Explore Plants
Ask Mr. Smarty Plants
Ask Mr. Smarty Plants is a free service provided by the staff and volunteers at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.
Can't find the answer in our existing FAQs, submit a question to Mr. Smarty Plants.
Need help with plant identification, visit the plant identification page.
rate this answer
Wednesday - May 03, 2006
From: Cleveland, OH
Region: Mid-Atlantic
Topic: Edible Plants, Medicinal Plants
Title: Information on herbs for Northeast Ohio
Answered by: Nan Hampton
QUESTION:
Hello there, I am writing you seeking some information on Northeast Ohio's native plants. This has been rather difficult to find—specific native plants that can be used as herbs. If you could help me in any way I would be ever so grateful. Thank you in advance.ANSWER:
We don't have any lists of specific native plants that can be used as herbs--culinary, medicinal, or otherwise--but I can suggest several approaches to finding out which plants native to Ohio might fit that description. First of all, the Herb Society of America is located in Ohio near Cleveland. They certainly would be a good source for information about herbs and, perhaps, they have information about which of the herbs have a native counterpart in Ohio and what their uses are. There is an excellent database, Native American Ethnobotany, from the University of Michigan that has information about uses of native plants by Native Americans. You can search the database by plant name (common or scientific) or by use of the plant (culinary, medicinal, ailment treated, etc.). Once you find the particular herb or herbal use you are looking for, you can then determine if it is native to Ohio by searching in our Native Plants Database and/or in the USDA Plants Database. You might also like to visit the web page of the National Herb Garden, a part of the United States National Arboretum in Washington, DC. Our Native Plant Bibliography can provide you with a list of books relating to medicinal and herbal plants.
More Edible Plants Questions
Native Fruits for Texas Hill Country
March 31, 2009 - Can you recommend a species of blackberry for San Antonio or any other fruit that will be compatible in my garden? (mostly Hill Country Native, thanks to Ladybird). The local store has raspberries, bu...
view the full question and answer
Edibility of fruit of Passiflora incarnata
July 19, 2007 - We have Passion flower vines growing, blooming and producing fruit all over our property and the land nearby. They are growing wild. We are near Greensboro, Georgia which is barely in the Northeast pa...
view the full question and answer
Texas plants useful to early settlers
June 05, 2012 - I'm working on some interpretation for a prairie heritage trail in SE TX (near Houston). I'd like to know where I can find some good information on plant remedies which might have been used by early...
view the full question and answer
What blueberry cultivar is best for Austin, TX.
April 15, 2010 - How do I know what blueberry bush to purchase for the best tasting variety that will grow in the Austin, TX area?
view the full question and answer
Planting fruit and nut trees in Mason County, TX
March 02, 2012 - Dear Mr. Smarty Plants,
I have 36 acres 15 miles west of the city of Mason TX. I wish to plant one acre plots of sustainable organic crops that are long term and hardy. (cost and effort not an iss...
view the full question and answer
 |
Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today. Mr. Smarty Plants wants you to be his Facebook friend. Click the Facebook icon to add yourself to Mr. Smarty Plants list of friends. |
