Wildcrafter’s Field Guide

Habitat:Cool, moist northern forests

Harvest:Winter (December - February)

ID Markers:Flat needles with two white bands underneath; smooth gray bark with resin blisters.

Aroma: Fresh, crisp, and deeply coniferous with a complex balance of sweet and woodsy notes.

Plant Parts:Needles & small twigs

Habitat:Sandy, acidic soils in coniferous forests

Harvest:Late Autumn / Post-Frost

ID Markers:Glossy evergreen leaves, bright red berries, smells like mint when crushed.

Aroma:

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Habitat:cold, poorly drained areas, such as swamps or bogs. They can also be found on high ground, and everywhere else in between.

Harvest:January to April or early spring (mid-May to June)

ID Markers:Short (inch), blunt-pointed (not sharp), stiff, and dull bluish-green.

Aroma:

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Habitat:thrives in sunny, open habitats across North America, including meadows, prairies, pastures, roadsides, and abandoned fields.

Harvest:The ideal time to harvest goldenrod (Solidago spp.) for essential oils is during late summer to early fall (typically August through September), when the plant is in full bloom and at its peak aromatic potency.

ID Markers:are identified by their tall, slender stems, clustered yellow flower plumes, and leaves that often feature a triple-nerved pattern.

Aroma:

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Habitat:thrives in sunny, open habitats across North America, including meadows, prairies, pastures, roadsides, and abandoned fields.

Harvest:The ideal time Mid-Day Sun is Bestlate June through September. Harvest when flower heads are mature, fully open, and vibrant, but before they turn brown.

ID Markers:

Aroma:

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Habitat:Coniferous Swamps, Riverbanks and Lakeshores, Bogs and Fens:

Harvest:May and October/November

ID Markers:Bright green, flat, scale-like leaves arranged in a fan-like spray.

Aroma: Pungent, woody, and camphoraceous.

Plant Parts:leaf tips and fresh branchlet twigs

Habitat:Low-growing, deciduous shrub native to cool temperate regions across North America, Europe, and Asia.

Harvest:July – August and September – October

ID Markers:Low-growing, deciduous shrub native to cool temperate regions across North America, Europe, and Asia. Reaching heights of 2 to 6 feet

Aroma: Pungent, woody, and camphoraceous.

Plant Parts:Leaves and Twigs, Fruits/Catkins