edible nature

[Michigan2Iowa]

I need your knowledge!

I will be doing a small presentation at our local food pantry about edible nature. Could someone give me a list of plants that are edible? I'm looking for items that would garnish a salad, etc. Also, any unique items that might be interesting, for example, Native Americans used to cook and eat lily bulbs and many people forego black pepper on their salads and use the spicey leaves of Nasturtiums!

Thanks in advance for your help!

-Paul-

[grandpasrose]

Hi Michigan2Iowa! I have a few for you.

- Of course the first one is roses! They are used in salads, vinegar, jelly,
tea, jams, syrups, and are candied.
- Rosehips contain more Vitamin C than oranges and can be eaten either
fresh or dried. They are eaten as is, or used to make syrup, jams,
jellies and tea.
- Daylilies can be used in a salad, or the petals used in a gelatin dessert.
The new 2-3" shoots can be substituted for asparagus.
- Chrysanthemums can be made into tea, used in salad, or in stirfries.
- Bee Balm (Monarda) is used in salads and makes a nice tea
- Carnations are used in wines, cakes, salads or candied.
- Pansies and violas are used in cheeses, or candied.

I have some other plants that I know are edible, but not a specific use for them. They are:
- Astilbe
- Dahlia flower
- Ficus leaves
- Hen & Chicks
- Impatiens
- Phlox
- Apple Blossoms
- Calendula

I hope this gives you a start. Good Luck on your presentation!

Val

[opabinia51]

Daylilies (flowers)
Common Camus (Native to North America)
Common Camus is purple. DO NOT try to eat DEATH Camus which has small white flowers. VERY poisonous. Hence the name.

Passion Flowers
Pansies
Nasturtiums
Chammomile (not really good to eat but, makes a really nice tea. Use the flowers)
Nettles (boil first to denature the poisons)
I'm thinking..........

Lemon Balm
Dandelions (the young flowers, young leaves and tap roots). The tap roots can also be boiled to make a nice infusion.
Paintbrushes can be plucked from their stems where a sweet treat is found that is sucked off the tip of the alleviated stem.
Mustards are great, there is a huge variety and the broad and sometime variegated leaves are slightly to very peppery.
The young needles of spruce can be used like rosemary as a seasoning
The green stems of salmon berries can be eaten when the "bark" is peeled away. Sort of a tasty hiking treat. Though, I usually just chew on the pulp and spit it out.

[Joseph]

This site may be of help also;

www.pfaf.org

[Michigan2Iowa]

Thanks to all for a great response and great resources. Would you now be able to list some POISONOUS plants? I want to put a little warning at the end of my presentation that one isn't to run out in the woods and start chomping, with Lupines and Nightshades being out there!

Thanks to all!

-Paul-

[opabinia51]

Here are some more edibles:

PETER’S SPRING WEED SALAD:
Toss leaves of the following into your salad bowl:
Chickweed
Miner’s Lettuce
Sheep Sorrel (lemony)
Fennel (anise)
Clover leaves (eat young leaves now, purple blossoms later)
Young dandelion leaves (bitter)


Chckweed is loaded in nutrients and is great for the compost pile as well.

[grandpasrose]

Hi Michigan2Iowa! Yes it is always a good idea to use caution when eating from nature's plate!!
Some poisonous plants are :

• • Elder, Holly, Mistletoe, Black-eyed Susan, Blue Flag Iris, Bracken, Caladium, Bluebells, Yew, Cyclamen, Daffodil, English Ivy, Foxglove, Hydrangea, Jack in the Pulpit, Lily of the Valley, Monk's Hood, Morning Glory, Poinsetta, Primula, Larkspur, Tulip,
    Virginia Creeper, Bleeding Heart

That is just a small part of the list. Hope it helps! Good luck with your presentation. Let us know how it goes!

Val