Eat that weed!!

djf

[djf]

Ok. I don't mean Cannabis.

These days, with the rising prices everywhere, it should be noted that there are a whole lot of edible plants that grow naturally. Of course everyone is familiar with the good old dandelion, which was originally brought to America as a food crop. But there are many other plants which are at least edible, even if not delicious, so I thought I would start a thread.

And while many wild plants aren't too easy on the tongue, the first one I will mention is quite good. And just about overflowing with vitamins and minerals.

So... without further adieu...

Plantain (broadleaf)



This particular plant is very edible, making a good addition to salads or soups. In addition, the crushed leaves are very good on minor wounds or insect bites. I have eaten it in salads, and while the large leaves tend to have "stringers" like celery, it is really quite good!

It's range is all over North America. In fact it is very hardy, and often grows in places that other plants struggle. I actually have a bunch of it growing down near my mailbox.

WARNING:!!!
As with all wild food stuffs, be absolutely sure you are eating what you think it is. It is true that 98 percent of plants are probably edible to some extent, there's a small percentage that if you eat it for lunch, you won't have to worry about dinner!

[LIConFem]

Mint and asparagus grow wild as well.

[Rio]

Miner's Lettuce. Quite tasty.

[djf]

Never saw wild asparagus. I believe you, I just never saw it.

[PSYCHO-FREEP]

And in addition to that!

Don’t throw those old Red Wing work boots out after you wear them out, they will make a complete meal for some misguided granola crunching vegomaniac that considers their lawn as a food source.

[girlangler]

Polk Salad here in Tennessee.

Grows everywhere and is still eaten by many folks here.

[Michael.SF.]

As do:

Mustard (the greens are edible), Rhubarb, Strawberrys, Blackberrys

[girlangler]

Thought this would work for the gardening ping list.

I’ve been eating fresh salads from my garden for the past two weeks, I love spring!!!!

[P8riot]

I have a 10,000 sqft vegetable garden growing right now. I figure with the deer and rabbits it will attract, it will also give me an alternate source of meat.

On top of that we have several dozen wild blackberry and blueberry bushes on our property. It is all well shielded from view from the road. So I am not too worried right now about veggy poachers.

[cyclotic]

I know an older lady who, during the depression would take the streetcar to the end of the line, walk to a field and pick baskets full of dandelions. Her mother would then sell them in the family store.

[JPJones]

Dandelions were brought here as a food crop?

What part of a dandelion is edible?

[LIConFem]

The leaves. Very good in soups and salads.

[steveo]

“Ever eat a pine tree? Many parts are edible.”

[djf]

And the USDA has a good website for plant data that I have used in the past and is well worth bookmarking.

http://plants.usda.gov/index.html

[Phlap]

Like this squirrel?

[bert]

For the record, the plantain shown is the favored food of the Banded Wooly Worm, the larval stage of the Isabella Tiger Moth.

I keep a patch in my yard to feed the study subjects

[ROLF of the HILL COUNTRY]

No Euell, just the seeds!

[opus86]

Polk Salad here in Tennessee.

A few years ago my dad (who grew up in South Carolina) and I were fishing the Illinois River and he looked over at the bank and said, "Hey, those are polk greens!" I had no idea what they were, and I thought he'd lost his marbles when he motored us over to the bank and started picking a bunch of them. We had them with dinner that night - which was good since we didn't catch any fish. I gotta say polk greens were fairly tasty.

[Hegemony Cricket]

I like Yellow Wood Sorrel

[Robert DeLong]

I myself love those little mushrooms that grow under the cow paddies. Great alone or in a salad, but wash them first is my advice.