Posted on 02/14/2009 10:03:07 AM PST by djf
I have decided to start a thread focusing on edible weeds. Many of the common plants we see everyday are edible, and while most are not hugely palatable or nutritious, a few are truly very good.
If you would like to post a recipe, please post recipes related to these plants only.
As always, an extreme amount of caution is advised. It's probably true that 90 percent or so of plants are actually edible, there is a small percentage that if you eat them, you WON'T have to worry about eating again!
Oleander comes to mind, it would take less than two leaves to kill an average person.
So be careful.
Soon after I started it, somebody flooded the keyword section with a bunch of not relevant stuff.
Not relevant to plants, I mean.
Oh my gosh, you’re right - they put in “birthcertificate”, “certifigate”, and a bunch of politicians’ names! That’s so weird!
Arrowroot- duck potatoes- are also common in most swamplands.
In the woods there is a pretty flower called spring beauties- they rise from a small tuber and grow in thick colonies. They are a bit dry but pretty good roasted and mashed.
The apple of a mayapple plant is edible when ripe, but don't eat the rest of the plant as it is poisonous. The roots are medicinal when prepared the right way but the plant was formerly used for abortion.
Down here in Florida there's wild taro; it's fairly common in the cypress swamps. You can bake the roots.
Another common weed is Spanish Needle- or Beggar-ticks. It has a white flower with a gold center and the flower looks a bit like a single zinnia. The wild turkeys love them so I use them to feed my exotics birds but the greens and flowers are good for people, too, fresh or wilted.
I’m thinking they could be fun, when the hulls are getting dark and mushy, to fire from a pvc spud gun.
They had to work pretty hard making the same mistake on those keywords since they can only put in four at a time.
LOL Its against the law to shoot spuds, but no law against shooting black walnuts...good thinking....They would certainly do more damage too...
I suspect that all those nonrelevant keywords to linked to a discussion on "edible weeds" were added due to someone's warped sense of humour.
After taking a cursory look at the keywords, I'm thinking that most of those people, organizations, and activities listed are directly related to the economic fiasco we are now beginning to enter.
And they will soon be responsible for Americans and their families actually looking for edible weeds for survival.
Hunger and starvation has always been basic tool used by Communists to subject and control the peasants. Another is to divide and conquer. They love to play different groups off against each other as the cause of all the problems actually created by the Communist leadership.
We had a lot of wild plums growing on the roadsides. There were also the small wild pears with thorns on the branches. We also had huckleberries and persimmons growing by the creek.
We had a garlic looking plant that was wild. The smell would make a skunk run and hide, especially when it was several days old.
Maybe THere should be a rule that I don't post in the morning 'till I'm good and awake...............ya think?
Around here, you have to watch out for the cow pattie mushrooms as well. Might take that trip without leaving the farm, if you get a psilocybin or psychodelic mushroom. They won’t kill you, but you could be found later naked on the water tower, singing.
How did I know YOU would know that? LOL!
That’s why it’s his inheritance. :)
The trees are about 15 years old, now. They line our driveway on one side...the garden is on the other side because, as most know, Black Walnuts are toxic to anything that isn’t a native plant, shrub or tree.
Some more on elderberries:
Elderberries are small, dark berries that grow in clusters on elder trees (also called elderberry bushes). The European Elder is found in temperate climates across Europe and North America. It is a hardy plant often growing in the moist soil along roadsides and streams.
For centuries, elderberries have been used in folk medicine for a variety of ills, including arthritis, asthma, constipation, and as a cure for the common cold. In 400 B.C., Hippocrates referred to the elderberry as his "medicine chest."
Elderberries contain potassium and large amounts of vitamin C, and have been proven in quite a few recent studies to strengthen the immune system.
Elderberries actually enhance night vision because they make rhodopsin or visual purple in the eyes. This helps in seeing in reduced lighting. It also helps in dealing with stress according to recent studies.
The white flowers of the elderberry bush may be pressed into tonics, lightly battered and fried into fritters, or stirred into muffin or sponge cake mix for a light, sweet flavor. Elderberry may be purchased either as a juice or juice ingredient, and as a dietary supplement. Suggested dosage is 400 mg of a 6 percent anthocyanin extract daily.
The ripe berries, cleaned and cooked, can be made into many things: extracts, syrups, pies, jams, or used as garnish, dye, or flavoring. Some eat them uncooked but they do contain toxins and it is better to be safe by washing and cooking them before eating. Also, elderberries are bitter and need sweetener to be palatable. Many like to cook them with other fruit like apples or pears to sweeten them. The tiny seeds in the berry leave a gritty taste, even after cooking, but the seeds are safe.
The red-berried elder contains toxins and is best avoided. Stick with blue, black, or dark purple elderberries, and leave the reds alone. And remember, the leaves, twigs, stems, roots, and unripe berries of all elderberry plants are not edible, and contain toxins that can make a person quite sick.
Exerpts from here
FIL lost a Black Walnut in a storm we had last summer; sheared it right in half. It was weird because the trees were all in a row, and only THAT one got cut in half.
He’s seasoning that wood to make something spectacular for MIL.
We have a gorgeous side table that is a 6” wide slab from a huge cherry tree. The top is polished, but the sides still have the bark on them. It’s really pretty.
Our house has Bird’s Eye Maple flooring, throughout. One (small) benefit of buying “This Old Dump” from 1906. I LOVE hardwood. The kitchen is being re-done and that will have wide-plank pine flooring. I can’t decide if I want to paint it or just have it stained, which would be easier with two dogs and two cats running around, LOL!
Oleander bushes grow in abundance in the coastal resorts of south Texas.
Several have died from using the branches to spear frankfurters to roast over a camp fire.
When picking up pecans, you will find
1) loose nuts, out of the husk. Most of these will be good. If they sound hollow, toss them.
2)Nuts in the husk, but the husk will peel off. These will be good also, for the most part.
3)Nuts still in the husk, and the husk does not release from the nut. These are almost ALWAYS bad. If the husk doesn't peel away easily, toss it and move on. Years of experience speaking here, folks.
Notice the health benefits in the bold text below.
Pecans are a good source of protein and unsaturated fats. A diet rich in nuts can lower the risk of gallstones in women. The antioxidants and plant sterols found in pecans reduce high cholesterol by reducing the "bad" LDL cholesterol levels.
Clinical research published in the Journal of Nutrition (September 2001) found that eating about a handful of pecans each day may help lower cholesterol levels similar to what is often seen with cholesterol-lowering medications.[11] Research conducted at the University of Georgia has also confirmed that pecans contain plant sterols, which are known for their cholesterol-lowering ability.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has acknowledged this and related research and approved the following qualified health claim: "Scientific evidence suggests, but does not prove, that eating 1.5 ounces per day of most nuts, such as pecans, as part of a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol, may reduce the risk of heart disease." A South African website makes the claim: "This nut is an important source of ellagic acid. Pecan nuts are a good low fat source of vitamin E and also have anti-cancer effects. They can also, if eaten correctly, lead to lower cholesterol levels."
Ditto persimmons. Ripe, they’re pretty good, but taste one that ain’t ripe? Oh Gawd
Oh my God, nettles hurt. Once got brushed on the leg by a bull nettle. OH..THE PAIN
I would think it best to stay away from the nightshade family..isn’t that where they get digitalis?
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