Nourishing People and Place
NATIVE PLANTS AS FOOD AND MEDICINE
At Eco-Restore, we recognize that tending the land also means remembering the relationships that sustain us—those between people and plants, between culture and ecology, between nourishment and reciprocity. This spring and summer, as gardens burst into bloom and the forest floor awakens, we invite you to explore the rich world of native plants that offer both food and medicine. Many of these plants have nourished people and wildlife for generations, and their gifts continue to teach us how to live in balance with the land.
A Taste of Home: Edible Native Plants
The Pacific Northwest is home to an abundance of edible native plants—many of which once formed the foundation of regional diets including the Coast Salish peoples. Camassia quamash (camas), whose starry blue flowers brighten open meadows in late spring, is one of the most celebrated traditional food plants. Its starchy bulbs, rich in inulin, were once slow-roasted in earthen ovens to develop a sweet, nutty flavor, sustaining Indigenous communities for centuries. Today, camas has been greatly displaced, but still thrives. You may see it in restoration sites, wild meadows, and grasslands, offering a glimpse into ancestral foodways.
Many native plants traditionally used by Indigenous communities are well-suited to modern gardens, offering both culinary value and ecological benefits. Here are a few to consider:
Fragaria chiloensis (Coastal Strawberry) – This groundcover produces small, intensely flavored berries and spreads to form lush mats that stabilize soil. Mix it with other native groundcovers or use it in edible borders.
Oemleria cerasiformis (Osoberry) – One of the earliest plants to flower in spring, its plum-like fruits are tart and astringent but can be made into preserves or added to wildcrafted syrups. Birds love them too!
Amelanchier alnifolia (Serviceberry) – A beautiful, multi-season shrub that provides sweet berries in early summer. Enjoy them fresh, dried, or cooked into sauces and jams.
Allium cernuum (Nodding Onion) – With its graceful pink flowers and mild onion flavor, this perennial is a culinary and visual delight. Use the leaves or bulbs like chives or green onions.
Other native edibles such as Rubus spectabilis (salmonberry), Vaccinium parvifolium (red huckleberry), spring shoots of our native Violas (violets), and Claytonia perfoliata (miner’s lettuce) not only feed us—they nourish wildlife, support pollinators, and help restore healthy ecosystems. When we include them in our landscapes, we align our gardens with the seasonal rhythms and resilience of place.
The Medicine in Our Midst
Food and medicine are never far apart in traditional ecological knowledge (TEK). Plants like Mahonia spp. (Oregon grape) and Salix lucida (Pacific willow) have long offered their healing gifts. Oregon grape root, with its golden hue, is a potent antimicrobial. Willow bark and meadowsweet contain salicin, the precursor to modern aspirin. These are not just wild remedies—they are teachers in resilience and adaptation.
Growing your own medicine is an act of empowerment and reverence. Native medicinal plants support our smallest pollinators and larger fauna while also offering seasonal remedies for common ailments:
Achillea millefolium (Yarrow) – A versatile herb with anti-inflammatory and wound-healing properties. Make a simple tea to support digestion or infuse it into oil or salve for first aid use.
Urtica dioica (Nettle) – Nutrient-dense and highly regenerative, nettles are a spring tonic traditionally used for allergies, joint pain, and vitality. Steam or sauté young leaves (with gloves!) or dry them for tea.
Gaultheria shallon (Salal) – Its leathery leaves are used by herbalists for digestive and anti-inflammatory support, while the berries can be eaten fresh or dried.
Holodiscus discolor (Oceanspray) – Though not widely used in modern herbalism, this plant was traditionally valued for its strong, flexible stems and its astringent, medicinal flowers—sometimes made into teas.
Thuja plicata (Red Cedar) – Used ceremonially and medicinally by many Indigenous cultures, the foliage can be steeped in a steam bath or gentle infusion for respiratory support; among countless other uses.
Medicinal plants thrive at the edges of paths, in open woods, and even within our cultivated gardens. When we learn to recognize and respect their presence, we become more attuned to the ways nature supports our well-being. Creating a “healing corner” in your garden, filled with native medicinals, is one way to honor this tradition—offering care for yourself and habitat all around us.
Reciprocity in Practice
As we harvest, we are also called to give back. Harvesting ethically means first asking for permission from the land and the plants themselves, taking only what you need, leaving plenty for other beings, and tending the plant communities that support these gifts. Learn the lifecycles of your local natives. Watch when pollinators visit. Notice which plants thrive together. These small acts of observation are the first steps toward deeper stewardship.
Growing your own camas, elderberry, or wild strawberry may seem like a small act—but in truth, it connects you to a vast and living web of culture, memory, and ecological care. Many of these plants once grew in great abundance before development and overharvesting took their toll. By reintroducing native food and medicine plants into our yards and neighborhoods, we become part of their return.
Learning Through the Seasons
Now is the time to plant or plan for edible natives that thrive in sun or partial shade. For example:
Ribes sanguineum (Red-flowering currant) – nectar for early hummingbirds; edible berries for people and birds.
Malus fusca (Pacific crabapple) – small but mighty fruit with high value for both wildlife and human food traditions.
By including these plants in our gardens, we support biodiversity, nourish ourselves, and keep cultural plant knowledge alive.
Tending Relationships, Not Just Resources
When we bring native plants into our gardens for food and medicine, we are not simply creating a "wild pantry." We are tending relationships—with plants, pollinators, soil, and tradition. Many of these plants carry deep cultural and spiritual significance for Indigenous communities. We encourage gardeners to approach this work with humility, gratitude, and a willingness to learn.
Integrating native food and medicine plants into daily life doesn't need to be complicated. You might sip home grown tea after a long day in the sun, sprinkle nodding onion greens onto your breakfast, or share serviceberries with a neighbor. These small acts deepen our bond with the land and remind us that wellness can begin right outside our door.
A Living Legacy
Incorporating native food and medicine plants is about more than sustenance—it’s about belonging. It is a commitment to living in place, to understanding the land not as a backdrop but as a partner. These plants remind us that abundance isn’t just something we take—it’s something we tend and share.
Spring is a time of renewal—and an opportunity to grow something meaningful. By planting and learning from native species, we become part of a long lineage of caretakers. We root ourselves more fully in this place. And we discover that healing—of body, community, and ecosystem—often starts in the garden.
As always, Eco-Restore is here to help you bring your landscape into deeper alignment with the ecological and cultural richness of our region. Whether you want to start a small medicinal herb bed, plan a native edible hedge, or restore a neglected corner with camas and wild strawberries, we’re honored to walk alongside you.
May this season nourish your garden and your spirit alike.
