Indigenous Plant Knowledge
Honouring the traditional knowledge of Alberta's First Nations and Métis peoples — the names, uses, and relationships with plants that have been cultivated here for thousands of years.
All Indigenous knowledge presented here is shared respectfully, with attribution to nations and sources.
Traditional knowledge belongs to the communities who hold it. This project documents and celebrates it, not claims ownership.
We welcome corrections, additions, and guidance from knowledge keepers and community members.
Why This Matters
For thousands of years, Indigenous peoples have tended, managed, and lived in relationship with the plants of this land. This knowledge — of which plants feed us, which heal us, which mark the seasons, which anchor ceremony — is embedded in language, in place names, in seasonal calendars, and in food systems that are still practised today.
When we learn the Cree name for sweetgrass, we're not just learning a label. We're learning that sweetgrass is sacred, that it grows where people have honoured the earth, that it has a season and a way to be harvested respectfully. That knowledge took generations to gather and live by. MossField honours it by presenting it alongside science — not as folklore or curiosity, but as essential knowledge about these plants.
Featured Plant Names
Cree names for plants found across Alberta
Sweetgrass
misiskwamis (Cree)
Anthoxanthum nitens
Sacred to many Indigenous nations. Used in smudging ceremonies, weaving, and traditional medicines.
Wild Rose
okiniy (Cree)
Rosa acicularis
Rose hips are rich in vitamin C and used in traditional medicines and teas.
Saskatoon Berry
sakweminan (Cree)
Amelanchier alnifolia
One of the most important food plants of the prairies. Berries were dried into pemmican.
Labrador Tea
maskekowask (Cree)
Rhododendron groenlandicum
A bog plant used in traditional teas for its calming and medicinal properties.
Prairie Sage
mostospi (Cree)
Artemisia frigida
One of the four sacred medicines in many Plains traditions. Silver-grey aromatic leaves used in smudging.
Sweetgrass
wihkask (Cree)
Anthoxanthum nitens
Another Cree name emphasizing its spiritual significance.
Traditional Knowledge Principles
Reciprocity
Take only what you need, and give back to the plant and the land.
Seasonal Respect
Harvest at the right time — roots in spring, leaves and flowers in summer, fruits in fall.
Community Knowledge
Knowledge is held collectively and passed down through generations.
Nations & Knowledge Holders
The Indigenous nations whose plant knowledge is honoured here
Cree (nehiyaw)
Cree botanical knowledge, preserved in the Cree language (nehiyawewin), includes sophisticated plant taxonomy.
Blackfoot (Niitsitapi)
Deep knowledge of prairie and foothills plants reflecting thousands of years of stewardship.
Otipemisiwak Métis Government
Unique knowledge blending Indigenous and European traditions across Alberta's Métis homeland.
Dene
Knowledge of northern and boreal forest plants including specialized knowledge of harsh environments.
Nakoda (Stoney Sioux)
Knowledge adapted to alpine and transition zone ecosystems.
Tlingit, Haida, & Others
Knowledge that has influenced understanding of western plants.
Recommended Sources
Plants of the Western Boreal Forest and Aspen Parkland
Johnson, D., Kershaw, L., MacKinnon, A., and Pojar, J. Lone Pine Publishing.
Edible and Medicinal Plants of Canada
MacKinnon, A., and Kershaw, L. Lone Pine Publishing.
First Nations Food, Nutrition and Environment Study (FNFNES)
A collaborative research project.
Alberta Elders’ Cree Dictionary (Alperta ohci kehtehayak nehiyaw otwestamâkewasinahikan)
LeClaire, N., and Cardinal, G. Edited by Waugh, E.H. University of Alberta Press & Duval House Publishing, 1998.
Cree Language Resources
Plains Cree Language Revitalization Project.
Community Knowledge Keepers
Direct contributions from Alberta’s Indigenous communities.
Knowledge Keepers & Contributors Welcome
If you are a knowledge keeper, Elder, or community member who would like to contribute, correct, or guide the content on this page, we would be honoured to hear from you.
Get in Touch