Author: Lisa Richardson
Twinberry honeysuckle – one berry best left for the birds and the bears
The berries are eaten by bears, small mammals, quail and grouse, and song birds such as thrushes. The flower is a source of nectar for hummingbirds and butterflies. The plant is host for the larva of certain butterflies. But they're not edible for humans. Best to tell the kids they're poisonous.
Bracken Fern, producer of fiddleheads, means “eagle like fern”
Fossil evidence suggests that bracken fern has had at least 55 million years to evolve and perfect antidisease and antiherbivore chemicals. It produces bitter tasting sesquiterpenes and tannins, phytosterols that are closely related to the insect moulting-hormone, and cyanogenic glycosides that yield hydrogen cyanide (HCN) when crushed. It generates simple phenolic acids that reduce grazing, … Continue reading Bracken Fern, producer of fiddleheads, means “eagle like fern”
Emergency toilet tissue when out in the bush? Thimbleberry has you covered
Look for the berries in July. You can make them into jam. And the thimbleberry leaf makes a good toilet paper substitute when you’re out in the woods!
Today’s Native Plant Love shout out goes to the Red Alder
Photo of the Week: Saskatoon Berry
Signs of spring: the bodacious, liliaceous False Lily of the Valley
Halfway through our month-long immersion in native plants, I hit a point of overwhelm... There's so much to know! And these 30 feature plants are the tiniest fraction of species. The Native Plant Garden at One Mile Lake Nature Centre, alone, was planted out in 400 different plants. Then, I spoke with Dawn Johnson, and … Continue reading Signs of spring: the bodacious, liliaceous False Lily of the Valley
EVENTS Coming up: managing trails, grizzlies, anxiety, community spaces and more
We interrupt our month-long immersion in local plantlife, to share a few upcoming events. A great resource to find out what's going on is the Pemberton BC Facebook page. Saturday, April 18: PVTA Trails Day, 9am Meet at the bike Co for breakfast, followed by trail love. Pick up a membership. $10 for individuals, $25 … Continue reading EVENTS Coming up: managing trails, grizzlies, anxiety, community spaces and more
You are invited to unlock the landscape with language
We're halfway through our 30 day immersion in local plant knowledge, and happily, I can now recognise the Coastal Douglas Fir by its gnarly-thick bark. Thanks to a great conversation with Dawn Johnson about the project, I also realise that it's okay to approach this kind of learning in small chunks. It won't all stick … Continue reading You are invited to unlock the landscape with language
Roses are… hot pink, wild, and a medicine “for everything”
Did you know that you can make your own cough syrup with rose hips and honey?
The Wellness Almanac 