Midnight Sun Herbal Health
A Complimentary and Alternative Health Practice
Our edible weeds and garden plants
Please remember that there is a risk of injusry 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 mineralsand 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. In Norway 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 Atropurpurea -- Angelica- Alexander - Kvanne--Angelica Sinensis - Dang gui- Dong Gui-Tang Kwei
is another plant with roots deep into the past as a food and medicinal herb, which grows many places in the world, including Greenland. In Scandinavia there are two varieties of A. Archangelica, the mountain Angelica and the Coastal Angelica. Best known, besides A. Archangelica is Angelica Sinensis -Dong Gui that grows all over Eurasia. A variety A. Palustris is said to also grow throughout Europe. I have never been able to grow Angelica in my garden successfully, because the plant need a lot of moisture and also rich soil. It can grow up to 6 feet in height. In a Norwegian myth the name archangelica is said to have been named by a monk who was carrying Angelica with him from Norway to France. Monasteries had wonderful herb and vegetable gardens and were often sought out to provide medical help to the communities around them. On his travels south, this monk fell in a deep slumber and an archangel appeared before him, and gavethe monk the name of the plant.
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 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 very 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 liquours. Angelica has an antibacterial action, preventing the growth of various bacteria.The seeds have been used as a spice and also in cosmetics. In northern Norway, among the Sami people the plant was used as a vegetable with digestive qualities and was highly prized in the spring as it was one of the earliest plants to appear, when the salted or cured meat was starting go bad. Kvanne, as it is called in northern Europe was of old used as mode of payment. Big bundles were brought to market to trade for other food stuffs. 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 varietiesof 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 batter dipped fritters, 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, and 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 inscence. 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 blong to the mint family, Labiatae and isa native to the are from the Mediterrane 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 potpouries, 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 desinfectant and is great for treating minor burns. It is antispasmodic, aromatic, carminative, cholagogue, diuretic, stimulant, stomachic.
Lavender is described in the Bibel as one of the holy herbs. In Roman times Lavender was used to scent the baths and a pound of the flowes 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 freshy 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 avender is used the color of the tincture turns a most wonderful purple. The dried flowers are used in medicine, in potpouries, to scent pillows and can also be used in cooking. It is a part of for example Herbs Provencale. 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, natuarized 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 radichio. Wild cicory 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, stirfries, baked, pan fried, steamed or any other way one wold 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, Koea 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 freash flower are used in dishes. A few flower petals strewn over a salad is elegant and delicious. The flavour 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 lid flavor and no after taste. They cook in a matter of minutes.
Historically the plant was used as food and meicially in Asia. Back to top. To Edible Plants main page.
PLANTAIN - PLANTAGO ssp - PLANTAGO MAJOR - PLANTAGO LANCEOLATA and others- Common Plantain -- Whiteman'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 doesnt become too bitter as the plant ages, but it does become stringy.
Historically, Plantago comes from Eeurope and Asia and has long been used as a medicina herb. It is astringent, demulcent, emollient (seeds are mildly laxative), cooling, vulnerary, expectorant, antimicrobial, antiviral, antitoxin, and diuretic.It has been used to treat lung disorders and stomach problems, diarrhea, urinary problems, uterine bleeding, sores in the mouth, rashed, 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 - Prarie 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 floewr 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 ithstand pests and diseases. This then is anothe reason not to turn ones nose up at these small plants. As Susun Weed, the well known Americn herbalist has said; "Weeds in your gaden? 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 temerate zone in America. Othe species are found in Hawaii and South Americae 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 avaiable 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 stuffings 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 reccommended by Pliny that a garland of Violets should be worn around the head agains headaches and dizzy spells. Violets are cousins of our cultivated Pansies.
Medicinally violets have been used for sore throat, congestion, cough, hedache, 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 Alcaloids, 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 mildy resemble a thistle flower and the seed head is round with many spikes that end in litle hooks and are ideal for hooking on to clothing and aimal 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 tast, but the plant is related to the artchoke. Paraboild 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.
PILEWORT
DAUCA CAROTA - Queen Ann's Lace
PRICKLY PEAR
VALERIAN
ROSE
PANSY
FENNEL
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 alse 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 Isalm 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 polinate the flowers, but this wasp cannot polinate 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.
SOW'S THISTLE
OREGANO
ROSEMARY
THYME
.hairy lettuce
lemon balm
chrysanthemum flowers
rose of Sharon flowers
redbud tree
