by Lynn Landes, organizer of Wild Foodies of Philly and wild edibles
enthusiast, not expert!
(last edited September 24, 2011)
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Learn what the seasons and what's on offer!
Note: You can make a refreshing Green Drink from many of these plants. The same plant can taste differently from place to place, depending on the soil conditions.
(spring-fall)
- wild violets
- Asiatic dayflower
- smartweed/lady's thumb
- wild onion grass
- dandelion
- chicory
- lamb's quarters
- amaranth
- poor man's pepper
- sagewort/mugwort
-
wood sorrel
(summer only)
- carpetweed
-
purslane
(fall-spring)
- cleaver
- chickweed, plain and fuzzy
-
dock
(all year)
- plantain
- Indian strawberry
- garlic mustard
- long needle pines
- grass
Green drinks:
In general, you can make any edible plant into a green drink. To make a green drink, I put a leaf or two of a plant in a blender with water, blend, sieve, then drink. You can also steep plants in hot water, but that will reduce the nutritional content.
- wild violet - green taste, not bitter
- Asiatic dayflower - green taste, not bitter
- smartweed/lady's thumb - green taste, not bitter, but thicker consistency
- long needle pine - pine taste
- grass - grass taste, fine
- onion grass - gives a kick
- garlic mustard - gives a kick
- dandelion - slightly bitter, but good
- chicory - slightly bitter, but good
- chickweed ?
Salads & Sandwiches:
- wild violet - green taste, not bitter
- Asiatic dayflower - green taste, not bitter
- smartweed/lady's thumb - green taste, not bitter, but thicker consistency
- garlic mustard - makes a great pesto, gives a slight kick, tastes better in cooler weather, root tastes like horseradish
- dandelion - bitter, use in small quantities, blossom good
- chicory - bitter, use in small quantities, blossom okay
- purslane - sour taste
- patients dock - sour taste, gets more bitter as weather gets warmer
- chickweed - some like it, some don't, gets sweeter as the weather gets cooler/ the fuzzy variety of chickweed appeals more to some people
- carpetweed - mushroom taste, delicate plants, but gets tough as weather gets cooler
- cleaver - mushroom taste, delicate plant, but gets tough and sticky as weather gets warmer
Soups & Stews (leaves and seeds):
- lambs quarters - slight spinach taste, good raw or cooked
- amaranth - similar taste, but not as good, best cooked
- wild violets - has a good texture, like spinach, but has simple taste
- garlic mustard - gives a slight kick
Flavorings (go easy on these as with any herb):
- poor man's pepper
- sagewort/mugwort - tastes like sage, has interesting medicinal qualities that are controversial
- wild onion grass
Nibble:
- wood sorrel, oxalis
Other plants/foods for other uses:
- jewelweed - for skin irritations, poison ivy/oak, stinging nettles
- plantain water - good in bath for skin and hair
- peppermint water - good to wash mirrors and windows
- apple cider vinegar - good for washing clothes, deodorant, removing calcium deposits, mouthwash, etc.
Cautions:
- IDENTIFY (ID IT): Always be sure of what you are eating. If you haven't positively identified it, don't eat it.
- DIGESTION: Don't eat a lot of a plant the first time you taste it. Go slowly and see how your system processes it.
- USAGE: Many of these plants can be dried and stored for year-around use.
- TOXINS: Don't eat plants that grow in potentially contaminated areas, such as next to roads, former dump sites, current and former industrial areas, etc.. Some plants can taste sweeter if they are growing next to a roadway, but that sweetness could be its lead content!
- OXALIC ACID: Many green plants, including spinach, contain important nutrients, but also oxalic acid. Too much oxalic acid, such as in spinach, is said to interfere with processing calcium and contribute to kidney stones. Here's more information on it, http://oxalicacidinfo.com/.
- MINT: Mint makes my joints ache if I drink it or expose any part of my body to it, so I stay away from it! Editor: Lynn Landes
- CARBON FOOTPRINT: Some of the plants below, in order to be edible, need to be cooked which results in a higher carbon footprint.
- TO JUICE OR NOT: I do not recommend it because it might pack too big a punch, and could be harmful if the wrong plant got used.
PLANT LIST:
Asiatic dayflower
Amaranth
Carpetweed
Cleaver
Chickweed
Chicory
Dandelion:
Dock, Patients dock
Jewelweed:
Garlic Mustard
Grass
Indian strawberry
Lamb’s
quarters, wild spinach, goosefoot
Onion grass
Pine trees (long needle)
Plantains, common and long leaf
Poor Man's Pepper
Purslane
Sagewort/mugwort
Smartweed, Lady's thumb
Wild Violet
Wood sorrel, oxalis