Family: Ranunculaceae/ Buttercup Ecology/ Botany: This strange yet beautiful perennial grows in a wide range of habitats in dry climatic regions. It prefers open forests and meadows in Interior Douglas Fir and Ponderosa Pine zones. Medicinal/Traditional/Other Uses: It is poisonous to humans and animals but has been used to make blue dye and a parasiticide, […]
Family: Bunchflower/ Melanthiaceae Ecology/ Botany:Trillium prefers shaded, moist, mature, coniferous forests such as Coastal Douglas Fir or Coastal Western Hemlock zones. It also grows in the Interior Temperate Rainforest. From seed, it takes up to ten years to mature and flower. As the flower matures and is pollinated, it changes from white to a pink […]
Family: Linaceae/ Flax Ecology/ Botany: This perennial grows in dry climatic regions, usually in dry to moist forest openings of Interior Douglas Fir forest zones. Medicinal/Traditional/Other Uses: The commercial variety is used to make linen fibre and linseed oil. The Nlaka’pamux (Thompson) people have used a decoction of this wild variety to make a hair […]
Family: Rose/ Rosaceae Ecology/ Botany:This hardy, adaptable, wide-ranging shrub has many species. They grow in openings of a variety of forest types in the dry to moist climatic regions. Medicinal/ Other Uses:Roses are all about love and protection, allowing an open heart. The flowers in spring and summer turn to rose hips in fall and […]
Family: Rosaceae/ Rose Ecology/ Botany: The tiny blooms turn into tiny strawberries that are bursting with flavor. It’s a perennial that grows close to the ground in openings of many different forest types. It’s versatile and common in many habitats. Medicinal/Traditional/Other Uses: The leaves and berries are cooling and soothing. They can ease menopausal or […]
Family: Asteraceae/ Daisy/ Aster/ Sunflower Ecology/ Botany: This perennial grows almost anywhere in the open but prefers Interior Douglas Fir and Engelmann Spruce- Subalpine Fir forest zones. It has fine, feathery leaves to allow for maximum light filtration and a strong stalk to keep it upright. Medicinal/ Traditional/ Other Uses: It is a blood vessel […]
Family: Liliaceae or Lily Ecology/ Botany: This perennial grows in subalpine to alpine moist meadows and open forests. It blooms in early spring when the snow melts. Medicinal/Traditional/Other Uses: It was an important root vegetable to most Indigenous North American nations. It was also an important trade item for Interior Salish people. There’s a story […]
Family: Water-lily/ Nymphaeaceae Ecology/ Botany: This unmistakable aquatic perennial is common in shallow lakes, ponds, and slow-moving water. The leaves are large floating lily pads. Medicinal/ Other Uses: The roots are used medicinally for external or internal ulcerative, inflamed conditions. It is especially helpful for irritation in the pelvic region in urinary or reproductive organs. […]