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Partridgeberry
There are a few PEI plants that I’m always especially happy to find. One of those is the lovely Partridgeberry ( Mitchella repens ). ...
katemacquarrie22
2 days ago2 min read


Bloodroot
There are several plants not yet known to grow wild on PEI that I suspect are here somewhere. Although those in the photo have been...
katemacquarrie22
May 213 min read


Trout Lily
Some of PEI’s rarest and most interesting plants are a bit like your favourite seasonal foods: you can only find them for a short time...
katemacquarrie22
Apr 304 min read


Butternut
When you hear the words ‘endangered species’, I’m betting animals like Piping Plover and Monarch Butterflies – or maybe Elephants and...
katemacquarrie22
Oct 2, 20243 min read


Beechdrops
Of PEI’s roughly 1,500 species of plants, only seven – less than one half of one percent – have no chlorophyll and can’t make food from...
katemacquarrie22
Sep 4, 20242 min read


Pinesap
Every group has its oddballs and plants are no exception. Most are content to follow the crowd and make food from sunlight, but a few...
katemacquarrie22
Jul 24, 20242 min read


Trilliums
June is peak wildflower season on PEI. Over the next month, I’ll show you some of my favourites ranging from showy to subtle to...
katemacquarrie22
Jun 5, 20242 min read


Violets
This week, we’re looking at some of PEI’s spring wildflowers, and Violets are on today’s menu – literally! You can find these edible...
katemacquarrie22
May 15, 20243 min read


Spring Ephemerals
This time of year, PEI’s landscape can look a little drab. It may seem like planted Magnolias, Daffodils, and Tulips are the only showy...
katemacquarrie22
May 12, 20243 min read


Riparian Zones
Some of PEI’s natural habitats punch well above their weight – their importance far exceeds the area they occupy in the landscape....
katemacquarrie22
Mar 6, 20243 min read


Offshore Islands
Sites where human and natural histories meet are always interesting, and PEI’s offshore islands are great examples of this. They tell...
katemacquarrie22
Feb 28, 20243 min read


Yellow Ladies'-tresses
July is peak orchid season on PEI, and so I am always pleasantly surprised to run into one of our late-flowering species in fall. I came...
katemacquarrie22
Oct 18, 20232 min read


Leathery Moonwort
I love finding new populations of PEI’s rarest plants, and ferns are my favourite plant group. So, you can imagine how excited I was to...
katemacquarrie22
Sep 27, 20232 min read


Kate's Key to Some Common Ferns of PEI
I love ferns, but find the technical keys are not very user-friendly for non-botanists. So, here is my key to some of our most common...
katemacquarrie22
Sep 26, 20233 min read


Bastard Toadflax
Today’s PEI plant has a strange name and an even stranger lifestyle. Meet the Provincially uncommon Bastard Toadflax (Comandra...
katemacquarrie22
Aug 16, 20232 min read


Beach Pinweed
What comes to mind when you think “species at risk” on Prince Edward Island: Piping Plovers? Bats? Swallows? If you said any of these,...
katemacquarrie22
Aug 9, 20232 min read


Earthstar Fungi
Making a living in PEI’s coastal habitats isn’t easy. Conditions are harsh: temperature extremes, salt spray, low organic matter, and...
katemacquarrie22
Jul 19, 20232 min read


Wild Orchids
It’s Orchid season on PEI! To celebrate, I’d like to introduce you to some of the Island species whose paths I’ve crossed recently. The...
katemacquarrie22
Jul 16, 20232 min read


Lady's Slippers
Lilacs and Lupins are flowering, so it’s time to look for Lady’s Slippers (my Three L Rule). That means it’s also time for my annual...
katemacquarrie22
Jun 11, 20232 min read


Safe and Sustainable Foraging
I often hear from people at both ends of the foraging spectrum: those who fear wild foods aren’t safe and those who feel that anything...
katemacquarrie22
May 5, 20232 min read
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