Maid To Garden

In The Garden Of Good Living - April 2011 - Native Plants: Good For Birds, Butterflies, & Us Too
by Pat Hendrickson

Often in this column the virtues of native plants are extolled. They are more vigorous and hardier because they are perfectly suited to this climate. And they are especially lovely for those of us who like to watch the birds and butterflies they attract. Another benefit is that some of them are edible.

Native herbs and plants may not cure all that ails us. Some of us probably need more help than they can provide. But let's not go there. Many are rich in vitamins, antioxidants, and other nutrients. Here are just a few native and locally common plants with some of their uses in the kitchen.

Bee Balm - flowers & leaves - used in tea for flu & cold symptoms
Boneset - flowers & leaves - used in tea for flu & cold symptoms
Day Lily - buds, flowers & leaves - cooked greens or raw in salads
Dandelion - leaves - cooked greens or raw in salads
Echinacea - leaves - used in tea for flu & cold symptoms
Henbit - buds, flowers & leaves - cooked greens or raw in salads
Jerusalem Artichoke - tubers (after frost) raw in salads, cooked as vegetable, pickled
Milkweed - buds, flowers & leaves - cooked greens or raw in salads
Plantain - leaves - cooked greens or raw in salads
Pokeweed - shoots, stalks, or leaves - cooked greens or raw in salads
Prickly Pear - pads cooked as a vegetable, fruits raw or candied
Queen Anne's Lace - early roots - raw or cooked (part of the carrot family)
Sassafras - leaves - dried for seasoning, small roots dried for candy flavoring or tea
Violets - flowers - candied, or raw in salads, cooked greens or in soups

Some things to remember about edible plants:

When picking plants growing in the wild, be sure you are on your own property or have permission to do so.

When picking wild plants make sure that they are not even remotely in range of roads, fields, or gardens, where herbicides and insecticides are used. These are very toxic.

Treat wild plants the way you would produce from the store or garden. Rinse thoroughly with cold water, pat them dry with a paper towel or clean dish cloth, refrigerate, & use within the next few days

There are some native mushrooms on Delmarva. But get professional training on identifying mushrooms before eating, picking, or growing any mushrooms. The wrong variety can be quite poisonous.

As in all things medicinal, if you are trying a wild plant for its curative effects don't throw away your prescriptions or mix herbal remedies with them unless first checking with a medical professional.

Use a good field guide with plant photographs before picking any wild plants to eat or use in herbal remedies. The wrong plant might have an ill effect.

GARDENER'S PLANNER