top. Leaves are narrow with circular veins. 

Other Flowering stalk tall, flowers will open at the base in early summer, then the last flowers will bloom at the terminus of the stalk (signs of the end of summer)

Plant Parts Used

Roots, leaves, flowers

Harvest Time

Roots: Spring, Fall

Leaves: Spring, Summer 

Flowers: Summer

Medicinal Actions

Anti-inflammatory, anti-irritant, antimicrobial, antiseptic

Medicinal and Food Uses

Medicinal

Leaves: used as a tea with mild laxative effect, sometimes helps with dispelling intestinal worms, digestive upset. Can be used topically for burns or other skin ailments. Due to its anti-inflammatory properties, an extract can be made to be used in creams, salves, or poultices for dry, irritated skin such as eczema or psoriasis. 

Flowers: also used in skin related issues as above.

Food

Young Spring Shoots: sometimes called “wild asparagus” and can be eaten as such. 

Leaves: can be used in stir-fries

Flowers: jelly 

Cautions

Fireweed that grows on the roadside is likely to be full of contaminants from vehicles.

Fun Facts

Fireweed is the official flower of the Yukon Territory. 

An important source of nectar for Northern bees and other pollinators 

Identifiers

Height Approx. 20-78 inches (50-198cm)

Spread Roots will grow and spread under the soil which will produce new sprigs

Colours Green. Old leaves will turn brown

Shapes Narrow leaves that protrude from a stem in a feather shape. 

Other Start out curled into itself and will stretch out as they age

Plant Parts Used

Young and newly emerging croziers (fiddleheads). 

Harvest Time

Spring 

Medicinal and Food Uses

Medicinal

Can help protect you from cancer, heart disease and diabetes. 

Contain plenty of the vitamins and nutrients your body needs and they are low in calories, fat and cholesterol  

Food

Can be eaten fresh or preserved by pickling, salting, or sun drying. 

Typically fried up in butter, garlic and spices. 

Cautions

Can cause food poisoning if they have not been stored, prepared, or cooked properly. Be sure that you are identifying the right fiddlehead ferns. 

Fun Facts

Ostrich ferns are the safe fiddleheads to eat. They can be identified by the brown, paper scale-like covering on the uncoiled fern when emerging from the soil

Identifiers

Height 18-24 inches (46-61cm)

Spread Spreads anywhere from 8 inches to 2 feet (approx. 20-61cm)

Colours Variations of pink cluster flowers

Shapes Rounded flower head. Leaves are wider at the base and taper at the end. 

Other Typically have 3 leaflets but sometimes can have 4

Plant Parts Used

Flowering tops with leaves at the top

Harvest Time

Flowers and Leaves: when they flowers have just bloomed  

Medicinal Actions

Antioxidant, antispasmodic, astringent, bitter, cholagogue, diuretic, expectorant, galactagogue, nervine sedative, tonic 

Medicinal and Food Uses

Medicinal

Known as “the queen of blood purifiers”. 

Used internally and topically to help clear inflammatory skin conditions such as acne, rashes, psoriasis, and eczema. It is considered soothing, cooling and moistening. 

Can be used in a tea to help treat coughs, asthma, bronchitis, sore throats, whooping cough, or wheezing.  

Food

Sprouted red clover seeds can be used in salads or sandwiches. 

Red cover iced tea with lemon is refreshing as well as cleansing. 

Cautions

Use red clover mindfully, it is meant to be used in moderation and short periods of time.

Fun Facts

You can suck the nectar from the flower petals which taste like honey. 

Identifiers

Height 6-24 inches (15-61cm)

Spread 6-24 inches (15-61cm) but can spread wider

Colours Green leaves that sometimes get reddish patches. Blueberries start out white-ish to green before turning blue. Older berries will be a deep blue/purple. Flowers will be white with some green or pink on them as they age. 

Shapes Short oval leaves, round berries, blue shaped flowers

Other Multiple stems, twiggy branches, glossy leaves

Plant Parts Used

Leaves, Berries

Harvest Time

Berries: usually late summer, when berries are ripe 

Leaves: before plant produces fruit (spring) 

Medicinal Actions

Anti-inflammatory, antioxidant 

Medicinal and Food Uses

Medicinal

Berries: eaten for antioxidant activities, can help control cholesterol to help fight cardiovascular disease and stroke. Can help with chronic inflammation due to having polyphenols and anthocyanins. 

Leaves: can treat gastrointestinal ailments (diarrhea or upset stomach) 

Food

Berries: as is, fruit leather, added to yogurt, cereal, porridge or oatmeal, muffins, breads, scones, jams, jellies, juice, tea, smoothies, etc. 

Cautions

Unripe blueberries may be psychotropic to some and may vivify dreams. 

Fun Facts

Considered a “superfruit”

Identifiers

Height Up to 4 feet (approx. 1.2meters)

Spread Approx. 24 inches (61cm)

Colours Bright yellow flowers

Shapes Ray-like flower petals, lance shaped leaves

Other Flowers grow in clusters

Plant Parts Used

Roots, Leaves, Flowers

Harvest Time

Aerial parts: gather in summer when the plant is just flowering. 

Roots: early spring or fall 

Medicinal Actions

Anti-catarrhal, anti-fungal, anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, carminative, diaphoretic, diuretic 

Medicinal and Food Uses

Medicinal

Leaves: can be used as a gargle for mouth inflammation, laryngitis, and sore throats. Used as a spit poultice for burns, insect bites/stings. The leaves can also be dried and powdered to add to your first aid kit to be used as a styptic to help stop bleeding of wounds. 

Roots: chewing a bit of the root then packing it on/around a sore tooth to help with pain management.

Food

Young leaves: can be cooked like spinach. 

Flowers: can be added to salads or muffins, cakes, egg dishes, or garnish. Flower flowers or seeds can also be gathered in autumn and dried to use as a thickener for soups. 

Cautions

Goldenrod that grows on the roadside is likely to be full of contaminants from vehicles.

Fun Facts

Can be used to create natural dyes, creating a lovely range of yellows

Identifiers

Height :16-18 inches (Approx. 40-45cm)

Spread: Approx. 6 inches (15cm)

Colours: Leaves are green, flowers are white, pink/purple. 

Shapes: Leaves are oval shaped and taper at both ends. 

Other: Flowers are small and clustered

Plant Parts Used

Aerial parts

Harvest Time

Leaves: Throughout the summer  

Medicinal Actions

Analgesic, anesthetic (local), antiemetic, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, anti-rheumatic, antiseptic, antispasmodic, aromatic, bitter, blood purifier, carminative, diaphoretic, digestive, emmenagogue, febrifuge, galactagogue, nervine, pungent, refrigerant, stimulant  

Medicinal and Food Uses

Medicinal

Leaves: aids digestion. Can ease digestion gas, heartburn, ulcers, and colic. Can be used to make tea to be drunk in the morning as a stimulant or to clear a tired mind. Can also help repel oncoming headaches or help ease nausea caused by morning sickness. A cold tea can be used topically as a compress to help reduce fevers, itchy skin rashes as well as help with the pain of arthritis. 

Food

Leaves: can be used fresh in fruit salads or used in savoury dishes like hummus. Can be put in ice for iced teas. Mint can also be jellied which can add to wild game, fowl, or even on ice cream/yogurt. 

Cautions

Women who are vulnerable to miscarriage should avoid ingesting high doses of wild mint – the dried herb can be used in common culinary uses or a light herbal tisane is okay. 

Fun Facts

Mint has been found in Egyptian tombs from as far back as 1000 BC

Identifiers

Height 2-3 feet (approx. 61-91cm)

Spread 2-3 feet (approx. 61-91cm)

Colours White flowers

Shapes Flat topped or dome shaped cluster of small flowers. Fine and feathery leaves

Other Could be compared to fern-looking leaves

Plant Parts Used

Flowers, leaves, roots, stalk 

Harvest Time

Flowers: summer as soon as they are in flower 

After flower harvesting season: leaves can be harvested  

Medicinal Actions

Analgesic, antibacterial, anti-catarrhal, anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, astringent, bitter, carminative, diaphoretic, digestive, diuretic, emmenagogue, expectorant, febrifuge, hepatic, hypoglycemic, hypotensive, stimulant, styptic, tonic, vulnerary 

Medicinal and Food Uses

Medicinal

Leaves and flowers: yarrow tea can be made to help with fever, gets rid of excess phlegm when one is ill. Gargling with yarrow tea can also prevent/heal a sore throat, inflamed gums, or other mouth infections. If you have a toothache or infected gums, you can chew up a few leaves and stuff them into your cheek for pain relief (be sure to change the leaves every few hours). Can be used as a topical wound healer and can stop bleeding immediately. Yarrow is best used fresh but it can be dried and powdered for later uses. 

Food

Nutrition comes from creating an infusion of the leaves or flowers. You can also make vinegar with yarrow.

Cautions

Not recommended to use during pregnancy

Fun Facts

The common name “Devil’s Nettle” comes from an old superstition that Satan used to walk the streets at night and shake yarrow at the homes of people he wished to curse

It is said that Yarrow (Achillea) was named after Achilles as he used it to stop the bleeding of his soldiers’ wounds. 

RESOURCES AND GUIDEBOOKS

The Boreal Herbal by Beverley Grey 

Edible and Medicinal Plants of Canada by Mackinnon and Kershaw

Identifying and Harvesting Edible and Medicinal Plants by Steve Brill 

Plants Have So Much to Give Us, All We Have to do is Ask by Geniusz

A Handbook of Native American Herbs by Hutchens 

Mushrooms of Ontario and Eastern Canada by George Barron