Showing posts with label Salad. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Salad. Show all posts

Alyssum

Scientific Name(s): Lobularia maritima
Abundance: common
What: seeds, flowers
How: raw
Where: flower beds, landscaping
When: Fall, Winter, Spring
Nutritional Value: Vitamins, minerals, phyto-compounds,
Dangers: beware of pesticides

Leaf Arrangement: Leaves are arranged alternately along the stem.

Leaf Shape: The leaves are linear to lanceolate, usually measuring 1 to 2 inches long.

Leaf Venation: Venation is not prominent, with the leaf structure being simple and undivided.

Leaf Margin: Margins are entire, meaning they are smooth and unbroken.

Leaf Color: Leaves are typically a gray-green to bright green color.

Flower Structure: Flowers are small with have 4 petals. Blossom grow in dense clusters at the ends of stems.

Flower Color: Commonly white, although some cultivars may display pink or lavender hues.

Fruit: The fruit is a small silique (a type of dry seed capsule).

Seed: Seeds are tiny and contained within the siliques.

Stem: Stems are slender and branching, creating a mat-like or slightly mounded form.

Hairs: Leaves and stems are often finely hairy.

Height: The plant typically grows to a height of 6 to 12 inches.


Alyssum flowers in a flower bed.
AlyssumFlowers1

Close-up of flower and seed pods.
AlyssumFlower3

Close-up of flower.
AlyssumFlower2

North American distribution, attributed to U. S. Department of Agriculture.
Alyssum

People are surprised to learn sweet alyssum is actually a mustard (Brassica family). It's "fairy spiral" arrangement of seed pods and the four-petaled, six-stamened (4 tall, 2 short) flower are the clue. Generally considered to be a cool-weather plant, sweet alyssum is found in many flowerbeds fall to spring. Come summer’s heat they wilt and are usually removed.

While the flowers have a wonderful sweet aroma, the name "Sweet Alyssum" is somewhat misleading when it comes to flavor of raw, young, green seed pods which have the same spicy bite of other mustards. This makes them a funky replacement for radishes in a salad. They also go well with meats where one would normally add a dash of horseradish. The flowers can be eaten any time but the seed pods have the best texture/mouth-feel when still soft and green. The flavor of the leaves is unpleasant to most people but can still be cooked in the same manner as traditional mustard greens.

Warning: Beware of pesticides when harvesting sweet alyssum from flower beds, though if you are following the law you will have already talked to the owner and he/she can tell you if the bed had been sprayed.


Buy my book! Outdoor Adventure Guides Foraging covers 70 of North America's tastiest and easy to find wild edibles shown with the same big pictures as here on the Foraging Texas website.

Amaranth

Scientific name: Amaranthus spp.
Abundance: common
What: young leaves, seeds
How: Young leaves raw or cooked, seeds eaten raw, roasted or ground into flour
Where: sunny fields, disturbed areas
When: summer
Nutritional Value: Grains supply protein, calories, and minerals. Leaves vitamins A & C along with minerals calcium, iron, and phosphorous, and also fiber.

Leaf Arrangement: The leaves are alternately arranged along the stem.

Leaf Shape: Leaves are generally broad, lanceolate, or ovate, with lengths ranging from 2 to 6 inches and widths of 1 to 3 inches.

Leaf Venation: Pinnate venation exhibits well-defined veins extending from the midrib to the leaf margins.

Leaf Margin: The leaf margin is entire, displaying a smooth and continuous edge.

Leaf Color: The upper surface of the leaves is a vibrant green, while the underside may have a slightly lighter shade.

Flower Structure: Flowers are arranged in dense, elongated clusters called inflorescences, with each flower having a diameter of approximately 1/4 to 1/2 inch. Each flower has three to five petals and is located at the tips of the stems.

Flower Color: Flowers may be green, red, or purple, depending on the species, matching the foliage color.

Fruit: The fruit is a small, dry capsule containing numerous seeds, measuring around 1/8 inch in diameter.

Seed: Tiny, spherical seeds vary in color from light tan to dark brown and measure around 1/16 inch in diameter.

Stem: Sturdy and erect stem with a height ranging from 2 to 4 feet. Some species may have thorns, such as Amaranthus spinosus.

Hairs: Some amaranth species may have fine hairs on the leaves, stem, or both. Check for pubescence or trichomes, especially on the undersides of leaves.

Height: The amaranth plant typically reaches a height between 2 and 4 feet, forming a distinctive upright growth habit in the wild.


Amaranth (Amaranthus powellii)
Amaranth

Another type of amaranth.
Amaranth1

Another variation of amaranth.
Amaranth2
Amaranth1

Red amaranth (often used as decorative plant).
redamaranth1

Another amaranth.
Amaranth

Amaranth



Still more amaranths.
Amaranth

Amaranth Prostrate Pigweed IGFB4

And yet more amaranths.
Amaranth Flowers IGFB2

Amaranth Leaves IGFB15

Texas distribution, attributed to U. S. Department of Agriculture. The marked counties are guidelines only. Plants may appear in other counties, especially if used in landscaping.
AmaranthTX

North American distribution, attributed to U. S. Department of Agriculture.
Amaranth

A variety of amaranth species can be found across Texas and the South. Shapes range from prostrate, creeping vine-like weeds to striking, tall, cultivated forms. The most distinctive feature of all amaranths is their spikes of tiny, clustered flowers which are the same color as the rest of the plant. Amaranths are most commonly found in sunny, disturbed areas and wastelands such as abandoned lots and roadsides. Bright red versions are often included in landscaping.

Amaranth leaves can be eaten raw or used as a spinach substitute in any dish. The leaves are high in vitamin A & C, assorted necessary minerals and also fiber. The youngest leaves have the best flavor and texture, but even the large, old leaves can be chopped up and included in any food needing a vegetable.

Amaranth seeds are very rich in carbohydrates and up to 16% protein by weight. Better still, the seeds contain the amino acid lysine which is very rare for plants but vital for human health. A single plant can produce as many as 100,000 of these wonderful, slightly nutty-tasting seeds. They can be eaten raw but toasting and then grinding into flour releases the most nutrition. The ornamental varieties are just as productive as the wild one but are more attractive. Amaranth seeds have even been used to make a gluten-free beer.


Buy my book! Outdoor Adventure Guides Foraging covers 70 of North America's tastiest and easy to find wild edibles shown with the same big pictures as here on the Foraging Texas website.

Basswood/Linden

Scientific name: Tilia americana
Abundance: rare
What: flowers, leaves, buds, inner bark
How: leaves raw in salad, buds to nibble, flowers for tea, cambium (inner bark) raw or boiled for calories
Where: Sunny edges of woods
When: buds in late winter, young leaves spring/summer, flowers summer, cambium all year
Nutritional Value: Leaves contain vitamins and minerals, inner bark has carbohydrates
Other uses: cordage from bark, not a good firewood

Leaf Arrangement: Basswood trees typically have alternate leaf arrangement along the branches.

Leaf Shape: Leaves are generally large, heart-shaped, with lengths ranging from 4 to 6 inches.

Leaf Venation: Prominent veins are visible on the leaves, contributing to their overall structure.

Stem Characteristics: The stems are usually slender, and the trunk can reach diameters of 2 to 4 feet.

Flower Cluster: Basswood trees produce fragrant, pendulous clusters of small, pale-yellow to cream-colored flowers in late spring or early summer.

Flower Structure: Individual flowers are small and have five petals. Flowers can be around 0.2 to 0.3 inches in size.

Seed: The seed is enclosed in a papery wing, forming a structure known as a samara. The wings can measure around 1 to 2 inches in length, looking like a leaf. A several seed capsule pairs, all branching from a single stem, dangle down from the leaf-like wing.

Seed Characteristics: Seeds are small and brown, typically located at the center of the samara.

Height: Basswood trees can reach heights of 60 to 80 feet, with variations based on age and growing conditions.

Bark: The bark of young trees is smooth and light gray, becoming more furrowed and darker with age. Bark color can range from light gray to dark gray-brown.

Hairs: Young shoots and leaves may have fine hairs, but mature leaves are generally smooth. Inspect young shoots and leaf undersides for pubescence.

Fruit: The fruit consists of the winged samaras, which are produced in clusters as described above, and become tan to light brown as they mature.

Basswood tree used in urban landscaping.
Basswood

Basswood leaf and flower/nut bract (long, narrow leaf-like thing).
Basswood

Basswood flower cluster and flower bract.
BasswoodFlowers

Close-up of Basswood flowers.
BasswoodFlowers2

Basswood leaves and seedpods.
Basswood2

Basswood2

Basswood

Basswood leaves.
Basswood3

Almost-ripe Basswood nuts in the fall.
Basswood

Ripe Basswood nuts.
Basswood

Basswood bark.
BasswoodTrunk

Texas distribution, attributed to U. S. Department of Agriculture. The marked counties are guidelines only. Plants may appear in other counties, especially if used in landscaping.
BasswoodTX

North American distribution, attributed to U. S. Department of Agriculture.
Basswood

Stately basswood trees range from 60 to 120 feet tall with shallowly-furrowed, somewhat greyish bark and round crowns. There are thirty species in North America with Tilia Americana and Tilia caroliniana being the most common in Texas. Basswoods prefer loose, well-drained soil with access to moisture, in particular river flood-plains and in low areas of woods.

The sweet sap, running in the spring before the leaf buds open, can be boiled down into a syrup or just drank as-is. Be sure to sterilize your tools before using them to cut or drill into the tree to collect sap or inner bark. This reduces the chance of a fungal infection striking the basswood.

A very delicious, spicy tea is made from the small flowers of basswood trees, which appear in the spring. The flowers can also be eaten raw. Bees love these flowers and often the tree can be found just by listening for the buzz of the hundreds of bees collecting its nectar. The resulting honey has a flavor imparted from the basswood nectar.

The young leaf buds and leaves can be eaten raw and have a slightly sweet flavor similar to the flowers. These parts can also be cooked like pot-herbs.

In the fall the nuts make a good trailside nibble while hiking, but only eat the inner meat, not the nuts’ outer shells.

The calorie-rich cambium layer, just under the bark, is stripped, finely diced, and boiled into a porridge-like mush to eat any time of the year. In Europe towards the end of World War II basswood sawdust was added to bread to try and produce enough loaves to fill everyone’s belly.

This cambium layer can be used to make strong fibers that can be woven into rope, containers and crude cloth. This inner bark must be soaked for up to two weeks to rot away the majority of the plant’s cells, leaving behind just the fibers. The wood itself is great for carving and for making the body of guitars.


Buy my book! Idiots Guide Foraging covers 70 of North America's tastiest and easy to find wild edibles shown with the same big pictures as here on the Foraging Texas website.
Buy my book! Outdoor Adventure Guides Foraging covers 70 of North America's tastiest and easy to find wild edibles shown with the same big pictures as here on the Foraging Texas website.

Betony

Scientific name: Stachys floridana
Abundance: common
What: tubers, leaves, stems
How: tubers raw, cooked, or pickled; leaves & stems in tea or smoked; leaves in salad
Where: shady undergrowth, lawns
When: during cool seasons, especially winter
Nutrional value: calories from tuber, antioxidants in leaves,
Dangers: plants can reproduce from even small section of tuber making them invasive

Medicinal Summary:

Leaves/Stems/Flowers - hemostatic; reduces cold symptoms; reduces bronchial issues; improves digestion; soothes skin inflammations (tisane, smoke, poultice)

Leaf Arrangement: The leaves are arranged opposite-alternating along the stems.

Leaf Shape: The leaves are lanceolate, with a lengths of approximately 1" and widths of 3/4". Base is broader than the rounded tip.

Leaf Venation: The venation is pinnate.

Leaf Margin: The leaf margins are toothed, providing a slightly scalloped appearance.

Leaf Color: The leaves are typically green, and there may not be a significant color difference between the top and underside.

Flower Structure: The flowers are arranged in dense spikes at the tips of the stems, with individual flowers forming small, tubular structures. Each flower typically has a hood-like upper lip and a three-lobed lower lip.

Flower Color: The flowers can vary in color, commonly appearing in shades of pink, purple, or lavender.

Fruit: The fruit is a small nutlet or seed, produced after the flowering period.

Seed: Seeds are small, ovoid, and may have a brown or black color.

Stem: The stems are typically square-shaped, a characteristic feature of the mint family (Lamiaceae).

Roots: Fibrous root structure with numerous white, segmented tubers when plant is mature.

Hairs: The plant may have fine hairs on the stems or leaves, contributing to a slightly fuzzy or textured appearance.

Height: Stachys floridana can reach a height of 12"-18", depending on environmental conditions.


Young plant and immature tubers
betonytuber.jpg

Plant and edible tuber
Betony.jpg

Mature plant after it dropped its flowers in the spring.
Betony

Betony patch (plants with the purple flowers are betony)
betony2.jpg

Betony

Betony

Close-up of betony flowers.
Betony

BetonyFlower

Close-up of betony tubers. The tubers will be this large in the spring and summer.
BetonyTuber

BetonyTubers

Close-up of betony leaf. Note the square stem and the alternating, opposite leaf arrangement. These are signs of the mint family.
BetonyLeaf

BetonyCloseUp

If you have a cold, sell your coat and buy betony!
-Italian proverb

North American distribution, attributed to U. S. Department of Agriculture.
Betony

Texas distribution, attributed to U. S. Department of Agriculture. The marked counties are guidelines only. Plants may appear in other counties, especially if used in landscaping.
BetonyTX
This map is VERY incomplete. Betony appears all through Gulf & East Texas.

Large patches of betony plants can be found in local forest from mid-fall until mid/late spring. During this time the tubers are growing, reaching full size of over four inches long. Not every plant produces a tuber, you need to dig up quite a few to find them. The looser the soil the bigger the tubers will grow. These plants readily reproduce from bits of tubers and roots and so are considered to be invasive.

Betony flowers in the spring and this is a sign the plant is almost done for the year. You can eat the flowers or make a tea from them but they don't have the strong medicinal properties of the younger leaves. Usually by the time the flowers appear it's too late to harvest betony leaves.

Betony has a long history of being an herbal "magic bullet" capable of curing many ills. It's high tannic acid content helps it staunch bleeding; assorted alkaloids and antioxidants supposedly give relief from fevers and headaches along with improving overall blood circulation. In Europe it is believed to help with issues with the stomach, liver and gallbladder. It was ingested as a tea, herb, and also by both smoking and as snuff well before the arrival of tobacco.


Buy my book! Outdoor Adventure Guides Foraging covers 70 of North America's tastiest and easy to find wild edibles shown with the same big pictures as here on the Foraging Texas website.

Bittercress

Scientific Name(s): Cardamine hirsuta
Abundance: common
What: leaves
How: raw when young, cooked when older
Where: moist shaded yards, borders, and woods
When: fall, winter (in Houston), spring
Nutritional Value: Vitamins A,Bs,C,K and minerals

Medicinal Summary:
Leaves - contain lutein which is important for eye health (eaten)
Leaf Arrangement: The leaves are arranged alternately along the stem.
Leaf Shape: The leaves are pinnately compound, consisting of small, rounded, lobed leaflets. Each leaflet is approximately 0.5 to 1.5 inches in length and 0.25 to 0.75 inches in width.
Leaf Venation: The venation is pinnate, with veins running along the length of each leaflet.
Leaf Margin: The leaflets may have a toothed margin big enough to appear as lobes.
Leaf Color: The leaves are green.
Flower Structure: The flowers are small and have four petals, forming a cross-like structure. They are arranged in loose clusters at the tips of the stems.
Flower Color: The flower color is white.
Fruit: The fruit is a slender, elongated pod (silique) that develops from the flower. The grow in a spiraling pattern at the ends of stems.
Seed: Seeds are small, elongated, and can vary in color, often brown.
Stem: The stems are slender, erect, and may have fine hairs.
Hairs: Fine hairs may be present on the stems and leaves, contributing to a slightly hairy or textured appearance.
Height: Cardamine hirsuta typically grows to a height of 6 to 12 inches, with variations depending on environmental conditions.

Wood bittercress
bittercress

Bittercress

More young bittercress plants.
bittercress

Bittercress

Closeup of seed pods and flowers.
Bittercress

Close-up of seedpods.
Bittercress IGFB RPL

Bittercress Seedpods IGFB5

Texas distribution, attributed to U. S. Department of Agriculture. The marked counties are guidelines only. Plants may appear in other counties, especially if used in landscaping.
BittercressTX

North American distribution, attributed to U. S. Department of Agriculture.
Bittercress

Bittercress pops up when most everything else is brown. Look for it yards, flowerbeds and assorted border areas where low growing plants aren't swallowed up by taller stuff. I've been known to buy a potted plant on clearance just because it had some nice bittercress growing in the pot.

Bittercress comes up with a rosette of deeply lobed leaves and small, white flowers which twist up the stem like a spiral staircase. After the flowers come long, thin seedpods which explode open on touch once they've matured and turned brown.

Bittercress has a wonderful horseradish flavor that is great for spicing up sandwiches and salads. The young leaves can be eaten raw while older, larger leaves can be cooked like traditional mustard greens. The seeds are too small to be ground into a mustard-style condiment but the tender, young seedpods are as good or better than the young leaves for a raw blast of flavor.

The leaves and seedpods must be chewed for a bit for the full, powerful flavor to develop. Their taste doesn't come from chemicals found in the plant but rather from the product of these chemicals as they undergo a reaction initiated by chewing. Chewing smashes the cell walls, releasing the compounds so they can react with the oxygen and water in your mouth, resulting in the excellent horseradishy punch.

Buy my book! Outdoor Adventure Guides Foraging covers 70 of North America's tastiest and easy to find wild edibles shown with the same big pictures as here on the Foraging Texas website.

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