Category: EDCI 336 (Page 2 of 3)

Invasive weeds with incredible purpose and benefit. Dandelions grow everywhere and are often viewed as a pest/weed that needs to be pulled from lawns. However, dandelions have amazing health benefits. After the long winters that we have here in Canada, drinking dandelion tea can help regulate the blood and lymphatic systems. This website, Mindful Ecotourism , details the benefits of this amazing, beautiful weed. 

All parts of the plant can be used, from the head down to the roots. This amazing weed offers medicinal benefits such as anti-inflammatory properties, and antioxidants, and helps in regulating blood sugar. Dandelion leaves taste similar to arugula, and the stems can be used for miniature basket weaving. Something important to note with the dandelion, but really with all wild plants, is that if foraging these in urban areas, be sure to consider that they may have been sprayed with chemicals. 

Broadleaf Plantains are a prolific weed that has mighty medicinal properties. 

Hul’qumi’num name: Sxu’enhween

I learned about these plantains on our second orientation day for the teacher education program. I had seen them in the grass because they are so widespread here on Vancouver Island, but I hadn’t known what they were. Broadleaf Plantains are a weed as common as dandelions, and they’re often seen growing near each other. They’re often overlooked despite their remarkable medicinal benefits. 

Plantains can be used in poultices and salves. Hikers can put them in their shoes to relieve the pain from blisters. Or they can be chewed and placed on burns, stings and infections.  

Indigenous people have used them not only for medicine but also for food. The seeds can be ground into a flower, and the leaves can be boiled until they are tender enough to eat. 

Photo by Tatiana Abramova

In May, the hills and Garry Oak meadow around Victoria are purple with blooms of common camas flowers, Camassia Quamash. However, among the purple flowers, there are occasional stems of white. This flower, called Death Camas or Anticlea Elegans, is highly poisonous. Both the flowers and leaves of the plant are toxic. Grazing animals sometimes consume it, and even small quantities of the plant can cause vomiting, tremors, weakness, loss of control over body functions, coma, and death.

Poisoning of humans is more common when the bulb of the plant is consumed. Purple camas were propagated by First Nations people in this area as a valued food source. After the annual bloom, the bulbs were dug and roasted at low heat in an earthen oven for up to 12 hours. They have a sweet pear or fig-like taste. The difficulty in harvesting the bulbs arises from the fact that the bulb of the white camas is identical to that of the purple camas when it is not in flower. Therefore, First Peoples would tend the camas meadows during the spring flowering and remove any white-flowered plants to prevent water poisoning. Anyone planning on sampling this local delicacy should ensure they have harvested bulbs from a certain or reputable source.

What’s in a name? – Well, in this case, the horridus says it all. This plant is native to British Columbia and is found in wet, forested, damp areas. It grows up to 3 metres in height and is recognized by its palmate leaf. Beware of this plant; every part except the root is covered in poisonous and irritating spines. These can be up to two centimetres long and embed easily in human skin, even when the plant is lightly brushed. The rash Devil’s Club causes is similar to poison ivy, causing suppurating blisters on the skin. WorkSafe BC warns that longer spines have been known to cause permanent damage when the spines come into contact with the eyes. The First Peoples of the coast value Devil’s Club; The Tlingit, Tsimshian, and Haida people burn the stalks and use the charcoal for ceremonial face paint. When the bark is stripped from the stem, the stems can be used to make poultices for wounds and ease arthritis and joint pain. The poultices can also be used to treat the reaction caused by the spines of Devils Club.

Phone by TJ Watt via Ancient Forest Alliance

The red cedar is called “the tree of life” because every part of the tree is valuable to coastal indigenous cultures. Cedarwood, bark, pitch, branches, and roots provide materials for shelter, clothing, bedding, food gathering and preparation, transportation, and cultural and spiritual activities.

The wood, which is relatively soft, lightweight, and splits cleanly and readily along the grain, was ideal for the stone and bone cutting and carving tools used before European contact.

I decided to look into some of the sustainable practices that cedar trees can offer. I found that it can be used for…

• Basket weaving
• Stripping bark so that the tree will continue to grow, survive and produce 
• Resin can be used as glue and for waterproofing
• Make Tea 
• Making rope 

Last year I learned basket weaving using pine needles and I would love for my next weaving lesson to be using Red Cedar. 

The Oregon Grape is a beautiful plant with shiny, holly-like, and colourful leaves that can be green, yellow, or bright red, depending on the season. While researching it, I came across a website that discusses how to grow Oregon Grapes, which inspired me to look further into gardening with local plants.  It is such an incredible thought that one day, people’s yards will be filled with Salal and Oregon Grape instead of manicured hedges and flat lawns.  As a side note, I learned that, sadly, manicured lawns became popular as a sign of status and wealth to show that you did not need to use the land to grow your food.

Oregon Grapes have many historical and practical uses, including their edible, delicious berries, inner bark, and roots. These contain a bright yellow chemical called berberine, which can act as a dye and stain paper, silk, wool, leather, and wood.

Salal berries are plentiful throughout the summer and can be found along the coastline.  The delicious berries can be foraged as a refreshing snack during a hike.  The plant is deeply rooted into the ground and can be used to help you up rugged terrain.  Besides being a hiking snack or an excellent addition to morning pancakes, I was curious about unearthing these plants’ other uses.

I learned that they were an essential staple for the Kwakwaka’wakw people. The Kwakwaka’wakw harvested the berries and dried them into flat cakes for the winter months. Berries could also be dipped into oolichan grease and enjoyed as a delicacy.  The Haida would use Salal berries to thicken salmon eggs and berry juice as a sweetener. 

The Ditidaht chew on the plant’s young leaves to suppress their appetites. Salal was also commonly mixed with other berries, such as elderberries and currents, and used for trading. 

I remember going for walks as a kid and being fascinated by fiddlehead ferns.  One day, I discovered you can boil and add them to salads.  They are delicious when seasoned with garlic butter.  However, there are so many other recipe options that I have yet to explore.  Going for a walk the other day, I saw a fiddlehead fern and was inspired to look further into its benefits and uses.

This is what I found… 

• They are loaded with antioxidants like vitamin A and vitamin C, which help boost immunity and protect the body against inflammation, common colds, and cancer. 
• The vitamin B1 they contain helps maintain healthy cholesterol levels, which reduces the risk of heart attacks, strokes, and heart disease.
• Due to their significant vitamin A content, fiddleheads help prevent macular degeneration, vision loss, and night blindness and improve overall eyesight.