Happy Autumn! I’m Jess, and I’m Moose Cree (Treaty 9) on my mom’s side, and Irish Maritime Diaspora on my dad’s side. I grew up in southern New Brunswick and moved to Toronto for university when I was 17, where I completed a Bachelor in Environmental Studies with a concentration in Environmental Management in 2020.

It’s important for you to know a bit about my background to understand where my knowledge is coming from. My passion for the outdoors, my worldview, and the knowledge I hold now was initially established by my mom’s early teachings, then fostered in the forests where I spent much of my time as a child; subsequently, that knowledge was expanded in university through learning about ecology, interactions, and systems.

In 2019, I worked on a plant and pollinator research project with two professors from my faculty: Prof. Sheila Colla and Prof. Lisa Myers — both of whom I credit as some of my most important teachers. Lisa is a member of Beausoleil First Nation. One of the first things she taught me as we were working together is a crucial teaching for the subject matter of this article: there is no difference between food and medicine plants. They are the same thing, because food is medicine. 

In my culture and many other First Nations cultures, we have teachings on how much to harvest. I was taught to only take what you will need and use, and to never take more than a third of what the plant is offering. That way, there is a third left for other beings, and a third left for the plant itself. There are also a number of considerations to keep in mind for your own wellbeing while harvesting. For example, my mom taught me not to eat anything off the vine from below waist-height, because that’s effectively maximum peeing height for the creatures of North America. She also taught me not to harvest anything from along highways, because the pollution from exhaust settles densely in those areas. Finally, a teaching from one of my favourite guidebooks: The Walker’s Guide to Outdoor Clues and Signs by Tristan Gooley (2014). He writes, 

If you see plants growing in some decidedly strange ways then that may be a clue. One four-leaf clover is lucky; lots of them is a sign of herbicide use. Herbicides can lead to growth abnormalities like daisies with square centres or thistles growing in a contorted fashion. (p. 84)

Lastly, before we delve into some Fall medicine plants, I must add a disclaimer. I’m not a medical doctor, and you should consult one before using new plant medicines depending on your health and prescribed medications. Your health and safety are incredibly important, and I don’t want anyone to get hurt.

Jewelweed/Touch-Me-Nots (Impatiens capensis)

‘Touch-Me-Nots’ is an apt name for this plant because, in autumn, when the plant’s seed pods are mature, they grow incredible spring-loaded mechanisms to launch their seeds as far as possible. When the mature pods are touched, they explode with an audible ‘pop’. However, this isn’t jewelweed’s only talent. It happens to grow in the same moist, shady, and low-lying environments as poison ivy, and the juice from the leaves and stems are a topical remedy for dermatitis caused by poison ivy.

Motz, V. A., Bowers, C. P., Kneubehl, A. R., Lendrum, E. C., Young, L. M., & Kinder, D. H. (2014). Efficacy of the saponin component of Impatiens capensis Meerb.in preventing urushiol-induced contact dermatitis. Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 162, 163–167. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jep.2014.12.024 

Purple Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea)

Three types of echinacea have been used by First Nations peoples of the Americas for treatment of cold symptoms and toothache. Purple coneflowers are the most common and most effective species in treating symptoms such as cough, sore throat, and headache. It has been rigorously proven through western science to be effective in both the prevention and treatment of the common cold. Purple coneflowers are very hardy, and bloom from summer into autumn.

Shah, S. A., Sander, S., White, C. M., Rinaldi, M., & Coleman, C. I. (2007). Evaluation of echinacea for the prevention and treatment of the common cold: A meta-analysis. The Lancet Infectious Diseases, 7(7), 473–480. https://doi.org/10.1016/s1473-3099(07)70160-3  

Raspberries (Rubus strigosus/Rubus idaeus)

Wild raspberries are native to North America, and it’s debated whether they’re a subspecies (R. strigosus)  or the same species as the Eurasian raspberry (R. idaeus). Raspberries grow from mid-Summer to early Fall, and are high in vitamin C, manganese, and fibre. Although there is scant western scientific research to support its medicinal use, Cree and many other First Nations peoples use a tea made from raspberry leaf for uterine health and relief from menstrual cramps. Luo et al. have found “antioxidant, antidiabetic, antibacterial, and anti-inflammatory” effects from raspberry leaves.

Luo, T., Chen, S., Zhang, H., Jia, S., & Wang, J. (2020). Phytochemical composition and potential biological activities assessment of raspberry leaf extracts from nine different raspberry species and raspberry leaf tea. Journal of Berry Research, 10(2), 295–309. https://doi.org/10.3233/jbr-190474  

Yarrow (Achillea millefolium)

Yarrow is one of the most widely used medicinal plants in the world and its use has been documented for millenia. It is often considered a ‘weed’, although ornamental cultivars do exist. It tends to grow in disturbed areas like fields and along ditches. Yarrow is a personal favourite of mine because of its efficacy when used as a poultice for stings and bites. Taking a few leaves, chewing or mashing them, and bandaging a small amount of the poultice to bee, hornet, and wasp stings or bug bites provides significant relief. It’s also used, often as a tea, in treatment for a number of other maladies, including digestive and respiratory issues.

Applequist, W. L., & Moerman, D. E. (2011). Yarrow (achillea millefolium L.): A neglected panacea? A review of ethnobotany, bioactivity, and biomedical research1. Economic Botany, 65(2), 209–225. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12231-011-9154-3

Yellow Wood Sorrel (Oxalis stricta)

Yellow wood sorrel can be found in a wide variety of locations: forests, fields, meadows, yards, and in gardens as a ‘weed.’ It blooms from July to October, and mature seed pods explode in a similar way to those of Impatiens capensis. All parts of the plant are edible, with a somewhat sour, lemon-y taste. Yellow wood sorrel is high in vitamin A and vitamin C and has historically been used to treat scurvy. This plant is best in small amounts, such as a salad garnish, as it contains high amounts of oxalic acid.

Iowa State University. (2025, August 27). Wood Sorrel. https://naturalresources.extension.iastate.edu/encyclopedia/wood-sorrel