Which weeds are edible

The edible part of this short, sapling-like tree is its brick-red fruit clusters in the shape of a cone. American sumac, however, is not the same thing as the Mediterranean sumac spice. Wong suggests using it to make an antioxidant-rich tea : Dip a cluster of the fruit in hot water until it turns pinkish-red, then strain and add a squeeze of lemon. You can also dry sumac to use for tea throughout the year. This plant is so hardy, it can even be found in Greenland and near the North Pole.

Use its clustered, bright-yellow small flowers as garnishes, or pick the pods after the plants have gone to seed to eat as they are or pickle them. Hardcore foragers may also work with the leaves, which tend to be tough but soften with cooking, and are packed with vitamins.

In Central America, this plant part of the sunflower family is a highly sought-after gourmet food, says Wong. In the U. Often found in fields and pastures, orchards, gardens, and even along the roadside, this super common weed has almost triangular, toothed leaves with a bluish-green tint.

Use the leaves as you would spinach ; they contain a hefty dose of iron, protein, calcium, and B vitamins. For example, areas with a long industrial history such as Brooklyn, New York may contain a lot of heavy metals, and therefore wild plants growing in it may not be safe to eat, says Wong. This is also why you would want to avoid plucking weeds along roadsides, parking lots, or other potentially polluted ground. If you want to begin noshing on edible weeds growing in your garden, it goes without saying to stop using herbicides and chemical fertilizers around them and then let them do their thing.

Plants that are poisonous can look very similar to those that are edible: For example, fatal hemlock can closely mimic the leaves of wild chervil similar to parsley. This perennial can grow six to eight inches high and has three leaves per stem; similar to the unrelated clover. It is native to much of the United States and Mexico and some southern regions of Canada. It can easily be identified by its raceme which first contains small white flowers that later turn into greenish fruits.

Chetelat describes their taste as a fresh radish flavor. It prefers sunny locations with dry soil. The leaves and flowers of this plant are edible. Unfortunately, Chetelat says, there is a war being waged on them by lawn companies. The second being saw palmettos and the first being the non-native citrus. The flowers in Hawaii are dried and used as a flavoring for a simple tea, much like that of the lemonade made from staghorn sumac.

Bacopa monnieri can be found in semi-wet conditions throughout the world. Chetelat teaches the group that Bacopa is a common health food supplement as it directly affects neural regeneration and development, which in turn helps with memory retention. The small thick succulent-type leaves creep along the wet ground at three to six inches high.

The leaves which are rough to the touch have the smell of lime or lemon. By adding these leaves to hot water you can make a refreshing tea. This edible weed has veiny, crinkly, edged leaves that are curled slightly. The plant comes up early in the spring and in Florida grows in shade in the hotter months. It resembles a dandelion since its leaves grow in a rosette and the flowers are yellow.

Hawksbeard differs from dandelions since their stem contains multiple stalks with multiple blossoms. The younger leaves can be eaten fresh, while older leaves can be used as a potherb.

Can be found from Pennsylvania to Florida and west to Texas. A common unwanted plant in the yard is not only edible but tastes fresh like a mix of carrot and celery and can be added to flavor stock. Chetelat says it is a member of the carrot family and the leaves are the part you consume, as the stem and roots are hard. It can grow in Zones three to 11 and is said to be difficult to control. How cool would it be if we controlled weeds organically with our appetite? When to Harvest: Late summer.

Uses: Eat them fresh, use in jams, syrups, and baked goods, or freeze blackberries for later use. Use leaves or root bark to make tea. Edible Parts: Roots and stalks. When to Harvest: Spring through fall. Uses: Use young stalks in place of artichoke hearts. Use cooked roots in soups and casseroles.

Edible Parts: Shoots, flower heads, and pollen. When to Harvest: Late spring. Uses: Eat peeled shoots raw and in salads, add them to stir-fry, or enjoy them cooked. Boil young female flowerheads and eat them like corn. Use pollen in place of flour. Edible Parts: Flowers, leaves, and roots. When to Harvest: Spring through fall, but leaves and blossoms are best when harvested young.

Uses: Use chicory in the same manner that you would use dandelions. Uses: Add leaves and flowers raw to salads. Saute the leaves. Make dandelion wine or jelly out of the blossoms. Use the roots to make a coffee substitute.

Edible Part: Young shoots. When to Harvest: Early spring before the plant gets woody. Uses: Use shoots in place of rhubarb. Steam it. Add it to soups, use it to make jam, or try it in baked desserts.

Edible Parts: Leaves and stems. When to Harvest: Mid-spring to late fall. Saute and serve as a vegetable. Use in place of spinach. Edible Parts: Leaves and seeds.

Uses: Add young leaves to salads.