And with that cheerful spirit our group set out. The all-day rain let up for two hours and our group was able to enjoy LEAF's tour of edible trees in Withrow Park and the surrounding Riverdale neighbourhood.
Our first tree was identified through a smell test, which I hope provided passersby some amusement as they saw thirty odd people with their noses up to a tree. The tree was identified as a spruce and while I've heard of using the needles in tea, the fun fact here was that the spruce bud is used to replace olives to create the Canadian martini cocktail.
The tour was held in partnership with Not Far From The Tree and Councillor Paula Fletcher. Tour co-leader Becky Thomas of Not Far From the Tree provided the group with information when we came to fruit-bearing trees, such as the mulberry and serviceberry, and she also provided samples! We got to taste the red mulberry, serviceberry (or saskatoonberry), dried magnolia flower, and sour cherries.
I love events like this; they are the perfect storm of talking to interesting people you otherwise wouldn't meet, learning new information, and seeing a pocket of the big city in a new way. Our group was made up of both local residents and people from other neighbourhoods, but regardless, exploring is good for the soul. I lived near Pape station for two years and never found time to go to Withrow Park. Now I live in the east end and it was great fun to return to my old neighbourhood and see part of it in a new way.
Snackable facts:
- The husks of the walnut tree can be used to make ink.
- You can identify a Norway maple by looking at the key—turn it upside down and it makes a perfect mustache!
- Mulberry trees are not native to Canada, but were brought here in an attempt to start a silk trade. That didn't happen, but we were left with delicious fruiting trees that now grow on many people's front lawns. Only eat them when ripe though or you will end up with a bad stomach ache.
- Japanese maple leaves are edible. Many people use them in salad!
- Dried linden flowers and leaves make a tea that can help treat cold and flu, muscle tension, and digestive issues.
We also had a surprise visit from some wildlife – a hawk and a family of baby racoons!
Taking a nature tour, edible or not, was a great way for me to feel connected to and aware of the environment around me. Too often nature falls to the periphery of a busy life, but learning to care for the trees around us leaves us with a harvest of sweet treats.
LEAF’s Tree Tours in Toronto are supported by Ontario Power Generation’s Biodiversity Program and the Ontario Trillium Foundation.
Rachel Kovach is a LEAF volunteer.