Sherra V.

Curly dock (Rumex crispus), sometimes called yellow dock, is mostly known as a nuisance agricultural weed. And with good reason! Curly dock is not only a long-living perennial with abundant seed production, but its seeds also survive in the soil…

Amaranth (Amaranthus sp.), known by many as pigweed, is an abundant garden weed. This common plant is a North American native that is not only edible but also holds a host of potential health benefits. As food sovereignty evolves from…

Willow (Salix), also known as osiers, is a large genus of plants that holds about 400 species of deciduous trees and shrubs. The name Salix may have early Celtic origins meaning “near water”. This notoriously thirsty genus of plants boasts…

Corn silk (Stigma maydis) is the thread-like fibers that grow under the husks of ears of corn. Interestingly, for every kernel of corn, there is one corn silk. This is because each individual shiny hair is an elongated style, used…

Cramp Bark of the genus Viburnum, is an upright, flowering shrub that goes by many names. There is an American species known botanically as Viburnum trilobum, which is a synonym for Viburnum opulus var Americanum. This species is often referred…

Dill (Anethum graveolens), also known as dill weed, aneth odorant, and dill herb. Dill has many names as it is known for its culinary and medicinal uses in many parts of the world. It grows as an annual herb of…

Rosemary (Salvia rosmarinus), formerly known as Rosmarinus officinalis, was originally named in the 1700s. In 2017, rosemary joined the genus Salvia. The Mediterranean woody shrub commonly known as rosemary has many culinary and medicinal qualities. The Latin, ros-marinus, translates to…

Saskatoon, (Amelanchier alnifolia) has many names. Famously, the berry is responsible for naming the beautiful prairie city of Saskatoon in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. It is also known as serviceberry, Juneberry, shadbush, Pacific serviceberry, and chuckley pear among many…