FIVE LITTLE GARDENS
The Food for the People Garden Project
cimúuxcimux céeqet
Local Blackberries
Benefits of the Food for the People Project
- Provide Easily Accessible Free Fresh Edible Food when in Season
- Teach the Origin of Food and Provide Sustainability for Nimiipuu Way
- Improve Dietary Habits through Education and Action Promote Food Security
- Increase the Food Supply for Pollinators
- Strengthen the Community Bond and Camaraderie in the Town
- Beautify Main Street and Instill a Sense of Pride
Support the Nez Perce Tribe's long history of giving and sharing
Your contribution will benefit Tribal members, culture, and natural resources, and help fund projects like this one. Join us in preserving our traditions and building a better future for our community.
Kúckuc Temenikées Paaqáham // Five Little Gardens
Welcome to Nez Perce country. Lapwai, Idaho is headquarters of the Nez Perce Tribe, a federally recognized Indian Tribe with more than 3,500 strong enrolled Tribal members. At present, Lapwai is the highest concentration where Nez Perce live and work every day.
Lapwai got its name for being home to a variety of butterflies many years ago. The name ‘Lapwai’ comes from a Nimiipuutimpt, Nez Perce word, łepłéepwey, which means place of the (łéepłep) butterflies. At certain times of the year the butterflies would be in such abundance that they could be visible even from a far distance.
For thousands of years, before being placed on this reservation, the Nez Perce people followed seasonal food and traveled to where they knew ample food supplies would be for the taking. The Nimiipuu, the People, harvested their foods with extended families. Depending on the band of people their diet consisted of primarily plants, roots, berries, meat and fish when available. They consumed fish, especially salmon, wild meats such as elk, deer, big horn sheep and bison, plants such as qém’es (camas), qáws, huckleberries, other roots and medicines harvested for use. The Nez Perce became experts at preserving large amounts of food stored in caches for their winter supply and trade.
The initial focus of ‘The Food for the People Garden Project’ was to develop zeroscape food gardens that replenish themselves with wild traditional and garden variety foods. The gardens were built in Tribal communities on the Nez Perce reservation and offer free food for our people. These gardens work to reduce food scarcity, provide pollinators for the bees and butterflies and educate using the Nez Perce language about traditional foods. The gardens work to support the Nez Perce Tribe Food Sovereignty Initiative that encourages a healthier life-style among the Nimiiipuu people.
According to the U.S. Food Sovereignty Alliance, “Food sovereignty goes well beyond ensuring that people must reclaim their power in the food system to meet their physical needs. It asserts that people must reclaim their power in the food system by rebuilding the relationships between people and the land, and between food providers and those that eat.”
For more information about Nez Perce traditional foods go on the Nez Perce Tribe website, www.nezperce.org and/or Nez Perce National Historical Park, www.nps.gov.
Plant Key
104 Agency Rd, Lapwai, ID 83540
Blackberry (Triple Crown)
- Edible: Delicious, nutrient-rich, and relatively easy to grow berries.
- Medicinal: From leaf, root and berry, used for diarrhea, fluid retention, diabetes, gout, pain and swelling (inflammation), throat irritation, and other conditions.
- Spiritual: Blackberry canes offer craft material for baskets woven with the stems once the thorns are removed. Berries are jam-packed full of antioxidants, vitamins and minerals which can be consumed in larger quantities when entering womanhood (berry-fast).
- Scientific Name: Rubus fruticosus
- Nimipuutímt: céeqet
Raspberry (Red Raspberry, American Raspberry, American Red Raspberry)
- Edible: They don’t have a long shelf life, so eat the delicious, healthy fruit fresh off the plants, store in the refrigerator up to three days, or freeze as soon as you’re able to and enjoy from the garden all season long
- Medicinal: It has been known for centuries to be used to induce labor and help alleviate certain health problems. The leaves contain antioxidants, potassium, and other beneficial compounds like magnesium, calcium, and other vitamins, such as Vitamins C and B. Smoking raspberry leaf has become increasingly popular as it is a great natural alternative to tobacco without nicotine.
- Pollinator: The flowers of the raspberry are very attractive to the bees and bumblebees, because they produce a lot of nectar with a high percentage of sugar
- Spiritual: Traditional ceremonies, smoking, prayer, and can be used to prepare a woman for childbirth as well as relieve morning sickness.
- Scientific Name: Rubus idaeus
- Nimipuutímt: heˀilpé ˀilp
315 Main St S, Lapwai, ID 83540
Vasevine Leatherflower (Clematis)
- Edible: This plant is toxic to dogs, cats and horses. Some people may need to wear gloves while handling.
- Pollinator: Is a buffet for wildlife, feeding butterflies, moths, hummingbirds and even fly larvae but beware of ingestion.
- Medicinal: Used as a poultice to cure ulcers and purulent wounds in traditional medicine, as well as topically to treat blisters.
- Scientific Name: Clematis viorna
- Nimipuutímt: NOT in Nez Perce Culture (Something else may have been used)
- Edible: The young shoots, stems, flower buds, immature fruits, and roots of showy milkweed were boiled and eaten as a vegetable by various indigenous groups of eastern and mid-western America. In some areas the young leaves and stems were used as greens.
- Pollinator: Because of their unusual structure and relatively large size, the flowers of showy milkweed require relatively large insects for effective pollination.
- Medicinal: The sap of Asclepias speciosa was used as a cleansing and healing agent by some of the desert tribes for sores, cuts, and as a cure for warts and ringworm. The silky hairs were burned off the ripe seeds, which were then ground and made into a salve for sores.
- Scientific Name: Asclepias speciosa
- Nimipuutímt: NOT in Nez Perce Culture (Something else may have been used)
Blackberry (Triple Crown)
- Edible: Delicious, nutrient-rich, and relatively easy to grow berries.
- Medicinal: From leaf, root and berry, used for diarrhea, fluid retention, diabetes, gout, pain and swelling (inflammation), throat irritation, and other conditions.
- Spiritual: Blackberry canes offer craft material for baskets woven with the stems once the thorns are removed. Berries are jam-packed full of antioxidants, vitamins and minerals which can be consumed in larger quantities when entering womanhood (berry-fast).
- Scientific Name: Rubus fruticosus
- Nimipuutímt: céeqet
Wild Ginger (Canada Wild Ginger)
- Edible: The stems, rhizomes and leaves of ginger all emit the aroma and taste of ginger. Albeit without the fiery heat cultivated ginger (Zingiber officinale) produces. Whilst the flavoring is pleasant and fragrant, wild ginger is not officially considered safe to consume due to toxins. Some foragers claim the risk is only present if large amounts are eaten, however there are other ways to enjoy the flavor of wild ginger without risk. The toxins are not likely to transfer to water, so wild ginger tea and infusions should be perfectly safe to create. Once water has been steeped with wild ginger it can be utilized in many ways, from cocktails to ice-cream!
- Pollinator: Provides shade with its heart shaped leaves, grows large colonies of brownish purple wildflowers that attract small pollinating flies
- Medicinal: Ginger contains chemicals that might reduce nausea and swelling. These chemicals seem to work in the stomach and intestines, but they might also help the brain and nervous system to control nausea. People commonly use ginger for many types of nausea and vomiting. It's also used for menstrual cramps, osteoarthritis, diabetes, migraine headaches, and other conditions.
- Scientific Name: Asarum canadense
- Nimipuutímt: NOT in Nez Perce Culture (Something else may have been used)
Mountain Tea
- Edible: Put a couple tablespoons of fruit in a cup, add a mint leaf or two and a spoonful of honey, then pour in hot water till the cup is not quite full. Let it rest a minute or two, then stir very gently and sip your tea!
- Scientific Name: Ledum glandulosum
- Nimiipuutimt: méex̣sem piqsu
Bee Balm (Crimson Bee Balm, Scarlet Bee Balm, Bergamot, Horsemint, Oswego Tea)
- Edible: The leaves of wild bee balm are edible raw or cooked. They are also used as a flavoring in salads and cooked foods. The flowers make an attractive edible garnish in salads. Fresh or dried flowers and (or) leaves can be brewed into an aromatic tea.
- Medicinal: Due to the presence of a high thymol content which is a strong antiseptic (also in thyme), Monarda has been used in infusion form for a variety of ailments in its long past: colds, flu, upper respiratory problems, gas, diarrhea, nausea, fevers and whooping cough, and topically for skin problems and wounds. The boiled leaves were historically wrapped in cloth for sore eyes, headaches, muscle spasms, fungal infections, and under bandages to slow bleeding. The leaves were chewed on battlefields and used for this purpose. Used as a mouthwash, a strong infusion seems to give relief from sore throats, toothaches, and mouth sores.
- Pollinator: Bee balm's attractive colors and minty orange scent is favorite for hummingbirds, bumble bees, butterflies and moths. Known as “bee balm” for its tendency to be swathed in bees, while the name “wild bergamot” refers to the plant's citrus-mint aroma that is similar to that of bergamot oranges.
- Scientific Name: Monarda didyma
- Nimipuutímt: NOT in Nez Perce Culture (Something else may have been used)
Wild Bergamot (Bee Balm)
- Edible: The leaves of wild bee balm are edible raw or cooked. They are also used as a flavoring in salads and cooked foods. The flowers make an attractive edible garnish in salads. Fresh or dried flowers and (or) leaves can be brewed into an aromatic tea.
- Medicinal: Aid in colds, flu, upper respiratory problems, gas, diarrhea, nausea, fevers and whooping cough, and topically for skin problems and wounds. The boiled leaves were historically wrapped in cloth for sore eyes, headaches, muscle spasms, fungal infections, and under bandages to slow bleeding. The leaves were chewed on battlefields and used for this purpose. Used as a mouthwash, a strong infusion seems to give relief from sore throats, toothaches, and mouth sores.
- Pollinator: Bee balm's attractive colors and minty orange scent is favorite for hummingbirds, bumble bees, butterflies and moths.
- Scientific Name: Monarda fistulosa
- Nimipuutímt: NOT in Nez Perce Culture (Something else may have been used)
Lemon Balm (Balm, English Balm, Garden Balm, Balm Mint, Common Balm, Melissa, Sweet Balm, Heart’s Delight)
- Edible: Is an herb from the mint family, the leaves, which have a mild lemon aroma, are used to make medicine and flavor foods.
- Medicinal: Contains chemicals that seem to have a sedative and calming effect. It might also reduce the growth of some viruses and bacteria. People use it for cold sores, anxiety, stress, insomnia, indigestion, dementia, and many other conditions.
- Pollinator: Attracts bees, butterflies and other beneficial pollinators with its small white flowers and is commonly planted around beehives.
- Scientific Name: Melissa officinalis
- Nimipuutímt: NOT in Nez Perce Culture (Something else may have been used)
Butterfly Bush
- Edible: Although butterfly bushes (Buddleja davidii) are not edible, they are no more toxic than any garden plant. They should be safe to plant where children, dogs, cats, and other animals live. In fact, butterfly bushes are deer resistant. They attract and feed nectar to hummingbirds and butterflies.
- Medicinal: The medicinal butterfly bush may be useful as a diuretic and pain reliever with powerful antimicrobial activity. In traditional Chinese medicine, Buddleja flower buds (mi meng hua) are used for eye complaints including bloodshot eyes, eye secretions and sensitivity to light.
- Pollinator: Butterfly Bush only provides nectar to adult butterflies similar to many flowers. If you do have a butterfly bush, be sure to add native host plants such as milkweed, aster, and dill if you want the butterflies to stay.
- Scientific Name: Buddleia davidii
- Nimipuutímt:
Boxwood (American Boxwood, Common Box, Common Boxwood, European Box)
- Edible: Fruit is capsule trilocular, ovoid-oblong, walnut brown, 8 mm long and 5 mm in diameter, horns are 2 mm long, upright containing several small seeds. Fruit is green when young turning to brown as they mature. Seeds are oblong, 4 mm long and 3 mm wide. The dried and powdered leaves are used to improve the coats of horses. Some still use the old-fashioned remedy of using powdered leaves to treat intestinal worms in horses. All parts of the plant are poisonous, especially the leaves and bark. Use this remedy with caution and preferably only under the supervision of a qualified practitioner. The plant has not been fully tested for its toxic side effects. People are rarely poisoned by boxwood, but to animals grazing on the plant it can be deadly. Side effects in humans can include abdominal pain, vomiting, bloody diarrhea, tremors, loss of coordination, convulsions and dizziness, and in severe cases coma and death due to respiratory paralysis.
- Medicinal: The leaves and the bark are alterative, anti-rheumatic, cathartic, cholagogue, diaphoretic, febrifuge, oxytocic and vermifuge. Leaves have been used as a quinine substitute in the treatment of malaria. Tincture of the wood has been used as a bitter tonic and antiperiodic, it has also had a reputation for curing leprosy. Volatile oil distilled from the wood has been recommended in cases of epilepsy. Oil has been used for piles and for toothache. An essential oil obtained from the plant is used in dentistry. A homeopathic remedy is made from the plant. It is extensively used in the treatment of rheumatism. Decoction was suggested by some writers as an application to promote the growth of the hair. In earlier days, Box was the active ingredient in a once-famous remedy for the bite of a mad dog. Boxwood was previously used to treat persistent and recurring fever (malaria), gout, rheumatism, urinary tract infections, intestinal worms, chronic skin problems, syphilis and hemorrhoids. Hippocrates, Dioscorides, and Pliny recommend them in diarrhea.
- Pollinator: Boxwood plant consists of yellow-green, tiny flowers. It has a female flower in the center surrounded by several male flowers in the same inflorescence. Flowerings normally take place between April and May. Boxwood is popular with bees and provides a dense, sheltered habitat for small birds, mammals and insects.
- Scientific Name: Buxus sempervirens
- Nimipuutímt:
Purple Coneflowers (Echinacea)
- Edible: Echinacea leaves, flowers, and roots can be used to make tea and tincture. This herbal tea has a very strong floral flavor that’s somewhat bitter. It’s a flavor that takes a while to get used to. The roots are believed to have the highest concentration of active ingredients and thus, have the most benefits. However, echinacea root tisane tastes even stronger than those made of the leaves and flowers. You can make echinacea tea more palatable by adding some sweetness. Raw honey, agave, stevia, and milk can improve the taste greatly. You can also pair it with other herbs, tea, or even fruit to mask the strong flavor and even enhance its effects. Elderberry, lemongrass, lemon balm, peppermint, and citrus fruits complement this herb nicely.
- Medicinal: reduces inflammation, improves immunity and lowers blood sugar levels, used as a painkiller and for a variety of ailments, including toothache, coughs, colds, sore throats, and snake bites
- Pollinator: Aside from a myriad of pollinating insects, the nectar-rich flowers of coneflowers are also very attractive to ruby-throated hummingbirds. Once flowers have faded, and seeds have ripened, songbirds such as American goldfinches forage the spent heads and eat the seed.
- Scientific Name: Echinacea purpurea
- Nimipuutímt: NOT in Nez Perce Culture (Something else may have been used)
- Edible: Flowers have a spicy-sweet fragrance like clove and vanilla and make a decorative addition to Spring salads. The berries are an excellent native food source by themselves and are also useful in recipes for their wonderful flavor sweetened into jams, jellies, pies, or even currant ice cream.
- Medicinal: Black currant seed oil contains a chemical called gamma-linolenic acid (GLA). GLA might improve immune function and help decrease swelling. Black currant berries contain chemicals called anthocyanins, which have antioxidant effects. There is interest in these chemicals to prevent skin aging and wrinkles. People use black currant for eczema, gout, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, muscle fatigue, wound healing, and many other conditions.
- Pollinator: Flowers provide nectar to hummingbirds, butterflies and bees. Birds, bears and rodents eat the fruit.
- Scientific Name: Ribes aureum
- Nimipuutímt: laatis (flower)
Bearberry (Manzanita, Bear’s Grape, Hog Cranberry, Kinnikinnick, Sandberry)
- Edible: The fruit, although rather dry and mealy, can be eaten and may be cooked with other foods. The leaves can be dried and added to tobacco or used as a substitute. Processing involves gathering the leaves and drying them, after which they may be stored whole, coarsely chopped in herbal tea mixtures, or finely ground and encapsulated.
- Medicinal: Traditional medicinal uses include a tea made from the roots that can be drunk to treat a persistent cough or to slow excessive menstrual bleeding. The stem decoction can be drunk to prevent miscarriage, to speed a woman’s recovery after childbirth, or to bring on menstruation. The leaf decoction can be drunk to treat bladder and kidney problems. The astringent fruit with grease can be given to a child to treat diarrhea. The main modern use for the leaves is as a diuretic (activity is probably rather minimal) and urinary tract antiseptic for infections of the bladder, urethra, and kidney.
- Pollinator: It will attract butterflies and other pollinators to your gardens with its urn-shaped flowers. In fact, it is the host plant for several butterflies including the hoary elfin and brown elfin.
- Spiritual: smoking mixtures, dried for tea
- Scientific Name: Arctostaphylos uva-ursi
- Nimipuutímt: hotóoto, kinnickinnick (common Indigenous term)
Clover (Oxalis, Good Luck Plant, Lucky Clover, Shamrock, Sorrel, Wood-Sorrel, Trefoil)
- Edible: Clover is both edible and potentially beneficial to your health. You can eat the leaves in salad or boil the blossoms to make tea. You can also buy clover supplements. Clover flowers are the tastiest part of the plant, with a bit of sweetness to them. The flavor is reminiscent of fresh green beans or snap peas. Today, they’re important forage crops, used in many agricultural systems as food for grazing animals or processed into animal feed, known as fodder. Most types are also edible for humans, although only a few have been studied for their safety and benefits. Clovers are a rich source of phytochemicals, predominantly the types called isoflavones and polysaccharides. All parts of the clover plant appear to be edible, although not all parts are ideal for human consumption. The leaves of the clover can be sautéed, added to stir-fries, or eaten raw in fresh salads and sandwiches. Clover blossoms are used to make teas and jellies, while the leaves can be eaten cooked or raw. The seed pods may be reserved for animal feed production.
- Medicinal: Clovers are members of the legume family. They are rich in antioxidants and have been used by many cultures in traditional medicine to treat inflammation of the joints and as a cough remedy. These are anti-inflammatory plant compounds that have potential health benefits in humans. For example, they may minimize hot flushes during menopause and mediate cancer-induced inflammation and cell damage. Older studies have also identified quercetin and soyasaponin as other phytochemicals in Trifolium species with potential health benefits for humans. Clover sprouts — seeds that have germinated into young plants provide estrogen-like compounds that were also shown to reduce menopausal symptoms.
- Pollinator: Clovers fix nitrogen into the soil, improving its quality and reducing the need for nitrogen fertilizers. When planted with grass, this leads to the increased production of fresh grass for forage animals.
- Scientific Name: Trifolium repens
- Nimipuutímt:
Wild Blue Flax (Prairie Flax, Lewis Flax, Lewis's Flax)
- Edible: The seeds of western blue flax are edible cooked. They have a pleasant nutty taste and are very nutritious. The seed has a high oil content and can be eaten on its own or used as a flavoring. It should not be eaten raw because it contains cyanide but this is destroyed in the cooking process.
- Medicinal: The plant is antirheumatic, and has agents that relieve and remove gas from the digestive system, and contains substances which give strength and tone to the stomach. The oil in the seed has soothing and lubricating properties, and is used in medicines to soothe tonsillitis, sore throats, coughs, colds, constipation, gravel and stones. When mixed with an equal quantity of lime water it is used to treat burns and scalds. A poultice of the fresh crushed leaves has been used to treat eye problems. A tincture of the entire plant is used in the treatment of diarrhea. The fresh herb is boiled and taken internally for the treatment of rheumatic pains, heartburn, colds, coughs and dropsy. A poultice of the plant is applied to bruises to reduce the swelling. The seeds have agents that soften and soothe the skin when applied locally. An eye medicine is made from them. An infusion of the roots is used as an eyewash. An infusion of the whole plant is used as a hair and skin wash. It is said to be very beneficial to the skin and also to help prevent hair loss.
- Pollinator: Covered with a profusion of small blue flowers from June through August, depending on cultivar. Attracts bees, butterflies flower flies and moths at night.
- Scientific Name: Linum perenne
- Nimipuutímt:
302 N Main St, Lapwai, ID 83540
Honeysuckle (Honeyberry: fruit that comes from the same plant) or Woodbine
- Edible: This versatile shrub can be grown for its ornamental value in summer as well as for a tasty supply of blueberry-like fruits.
- Medicinal: The flowers, seeds, berries, and leaves are used for medicine and contain essential oils as well as antioxidants such as quercetin. Might decrease swelling, have antiviral effects for indigestion, bacterial or viral infections, memory, diabetes, common cold, and many other conditions.
- Pollinator: Attracts pollinator species like hummingbirds, bees, moths, and butterflies.
- Scientific Name: Lonicera periclymenum
- Nimipuutímt: NOT in Nez Perce Culture (Something else may have been used)
Arrowleaf Balsamroot (Breadroot, Spring Sunflower, Oregon Sunflower)
- Edible: However, arrowleaf balsamroot is not the easiest plant to forage, as the single taproot can grow deep, weighing as much as 30 pounds. For this reason, it is best to harvest the plant parts in the early spring, before the plant blooms. The plant’s tissues contain 30% protein and the roots are used as a substitute for coffee when dried, but can also be baked or steamed as a common food source. Arrowleaf’s protein and low maintenance growth make this plant a perfect option for forage for cattle and wild animals, including sheep and deer.
- Medicinal: Builds up the immune system, can be peeled to eat raw the tender inner portion of the young immature flower stems, leaves can also be eaten raw, seeds can be toasted and eaten or ground into meal, to make the roots more palatable they can be baked for several days in a fire pit
- Pollinator: This plant blooms starting in April and through July, although you might be lucky to find a few blooms still going in September. A wide variety of wildlife utilizes arrowleaf balsamroot. Deer, elk, bighorn sheep and pronghorn eat the leaves, stems and flowers. Arrowleaf balsamroot is attractive to native pollinators, the seeds are eaten by birds and rodents and it is believed that the presence of arrowleaf balsamroot may serve as an indicator of good habitat for sage-grouse.
- Scientific Name: Balsamorhiza sagittata
- Nimipuutímt: páasx̣
117 N Main St, Lapwai, ID 83540
- Edible: While deer enjoy eating Hosta, this variety may be slightly less palatable to deer than others. From the shoots sprouting out of the ground up to the flowers, the entire hostas plant is edible. The most common part of the plant to eat is the early spring shoots. Consider it like you would asparagus spears and you are good to go. The large opened leaves of the hostas can also be eaten.
- Medicinal: Used to treating sunburn, cuts, scrapes, nail infections, menstrual pains, and other wounds. Hosta is also an effective diuretic. When used externally, it cleanses the blood and helps to eliminate toxins in the body. In the interior, it flushes out waste material, eliminates bacteria, and improves the digestive system.
- Pollinator: Showy and exceptionally fragrant, attracting hummingbirds and bees, mostly-white leaves light up the shade with lavender blossoms on 20-inch cream-colored stalks.
- Scientific Name: Hosta 'Loyalist'
- Nimipuutímt: NOT in Nez Perce Culture (Something else may have been used)
Hosta (Shadowland)
- Edible: The whole plant is edible. The shoots taste like asparagus, while the leaves taste like lettuce, both just a tad more bitter. There are many types of Shadowland subspecies.
- Medicinal: Studies indicate that hostas are a good source of calcium. Hosta plant leaves contained higher minerals than that of asparagus.
- Pollinator: Provides shade for a variety of wildlife.
- Scientific Name: Hosta Shadowland
- Nimipuutímt: NOT in Nez Perce Culture (Something else may have been used)
Heuchera ‘Black Pearl’ (Black Pearl, Primo ‘Black Pearl’ Heuchera, Coral Bells, Coral Flower, Alum Root)
- Edible: Although they are technically edible, it is not recommended to consume ornamental peppers and the leaves are toxic to humans and pets. They have been grown for their looks, not their taste. Some of them are very hot (10k-30k Scoville heat units).
- Medicinal: The possible health benefits of cayenne pepper may lie in one of its active components, capsaicin. The chemical irritant is what produces the burning sensation in the mouth and on the tongue, and it may also positively contribute to a person's health. There are various recipes for homemade capsaicin available online, which are mostly made by combining peppers with oils, such as olive or coconut oil. People feel pain when a chemical called substance P delivers pain messages to the brain. It's thought that capsaicin could reduce the amount of this substance, resulting in the reduction of pain.
- Pollinator: The compact plants bloom inconspicuous off-white flowers – sometimes with a purple tint that require pollination either by hummingbirds, bumblebees or by hand.
- Scientific Name: Heuchera villosa hybrid
- Nimipuutímt Name: NOT in Nez Perce Culture (Something else may have been used)
- Edible: The best part of the hosta is the ‘hoston’, the rolled up leaf as it emerges in the spring, although many varieties are still pretty good even once they have unfurled. The best way of cooking them depends on the size of the hostons. Small ones are delicious if you fry them for a few minutes, then add a little light soy sauce and sesame oil. The slight bitterness of the hostons complements the saltiness of the soy sauce very well. Similarly, they go very well with stir fries. The chunkier hostons are better boiled briefly and used as a vegetable.
- Medicinal: This herb can also bring relief to hemorrhoids when applied as a poultice or as a sitz bath. Overall, plantain can be used as an anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, anti-obtrusive, astringent, a demulcent, diuretic, expectorant, hepatic, nutritive, and vulnerary.
- Pollinator: Pale lavender flowers bloom in late summer on 20-inch spikes. This medium-sized plant is a standout in shade or woodland gardens.It is topped by lavender blooms in summer that attract hummingbirds and other pollinators. Hostas do flower, but they are cultivated primarily for their foliage and not for their flowers. Hostas are also known collectively as plantain lilies, in situations where the exact species is not specified. However, a plantain lily also refers to a single, notable Hosta species.
- Scientific Name: Hosta plantaginea
- Nimipuutímt: NOT in Nez Perce Culture (Something else may have been used)
Celery
- Edible: It's an aromatic vegetable that belongs to the Apiaceae family, which also includes carrots, parsnip, fennel, parsley, and cumin. Celery stalks add crunch to raw salads and dips and mild flavor to soups and smoothies. Celery is 95% water. It's a great snack if you're trying to lose weight or for regular bowel movements. Celery is high in fiber and nutrients and low in calories. It's full of potassium, vitamins, and antioxidants. If you eat too much celery, it can cause bloating or gas. That may be because celery has high levels of the compound mannitol, which can cause dehydration, disrupt the balance of sodium levels in your body, and create other problems. Store your celery in your refrigerator's crisper drawer in loose plastic, such as an unsealed plastic bag. When stored properly, it can keep for about 2 weeks. You can even freeze it for months. Celery is a key part of mirepoix, a mix of carrots, onions, and celery used as the base of many soups and sauces. Celery goes well with dill, apples, mushrooms, potatoes, and lentils.
- Medicinal: Celery was first grown in the Mediterranean and the Middle East, and it's been used as both food and medicine for centuries. It's also packed with antioxidants that help fight cellular damage. The antioxidants in celery include well-known varieties such as flavonoids and vitamin C, as well as lunularin and bergapten. They help cancel out natural chemicals in your body called free radicals that can harm cells and lead to cancer and other diseases. Celery is rich in a plant compound called phthalide. This phytochemical relaxes your artery walls to help blood flow and to lower your blood pressure. Research in mice suggests that a compound called DL-3-n-butylphthalide made from seeds in the flowers of the celery plant improves learning, thinking, and memory. This seed extract may possibly treat and prevent Alzheimer's, but more studies are needed to confirm these benefits in the human population.
- Pollinator: Apiums have perfect flowers but, can not self-pollinate because the male anthers shed pollen before the female stigma is receptive. Therefore they cross-pollinate via insects (honeybees and other hairy insects) or by manually pollinating (hand-pollinating) the flowers in a controlled environment. Celery in bloom is strong smelling but yields abundant nectar and is highly attractive to bees.
- Scientific Name: Apium graveolens
- Nimipuutímt: NOT in Nez Perce Culture (Something else may have been used)
Salad Mix (Mesclun, Baby Leaf, Spring Mix)
- Edible: Salad Mixes, 'baby leaf' or 'mesclun' are an assortment of green, leafy vegetables grown in a seedbed and picked by removing the outside leaves at a 'baby leaf' stage. The idea was to make a salad that included diverse taste and texture sensation: bitter, sweet, tangy, crunchy and tender. The original recipe was a combination of early shoots of rocket, dandelion greens and lettuce. Other ingredients in a mix might include chicories (syn. radicchio), beetroot greens, asian greens (tatsoi, mizuna), spinach, kale, and mustard greens. Leafy greens begin to lose Vitamin C and other nutrients from the moment they are picked and so are very vulnerable to nutrient loss. Mesclun, also known as “spring mix,” refers to the mixture of young, tender salad greens that are under three inches in length.
- Medicinal: Lettuce is particularly rich in antioxidants like vitamin C and other nutrients like vitamins A and K and potassium. This leafy green veggie helps fight inflammation and other related diseases like diabetes and cancer.
- Pollinator: They attract a wonderful number of beneficial insects like hover flies, ladybirds, lacewings, bees and other pollinators.
- Scientific Name: Lactuca sativa
- Nimipuutímt:
- Edible: Blueberry whole fruit, juice, and powders are commonly consumed in foods. Blueberry bushes are deciduous shrubs that produce clusters of edible small purple-blue berries in the summer. They are only one of many berry-producing bushes within the Vaccinium family.
- Medicinal: Are high in fiber, which can help with normal digestion. They also contain vitamin C, other antioxidants, and chemicals that might reduce swelling and destroy cancer cells. People use blueberries for aging, memory and thinking skills, high blood pressure, athletic performance, diabetes, and many other conditions.
- Pollinator: Their branches tend to grow outward and downward, so they'll trail over the sides that will produce fruit all summer until your area's first frost. These small shrubs will give you a tasty harvest without needing a lot of space and these blueberry plants also have pretty spring flowers and bright fall foliage to sweeten the deal.
- Scientific Name: Vaccinium corymbosum (Highbush blueberry)
- Nimipuutímt:
Buttercup Squash
- Edible: Fruits are typically ready about 50-55 days after fruit set, and should be harvested before any hard frosts. Cut fruits from vines and handle carefully. Sun cure by exposing fruits for 5-7 days or cure indoors by keeping squash at 80-85°F/27-29°C with good air ventilation. Store at 50-60°F/10-15°C, 50-70% relative humidity and good ventilation. Repeated exposure to temperatures below 50°F/10°C may cause chilling damage. Storage potential and timing of best eating quality varies by type. Buttercup squash is a favorite winter squash which stores very well, has a rich, sweet flavor. It has a distinct, sweet, and rich flavor that is often described as a combination of sweet potato and sweet pumpkin with a hint of nuttiness. The flavor is slightly earthy, with a natural sweetness that intensifies when cooked. When cooked, the flesh becomes tender and velvety, easily melting in your mouth. The firm texture holds up well in soups, stews, and casseroles, while its creaminess makes it ideal for purees, pies, and custards. Although it looks quite different from the butternut squash the buttercup has a very creamy, orange colored flesh much like that of the butternut. Its flavor is not as rich as the butternut, but is still quite sweet. Harvest fruits when the rind is shiny and deeply green. Store winter squash in a cool, dry, well-ventilated location where no freezing temperatures are expected. Buttercup squashes become sweeter with a few weeks of storage and will keep up to 4 months.
- Medicinal: Buttercup squash, like all winter squashes, is a good source of carotenoids, nutrients that improve night vision and eye health. As vision acuity often decreases with age, it is particularly important for seniors to get enough dietary carotenoids.
- Pollinator: Can aide plant establishment and exclude insect pests during the seedling stage. Row covers should be removed when plants begin to flower. Poor fruit development may indicate insufficient pollination. Honeybees are typically provided for commercial squash pollination, but native specialist bees of two genera, Peponapis and Xenoglossa, the so-called "squash bees" are very common, often the dominant pollinators of many wild New WorldCucurbita (the genus that includes squashes and gourds). Many insects dine on squash such as vine borers, squash bugs and cucumber beetles.
- Scientific Name: Cucurbita maxima
- Nimipuutímt:
Amaranth (Hot Biscuits)
- Edible: It’s very protein-rich and may withstand some harsh weather conditions that make other crops vulnerable to climate change. The leaves of amaranth plants are edible, too, used as a cooked leafy vegetable in cuisines worldwide. Amaranth tends to collect nutrients in its environment, especially nitrates, and if it’s in a heavily fertilized area these nitrates can accumulate to the point of being bad for your health. Avoid eating too much amaranth from agricultural fields. The leaves (like those of spinach, sorrel and many other greens) also contain oxalic acid, which can be poisonous to livestock or to humans with kidney issues of eaten in large amounts. You shouldn’t eat any amaranth (or any other plant) you find growing in an environment that could be contaminated with toxins like heavy metals or that may have been sprayed with any kind of pesticide or herbicide.
- Medicinal: The entire plant is used to make medicine. Amaranth is used for ulcers, diarrhea, swelling of the mouth or throat, and high cholesterol, but there is no good scientific evidence to support these uses. There is interest in using amaranth for high cholesterol because some research in animals suggests that it might be able to lower total cholesterol and "bad" LDL cholesterol, while raising "good" HDL cholesterol. But amaranth doesn't seem to have these benefits in people. The nutrients in amaranth can offer significant health benefits as a part of a healthy diet. It's a source of vitamin C, which is vital to the body's healing process because it helps process iron, form blood vessels, repair muscle tissue, and maintain collagen.
- Pollinator: The individual flowers are prickly-looking, tightly packed together, and usually range from green to red in color. Later, these clusters will bear thousands of tiny brown or black seeds, which may or may not start falling off the plant prodigiously in late summer, dropping out of their hidden dens in the chaff of the flowers. Aside from protein, amaranth is also a great source of many other important nutrients, including fiber, B vitamins, and vitamin E. It's minerally rich as well, sharing with us important compounds like calcium, zinc, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, and manganese that the plant extracts from the soil.
- Scientific Name: Amaranthus cruentus
- Nimipuutímt: