A short list of wild Edible and Medicinal Plants and Herbs growing in many areas of BC for wildcrafting.

(Note: there are many other uses than what I have listed, don't use any of these if you are pregnant or nursing and research everything from a reputable source before using yourself)

Plantain: Plantago Major and Plantago Lanceolata- fresh leaves for bee and wasp stings, salads. Soothing skin salve.
Dandelion: Taraxacum Officinale (Asteraceae)- flowers for wine, roots for coffee-like beverage, leaves for salads and tonics
Mullein: Verbascum- leaves and flowers for teas, coughs, bronchitis and sore chest
Red Clover: Trifolium pratense- teas for coughs and colds, skin wash for psoriasis, flowers in salad
Periwinkle: Vinca minor- astringent for bleeding, mouth wash for ulcers, sore throat, bleeding gums (unsafe to take internally- use with caution)
Elderberry: Sambucus Caerulea (blue variety)-
flowers for teas, berries for wine, mead, syrups and cough drops. Enhances immunity.
Hawthorne: Crataegus monogyna (Rosaceae)- young leaves in salad. berries for elixir, brandy, syrups. Good for regulating heart rate.
Horsetail: Equisetum- astringent for wound healing, also useful for scrubbing pots
Wild Rose: Rosa acicularis- petals and rose hips for jelly, jam, incense
Pine: Pinus- resin and leaves for incense, leaves for flavouring meat and tea
Douglas Fir: Pseudotsuga menziesii- leaves for flavouring whisky, and meat
Western Red Cedar: Thuja plicata- bark and leaves for incense
Mahonia (Oregon Grape): Mahonia aquifolium or the dwarf plant nervosa- many medicinal uses for the root, but I only use the berries for jelly and syrup.

#wildcrafting #foraging #SelfSustainability #wildmedicine #plantknowledge

Last updated 1 year ago

Condensed version of my wildcrafting talk.

Wildcrafting, another name for foraging, is gathering materials usually herbs, plants or fungi that are grown naturally instead of cultivated to use for food, medicine or arts and crafts. When wildcrafting is done without care or knowledge, it can cause harm to our environment as well as ourselves.
It's always preferable to forage on your own property. But many can't so here are some important things to remember when foraging:

Stay in common land areas away from polluted water, polluted ground or heavy air pollution. Ditches by roadside can have spilled oil, asphalt runoff, litter and garbage, herbicides and also bio-hazards like used toilet paper, etc. Also watch for agricultural runoff, both animal and plant agriculture usually use high levels of synthetic fertilizer and other contaminants that you don’t want in your foraging.

Whether you believe in private property or not, do not wildcraft on private land without owner’s permission… you don’t want to be chased away at gunpoint or a guard dog.

Stay away from railroad tracks which are regularly sprayed with herbicide and are also private property and dangerous to be close to.

When far out in the wild, away from human settlements, watch for wild animals that might be protecting their territory, their dens, young or recent kills. Be aware that you might be taking food from these animals in their spaces.

I can’t stress enough how important it is to learn the plants in your area. Get a good book and make sure it is an academic publication on plant identification that includes safety information regarding each plant. It is best to have more than one publication and cross reference them so that if you discover contradictory information.

Many plants used for medicine have different parts that are used, where some parts may be toxic, and need certain ways of preparing them safely. Be especially aware of look-alike plants that can be easily mistaken. There are quite a few plants and fungi that are very dangerous to ingest, ranging from immediate poisoning to slow long term organ damage. There are many look-alike plants that can be deadly while others are non-toxic or edible, and others that are not necessarily toxic but are still unusable. Get a good field guide with colour photos to take along with you and always keep with your wildcrafting gear.

Never take more than 1/3 of any given plant but usually much less than that. Leave plenty behind for other foragers both animal and human.
Never cause permanent damage to plants or trees such as carelessly ripping out roots or pulling resin off bark, ripping some of the bark off in the process. The bark protects the tree from insects and disease. Never rake the forest floor to gather mushrooms. This is a terrible practice that damages the delicate ecosystems of the fungus and the surrounding area. Plus it is just downright disrespectful.

Lastly, take a moment to give thanks in whatever way is meaningful to you but never leave anything behind except maybe a splash of water for the plants.

#foraging #wildfoods #wildmedicine #plants #mushrooms #wildcrafting

Last updated 2 years ago