Looking for summer herbs to forage for? Here are 9 herbs to find and harvest during the warm summer months. We're also sharing how to use them, too!
Chef Alan Bergo shares his experience cooking with milkweed pods.
Foragers everywhere look forward to the first spring foliage that bursts from the earth. For centuries, humans counted on spring’s nutrient rich plants for food and nourishment after a long winter consuming stored foods. Here are 6 spring herbs you can forage now!
Comfrey is a wonder plant for your garden and for your medicine cabinet. It's time to start growing and foraging for comfrey!
I'll admit the name "chokecherry" doesn't exactly get your mouth watering. Anything with "choke" in the name sounds like trouble. The other common names bitter berry and bird cherry aren't any more appetizing, but chokecherries are not
Botanical Name of Pipsissewa: Chimaphila umbellata. The name pipsissewa comes from the Cree Indians. The name means 'broken into small pieces' and is derived from the notion that the herb could dissolve kidney stones. Other Common Names: Ground holly, prince's pine, king's cure, bitter wintergreen, false wintergreen, umbellate wintergreen, rheumatism weed, skærm-vintergrøn (Danish), pyrole en ombrelle (French), Winterlieb (German), chimaphila (Spanish). Habitat: Pipsissewa has a circumboreal distribution and is found in the boreal forest or taiga in the northern parts of Europe, Asia, and North America. Description: Chimaphila umbellata is 10-25 cm tall dwarf shrub with creeping and woody rootstock.
Mullein is one of the most recognizable, medicinal and useful plants. Foraging for mullein is easy and fun!
Botanical Name: Lobelia inflata. Other Common Names: Lobelia, pukeweed, Indian tobacco, gagroot, asthma weed, vomitwort, bladderpod, rapuntium inflatum. Habitat: Lobelia is found in the more dry areas of America and Canada. Plant Description: This herb is named after Mattias de Lobel, a botanist who lived in the 17th century. This herb is 30 to 60 cm high and with sparsely leaved stems; Lobelia is an annual or sometimes biennial plant. The delicate flowers stem from a central stalk and are pale blue to violet with a yellow tinge within, making this herb a popular flowering garden plant. The partial explanation
Oregano is a highly potent aromatic herb that has been used both in cooked and raw forms. Learn more about oregano benefits, uses, and side effects here.
Eating edible weeds is an easy way to increase your garden's productivity. While everyone loves to bring in the harvest, weeding is most people's least favorite part of gardening. What if weeding could be harvesting?
It may not officially be spring, but the plants in my neck of the woods are acting like it is. And that means (among other things) that a lot of wild spring edibles are popping up. In fact, I seem to find a new forage-worthy weed every day. That makes me happy. One edible weed I recently discovered on our property is one you're just as likely to find in the city as in the country, on the West Coast as the East Coast, and in the U.S. as elsewhere in the world: Chickweed (otherwise known as Starweed, Chickenwort, Winter weed, or Stellaria media). Chickweed's 5 petals look like 10. Identifying Chickweed Chickweed grows in a wide variety of areas, including lawns and mow strips - and it grows prolifically. It has tiny white flowers with 5 petals each - but the petals are so deeply split, at first glance, it appears the flowers have 10 petals each. The stems of chickweed are distinctive in that they have a line of white "hairs" on one side. They also do not contain a milky sap - something that differentiates chickweed from similar weeds. Chickweed's smooth leaves are oval with pointed tips. Chickweed's stems have a line of fine "hairs." The plant is easy to spot because it grows in clumps or masses that creep along the ground. It tends to grow most abundantly in the spring and fall, when the weather is cooler and moist, and generally prefers damp and shady areas. One final test to know whether or not you've got chickweed: Bend a stem and turn each part of the stem in the opposite direction. Gently pull; the outer part of the stem will break and separate, but an inner part will not break. In fact, it will stretch a little. Chickweed has two poisonous lookalikes (Scarlet Pimpernel and spurge), but if you look for the 5 petals that look like 10, the line of hair on the stem, the lack of milk in the stem, and the stem with the inner stretchy part, you can be sure you have real chickweed. An important test to make sure you identify chickweed correctly. There is also mouse-ear chickweed (cerastium vulgatum), which is edible, but only when cooked. It's distinguished from regular chickweed by it's very dark green, mouse ear shaped leaves that, unlike regular chickweed, are covered with fine hairs. NOTE: Do not consume any plant you cannot positively identify. Eating Chickweed Chickweed leaves, stems, and flowers are all edible, either raw or cooked. And it's a superfood! Chickweed is packed with nutrients, having 6 times more vitamin C than spinach, 12 times more calcium, and 83 times more iron. It also contains Omega-3 fatty acids, bioflavoinoids, beta-carotene, B vitamins, folic acid, niacin, thiamine, magnesium, potassium, manganese, and zinc. Try chickweed in a salad, or add it to a sandwich, like you would sprouts. It also makes a nice pesto or can be added to soups, omelettes, quiches, or pretty much any dish where you'd normally use spinach. In fact, cooked chickweed tastes similar to spinach. Raw, it tastes like a mild lettuce. Chickweed grows in a clump. Mouse Ear Chickweed is distinguished by it's hairy leaves. Courtesy Stefan.lefnaer and Wikimedia. Chickweed Medicine Chickweed has long been used in herbal medicine, too. Taken internally in the form of tea or tincture, it's used for complaints such as stomach and intestinal problems, arthritis, asthma and other lung ailments, kidney disorders, and vitamin C deficiency. In addition, chickweed can be used externally to treat eczema, psoriasis, minor wounds, boils, abscesses, burns, itching, and joint pain. WARNINGS: Those who are allergic to daisies should not eat chickweed. Never eat any wild food you cannot identify 100%. Disclaimer I am not a doctor, nor should anything on this website (www.ProverbsThirtyOneWoman.blogspot.com) be considered medical advice. The FDA requires me to say that products mentioned, linked to, or displayed on this website are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. The information on this web site is designed for general informational purposes only. It is not intended to be a substitute for qualified medical advice or care. There are no assurances of the information being fit or suited to your medical needs, and to the maximum extent allow by law disclaim any and all warranties and liabilities related to your use of any of the information obtained from the website. Your use of this website does not constitute a doctor-patient relationship. No information on this website should be considered complete, nor should it be used as a substitute for a visit to, consultation with, or the advice of a physician or other qualified health care provider.
Make this delicious elderflower liqueur when fresh elderflowers are in season!
St. John’s Wort For Depression Treatment is a very popular herb and has come into prominence due to its wide usage as an anxiety and stress relieving herb. This shrubby perennial plant bears …
Conyza canadensis Horseweed / Canadian Fleabane NL: Canadese fijnstraal / F: Vergerette du Canada Native from North America, this plant made its way all over Europe and many other parts of the world. It may not be the prettiest plant one would choose to keep in the garden, neither is it among the most popular plants in modern herbalism. Nevertheless Horseweed, or Canadian Fleabane, as it is also called, was used by most Native North Americans tribes to treat various illnesses, including diarrhea, fever, running nose, rhinitis, but also used to arrest bleedings or to relieve stomach aches, earaches or headaches. Externally, it was made into poultices to treat burns and sore joints. Roots were used in decoction teas to treat menstrual complaints. Dried and burned as incense it was used to ward off insects. In today’s herbalism Horseweed is mostly employed where an astringent is required: diarrhea, internal hemorrhage, nosebleeds, hemorrhoids, etc. It has been recently researched for its antioxidant, antibacterial, antiviral and anti-fungal properties, including against candidiasis - looks promising! Further one can still find references of folk usages of this plant to treat cholera, rheumatism, tuberculosis, bronchitis, inflamed tonsils, diabetes, menopausal symptoms, kidney and bladder conditions, eczema and ringworm. It is an edible plant, especially the young leaves, cooked, can be prepared as potherb, or used in the same way as other dark greens. Because of its powerful medicinal properties, it should be eaten sparingly, not in large amounts. It can also be dried and used as food spice - it gives an aromatic flavour to dishes. Warning: Skin contact with the plant can cause dermatitis in some people. More information on Conyza canadensis: Plants for a Future: Conyza canadensis Antiviral activity of Conyza canadensis (L) Antibacterial, antioxidant and cytotoxic activities of extracts of Conyza canadensis Antimicrobial activities of Conyzolide and Conyzoflavone from Conyza canadensis
Have you ever run across what looked like hops while hiking deep in the woods? Actual hops are a vine that require a good bit of sunlight, but hop hornbeam is an understory tree that produces…
It's that time of year to go foraging for blackberries, the ultimate plant for beginning foragers with tasty berries and medicinal leaves.
Walking at the edge of the woods in early June I ran across a breathtaking tree that I’d never noticed before. It was covered in white flowers with an intoxicating tropical scent. …
There are many uses for comfrey plants on the homestead. Known for its ability to help wounds to heal, it also has many benefits in the garden
Botanical Name: Myrica gale. Other Common Names: Sweet gale, candle berry, Porsch (German), galè odorant (French), arrayán brabántico (Spanish), mjaðarlyng (Icelandic), pors (Danish). Habitat: The plant is endemic to northern and western Europe and can also be found in some parts of northern North America. Description: Bog myrtle is a small flowering shrub that can grow up to 2 meters tall. It is found in bogs, marshes, fens and wet heathland but because of loss of habitat, the plant has become endangered in many places. The leaves are gray-green, spirally arranged and oblanceolate with a tapered base and broader tip,
This delightful recipe pairs garden-fresh daylily blooms with a scrumptious mix of garlic, onion, and wild greens. Bound together by tofu or goat cheese and adorned with an edible flower, this dish is a flavorful tribute to nature's bounty. Serve warm or chilled, and savor the moment.
When you have nasturtiums growing in your garden make this nasturtium flower infused vinegar! It has a gorgeous color and peppery flavor and can be used to make a wonderful and nutritious salad dressing.
Borage has a crisp cucumber flavor and the addition of the lemon juice gives it a nice kick of citrus. You’re going to love this borage lemonade, I promise.
If you grew too many herbs, there are many different, fun ways to put them to use! Check out these creative ways to use herbs from your garden!
Make your own nettle beer with this sneak peak inside our new course, The Craft of Herbal Fermentation! This course teaches you how to make your own herbal beers, mead, kombucha, water kefir, and lacto-fermented foods!
Make the most of the over-productive herb garden with these 10 ways to use oregano for food, medicine, cleaning, and more.
Goldenrod is helpful for making salves for sore muscles, tea for your kidneys, and may be useful for respiratory woes.
Botanical Name: Menyanthes trifoliata. Other Common Names: Buckbean, beckbean, march trefoil, marsh clover, water shamrock, bog myrtle, Horblaðka (Icelandic), bukkeblad (Dansih), trébol de agua (Spanish), raate (Finish), trefle des marais (French), Bitterklee (German). Habitat: Bogbean grows wild in Europe, Asia, and North America. The plant grows in wet habitats and can be found in fens, bogs, along verges of ponds, lakes and slow flowing rivers. Description: Bogbean belongs to the plant family Menyanthaceae which contains a single species, 'Menyanthes trifoliata'. It is a perennial plant that can grow up to 15 to 30 cm in height (above water). The roots
Dock plants are persistent perennials, which means you can forage it throughout the year. In the spring, the greens are edible and in the fall the plant produces buckwheat-like grain that can be ground into
Botanical Name: Viscum album. Other Common Names: European, Christmas and oak mistletoe, druid's herb, golden bough, holy wood, the kissing bush, herbe de la croix (French), Weissbeerige Mistel (German), muerdago (Spanish), mistelten (Danish), mistilteinn (Icelandic). Habitat: Viscum album grows in Europe, northwest Africa, and central Asia and Japan. It is a perennial, semi-evergreen parasitic plant, growing on the branches of trees. It is most commonly seen on old apple, ash, and hawthorn trees; although mistletoe does not grow as well on oak trees, mistletoe from oak trees has traditionally been the most commonly used as herbal medicine. Description: Mistletoe has
Red clover is an overlooked 'weed' that has edible and medicinal qualities. It's a great plant for beginner foragers to learn to identify.
If you've been around here long, you know I like to quick method of creating gifts and homemade products. I used to put things off because I didn't have time, but have discovered that making
If we were to walk back in time and enter a medieval medicinal or kitchen garden, in the back we would surely find a relatively unknown plant today—lovage. Unlike many herbs, lovage may have begun its journey with humans as a therapeutic plant and evolved into the culinary plant too few of us enjoy today. Join us as we explore some of the little-known ways to use lovage!
Our backyard was overflowing with violets, so I thought I would try this awesome Violet Jelly recipe from Bakers Brigade. Of course I'd heard of Dandelion Jelly, but I hadn't seen a recipe for Violet Jelly before. I was really interested in the "magical color change" this food blogger spoke about. After collecting violets in a jar, you pour boiling water onto them. Then let the jar sit overnight to infuse and create a lovely sapphire blue "tea". When you strain out the flowers and add lemon juice, the dark blue tea turns purple. WOW! Just take a look at Bakers Brigade's cool color changing video or our time-lapse video. A post shared by Alison (@canning_crafts) on Apr 26, 2017 at 6:45am PDT Violet Jelly (makes approximately 4-half pint jars) 1 pint violet flowers (approx. 2 cups) 2 tablespoons lemon juice 4 cups sugar (*see low sugar recipe note below) 3 oz. liquid pectin Collect a mason jar pint full of violet flowers. Pour boiling water into the jar of flowers. Gently press the violets to release any air bubbles. Cover the jar and keep out of the sun for 24 hours. By the next day, the violet “tea” will be sapphire blue. The next day, strain your violets through a colander lined with a coffee filter or paper towel. I also squeeze the flowers to release all the juices. You will need 2 cups of liquid, so you may need to add a little more water to the violet tea. Mix the tea and lemon juice in a large pot. At this point, you will see the dark blue tea turn purple. Oooooh aaahhhh. Magic! Bring the liquid to a boil and continue to boil for one minute. Add sugar and pectin, then bring to a hard boil one more minute. Turn the heat off and skim the top of the jelly if needed. Pour into sterilized mason jars. Makes approximately 4 half pints of jelly. Let cool and store in the fridge. Note: You could process the jars in a water bath to make them shelf stable, however, you would need to collect an awful lot of violets to make processing them worth it in my opinion. I’ve always just gotten enough violets for a few half pint jars at a time. Low-Sugar Recipe: Pomona's Pectin has a low-sugar Violet Jelly recipe. I recently tried this recipe and it tastes great! Pomona's pectin is a 2-part pectin that uses calcium water that allows you to drastically reduce the amount of sugar in jam and jelly recipes. Some Pomona's Pectin recipes reduce the sugar by 50% over a traditional recipe. So if you want to reduce sugar in pectin recipes, this is a good option. Our Cottage Chic Flower oval jar labels fit quilted canning jars, perfect for flower jelly! The resulting jelly is very sweet with a subtle floral taste. And the color is simply amazing! Who knew flowers could taste so good? If you have an abundance of these beautiful purple flowers in your yard, go pick them now! Violets are unlike dandelions, they won't last all season in your yard. Wild violets are typically found May through June in most areas (zones 3 through 9). Shop for Floral Canning Labels to decorate your jam & jelly jars. If you don't want to make jelly, you'll be happy to know there are plenty of other violet recipes to try. Violet Recipes: Sweet Violet Syrup Candied Violets Violet Sugar Violet Jam Violet Jelly Violet Muffins with Violet Sugar Violet Vinegar Violet Salad Violet Leaf Tea Violet Lemonade Recipe The process is pretty simple for violet lemonade. Spend hours collecting tiny violets in a mason jar, steep with hot water, strain out flowers, then add lemon juice. While it's back breaking collecting so many teeny-weeny flowers, it's worth it to witness the "magical" color change. After soaking the flowers overnight, the resulting liquid is a lovely sapphire blue. But once you add lemon juice to the strained solution, it turns purple. Ooooo aaaahhhh. Magic. I tested two batches of violet lemonade. For the first batch, I filled a pint mason jar HALF full of flowers. The second batch had a mason jar packed FULL of violets which resulted in a much darker navy blue color. I used one large fresh squeezed lemon and added several tablespoons of raw sugar. But wait, the color change is NOT magic. It's SCIENCE! You all know I like science. So WHY does the liquid change from blue to purple? It’s a basic acid/base chemical reaction. The anthocyanins (color pigments) in the violets (the base) are reacting to the lower pH from the lemon juice (the acid). oooooo SCIENCE! Violets have always been seen to have medicinal and even mystical properties. In the 10th century tome “Macer’s Herbal”, violets are noted to be powerful to combat “wykked sperytis”. 👻 Part of the mysticism surrounding them comes from their extract turning from dark purple to magenta when combined with lemon juice. Witness the magical & scientific color changing video below. Mwahahaha. Violet Lemonade Ice Cubes Recipe: When life gives you violet lemonade, you should make violet lemonade ice cubes! These tri-colored ice cubes are like a beautiful watercolor painting. It just takes a little patience to make the cubes because you have to freeze them in steps. You’ll need equal parts of blue violet water tincture and violet lemonade. To Make the Violet Lemonade: Add boiling water to a mason jar full of violet flowers. For the darkest blue water, steep overnight in refrigerator. Strain flowers from the blue violet water. Divide the blue violet water into two separate mason jars. Add lemon juice to ONE of the blue mason jars. The blue water will magically turn purple. Watch our color changing video. Oooooh Ahhhhh. Optional: Add a little sugar to the lemonade mix. To Make the Violet Lemonade Ice Cubes: Freeze violet flowers in ice cube trays with a small amount of water, about 1/4 inch. Make sure they are completely frozen before moving on to step 2. Remove ice cube tray from freezer and add about 1/4 inch of violet lemonade. Put in freezer until completely frozen again. Remove tray from freezer and add about 1/4 inch of blue violet water. Put in freezer until completely frozen again. Once the cubes are fully frozen, add them to violet lemonade, water, or other beverages. Violet Infused Vinegar Recipes I tested three different violet infused vinegars. For each, I filled a mason jar half full of violets. Then I filled each jar with a different vinegar. I used plain white vinegar, white rice vinegar, and a white wine vinegar. I added a piece of parchment paper under my metal rings so the vinegar didn't react with the metal. I then stored the jars in a cool dark place for a week. After a week or two, strain the violets from the vinegar. Each vinegar turned a lovely pinkish color from the violets. I'll make salad dressings with these colorful vinegars later this spring. Wild Violet Lemon Cookie Recipe Our Wild Violet Flower Lemon cookies are a real head turner! They are also a fun project for kids to help make. If you have an abundance of wild violet flowers in your yard, give this fun and healthy recipe a try. It will wow your friends and keep your kids busy in the yard. Read our blog post to get the Wild Violet Lemon Cookie recipe. Violet Salad You don't need a "fancy" recipe to eat violets. Besides eating them in jelly, cookies, or vinegar, you can eat the fresh in salads. Fix up any basic salad by topping it off with a sprinkle of fresh violets and a sweet vinaigrette. Nutritional Benefits of Wild Violets: So why eat violets? Well, they have fantastic health benefits much like dandelions. According to The Herbal Academy, violets have been used to treat: coughing and bronchitis colds and sore throats cystitis rheumatic complaints, reduce inflammation eczema psoriasis acne cradle cap for babies and even cancer! Violets have ample Vitamin C and A as well as other vitamins and minerals. Violet leaves are also sold as a supplement. Harvesting Wild Violets: There are 40-50 violet species in the US according to The Herbal Academy. Here's another handy website to help identify violet species. The medicinal properties of most wild violet species are interchangeable. They are NOT to be confused with the African Violet houseplant which will make you sick if eaten. Wild violets are typically found May through June in most areas (zones 3 through 9). Much like foraging for other edibles, be sure to harvest in areas free of pesticides. Avoid flowers in yards where pets may go to the bathroom as well. Harvest flowers and use fresh soon after picking or dry for later use. Our Cottage Chic Flower canning labels look great on any flower jam or jelly jars! Want to know more about eating flowers! Read our Using Dandelions as Food & Medicine blog post. Sign up for our newsletter to get more gardening tips, product updates, & a 10% off coupon on your first order of canning labels in our shop. Follow our Foraged Food & Wild Edibles Recipes Pinterest Board Have you ever made Violet Jelly or other flower recipes? If so, we'd love to hear about your foraging & cooking experiences in the comments blow.
Comfrey (Symphytum officinale) is a perennial wildflower that blooms in late spring. The tiny purple flowers resemble those of bluebells.
Winter foraging may seem difficult, but there are actually quite a few things that you may find. Learn about what to forage in winter!
These top 10 herbs will add flavor to your favorite dishes
Spring is a great time for foraging! Learn what to forage in spring with this list of 20 edible and medicinal plants and fungi. Spring foraging is fun!
Scientific name: Arctium lappa. Two related species, A. minus and A. tomentosum are also sometimes used for medicinal purposes. Common Names: Burdock, greater burdock, great thistle, beggar’s button’s, Grosse Klette (German), niu bang zi (Chinese), gobo (Japanese), woowong (Korean). Distribution and Habitat: Burdock is native to Europe and Asia and has now spread worldwide in temperate zones. It is used in traditional Chinese, Korean, and European herbalism has developed independently in these different cultures. It was well-known to common people in Britain. The 17th-century physician Nicholas Culpeper described several uses of burdock, including treating ulcers, sores, and even dog bites!
