The medicines of this territory, how to recognise them, when they are ready, and what they are confused with. Built for people who are already learning from someone, to carry into the field alongside them.
Offer something before you take anything. Say who you are and say what the medicine is for. Never take the first plant you find, never take all of them, and take only what you will actually use.
This page is a starting point for people already learning from someone. It is not a substitute for that person. The plants here grow beside plants that will kill you, and the difference between them is learned in the field, not on a screen.
We do not publish where any of these grow. You will find the kind of country to walk here, and nothing more specific than that. Known patches get stripped when they are written down.
Tobacco in the east, sage in the south, cedar in the west, sweetgrass in the north. This teaching is set out in the Montana Indian Nations Sacred Plant Guide.
Regions, at the scale a field guide works in: this kind of medicine grows in this kind of country. We do not map individual patches, and we will not. A patch that gets written down is a patch that gets stripped.
The medicines here are Blackfoot and Cree prairie country for now, so most of the continent is still empty. The regions are drawn and waiting.
15 medicines match.
Arctostaphylos uva-ursi
Kakahsiin Blackfoot · ah-chi-kah-si-pah-kwah Cree
A low evergreen mat of small leathery leaves with dry red berries. The dried leaf is the base of the smoking mixtures used across this territory.
Leaves Jan to Dec · Berries Aug to Oct
Sandy and gravelly ground · Mountain forest · Foothills and shrubland · Open prairie
How to know it →Plantago major
A low rosette of ribbed oval leaves that grows in paths, yards and hard ground. Not native here, it arrived with settlement, and it has been taken up widely as a poultice plant for bites and scrapes.
Leaves May to Sep
Roadsides and disturbed ground · Open prairie
How to know it →Juniperus horizontalis
mih-kwápémakwahtik Cree
A low mat-forming evergreen of dry slopes and gravel, with blue berry-like cones. Both the greens and the berries are used, and the smoke is used to clean a space.
Berries Aug to Oct · Leaves Jan to Dec
Coulee slopes · Sandy and gravelly ground · Open prairie · Foothills and shrubland
How to know it →Grindelia squarrosa
A sticky yellow prairie daisy whose flower buds are wrapped in curled bracts and coated in white gum. Used on skin and for coughs.
Flowers Jul to Sep · Leaves Jul to Sep
Open prairie · Roadsides and disturbed ground · Coulee slopes · Sandy and gravelly ground
How to know it →Artemisia frigida
The low silver cushion sage of dry, hard, overgrazed prairie. Softer and finer than prairie sage, and used alongside it.
Leaves Jun to Sep
Open prairie · Coulee slopes · Sandy and gravelly ground · Roadsides and disturbed ground
How to know it →Artemisia ludoviciana
mos-tos-wi-kahs-kwah Cree
The silver-grey aromatic sage of the open prairie, and the plant most people mean when they say sage here. Cut, tied and dried for smudging, and laid down in ceremony.
Whole plant Jun to Aug · Leaves Jun to Sep
Open prairie · Coulee slopes · Roadsides and disturbed ground · Sandy and gravelly ground
How to know it →Pediomelum esculentum
A starchy prairie root that was a staple food across the plains, dug in early summer, peeled, braided by its own tails and hung to dry for winter.
Roots Jun to Jul
Open prairie · Coulee slopes
How to know it →Polygala senega
A small prairie plant with a twisted, knotty root that smells faintly of wintergreen. It was dug and traded in enormous quantity out of the prairies for a century, and it has not recovered everywhere.
Roots Aug to Sep
Open prairie · Aspen parkland
How to know it →Hierochloe odorata
siputsimo Blackfoot · wi-kahsk Cree
A soft grass that smells of vanilla as it dries, braided in three and burned as a smudge. It has been picked hard across the prairies and is thin on the ground in many places.
Leaves Jun to Aug
Sloughs and wet meadows · Riverbanks and willow flats · Open prairie · Aspen parkland
How to know it →Monarda fistulosa
A prairie mint with a ragged lavender flower head and a strong oregano smell. Used for colds and sore throats, and a strong scent plant.
Leaves Jun to Sep · Flowers Jul to Aug
Open prairie · Coulee slopes · Aspen parkland · Foothills and shrubland
How to know it →Glycyrrhiza lepidota
A prairie pea with burred seed pods and a sweet root, common in river flats and ditches across this country.
Roots Sep to Oct
Riverbanks and willow flats · Open prairie · Roadsides and disturbed ground · Coulee slopes
How to know it →Allium textile and Allium cernuum
Small wild onions come up across the open prairie in spring. They are excellent, and they grow in the same ground as death camas, which kills people and livestock. The smell is the whole test.
Deadly look-alike: Death camas
Roots May to Jul · Leaves Apr to Jun
Open prairie · Coulee slopes · Aspen parkland · Sandy and gravelly ground
How to know it →Fragaria virginiana
Small wild strawberries, far better than anything in a shop, in open woods and grassy clearings through early summer. The leaf makes a good mild tea.
Berries Jun to Jul · Leaves May to Aug
Aspen parkland · Open prairie · Foothills and shrubland · Mountain forest
How to know it →Elaeagnus commutata
The silver shrub of the coulee sides, whose heavy sweet smell in June is one of the surest signs of early summer on this prairie. Not a willow at all.
Berries Aug to Oct · Flowers Jun
Coulee slopes · Open prairie · Riverbanks and willow flats · Roadsides and disturbed ground
How to know it →Achillea millefolium
A feathery-leaved plant with a flat white flower head, found almost everywhere in this territory. Long used on cuts and scrapes. It also has two deadly look-alikes, so read the identification carefully.
Deadly look-alike: Poison hemlock, Water hemlock
Leaves May to Sep · Flowers Jun to Sep
Open prairie · Coulee slopes · Aspen parkland · Roadsides and disturbed ground · Foothills and shrubland
How to know it →| Medicine | January | February | March | April | May | June | Julynow | August | September | October | November | December |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bearberry | Bearberry, Leaves, January: in season | Bearberry, Leaves, February: in season | Bearberry, Leaves, March: in season | Bearberry, Leaves, April: in season | Bearberry, Leaves, May: in season | Bearberry, Leaves, June: in season | Bearberry, Leaves, July: in season | Bearberry, Leaves, August: in season | Bearberry, Leaves, September: in season | Bearberry, Leaves, October: in season | Bearberry, Leaves, November: in season | Bearberry, Leaves, December: in season |
| Broadleaf plantain | Broadleaf plantain, January: not in season | Broadleaf plantain, February: not in season | Broadleaf plantain, March: not in season | Broadleaf plantain, April: not in season | Broadleaf plantain, Leaves, May: in season | Broadleaf plantain, Leaves, June: in season | Broadleaf plantain, Leaves, July: in season | Broadleaf plantain, Leaves, August: in season | Broadleaf plantain, Leaves, September: in season | Broadleaf plantain, October: not in season | Broadleaf plantain, November: not in season | Broadleaf plantain, December: not in season |
| Creeping juniper | Creeping juniper, Leaves, January: in season | Creeping juniper, Leaves, February: in season | Creeping juniper, Leaves, March: in season | Creeping juniper, Leaves, April: in season | Creeping juniper, Leaves, May: in season | Creeping juniper, Leaves, June: in season | Creeping juniper, Leaves, July: in season | Creeping juniper, Berries, August: in season | Creeping juniper, Berries, September: in season | Creeping juniper, Berries, October: in season | Creeping juniper, Leaves, November: in season | Creeping juniper, Leaves, December: in season |
| Curly-cup gumweed | Curly-cup gumweed, January: not in season | Curly-cup gumweed, February: not in season | Curly-cup gumweed, March: not in season | Curly-cup gumweed, April: not in season | Curly-cup gumweed, May: not in season | Curly-cup gumweed, June: not in season | Curly-cup gumweed, Flowers, July: in season | Curly-cup gumweed, Flowers, August: in season | Curly-cup gumweed, Flowers, September: in season | Curly-cup gumweed, October: not in season | Curly-cup gumweed, November: not in season | Curly-cup gumweed, December: not in season |
| Pasture sage | Pasture sage, January: not in season | Pasture sage, February: not in season | Pasture sage, March: not in season | Pasture sage, April: not in season | Pasture sage, May: not in season | Pasture sage, Leaves, June: in season | Pasture sage, Leaves, July: in season | Pasture sage, Leaves, August: in season | Pasture sage, Leaves, September: in season | Pasture sage, October: not in season | Pasture sage, November: not in season | Pasture sage, December: not in season |
| Prairie sage | Prairie sage, January: not in season | Prairie sage, February: not in season | Prairie sage, March: not in season | Prairie sage, April: not in season | Prairie sage, May: not in season | Prairie sage, Whole plant, June: in season | Prairie sage, Whole plant, July: in season | Prairie sage, Whole plant, August: in season | Prairie sage, Leaves, September: in season | Prairie sage, October: not in season | Prairie sage, November: not in season | Prairie sage, December: not in season |
| Prairie turnip | Prairie turnip, January: not in season | Prairie turnip, February: not in season | Prairie turnip, March: not in season | Prairie turnip, April: not in season | Prairie turnip, May: not in season | Prairie turnip, Roots, June: in season | Prairie turnip, Roots, July: in season | Prairie turnip, August: not in season | Prairie turnip, September: not in season | Prairie turnip, October: not in season | Prairie turnip, November: not in season | Prairie turnip, December: not in season |
| Seneca root | Seneca root, January: not in season | Seneca root, February: not in season | Seneca root, March: not in season | Seneca root, April: not in season | Seneca root, May: not in season | Seneca root, June: not in season | Seneca root, July: not in season | Seneca root, Roots, August: in season | Seneca root, Roots, September: in season | Seneca root, October: not in season | Seneca root, November: not in season | Seneca root, December: not in season |
| Sweetgrass | Sweetgrass, January: not in season | Sweetgrass, February: not in season | Sweetgrass, March: not in season | Sweetgrass, April: not in season | Sweetgrass, May: not in season | Sweetgrass, Leaves, June: in season | Sweetgrass, Leaves, July: in season | Sweetgrass, Leaves, August: in season | Sweetgrass, September: not in season | Sweetgrass, October: not in season | Sweetgrass, November: not in season | Sweetgrass, December: not in season |
| Wild bergamot | Wild bergamot, January: not in season | Wild bergamot, February: not in season | Wild bergamot, March: not in season | Wild bergamot, April: not in season | Wild bergamot, May: not in season | Wild bergamot, Leaves, June: in season | Wild bergamot, Leaves, July: in season | Wild bergamot, Leaves, August: in season | Wild bergamot, Leaves, September: in season | Wild bergamot, October: not in season | Wild bergamot, November: not in season | Wild bergamot, December: not in season |
| Wild licorice | Wild licorice, January: not in season | Wild licorice, February: not in season | Wild licorice, March: not in season | Wild licorice, April: not in season | Wild licorice, May: not in season | Wild licorice, June: not in season | Wild licorice, July: not in season | Wild licorice, August: not in season | Wild licorice, Roots, September: in season | Wild licorice, Roots, October: in season | Wild licorice, November: not in season | Wild licorice, December: not in season |
| Wild onion | Wild onion, January: not in season | Wild onion, February: not in season | Wild onion, March: not in season | Wild onion, Leaves, April: in season | Wild onion, Roots, May: in season | Wild onion, Roots, June: in season | Wild onion, Roots, July: in season | Wild onion, August: not in season | Wild onion, September: not in season | Wild onion, October: not in season | Wild onion, November: not in season | Wild onion, December: not in season |
| Wild strawberry | Wild strawberry, January: not in season | Wild strawberry, February: not in season | Wild strawberry, March: not in season | Wild strawberry, April: not in season | Wild strawberry, Leaves, May: in season | Wild strawberry, Berries, June: in season | Wild strawberry, Berries, July: in season | Wild strawberry, Leaves, August: in season | Wild strawberry, September: not in season | Wild strawberry, October: not in season | Wild strawberry, November: not in season | Wild strawberry, December: not in season |
| Wolf willow | Wolf willow, January: not in season | Wolf willow, February: not in season | Wolf willow, March: not in season | Wolf willow, April: not in season | Wolf willow, May: not in season | Wolf willow, Flowers, June: in season | Wolf willow, July: not in season | Wolf willow, Berries, August: in season | Wolf willow, Berries, September: in season | Wolf willow, Berries, October: in season | Wolf willow, November: not in season | Wolf willow, December: not in season |
| Yarrow | Yarrow, January: not in season | Yarrow, February: not in season | Yarrow, March: not in season | Yarrow, April: not in season | Yarrow, Leaves, May: in season | Yarrow, Leaves, June: in season | Yarrow, Leaves, July: in season | Yarrow, Leaves, August: in season | Yarrow, Leaves, September: in season | Yarrow, October: not in season | Yarrow, November: not in season | Yarrow, December: not in season |
A finder that only shows you what to pick is half a tool. These three grow in this territory, they are mistaken for things people gather, and they are the reason the identification notes on every entry are as long as they are.
Cicuta maculata
Mistaken for wild parsnip and other roots, wild carrot, yarrow, anything gathered in a slough
How to tell: Chambered root with yellow oily sap, hollow purple-streaked stem, and leaf veins ending in the notches between the teeth. Any one of these on a plant in wet ground means stop. Yarrow, which people compare it to, has soft feathery aromatic leaves and a solid stem carrying one flat flower head.
The root is among the most violently poisonous plant material in North America. A piece the size of a walnut can kill an adult, and seizures can begin within an hour. There is no home remedy. This is an emergency: call 911.
Sloughs and wet meadows · Riverbanks and willow flats · Roadsides and disturbed ground
Anticlea elegans and Toxicoscordion venenosum
Mistaken for wild onion, edible camas bulbs
How to tell: Crush a leaf or scratch the bulb. Wild onion smells strongly of onion. Death camas smells of nothing. If you are looking at a grass-like plant with a bulb and there is no onion smell, leave it in the ground.
The whole plant is poisonous, the bulb most of all. Poisoning causes vomiting, a dangerous drop in blood pressure and heart rhythm, and can be fatal. It kills sheep and cattle in this province most springs. Call 911.
Open prairie · Coulee slopes · Foothills and shrubland
Conium maculatum
Mistaken for yarrow, wild carrot, cow parsnip, wild parsley
How to tell: Hairless purple-blotched hollow stem, foul mousy smell, umbrella-shaped flower clusters. Yarrow is much shorter, its stem is solid and hairy with no purple, its leaves are soft and feathery, it smells sweet, and its flowers form one flat head on one stem.
All parts are poisonous and it acts on the nervous system, causing progressive paralysis. It has killed people who mistook it for an edible plant. Call 911.
Roadsides and disturbed ground · Riverbanks and willow flats · Sloughs and wet meadows
We run medicine sessions and walks alongside knowledge keepers. That is where this is properly learned.
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