Urban Herb Hunt
What My Husband and I Found in the Back Lanes of Fort Saskatchewan
You don’t have to go deep into the forest to wildcraft.
You don’t even need to leave the city.
A few weeks ago, my husband and I grabbed a water bottle and went for an urban nature hunt with zero expectations — while we waited for our mud tires to be installed on our durango. We wandered into the back lanes, gravel paths, and forgotten corners of Fort Saskatchewan, looking like a love sick couple of weirdos . Yup we did get quite a few strange glares for sure!
Why ? To show everyone that with 2 feet, and a little common sense, you can find and use herbs found right in the city! Not everyone has the luxury of ordering bags of herbs online — and not everyone can pack up and drive to a pristine forest to harvest, either. For a lot of people, especially families on a budget or folks without easy access to nature, urban wildcrafting is the most practical option we’ve got. Learning to identify and use the herbs growing in our own neighborhoods isn’t just empowering — it can be deeply healing, cost-effective, and surprisingly fun.
A little common sense goes a long way — but a little knowledge goes even further. Urban wildcrafting isn’t just about spotting green stuff and stuffing it in your bag. Never pick anything unless you’re 100% sure of what it is. Many edible and medicinal plants have lookalikes that can cause skin reactions, digestive upset, or worse. Always cross-check with a reliable plant ID guide, and when in doubt, leave it out.
Be picky about where you pick. Avoid areas sprayed with chemicals, roadsides, alleyway puddles, and places frequented by dogs. Stick to clean patches, raised soil, and wild spaces that look relatively undisturbed. And remember: just because a plant is technically edible, doesn’t mean it’s worth eating if it’s growing in dirty soil.
Harvest respectfully. Take only what you need, never strip a patch bare, and leave enough for pollinators, the plant, and the next forager who stumbles through the weeds like you did.
We weren’t sure what we’d find — but what we did find was absolutely everything.
- Cottonwood Buds
Okay, okay — so this branch looks half dead and the buds are long spent. But in early spring? Gold.
Cottonwood trees (often mistaken for balsam poplar around here) push out fat, sticky, fragrant buds that are bursting with resin. These resinous buds can be collected and infused into oil to make “Balm of Gilead” — a traditional herbal salve used for sore muscles, inflamed skin, minor wounds, and general aches.
Why collect in late winter or early spring?
Because that’s when the resin content is at its peak — right before the buds burst open into leaves. Once they open, the tree uses the resin for growth, and the buds lose their potency.
But here’s something cool: if you’ve ever noticed sticky buds showing up again after the leaves fall in autumn — that’s not new growth. Those are next year’s buds, already formed and sealed in by late summer. Once the leaves drop, they become visible again, and you can often still see (and smell) them in fall and even winter, especially on windfallen branches.
Just remember:
Harvest from downed branches whenever possible
Resinous buds = high potency
Dry them before infusing to reduce water content and prevent spoilage
These buds smell like a wild forest apothecary and make one of the best herbal oils out there. If you know, you know.
Next up :
2. Canada Thistle
Spiky. Stubborn. Unbothered. Canada thistle is that plant that says, “Go ahead. Try and touch me.”
We found this one growing happily out of a crack in the pavement behind a school — blooming like it owned the place. Its purple flowers were buzzing with insects, and the leaves were already trying to stab us for making eye contact.
Despite the attitude, Canada thistle actually has some solid herbal uses. It’s been traditionally used as a gentle liver tonic, a diuretic, and some sources note it can support digestion and skin clarity when used in moderation (usually as a tea or tincture of the aerial parts, before flowering).
That said — this one’s controversial. It’s classified as a noxious weed in Alberta, and for good reason: it spreads aggressively and has a root system that just won’t quit. If you do harvest it, make sure it’s from a clean, unsprayed area, and always with respect (and thick gloves).
And just a heads up: Canada thistle ≠ bull thistle. They’re related but different plants. Canada thistle tends to grow in clusters, has smaller flower heads, and more sprawling roots. Still rude, but in a polite, Canadian sort of way.
4. Viola tricolor – Johnny Jump-Up (Heartsease)
Tiny but mighty, these bright little flowers pop up like confetti — and they're almost too cute to take seriously. Almost.
Known as Johnny Jump-Up or Heartsease, Viola tricolor is a wild cousin of the more familiar garden pansy. But unlike its pampered ornamental relatives, this violet holds its own out in the alleys, ditches, and sidewalk cracks.
And she’s more than just a pretty face.
Traditionally, Viola tricolor has been used to support skin health, especially for eczema, acne, and itchy conditions. It’s also known as a mild lymphatic herb and has gentle anti-inflammatory properties. Some herbalists brew it into tea for respiratory support, especially for dry, irritated coughs.
The flowers and leaves are edible, and can be used fresh in salads or infused into honey, oils, or syrups. And yes — it makes a great garnish if you want to get fancy with your foraged desserts.
Just remember: This is a wild medicinal species, not your garden store pansy. If it’s growing wild and it fits the color pattern (usually purple, yellow, and white), you’ve likely found the real deal.
Next is my all time favorite:
5. Plantain (Plantago major or Plantago lanceolata)
You know that weed everyone tramples on without a second thought? The one growing between sidewalk cracks and parking lot gravel?
That’s plantain. And it’s one of the most useful herbs on earth.
Plantain is a first-aid plant, through and through. The leaves (whether from broadleaf Plantago major or narrowleaf Plantago lanceolata) can be chewed or crushed into a quick poultice for:
Bee stings
Bug bites
Splinters
Minor cuts, scrapes, and rashes
It’s got astringent and drawing properties, which means it pulls out gunk, soothes inflammation, and calms irritated skin. The kind of thing every wild kid should know how to use before they ever learn how to spell “ointment.”
The young leaves are also edible and nutrient-rich (high in calcium, vitamins A and C), though older ones get stringy. Some folks dry it for tea to support digestion or even mild seasonal allergies.
A quick safety note: This is one of those herbs that only works if it’s from a clean, unsprayed spot. No roadside salads, please.
Once you learn to spot plantain, you’ll see it everywhere. And after learning what it can do, you’ll never look at a patch of weeds the same way again.
Next in line:
6. Alsike Clover (Trifolium hybridum)
Not quite white, not quite red — Alsike clover is that soft-spoken middle child of the clover family. And if you don’t look closely, you might pass it by without realizing what a gem it is.
With its round, slightly drooping, pinkish flower heads and glossy three-part leaves, Alsike is everywhere once you start noticing it — in alleys, lawns, ditches, and right up against sidewalks.
Medicinally, it hasn’t gotten the same spotlight as red clover, but it’s still got some serious street cred. The flowers and leaves have been traditionally used as a mild lymphatic, blood cleanser, and gentle detoxifying herb, similar to red clover but more subtle.
They’re also edible, and can be sprinkled into salads or dried for teas. Some folks add it to blends for cough support, skin health, or just to bring a floral, clover-sweetness to the cup.
One note: like all clovers, it’s best used in moderation and avoided in large quantities by folks with hormone-sensitive conditions or on blood thinners.
This is one of those herbs that quietly thrives in the forgotten corners of the city — waiting to be noticed by someone who knows what it really is.
And lets make sure this beauty has its moment:
7. Oxeye Daisy (Leucanthemum vulgare)
You know that cheerful daisy popping up like it owns the ditch? That’s oxeye daisy — and she’s not just here to be cute.
With her classic white petals and yellow center, oxeye daisy often gets dismissed as just another wildflower. But don’t let the looks fool you — she has a long herbal history.
Traditionally, oxeye daisy has been used for its mild anti-inflammatory, antispasmodic, and digestive properties. It was once brewed into tea to support coughs, calm nerves, ease bloating, and even used externally for bruises and wounds.
The young leaves and flower buds are edible in moderation — they’ve got a slightly bitter, aromatic taste (some say like chamomile's sassier cousin). Think of it as the wild salad green nobody invited… but she showed up anyway and stole the show.
A quick note: Don’t confuse oxeye daisy with similar-looking garden ornamentals or invasive lookalikes like. If it’s got that classic daisy look, growing wild and untamed, chances are it’s the right one — but when in doubt, always double-check.
This one's the floral version of “don’t judge a book by its cover.” She’s pretty — but she’s also got purpose.
Drumroll...........
8. Northern Bedstraw (Galium boreale)
At first glance, northern bedstraw looks like the kind of plant you'd accidentally rip out while trying to pick something else. Thin stems, whorled leaves, tiny white flowers — nothing flashy. But this is one of those “blink and you’ll miss it” herbs that’s been used for centuries.
Historically, bedstraws were used as bedding material (hence the name), because they dry soft and smell sweet. But Galium boreale also has some low-key herbal uses: it’s been traditionally used as a mild diuretic, lymphatic cleanser, and sometimes for urinary tract support.
Some species of bedstraw — including this one — are also galactagogues, which means they were used to help support milk production in nursing parents. (It’s gentle, but worth noting.)
You’ll often find this plant creeping through dry, open areas, hugging fences, or growing in clusters along gravel paths. It’s not clingy like cleavers (its sticky cousin), but it definitely gets around.
Quick caution: There are lots of different Galium species, and they can look confusingly similar. Most aren’t harmful, but it’s always worth double-checking your ID, especially when harvesting in the city.
This one’s the herbal equivalent of your quiet friend who’s actually hilarious once you get to know her.
Can you guess this next one?
9. Yarrow (Achillea millefolium)
If there were a war paint plant for wild herbalists, yarrow would be it.
Feathery leaves, flat white flower clusters, and a scent that says, “I’m not here to smell pretty — I’m here to work.” Yarrow has been used for centuries as a wound herb, a fever herb, a circulatory tonic, and a general badass of the medicinal world.
In the field, you can crush the leaves and press them right onto a cut — they’re antimicrobial, astringent, and help slow bleeding. It’s one of those plants you want to know before you need it. Some call it “nature’s band-aid” — I call it a plant with a first-aid kit built in.
Internally, yarrow is traditionally used to support fever management, stimulate circulation, balance menstrual cycles, and aid digestion. The whole plant is potent — especially the flowering tops — and best used in small, intentional doses. This is not a “toss it in for fun” tea herb. She’s here with purpose.
Quick tip: If you’re not sure it’s yarrow, crush the leaf. If it doesn’t smell strong and bitter, it’s probably not yarrow. There are some toxic lookalikes (like Queen Anne’s Lace), so ID carefully.
And these beautiful twins that smell like sweet vanilla!
10. Yellow & White Sweet Clover (Melilotus officinalis & Melilotus alba)
We stumbled across these two like old friends hanging out together — which they almost always are.
Yellow sweet clover (Melilotus officinalis) and white sweet clover (Melilotus alba) grow in wild, waist-high tangles along fence lines, back alleys, ditches, and anywhere that looks like it hasn’t seen a lawn mower in years.
Both species are wildly underrated. Once dried, they give off a sweet, almost vanilla-hay scent — that’s thanks to a compound called coumarin, which also plays a role in their medicinal uses.
Traditionally, sweet clover has been used to:
Support blood and lymph circulation
Relieve minor inflammation and swelling
Assist in herbal blends for varicose veins, bruises, or joint issues
Act as a mild nervine or calming herb in some old-world formulas
The flowers and top leaves are the parts most often dried and used in teas, oils, or salves. The scent alone makes it worth harvesting.
Important caution: Coumarin can convert to a compound called dicoumarol in spoiled or moldy clover, which acts as a blood thinner and can be toxic in large doses. So only harvest clean, dry plants, and never use clover that smells musty or fermented. Respect the plant — and use it wisely.
When handled properly, though, this alleyway wildflower turns out to be a gentle powerhouse with a soft touch and a strong backbone. Kind of like the women who harvest it.
These are my favorite ! Yes, you can eat the cones!
11. Green Pine Cones (from a Pine Shrub or Tree)
You know those tight, sappy, green pine cones that haven’t opened yet? The ones you’d walk right past thinking they’re just decoration?
Turns out, they’re tiny bundles of medicine — especially when they’re still young, soft, and green.
These immature pine cones, often found on small pine shrubs or ornamental conifers around the city, are packed with resin, essential oils, and antimicrobial compounds. When infused into honey, vinegar, or alcohol, they can be used for:
Soothing sore throats
Supporting coughs and respiratory congestion
Making wild immune-boosting syrups
Creating infused oils or salves with anti-inflammatory properties
They’re basically tree candy with attitude.
You can chop them up and cover them with honey or apple cider vinegar to draw out their sticky, citrusy-medicinal goodness — or tincture them while they’re still soft. They’ll turn your kitchen into a pine-scented apothecary in no time.
Make sure to correctly identify the tree species —stick to true pines or spruces for internal use. While many evergreens are beneficial, some species (like yew) are toxic and should not be consumed.
Who knew a tiny green cone from a city shrub could pack so much punch?
Now for this monster of a plant:
12. Spiny Sow Thistle (Sonchus asper)
This plant looks like it’s ready to brawl — and honestly, it kind of is.
Spiny Sow Thistle is often mistaken for a true thistle, but it's actually part of the daisy family, not the thistle family. You’ll know you’ve found asper instead of its gentler cousin (Sonchus oleraceus) by the sharply toothed, painfully prickly leaves and their habit of clasping the stem like they’re hugging it with barbed arms.
Despite its tough exterior, spiny sow thistle is a medicinal underdog. The leaves, stems, and roots all contain bitter compounds and milky latex, traditionally used to:
Support digestion (as a bitter tonic)
Act as a mild diuretic
Help with inflammation and liver support
Aid in wound healing when used externally
You can also eat the young leaves raw or cooked — but be warned: the spines don’t soften much with age, so early harvests are best (and gloves are your friend).
It’s wild, weedy, and definitely not winning any popularity contests — but like most urban plants, it’s tough because it had to be. And it just might be more useful than it lets on.
We just had to take this picture, because I thought- this would be perfect with a sign that says- free herbs inside. Would you go in ?
And now we have this powerhouse of a pain killer-
13. Wild Prickly Lettuce (Lactuca serriola)
This one’s easy to walk past — and hard to ignore once you know what it is. Wild prickly lettuce is a tall, scrappy cousin of garden lettuce, and it absolutely thrives in neglected city corners, alleyways, and sidewalk cracks.
Its young leaves form a jagged rosette early on, with spiny edges and a distinct row of bristles along the central vein, especially on the underside. If you snap a leaf or stem, it oozes a white, bitter latex sap — and that’s where the old herbalists took notice.
Traditional uses:
The milky sap, known as lactucarium, was used in folk medicine as a mild pain reliever and sedative — which is why wild lettuce picked up the nickname “lettuce opium.” It’s been used to calm coughs, ease restlessness, and support gentle sleep.
The young leaves are bitter but edible, and were once used as wild greens — especially in early spring.
This isn’t a flashy herb, and it won’t knock you out cold. But it’s one of those humble, overlooked city weeds that quietly carries an old-world legacy.
Who loves spinach?
14. Lamb’s Quarters (Chenopodium album)
Some people pull this plant out of their gardens like it’s trash. But wildcrafters know better. Lamb’s quarters is one of the most nutrient-dense wild greens growing in urban spaces — and it pops up absolutely everywhere once you learn to spot it.
The leaves are soft and powdery, often shaped like a goosefoot, with a slight silvery coating that rubs off easily. It loves disturbed soil, gravel lots, fence lines, and backyard corners — thriving in places other plants wouldn’t bother with.
Uses:
The young leaves are edible, mild in flavor, and packed with vitamins A, C, calcium, iron, and protein. It’s basically wild spinach — but with more minerals and less fuss. You can eat it raw in small amounts or cook it like you would any leafy green.
It’s also been used traditionally as:
A mild laxative
A cleansing spring tonic
A general nutritional booster when food sources were limited
Harvest tips:
Young leaves are best. As the plant matures, the stems get tougher and the flavor becomes stronger. Avoid harvesting from polluted or sprayed areas, as this plant loves poor soil and can accumulate contaminants if conditions are bad.
Lamb’s quarters is the kind of plant that shows up without being asked — and ends up feeding your whole yard if you let it.
An often overlooked plant is next:
15. Salsify (Tragopogon dubius)
Most people only notice salsify when it’s gone to seed — those giant puffballs that look like dandelions on steroids. But earlier in the season, this plant is worth a second look.
Yellow salsify is a dandelion relative with long, slender leaves that look like thick grass blades and a bright yellow flower that opens in the morning and closes by afternoon. It’s easy to miss unless you’re hunting early in the day.
Traditional uses and edibility:
The plant has a long history of use both as a wild food and a mild medicinal. The young shoots and flower buds can be eaten like vegetables, and the root — especially in its first year — can be dug up, peeled, and roasted. It was sometimes called “vegetable oyster” because of its nutty, almost oyster-like flavor when cooked.
Medicinally, it’s been used as a gentle liver and gallbladder stimulant, a digestive support herb, and a diuretic.
Harvest tips:
The root is best dug in the fall of the first year, before it flowers
Leaves and shoots are edible young, but get tough fast
That big puffball you see later? That’s when it’s done. At that point, it’s just for admiration (and photography)
Salsify is one of those plants that doesn’t demand attention — but rewards the ones who look closer. It’s also a good reminder that the city’s forgotten corners are full of edible stories, if you know what you’re looking at.
NoW this next one us a first for us!
16. American Dragonhead (Dracocephalum parviflorum)
Now this one feels like something out of a fantasy book — even the name is dramatic. American dragonhead is part of the mint family, and once you spot the flowers, you’ll understand the name. They look like tiny dragon faces with their mouths open, ready to bite.
You’ll usually find it growing in loose, open soil — weedy areas, ditches, roadsides, or garden edges that haven’t been overly disturbed. It blends in easily with other mint cousins, but the flower shape is the giveaway.
Traditional uses:
Dragonhead was used by Indigenous groups across North America as a calming and cooling herb. It’s been brewed as tea for:
Headaches and tension
Digestive upset
Mild stress relief and nervousness
It’s considered gentle, cooling, and aromatic, like a wild peppermint that grew up with a little more edge.
The plant is mildly minty and can be dried for tea, though it’s not commercially common — which makes it even more fun to find on an urban herb hunt.
This one’s not flashy, but it’s got a name that kids will love, flowers that look like creatures, and a calm, grounding energy tucked into its minty leaves. A hidden gem in the mint clan.
Lastly , a wild cousin of camomile-
17. Pineapple Weed (Matricaria discoidea)
Tiny, rugged, and wildly underestimated — pineapple weed is one of those plants that thrives in the worst conditions and still manages to smell like sunshine.
It grows in packed gravel, sidewalk cracks, worn footpaths, and anywhere people walk without noticing. You’ll spot its small, yellow-green cone-shaped flower heads (with no petals) and feathery leaves. Crush one between your fingers and you’ll know instantly why it got its name — the scent is sweet, fruity, and unmistakably pineapple-ish.
Traditional uses:
Closely related to chamomile, pineapple weed is known for its calming, digestive, and anti-inflammatory properties. It’s been used to soothe upset stomachs, help kids sleep, ease menstrual cramps, and calm the nerves.
You can dry it for tea, infuse it into honey or oil, or just stop and smell it like a wild aromatherapy session. It’s one of the most approachable herbs for beginners — and it grows practically everywhere no one wants it.
In other words: pure gold in a green hoodie.
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Conclusion: Urban Wildcrafting Isn’t Second Best — It’s Accessible, Real, and Wildly Underrated
Not everyone has the luxury of ordering dried herbs online.
Not everyone has time, gas money, or the physical ability to hike into remote forests.
But nearly everyone — even in small towns and cities — can take a walk down a back alley, past a chain-link fence, or along a quiet gravel path and find something truly useful growing in the cracks.
This little walk through Fort Saskatchewan wasn’t just a scavenger hunt — it was a reminder that medicine doesn’t only grow in pristine places. It grows beside us, among us, and sometimes in spite of us. And once you start noticing it, you’ll see that the wild never actually left — we just forgot how to look.
So grab a notebook, your walking shoes, and maybe someone willing to look like a fool crouching beside a dumpster with you. Trust me — the weeds are worth it.
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Disclaimer:
This blog post is for educational and informational purposes only. It does not replace medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment from a qualified healthcare provider. Always do your own research, consult with a trusted herbalist or medical professional, and use caution when identifying or using wild plants — especially with children, during pregnancy, or if you have existing health conditions.
Never harvest from areas that may have been sprayed or contaminated, and only consume plants you’ve positively identified with 100% certainty. When in doubt — don’t.
Want to help your kids start noticing the medicine growing right under their feet?
Check out my Urban Herb Hunt for Kids coloring book — packed with real plants we actually found on this walk, fun facts, and pages made to inspire the next generation of wildcrafters