Midnight Sun Herbal Health
A Complementary and Alternative Health Practice
Our edible weeds and garden plants
Please remember that there is a risk of injury if a plant is not properly identified before being picked for food.
Chenopodium Alba- Lambsquarters - Wild Spinach
is a member of the goosefoot family. According to USDA Natural Resource Conservation Service there are native species, but a variety of the plant was also introduced from Europe as a food herb. The herb is known in England as Fat Hen. In Norway for example, where it was know as Meldestokk, it was one of the wild growing plants, used as food alongside what was grown in the garden and fields of the Iron Age farm family. Lambsquarters taste similar to spinach, but is milder. Young plants and leaves can be used as a salad herb or as a cooked vegetable. As it grows the stem becomes hard and woody and then only the fresh shoots, leaves and later the seeds are usable. Lambs quarter is high in many mineral sand vitamins and was use by the Native Americans for scurvy (high in vitamin C) among many things. If it grows profusely, the herb can easily be gathered and dried for winter use. Lambsquarters was also used by the native people as a dye plant, when the dye was set into the yarn or cloth with Alum or Chromium, it gave a Yellow color. When it was set with Copper, it gave a green color. The young plant gave an especially vivid and clear color.
Lambsquarters pokes it's head out of the ground quite early in the spring and is a common summer annual, re-seeding itself profusely. It thrives in many types of soils and conditions, but needs moisture to bush out well and may grow close to 6 feet (180 cm) tall, depending on moisture and soil fertility. Leaves of common lambsquarters are whitish blue in appearance and are unwettable. Tiny flowers that appear later in the summer are packed in dense clusters at the tips of the main stem and branches. According to one source, a number of wild birds eat the seeds, also chipmunks and squirrels, and the plants also provide food for butterflies, as well as for other mammals. I have found that the best way to keep the plant in check is to use it. Back to top. Edible plants main page.
Stellaria Media - chickweed - Starweed - White Birdeye
(and others) is a small watery, ground hugging, spreading plant, with small, white star shaped flowers.The plant favors moist soil, but will thrive under varying conditions. Sources has it as originating in Europe - Eurasia, but it has spread to most of the planet. Chickweed has been in constant use as a food and medicinal plant since ancient times (according to resources from among others, York University, England. it is now mostly considered a weed. To quote a Norwegian research source on what they grew on a stone age farm in the area near Bergen, it says: "On the tilled fields they grew Oats, Rye, Linnen and probably also turnip. In addition they also used wild plants for food such as Heart's Ease - Polygonum persicaria, Polygonum convolvolus another plants in the Buckwheat family, Chenopodium album and chickweed."
Chickweed contains Vitamins A, B and C, minerals and salts plus very small amounts of flavonoids (rutin). It has always been classified as a pot (food) herb, but not till the middle ages was it listed as a medicinal herb. It has been used for sore throat, slow healing wounds, eczema, itching, fever, diuretic mucus resolving cough, etc. Not only people used it, but, chickens, sparrows and other birds love the tender leaves and the seed, as do pigs and rabbit, while sheep and goats dislike it. I use it as part of a mixed salad. It has a mild flavor, not dissimilar to Boston Bib lettuce. Back to top. Edible weeds main page.
Stinging Nettle - Urtica Dioica - Urtica Urens.
Nettle grows nearly all over the world, there are many varieties, depending on the geographic location. There are two varieties, the Great Nettle (Urtica Dioica) and Small Nettle (Urtica Urens). Nettle is a perennial plant, that spreads through the roots. It is considered a weed. The leaves are serrated and at the tip of each tooth there is a "hair" that contains compounds such as formic acid, oxalic acid and tartaric acid. The severity of the sting depends greatly on the susceptibility of the individual and the variety of nettle.The flowers hang in bunches from the stem where the leaves attach. Nettle is another plant that has had uses stretching far back in time, it has been considered a food plant, a healing plant and a plant used for commercial uses. Medically Nettle leaves are used for allergies/hay fever, it is diuretic, anti rheumatic, blood purifying, astringent, for bleeding, diarrhea, and more, the roots are used for enlarged prostate. It has also been used to improve hair, because of it's silica content. As food Nettle is delicious. it contains calcium, and other minerals including iron, beta carotenes, vitamins C among many things. One collects the young leaves, or tops of the plant,starting in the spring, one can also use the flowers which are rich in nutrients and cook them in just a little water, then add a small amount of salt and pepper and serves as one would spinach. Nettle also makes a delicious soup made with potatoes and carrots, served cold or warm. During WWII many in Europe survived the sometimes severe food rationing, by collecting and preparing the very prolific and ever present nettle, my own family included. The plant can be collected and dried for future use, or mashed fresh and then frozen. Dried, cooked, frozen plant parts do not sting.
In the 1700 and into the 1800, Nettle was grown in northern and Eastern Europe commercially for the fibrous stems. The stem of a full grown plant becomes woody and can be prepared much like linnen. Cloth woven from nettle is fine like linnen, but slightly grayer. Nettle has been used as a dye-stuff, leaves gives a green, the roots a yellow color. The plant has also been used in paper making. In one Norwegian version of the fairytale about the sister who had to save her 7 bewitched brothers, by collecting cotton, spinning the yarn and weaving the cloth and sewing shirts for them, the girl had to collect nettle bare handed and withstand the pain of it as part of the price for the freedom of her brothers. Nettle seeds have been found in Viking graves, as part of what the person brought with him or her into the afterlife and the Roman invaders brought nettle seed with them to England. The story goes that they were going to grow the nettle so they could beat themselves with it to keep themselves warm during the winters in the north. Back to top. Edible plants main page.
Angelica Archangelica - Angelica Oficinalis - Angelica Atropurpurea -- Angelica- Alexander - Angelica Litoralis - Kvann - Angelica Sinensis - Dang gui- Dong Gui-Tang Kwei
is another plant with roots deep into the past as a food and a medicinal herb. Angelica is native to Norway, Sweden, Finland, Iceland, Greenland, Russia and parts of Eastern Europe. There are several; Angelica Archangelica, Angelica Litoralis. There is also Angelica Sylvestri, a wild Angelica. Best known, besides A. Oficinalis is Angelica Sinensis -Dong Gui that grows all over Eurasia. It can grow up to 6 feet in height.
In Norway it was widely used by the Norwegians and the Sami as food, and as medicine. Among the Sami of Norway, Sweden, Finland and Kola Peninsula in Russia it is still one of the favored herbal plants. Different parts of the plant have slightly differing tastes, because of this different parts of the stem had different names.
Kvann, as it is called in Norway was of old also used as mode of payment. Big bundles were brought to market to trade for other food stuffs. The oldest written text about Angelica can be found in the Icelandic Sagas. The plant is also written about in Snorri Sturlason, in the story of King Olav Trygvasson. As early as the 1100 there were laws regarding the growing, harvesting and theft of Angelica and stealing Angelica from someone else's Angelica garden was punishable by law. There is even a Norwegian myth about how Angelica got its name. A monk who was carrying Angelica with him from Norway to France. On his travels south, this monk fell in a deep slumber and an archangel appeared before him, and gave the monk the name of the plant. Monasteries had wonderful herb and vegetable gardens and were often sought out to provide medical help to the communities around them.
The main uses of Angelica in the West is for the treatment of fevers, colds, coughs, flatulence, colic and other stomach disorders. Infusions can be made from stems, seeds, and root is carminative, diaphoretic, emmenagogue, sedative, stomachic and tonic. Angelica has an antibacterial action, preventing the growth of various bacteria. Angelica Sinensis is considered a Blood builder and mover and is used in many formulations and not just for women. Angelica is a good tonic herb and in Chinese medicine the root is often added, along with other herbs to tonic soups.
The leaves and stems of Angelica have long been used as a vegetable, it is high in vitamin C. It has a slightly sweetish flavor, with a bitter background. During hard times, the root was dug up, dried and ground to flour. In France the stem of the Angelica plant is candied and eaten as a sweet and the plant is used as a flavoring for Chartreuse and Benedictine liquors.The seeds have been used as a spice and also in cosmetics. Back to top. Edible plants main page
TARAXUM OFFICINALES - DANDELION - PUFFBALL - PISSINBED - BLOWBALL.
Dandelion as a name of course refers to lion’s tooth and the same name is used in French, German and the Scandinavian countries (dent de lion, löwenzahn, løvetann) and was first found in written herbals from the 1300. Dandelion originated in Eurasia, there are some 100 species, all with similar qualities, now all over the earth. Dandelion does not need much to grow happily, some soil, some sun and away it grows. It’s taproot grows deep and it is a very useful plant to aerate poor soil. It is a perennial. The roots are pale, the leaves deeply dented, darkish green, the flowers are a bright yellow rosettes which grow on a long hollow stalk. Mature flowers turn into a seed head looking much like a puffball. Children have over the ages used these seed heads to wish on. Blow all the seeds off in one breath while you make a wish and you wish comes true. One can also make a chain from the hollow stems, by linking both ends together to form a ring. It is also a favorite game for children to use as necklaces. (But beware the whitish sticky sap in the stem can stain clothing). Dandelion is used medicinally as a diuretic, hence the colloquial name “piss in bed”. The roots are used for liver and gallbladder issues.The sap from the stems can be used on warts.
Dandelion also has a long history as a food plant, both roots and leaves. The best way to control dandelion in the lawn and garden is to dig them out, clean them thoroughly and the cook them. The young leaves are good salad herbs, older leaves loose some of their bitterness when lightly steamed. The plant contains Potassium, Magnesium, Calcium, carotenes, zinc among other nutrients. The colonists from England brought their dandelion seeds with them to America. They were included in colonial herb gardens to be used both for medicinal and food uses. Before the colonists there were no Dandelions in America, however the Native Peoples quickly understood the usefulness of the plant and adopted it. The English did not only bring the Dandelion to America. When they went on to settle Australia, they brought the Dandelion with them there too along with their much bellowed rabbits which hadn't existed in Australia before either. At the time of the Australian immigration there were from some accounts seed catalogs offering a number of different varieties of dandelion to choose from. The story goes supposedly, that immigrants wanted to sit on their lawn near the flagpole with the Union Jack flying and see the dandelions and the bunnies. Perhaps then one could pretend one was not so far away from home as one was. Back to top. Edible plants main page.
FRUCTUS MORUS ALBA- MORUS FRUIT - MULBERRY
is classified in the modern Chinese Materia Medica as a blood tonic. Traditionally, mulberry fruit has been used as to nourish the yin and blood, benefit the kidneys, and treat weakness, fatigue, anemia, and premature graying of hair. It is also used utilized to treat urinary incontinence, tinnitus, dizziness, and constipation in the elderly and anemia. The fruits are pale when young, but darken as they ripen. Several parts of the Mulberry tree is used medicinally in Chinese medicine. The white mulberry is native to eastern and central China. It became naturalized in Europe centuries ago. The tree was introduced into America for silkworm culture in early colonial times and naturalized and hybridized with the native red mulberry. The red or American mulberry is native to eastern United States from Massachusetts to Kansas and down to the Gulf coast. The black mulberry is native to western Asia and has been grown for its fruits in Europe since before Roman times. Black, red and white Mulberry are widespread in Northern India, Pakistan, Iran. Jams, pies, cobblers and sherbets can be made from the fruit. The white mulberry is considered a weed tree in many parts of the US including urban areas. The black mulberry is more fastidious, faring less well in cold climates or areas with humid summers.
The dominant taste of the ripe fruit is sweet but usually somewhat bland, due to the high water content and low level of other flavoring ingredients, but a richer flavor develops if the fruit is dried; it can then be used as a raisin substitute. There are 15-16 accepted varieties of Mulberry. Recently fruit juice from Mulberry has been commercially produced as a health beverage, and it has become very popular in China, Japan, and Korea. You probably never heard about raw mulberry juice until now. But properly processed, it can keep in the bottle, even without refrigeration. Mulberry contains plentiful nutritious elements, such as minerals and vitamins; it can treat chronic diseases of the digestive tract, promote gastric juice secretion, strengthen the ability for digesting and assimilating, improve the appetite, and eliminate abdominal distention and constipation. Mulberry is suitable also for chronic gastritis and chronic hepatitis. The easiest way to harvest the fruit, which tend to hang loosely on the branch once they are ripe, is to spread a clean plastic tarp under the tree and shake the tree branch. By lifting the corners of the tarp, you can move the berries towards one area without crushing the berries. Back to top. Edible page main page.
SAMBUCUS CANADENSIS, SAMBUCUS NIGRA, Common Elder, European Elder, and other varieties, Svart Hyll, Hyll, Pipe Tree,Tree of Music, Tree of Medicine, Bore Tree,
is a bush that can grow to 7 feet. It needs moist rich soil and grow near streams, in ditches, and similar places. Differing varieties grow in Eastern North America, Europe and Northern Africa. The flower clusters and berries are used as food. Only the ripe berries should be used, They should not be eaten raw as that can cause nausea and vomiting, probably due to the pits. This is eliminated with cooking and drying. Flowers can be used by dipping clusters in pancake batter and fried to a golden brown. Fruits can me made into jams and jellies, pies, tarts and other yummies. Check for recipes on how to prepare the fruit, as they contain no pectin. Bark, roots and other green part contain strong alkaloids and other toxins and should not be used by a layperson, it can cause serious nausea, vomiting and diarrhea.
Elder is also used medicinally for upper respiratory infections, catarrh, colds, flu, herpes simplex and some other viruses, sinus infections ear and eye infections, it is good for restless and irritable children, can be used for arthritis, sun burns, irritated skin, eczema, trigeminal neuralgia and more. Do not use Elder during pregnancy, unless directed by a practitioner. There are a number of high potency products available on the market.
Native Americans knew the value of the Elder, as did other peoples. Branches and stems were used in basketry, for spools and spindles, arrows, and other implements. In the past the Elder has been considered a holy tree. In Norse mythology, The Older Edda, the death of Baldr was cause by an arrow made from Elder wood. The Edda also said that "if one had Elder, Honey and Cabbage, the doctor would become a poor man". In past history in Europe an Elder bush had to grace the farmstead, if the tree feared badly, it was a bad omen for the farm. It even is featured in Harry Potter, where the magical wand of the three brothers, as feature in the 7th book was made from Elder wood. Back to top. Back to Edible Weeds main page.
TRIFOLIUMssp.,Red Clover-TRIFOLIUM PRATENS, TRIFOLIUM HYBRIDUM, White Clover-TRFOLIUM REPENS and other clover species. Pink Clover, Trefoil ,Purple Clover, Meadow Clover, Sweet Clover.
The well know three clover plant, three leaves. It is found growing wild in grasslands, roadsides, ditches, and hedge banks and easily adapts to a garden It thrives in both dry soil or moist and flowers from May to September. Used are young leaves, flowers and seeds, in salads teas. They are rich in protein, while maybe not the choicest of foods for some. Eaten raw, they can be a little hard to digest for some. People have used them in foods and hoofed animals find them choice. It is considered a nitrogen fixing plant. Bees collect the nectar and produce the much coveted Clover honey.
Clover flowers are used medicinally for swollen lymph nodes, skin diseases, poultices, psoriasis, expectorant, cleansing of lymphatic tissues and fluids, constipation, bronchitis (it relaxes spasms), menstrual issues, PMS, menopause, tea is considered as a blood purifier to expel toxins, to lower cholesterol, breast health, increase urinary output and more. It is also considered under the blood thinning medicinal's and should be avoided during pregnancy and not used with pharmaceutical blood thinners.
Clover is native to Europe, central Asia, and northern Africa,and it was naturalized later in North America and Australia. It is a perennial plant and can grow to sixteen inches. The flower heads consist of a mass of egg-shaped pink to purple flowers, which are collected when newly opened in summer. One should check that they are not moldy before picking.
In China it is called Hsun Tsao and is considered a tonic and used to treat cold and flu and even used as insence. In Europe it has been important as a feed crop for cattle, horses and sheep since the Middle Ages. Red Clover is the most important leguminous forage crop in northern Europe. It also helps rebuild tired and worn out soil.
And we know that if we find that elusive four leaved specimen, it is time to make a great wish. Back to top. Back to Edible Plants main page.
LAVANDULA ANGUSTIFOLIA (formerly officinalis) ssp. 
- and other species belong to the mint family, Labiatae and is native to the Mediterranean region, south to tropical Africa and east to southern India. Lavender includes species that are annuals, to species considered sub shrubs and shrubby plants. It is usually cultivated in gardens, but escapees are also found in some places. Lavender is used as fragrance, as medicine, dried in potpourris, in cooking to flavor a dish and as teas. In medicine it is used as a nervine in calming relaxing formulas to soothe the nerves, as a moth deterrent, it is antiseptic and was used in hospitals during WWI as a disinfectant and is great for treating minor burns. It is antispasmodic, aromatic, carminative, cholagogue, diuretic, stimulant, stomachic.
Lavender is described in the Bible as one of the holy herbs. In Roman times Lavender was used to scent the baths and a pound of the flowers cost the same as 50 haircuts or a months wages for a farmhand at that time. During the Plague it was used to ward off this disease and it does deter freas which can carry the Plague. The English herbalist Gerard grew Lavender in his garden in the 1500reds and the Pilgrims brought it to the New World. It is mention in Shakespeare's work. Queen Elizabeth I apparently wanted fresh Lavender every day giving great grief to her gardeners and one of he French kings around that time, wanted a freshly filled Lavender pillow for his bed all the time, also creating trouble for those who had to provide it. Not providing it was not an option.
Fresh Lavender flowers are used to make essential oil , which is then used in fragrance and cosmetics, etc. Fresh flowers can be tinctured and used medicinally. If French Lavender tincture turns a most wonderful purple. The dried flowers are used in medicine, in potpourris, to scent pillows and can also be used in cooking. It is a part of for example Herbs Provencal. Lavender has a strong flavor so care needs to be taken when using it in cooking. It can be wonderful in desserts and cakes, it can be candied, used is chutneys, sprinkled on salads used with certain lamb and poultry dishes, used to infuse vinegar, honey, tolavor butter, and mixed with Rosemary or Fennel as a flavoring. The possibilities are many. But again a small amount goes a long way or it can be overpowering. Have a little dried Lavender stored in the pantry for that unusual dish. Back to top. To Edible Plants main page.
is a perennial plant native to Europe, naturalized in north America. Chicory has blue, purple and sometimes also pale plum colored flowers. It is perennial and when left alone grows bushy. It is grown for its leaves and roots which are dried, ground and roasted as coffee substitute or coffee additive. Chicory is also known as Belgian Endive or french Endive or radicchio. Wild chicory can be grown under a Cloche a larger up-side-down pot. It then grows in darkness and the leaves stay very tender and pale. Young leaves can be used in salads and the roots can be eaten too or used as a pot herb (cooked). Cichorim Endiva is the true endive .
Medicinally Chicory is a "liver" herb, used similarly to danlion, but milder. It is used for stomach problems, gall stones and an appetite stimulant.
Its use as a coffee adulterant or substitute goes far back in history. Chicory was used during the Roman times as a pot herb. It was cultivated in the 1700 and during both the first and second world war used to add to meager food stores. in England it has been sold commercially since the mid 1880ties.
Chicory can be used in stews, stir fries, baked, pan fried, steamed or any other way one would use a green vegetable. Chicory is high in Calcium, Potassium, Phosphorus, Folates and Vitamin A.
Don't turn your nose up at this wild weed. Back to top. To Edible Plants main page.
The name comes from Greek, meaning beautiful day. This species generally open its flowers at sunrise and they wither at sunset. There are many varieties, now also hybrids for cultivating in the garden. A few Daylilies are night blooming. Daylilies originally were native from Europe east to China, Korea and Japan. They have since spread and are grown all over the world. The daylily spreads easily from its roots and the common variety has established itself in non cultivated areas. Though some varieties may not be edible, many daylily varieties have several edible parts. The flower buds and the fresh flower are used in dishes. A few flower petals strewn over a salad is elegant and delicious. The flavor is mild, but with a slight bitter after taste. The spent flower can also be used and can be dried for later use and is mostly used in cooked dishes. Spent flowers can be bought packaged from Oriental food markets. The tubers on the roots can also be used. They are easily cut from the roots and the plant can be replanted after harvesting the tubers. These tubers look like tiny potatoes and also have a mild flavor and no after taste. They cook in a matter of minutes.
Historically the plant was used as food and medically in Asia. Back to top. To Edible Plants main page.
PLANTAIN - PLANTAGO ssp - PLANTAGO MAJOR - PLANTAGO LANCEOLATA and others- Common Plantain -- White man's foot print - Englishman's footprint - Soldier's Herb
Europeans brought the Common Plantain to the United States and since the leaves loosely resemble foot prints, the native people named the plants "white man's foot print" or "Englishman's foot print ". The name plantago actually means "sole of the foot" in Latin. It was also called "Soldier's herb" because the plant was used as a wound healer and was used during wars. Plantain is now a common weed everywhere. Plantago is a perennial plant that dies to the ground in winter. There are two varieties, a broad leafed and a narrow leafed variety. The plant grows like a rosetta and in mid summer one or more flower stalks grow from the middle. The flower stalk is densely packed with greenish flowers which later become tiny seed pods filled with seeds.
The young leaves, flower stalks and seeds can be used in salads or as a pot herb. It has a mild flavor and in my opinion doesn't become too bitter as the plant ages, but it does become stringy.
Historically, Plantago comes from Europe and Asia and has long been used as a medicine herb. It is astringent, demulcent, emollient (seeds are mildly laxative), cooling, vulnerary, expectorant, anti microbial, antiviral, antitoxin, and diuretic.It has been used to treat lung disorders and stomach problems, diarrhea, urinary problems, uterine bleeding, sores in the mouth, rashes, insect bites, stings, blisters, cuts and scrapes and more. It can be used in salves, as teas and washes and as poultices. It is an excellent poultice herb to grab for when someone has been strung or cut or bruised themselves, just grab a few leaves, chew them well and pack them around the cut, bruise or sting. And...voila!
But, it is really great in salads or as part of a Wild Green Pesto. Back to top Return to Edible PLants Main Page
WILD ONION- ALLIUM ssp - including Field Garlic and Wild Garlic - Prairie Onion (stellatum,pink) - Allium Cernuum - nodding)
Wild onion is a delicious wild weed. The tender leaves that appear in the spring are excellent added to salads and other dishes, later one can use he flower heads. The root bulb is also great added to dishes. I especially like these cooked, since they pack a punch, even for their size. The easiest way to pick the bulb is to let the plant mature, when the flower stem hardens, stick a table knife down deeply along the stem, wriggle it a little back and forth and the plant should slip out easily.
Medicinally these wild onions have much the same health properties as their cultivated cousins. They also make great companion plants and help other plants they grow near, be more able tow withstand pests and diseases. This then is another reason not to turn ones nose up at these small plants. As Susun Weed, the well known American herbalist has said; "Weeds in your garden? Bite Back". Bac k to top. Return to edible Plants Main Page.
VIOLET- VIOLA spp - Viola Odorati - Common blue violet - Garden violet - Sweet violet
A low growing perennial plant originally came from Europe but is naturalized through out the temperate zone in America. Other species are found in Hawaii and South America and other places. There are many varieties. Violets in Northern US bloom in March/April and the leaves and flowers are edible. Violets need moisture and some what rich soil and in some area the leaves are available to be picked through most of the year. Violets spread easily, if given a chance. The young leaves and the flowers are wonderful in salads, can be used in stuffing and they are rich in Vitamins C and A, but like many wild plants the leaves get a little tougher and stronger flavored as the season wears down. The flowers can be candied and served as sweets or to decorate cakes and cookies.The flowers are also used in perfumes. Historically the Violet was considered a symbol of fertility and love by the ancient Greek and it was used it in love potions. It was recommended by Pliny that a garland of Violets should be worn around the head against headaches and dizzy spells. Violets are cousins of our cultivated Pansies.
Medicinally violets have been used for sore throat, congestion, cough, headache, with gum disease, etc. In Chinese medicine it is considered a strong anti inflammatory herb. It has been used in the treatment of certain cancers and more recently with AIDs. Tea of the roots can be used as a laxative, but because they contain strong Alkaloids, larger doses may cause vomiting and diarrhea. Essential oils are made from the flowers and Violet is also used as a Homeopathic remedy. Back to top. Return to Edible Plants main page.
ARCTIUM LAPPA - BURDOCK - GOBO(Japan) - POOR MAN'S POTATO
Has long traditional uses in Western and eastern medicines. Traditionally it has been used for; Acne-Allergies-Anti-inflammatory-Antioxidant-Bone and Joint Health- Breathing Disorders-Canker Sores-various digestive disorders-Cleansing/detoxifying-Chronic Fatigue Syndrome-Eczema-Endometriosis-Fibroids-Fibromyalgia-Headaches-Hepatitis-Joint Pain-Psoriasis/eczema. In Japan it has been used as food since the 10th century and it can be brought in some oriental stores.
The first year's growth of a burdock plant is low and looks like a rosetta. The following year it can grow tall and almost bushy with big leaves. The flowers mildly resemble a thistle flower and the seed head is round with many spikes that end in little hooks and are ideal for hooking on to clothing and animal fur, to be transported to new areas.
The immature stalk can be peeled and cooked as can very young leaves. The more mature root grows deep. It can be harvested. Scrub it well (do not peel) and slice it thinly and diagonally and cook with moisture for about 20 minutes. It may not get tender. The root has a hearty potato like toast, but the plant is related to the artichoke. Parboiled for a minute to take away any bitterness, it can be cooked in dishes that call for artichoke hearts. Back to top. To edible plants main page.
SCYTISUS SCOPARIUS - BROOM - Common Broom - Scotch Broom
Is a native to Europe from Romania in the east to the iberian peninsula in teh south to the British Isles in the north. Outside its native range it can become invasive. The plant is desiduous with tiny leaves along the stem. It grows in well drained, sandy soil, from dwarf varieties at 3 feet up to several feet. In mid spring to early summer it is covered in small yellow flowers. In past time in Britain for example they added a few flowere to a salad to pretty it up.
RANUNCULUS FICARIA- Pilewort - lesser Celadine - fig buttercup
Pilewort is a low growing perennial plant that appears early in the spring with its kidney shaped leaves and bright yellow flowers and in the forrest in parts of the US it has become quite invasive. In the US the plant is not mentioned as one of the edible plants, but it is native to Europe, Asia and N Africa. The roots which are like a cluster of tiny, bulbous potatoes have been used as a remedy for piles, hermorrhoids, hence the colloquial name pilewort. This medicinal use has gone more or less out of style. In the British pharmacopeia it is mentioned as an antihemorrhoidal. Pilewort is also considered to be antibacterial and antifungal. I use small amounts of the leaves as a salad green.
The leaves appear first in late winter early spring and can become like a solid, dense carpet of green before the flowers appear. By mid to late spring the flowers are gone and the leaves slowly start to die back. By June the plant is but a memory, but the root bulbs and tubers will continue to spread. I have never found it hard to contain the plant in the garden, since the roots grow shallow and are easy to dig out. But it is probably not a good idea to plant it where it easily an espace into the wild. Every year I look forward to the bright yellow messengers who herald a new season. Back to top. To edible plants main page
DAUCUS CAROTA - Queen Ann's Lace
Was introduced from Europe. It is a biannual carrot plant and the common carrot we eat today has been cultivated from Daucus carota. The plant grows wild in fields and waste places and can grow to 4 feet tall. It is often thought of as invasive as it can crowd other desirable plants out. It blooms from Mayt to October with the large white umbrella that is so well known and the leaves are fernlike and long. Each flower has a small black center. When the flowes got to seed, the fruits curl inwards like a birds nest. The tap root is long and can be eaten like a carrot, but is best the first year, before ir gets too woody, but the leaves, stems and flowers are not edible. Care should be taken with identifying this plant as it can be mistaken for other plants with umbrella like flowers clusters. The Daucus carota is however beneficial to the garden. Many birds and insects are drawn to this plant. For example Green lacewing is drawn to Daucus to eat aphids, Yellow finches eat the seeds, catepilars of the Black Swallowtail butterfly eat the leaves, other insects come to drink the nectar, etc. To me it is a highly desirable plant and when you have too many, just eat some of them. Queen Ann's lace must be properly idenified and can be confused with for example Poison Hemlock. Queen Ann's lace has hairy stems, Hemlock has a smooth, hairless and hollow stem. Back to the top Back to main page, edible weeds.
VALERIAN VALERIANA OFFICINALIS
The medicinal Valerian must not be confuced with Valeriana Coccinaeus, red Jupiter's Beard, which is a different, but distantly related plant. Valeriana officinalis was introduced from Europe and Asia. The medicinal plant, a perennials, blooms from June to September with clusters of white flowers that are sweetly scented. The stamens of each flower protrudes from the lips of each flower. The leaves are on long stems,pinnated and highly divided. Depending on placement and soil condition, the plant can grwo quite tall. The roots are used herbally as a sleep aid. Young leaves can be used as part of a spring garden salad. The roots have an odd "old sock" odor when crushed. Back to top. Back to edible weeds main page.
ROSE, Rosa species - Rocaecea family
There are over 100 hundred varieties of roses. Some are known as old roses and in more recent times other varieties have been hybridized or developed for their fragrance appearance and color. Roses were grown in China thousands of years ago, they were used by the Romans who tok them along as they coquered other peoples. From the flowers they make Rose essential oil, Rose water, which again are used in many products. All roses are edible and can be used in salads, in desserts, as garnish, in drinks, frozen or.... The dog roseo Rosa Canina is also used medicinally and don't forget that from a rose comes the rosehip, which is aso edible and high in C vitamin.The hips are used as jam, jelly, tea and as a spread Ci vitamin supplement. Rose petals have a smooth silky texture, I don't mind that the base of the petal is slightly bitter and to use just pick the petals appart and sprinkle away. The flavor will vary with growing condition, variety and soil and cn be from sweetish to minty to slightly tart. Back to the top. Back to edible plants main page.
The Pansy violet is a hybrid of the viola family. The plant has been hybridzed to include a large variety of colors. It is cold climate hardy and a comon sight is some ares in late fall, during warmer winter days and in spring. Besides being pretty to look at the flowers of the pansy are edible. The use of flowers in food goes back centuries and pansies is just another one in a long list. Be sure to pick flowers that are pesticide free. If you have recently planted pansies, let the first crop or two of the flowers pass before you pick for a meal. Back to the top. Back to edible plants main page.
There are about 800 different types of fig trees. They come as trees, shrubs and vines. Figs are not only good to eat for humans, both but they also serve as a source of nutrition for wild life. A fig tree can get very old. The oldest one is in Sri Lanka near the temple at Anuradhapura. It was planted by King Tissa in 288 BC. According to the Bible, Adam and Even covered themselves with fig leaves. The fig is also mentioned in the listing of foods found in the Promised Land. The fig is also important in Islam and Hinduism as well. Fig trees can also grow in temperate areas and there are types that thrive in gardens without much special care.
The fig is really the flower of the tree, that is what seems to be seeds inside the "fruit" are the many little flowers. It can be called a false fruit. A specific type small wasp has developed to enter into the fig and pollinate the flowers, but this wasp cannot pollinate other types of figs.
The fig has mild laxative qualities, but it is to be noted that the sap can be a skin and eye irritant. Back to the top. Back to edible plants main page.
Is an annual plant native to the Americas. There are a many varieties. Sunflowers can grow up to 10 feet with a flower head that can be up to 11-12 inches in diameter. The petals are arraged around a large center, which when the plant matures in the fall will contain tightly packed seeds. The stems grow thick and woody. The plant was first encountered by a European in the late 1700 and was later domesticated in Mexico. There are also types of sunflowers that are more distantly related to Helianthus annuus. The seeds are encased in a hull and when shelled are edible and highly nutritious. They can be eaten raw, roasted, baked or cooked into dishes and are also extrated for cooking oil. Sunflower seed are a favorite of birds such as cardinals, nuthatches, titmice, chicadees and many, many more. Back to the top. Back to edible pants main page.
ROSEMARINUS OFFICINALIS - ROSEMARY
.hairy lettuce
lemon balm
chrysanthemum flowers
rose of Sharon flowers
redbud tree
