NativeTech: Indigenous Plants & Native Uses in the Northeast

NativeTech: Native American Technology and Art

Indigenous Plants
& Native Uses
in the Northeast.

All the plants listed here grow along the trails of Schoolhouse Brook Park in Mansfield, Connecticut. This list was compiled specifically for a trail-side tour that described the Native American uses of local plants for food and medicine, as well as some technological and ceremonial uses. Every attempt was made to credit particular Native American Tribes with the information researched. The gathering walk follows the trails, a WOODED trail on the north side of Clover Mill Road (which follows part of the traditional Nipmuc Trail) , and a POND SIDE trail on the south side of Clover Mill Road. (Gathering walk tours were provided for the Nipmuc Indian Association of CT, and for the CT State Museum of Natural History).

Please see warning at the bottom of this list. Note: The Mansfield Parks and Recreation Department insists that no plants at Schoolhouse Brook Park are disturbed.
Take a virtual hike using the map for the Gathering Walk.

Click the plant names to learn how they are used for Food, Medicine & Technology
Alphabetical list of Common Names (followed by Latin Name):

AMERICAN BEECH (Fagus grandifolia)
AMERICAN ELDERBERRY (Sambucus canadensis)
ASH (Fraxinus species)
BASSWOOD (Tilia americana)
BEDSTRAW (Galium aparine)
BINDWEED(Convolvulus sepium)
BIRCH (Betula species)
BLOODROOT (Sanguinaria canadensis)
BLUEBERRY(Vaccinium species)
BLUE FLAG (Iris versicolor)
BRACKEN FERN (Pteridium aquilinum)
BULRUSH (Scirpus validus)
BURDOCK (Arctium minus)
BUTTERFLY WEED (Asclepias tuberosa)
CATTAIL (Typha latifolia)
COMMON WOOD SORREL (Oxalis species)
DAISY FLEABANE (Erigeron annuus)
DOGBANE (Apocynum cannabinum)
DOGWOOD (Cornus species)
GREEN FALSE HELLEBORE (Veratrum viride)
GOLDENROD (Solidago odora)
GROUND PINE (Lycopodium clavatum)
HICKORY (Carya species)
HOG PEANUT (Amphicarpase monica)
HOP HORNBEAM (Ostrya virginiana)
INDIAN CUCUMBER (Medeola virginica)
INDIAN PIPE (Monotropa unifolora)
INDIAN TOBACCO (Lobelia inflata)
JACK-IN-THE-PULPIT (Arisaema triphyllum)
JEWELWEED (Impatiens biflora)
JUNIPER (Juniperus communis)
LADY'S-SLIPPER (Cypripedium acaule)
MAPLE (Acer saccharum)
MAPLE-LEAF VIBURNUM (Virburnum acerifolium)
MILKWEED (Asclepias syriaca)
MULTIFLORA ROSE (Rosa multiflora)
NETTLE (Urtica species)
OAK (Quercus species)
PARTRIDGE BERRY (Mitchela repens)
PHRAGMITES (P. communis)
PICKEREL WEED (Pontederia cordata)
PINE (Pinus species)
PIPSISSEWA (Chimaphila umbellata)
PLANTAIN (Plantago species)
RED CEDAR (Juniperus virginiana)
RED TRILLIUM (Trillium erectum)
SKUNK CABBAGE (Symplocarpusfae foetidus)
SLIPPERY ELM (Ulmus fulua)
SOLOMON'S SEAL (Polygonatum biflorum)
SPICEBUSH (Lindera benzoin)
SPRUCE (Picea species)
SUMAC (Rhus species)
SWEET FLAG (Acornus calamus)
TAMARACK (Larix laricina)
TREMBLING ASPEN (Populus tremuloides)
VIOLET (Viola species)
VIRGINIA CREEPER (Parthenocissus quinquefolia)
WATER LILIES (Yellow - Nuphar advena / White - Nymphaea oderata)
WILD GERANIUM (Geranium maculatum)
WILD GRAPE (Vitis species)
WILD SARSAPARILLA (Aralia nudicaulis)
WILD STRAWBERRY (Fragaria vesca)
WILLOW (Salix species)
WINTERGREEN (Gaultheria procumbens)
WITCH HAZEL (Hamamelis virginiana)
YARROW (Achillea millefolium)

Warning: I do not necessarily endorse, guarantee or authorize the uses of plants described here. The Native American uses provided here are not necessarily exhaustive or complete in their description. Many plants which are safe for food or medicine in small doses are toxic in larger quantities, or poisonous without the correct preparation. Many plants are difficult to identify without proper knowledge; many plants have poisonous look-a-likes. Always be sure of your information and identification when gathering plants. Native Americans of different Tribes have various ways to procure and prepare the same plant. I have been told that the medicine (or healing spirit) of a plant leaves if a plant is not honored properly with prayers, hence the medicine wont be effective. Harvest only what you could USE yourself. Please respect every plant's right to survive and reproduce; be informed as to the effects your harvesting will have on the survival of the plant, and the surrounding environment. Many plant colonies in today's woodlands are THREATENED, see why ...

If you have information about indigenous plants that you would like to incorporate here, please send E-mail [with a reference indicating the source of the information (person/tribe/book)].
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	Text and Graphics © 1994 - Tara Prindle unless otherwise cited.