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WHO'S WHO AMONG WILD PLANTS
How do you know whether or not you should eat the plants?
Whether or not you eat the local flora depends upon circumstances.
Sometimes it's a matter of environmental impact, at others it's a matter of your
personal safety. Some guidelines are listed below.
EAT THE WEEDS --
- Only if there is an abundance.
- Only if you harvest just as much as you know you will eat. Never
pick an area "clean". Pick some here, some there, so the plants have a
chance to reseed themselves in that area.
- Only if you know what you're eating. If it's not familiar 1)
don't eat it, or 2) try just a nibble. Wait a day. If you live, you might
try a little more the next day. If you really want to know what you're
eating, buy a book on Edible Wild Plants and study it.
BUY THE
BOOK!
This is only a brief introduction to the common uses of some very familiar
"weeds." If you wish to learn more, there are dozens of Field guides on edible
and medicinal plants. Your investment will be well rewarded the first time you
have the courage to taste a wild blueberry. As you learn to discern one plant
from another, you will add a new dimension to your wilderness experience.
PLANTS TO AVOID!
- Deadly nightshade (Solanum dulcamara) -- tempting orange
and red berries have caused the death of more than one curious child. Be
safe--don't eat wild red berries.
- Devil's-club (Oplopanax horridum) -- that about says it
all, doesn't it?)- shrub with thorny maple-like leaves that aggressively
attack innocent passers-by, causing painful irritation. Topped by a terminal
spike of bright red berries. (West coast)
- Pokeweed (Phytolacca americana) -- although the young
shoots are edible, the attractive dark purple berries and mature leaves and
stem are poisonous.
- Poison hemlock (Conium maculatum) -- similar to wild
carrot (Queen Anne's
Lace), but causes paralysis and death. Leaf stalks are hairless, root is
ill-smelling and ill-tasting. Blooms in summer.
- Poison oak/summac/ivy (Rhus radicans) -- leaves of three,
turns brilliant red early in fall; contact produces rash, inhalation of
smoke can constrict air passages. Treat rash with calamine lotion if
available, or make a mash of Jewelweed
(Impatiens capensis) leaves and stems and apply over affected area.
- Stinging nettle (Urtica dioica)-- treat with Jewelweed
mash, as for Poison Ivy or count to 600 slowly. Nettle irritation generally
subsides after 10 minutes even without treatment.
EDIBLE PLANTS
Blueberries/Huckleberries/Bilberries (Vaccinium spp.; Gaylussacia
spp.) -- Thornless low shrubs (1-2') on exposed mountain slopes, shrubs grow
taller (6-8') when found along the shores of lakes/rivers; prefer full sun
exposure, so often found in powerline clearings or burnt clearings. Berries
produced in clusters, dusky blue to black, but always with "eyelashes"--the
5-lobed star patterned fringe on the crown of the berry (the side opposite the
stem). Some blue/black berries are distasteful/poisonous, but they don't
have the eyelash fringes. Stick to the berries with eyelashes.
Berries are smaller than the domesticated version by half but twice the
flavor. Eat them fresh, in pies, dried or as jelly.
June-September.Cattails (Typha spp.) -- Tall (6-10') marsh
plants with sword-like leaves and sausage-shaped brown flowering spike.
In early spring, young shoots and stalks (less than 3' tall) can be eaten
raw or boiled. (But don't confuse with Poison Hemlock shoot, which also grows
along the water's edge. See above, for description of Poison Hemlock.) In late
spring, the green flowering spike can be boiled for a few minutes and
eaten. In summer, the yellow pollen may be shaken into a bag and used as a flour
substitute. In fall, short sprouts from the rootstalk may be eaten raw or
boiled. In winter or early spring, the mature rootstalks may be peeled, boiled
and mashed (like a potato) or made into flour. The starch can be extracted by
mashing the roots in several rinses of water. Discard the fiber. Dry the starch
and blenderize for flour.
In emergencies, the downy fluff of the seeds may provide insulation/padding
or even serve as diapers! This is such a versatile, multi-purpose plant, you may
want to plant some in your garden next year!Chicory (Cichorium
intybus) -- weed found growing along roadsides and waste places; blue
blossom (sometimes white or pink) appears May-October.
Dandelion-like leaves are edible when young (Early spring). Boil
5-10 minutes. Roots can be dried and ground as a coffee substitute. A laxative
preparation is made from 1 oz. ground root per pint water. (Fall to early
spring.)Clovers (Trifolium spp.) -- What they lack in taste
appeal, they make up for in abundance. Weeds with 3 leaflets and little pea-like
flowers growing in dense clusters (round, oblong, or spiked).
Young leaves are edible raw or cooked; dried flowerheads and seeds may be
ground into flou. Tea may be made from the dried flowerheads, especially when
mixed with other herbs. (Spring-Summer.)Curled/yellow dock
(Rumex crispus) -- tall weed (1-4 feet) growing in fields, along
roadsides.
Late spring-summer, small green flowers give rise to heart shaped seeds
along central stalk.
Young leaves may be eaten raw or boiled 10-15 minutes, but eat in
moderation as they are high in oxalates, which decrease calcium absorption.
(Change the water once or twice to reduce the bitter taste.) (Early
spring.)
Stems may be used as a rhubarb substitute. The dried seeds may be ground to
flour. (Summer)Dandelion (Taxacum officinale) -- weed with
one yellow-rayed flower atop the 4-12" stalk which forms a spherical white seed
at maturity. Found in lawns, along roadsides and waste places.
A rich source of Vitamins A and C, the YOUNG leaves may be eaten raw or
boiled for 10 minutes. (Change the water once for milder flavor. Eat in
moderation--leaves have a laxative effect.) If the yellow blossom is present or
gone to seed, you've waited too long to eat the leaves, but the blossom can be
boiled 5 minutes and eaten. (Spring.) Roots can be dried (bake) and ground as a
coffee substitute, eaten raw in early spring, or boiled (Summer-fall.) Caution:
the root acts as a diuretic, so use moderation.Fiddlehead ferns
(best from Bracken Fern or Ostrich Fern, Pteridium aquilinum or
Pteretis pensylvanica, resp.) -- if you can see the mature fronds, you've
waited too long. You have to identify these plants a year in advance, then
return in early spring to harvest the young unfurling fronds. The Bracken fern
has a 3-forked leaflet, common in woods, pastures and meadows. Ostrich fern
grows in a vase-like cluster consisting of small stiff erect fertile fronds
still standing in early spring, surrounded by large green sterile fronds which
are broader near the apex.
Three carcinogens have been isolated from mature plants and are poisonous,
so only eat young coiled/curled plants and eat in moderation. For the
desperate/courageous, the familiar curled fronds are covered with a wooly
covering which should be rubbed off before cooking. Boil 30 minutes to
deactivate thiaminase, an enzyme which destroys vitamin B1. (Early
spring.)Greenbrier (Smilax spp.) -- green-stemmed thorny
vine growing in woods and thickets. Stems remain green throughout the winter,
hence the name "Greenbrier".
Young shoots, leaves and tendrils may be eaten raw or cooked. (Spring to
early summer.)Hobblebush or Nannyberry (Viburnum spp.) --
also called "Wild Raisin"; Tall shrub common in the understory of cool moist
woods. Leaves heart-shaped or elliptic with a pointed tip, respectively. Both
bear flat clusters of white 5-petalled flowers, which produce blue-black fruits
when ripe. [Caution: there are many inedible blue-black smooth berries, so don't
sample these fruits, unless you know your hobblebush/nannyberry plant.]
Ripe fruit each bear one large seed and may be eaten raw or cooked. (Fall
through winter)NUTS -- All the following produce nuts which are
good raw or toast them for a milder flavor. Nuts can be ground to make nut
paste/meal. All are good sources of iron and protein
Hazelnuts (Corylus spp.) -- small tree bearing nuts encased
in a fringed husk which is easily removed.
Hickory (Carya spp.) -- (Shagbark hickory is the easiest to
identify, with vertical strips of bark peeling away at both ends from the trunk,
giving the tree its "shaggy" appearance.) The husk of hickory nuts is divided
into 4 sections which loosen as the nut matures. Gather nuts when they fall to
the ground, before the squirrels get to them. (Pignut and Bitternut hickories
produce nuts which are bitter/inedible, but they do not resemble hickory nuts,
so should not cause confusion. If the taste is not familiar, don't eat it.)
Walnuts (Juglans spp.)-Nut is encased in an impenetrable green
fleshy husk which eventually darkens and dries. Gather nuts as they fall to the
ground.
Onion/garlic/chives (Allium spp.) -- Follow your
nose. If it smells like onion, it is onion and therefore safe to eat. Grasslike
leaves surround a flowering stalk with a cluster of white or pink flowers.
The young leaves (before the flowering stalk appears) and the bulb may be
eaten raw or cooked. (Harvest the leaves in spring; the bulb can be eaten
year-round.)Pine (Pinus spp.) -- evergreen trees with woody
cones (the "leaves" of the cone are called "scales"). You can often see the
remains of a squirrel's feast, where he sat on an exposed rock and
systematically stripped the scales off a pine cone as if he were eating a corn
cob. The Pine cob remains in the scale litter, all the pine nuts gone.
Pine nuts are good raw or toasted. (Fall.) Tender green needles may be
chopped fine and steeped to make tea. (Spring-summer)Plantain
(Plantago spp.) -- Low-growing plant, often found invading lawns. Leaves
form a basal rosette from which a flowering stalk arises, bearing many tiny
seeds.
Young leaves may be eaten fresh or boiled 10 minutes. (Early spring.)
Medicinal tea can be made from dried or chopped fresh leaves. A leaf poultice
can be made by crushing/chewing the leaves and applying the mash to wounds
(antimicrobial and stimulates healing). The seed is the source of psyllium, used
to decrease cholesterol. (Summer-Fall.)
Queen Anne's Lace/wild carrot (Daucus carota) -- Don't confuse
with Deadly Poison
Hemlock, or Fool's Parsley whose white roots looks like a carrot, but
are not carrot-smelling! They stink. Lacy-leaved Queen Anne's Lace has a
hairy stem. Fool's Parsley is smooth-stemmed. Poison Hemlock is hairless and
spotted with purple. All three grow in wastelands/meadows. Don't eat Queen
Anne's Lace unless you are starving.
White root smells like a carrot, tastes like carrot when cooked. (Fall to
early spring.)Raspberries/Blackberries (Rubus spp.) -- Thorny
brambles growing along roadsides/clearings. Fruit looks exactly like
raspberries/blackberries; tastes exactly like raspberries/blackberries.
(Raspberries and strawberries are the only red berries I recommend you
try eating if you are a novice.)
Eat berries fresh, cooked, dried or in jelly. June- September. To make tea,
add 1 T dried leaves or 5-8 young Raspberry leaves chopped fine to 2-3 C
simmering water. Steep 10 minutes. (Leaves may be gathered throughout the
summer.)Rose hips (Rosa spp.) -- prickly/thorny shrub with
showy white or pink blossom; red fruit, referred to as a "rose hip" produced in
late summer-early fall. Plants prefer sunny locations (fields, beaches,
fencerows, etc.).
Rose hips are a good source of Vit. C; peel the outer layer (calyx) and eat
raw, baked or boiled. Tea can be made from fresh or dried hips (steep 10
minutes). Summer through winter, as the hips remain on the shrub until
spring.Strawberries (Fragaria spp.) -- plants and fruit
smaller than our garden variety, but unmistakably strawberries. Found growing in
recent clearings, abandoned logging roads, moist fields.
Fruit is tart, but flavorful. Eat fresh or cooked in jams and pies.
(Summer). Dried or fresh crushed leaves make a Vitamin C-rich tea. (Make sun tea
to preserve the Vitamin C: just immerse the leaves in a water bottle exposed to
the sun for 30 minutes or more.)Smooth/Staghorn sumac (Rhus
glabra and R. typhina) -- Tall shrubs (4-15') found along roadsides,
fields and fencerows. Large leaves (1-2') with 11-31 leaflets. Fuzzy red fruit
(not to be confused with Poison sumac's white fruit! See above.) grows at
the tip of the branches, remaining on the tree through the winter.
Fruits may be made into a medicinal tea (gargle) or a refreshing lemony --
tasting drink. Soak about 1/3 C bruised fruit (rub in hands or mash with a fork)
in 1 quart of water. After 10 minutes, strain off the seeds. Add sugar to taste
and drink. (Summer.)Yarrow (Achillea millefolium)- Don't
mistake this plant for Poison Hemlock! Try it only if you are confident you know
what both look like through the various growth stages. Yarrow bears feathery
leaves on a central stalk, topped by a flat umbrella-shaped cluster of tiny
white flowers (1-2' tall). Grows in fields and along roadsides.
Leaves make a pungent aromatic tea. 3-5 fresh leaves or 1 T dried leaves
from a mature plant in 2 Cups simmering water. Steep 10-15 minutes. Also a
poultice can be made from crushed leaves and flowers may be applied to wounds to
stop bleeding.USEFUL PLANTS TO KNOW
- Birch (Betula spp.) -- familiar white-barked tree,
generally found invading recently disturbed areas. The bark burns, even when
wet, but don't ever strip the bark from living trees! Burn only dead
branches/litter as firewood. Peeling bark from a living tree will leave it
vulnerable to insects and disease.
- Gold thread (Coptis groenlandica) -- Shiny,
strawberry-shaped green-leaved perennial covering the forest floor.
Bright yellow root may be chewed to heal canker sores (contains berberine,
which is anti-inflammatory, antibacterial).
- Jewelweed/Spotted Touch-Me-Not (Impatiens capensis) --
Yellow or orange lipped flowers give rise to a seedpod which springs open
when held in your hand, releasing a delicious nutty seed. Grows near
streams, bogs or other moist shady places.
To prevent/relieve itching, crush the leaves and stems to make a
mash/poultice. Apply to skin recently exposed to poison ivy/poison oak or
stinging nettles. (Return to Plants to
Avoid.)
- Willow (Salix spp.) -- Tree found growing along river
banks.
Bark chewed raw or steeped in hot water to make a medicinal tea containing
aspirin (acetylsalicylic acid) for reducing pain, inflammation and
fever.
- Wood sorrel (Oxalis montana) -- Cloverlike ground cover in
woods or meadows, bearing white blossom streaked with fine pink veins.
Fresh leaves may be eaten raw in moderation. The leaves are high in
Vitamin C, but contain oxalic acid, which inhibits calcium absorption. The
crushed leaves may be steeped for 10 minutes in hot water then cooled to make a
tart drink. Add sugar to taste. Of more benefit on the trail, a mash of crushed
leaves can be used to remove pitch.
- Yucca (Yucca spp.) -- Stiff dagger-sharp leaves grow in a
cluster, surrounding a stalk bearing showy white flowers (6-petaled). Found
in sandy woods, clearings.
The root was used as soap by the Native Americans. Flower petals may be
eaten raw. (Summer.) The fruit can be split open, seeds removed and baked for 30
minutes. (Summer-Fall.)
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