Happy Weed Appreciation Day!  No, we’re not talking about the stuff people smoke, or use to spike the infamous brownies.  We’re talking about weeds – those plants that grow all on their own in your yard or area.  Some people refer to these plants as “volunteers”  because they “volunteer” to grow.  That carries a much more positive connotation than “weeds,”  which tends to make us think of “plants we want to get rid of because we didn’t choose them, we think they’re ugly, or they grow too easily.”

What a sad way to think about weeds, when many of these plants are extremely useful!

“See, I have given you every herb that yields seed which is on the face of all the earth, and every tree whose fruit yields seed; to you it shall be for food.”  – God  (Gen. 1:29)

In case, like me, you’re pretty new to wildcrafting/foraging, here are a few foods (or medicines) you might not have known you had growing in your garden, yard, or neighborhood.

Dandelion

The flowers, greens, and roots of this prolific weed are all edible.  The greens are most often used as traditional salad greens would be.  The blossoms are often used as fritters.

Need more recipes?  Check out this collection from About.com, or here at Yummly.

Plantain

I didn’t even realize I had plantain in my yard until my daughter pointed it out.  (She went on some sort of nature hike and learned some things a couple summers ago.)  Not to be confused with the fruit plantain, which is related to bananas, this is a green leafy lawn-type plant.

I don’t know whether many people eat plantain, per se, but it’s a highly useful herb.  Its best-known use is as a topical treatment for skin problems, such as insect bites or stings.  The greens can be eaten, though.  Another interesting tidbit, according to Wikipedia, is that psyllium husks come from a variety of plantain.

Plantain Pesto

Jewelweed

Jewelweed is most often used as a remedy for poison ivy.  I’m told that it frequently grows alongside poison ivy but, honestly, as far as I’m aware I’ve only ever seen the plant once in my life.  It’s sometimes called touch-me-not, because when the seed pods ripen, they explode readily, scattering their contents.  (Note that the color of the flowers may vary.)

You can use it as a treatment for poison ivy by crushing the leaves and rubbing them on the affected skin.  Or you can make a tea (decoction) of the leaves and either drink it (which is said to be prophylactic against poison ivy reactions) or freeze it into ice cubes and use them to soothe the itch.

However, I have also read that Jewelweed tea can be emetic (induce vomiting), so it may not be something you want to experiment with.  Probably safer to stick with external uses.

Cattail

Everyone knows cattails.  They grow in marshy areas, and they’re so distinctive in appearance there’s no confusing them with anything else.  (There are some poisonous plants that may be mistaken for cattail if you’re looking only for the leaves, etc.  But nothing has a seed head like the cattail’s, so as long as that corn-dog-shaped head is visible, you’re good to go.)  What you may not know is that pretty much every part of the cattail is usable.

Cattail flour is extracted by breaking up the root under water to rinse the starch free from the fibers.  The starch slurry is then allowed to dry for use.  Please note that at least one source I found says that cattail flour contains gluten.

Find recipes here, here, and here.

Pine

You might be surprised at what can be eaten from your backyard pine tree.  That you can eat the pine nuts is probably not surprising, as pine nuts are frequently found at the grocery store.  But did you know you can also consume pine pollen, and drink pine needle tea?  There is a ton of information at those links (and linked from those pages), so I’ll leave you with those.

But don’t forget that pine cones make great craft materials, too.  (And the small twigs, once dry, are some of the best tinder available!)

Rose Hips

You may or may not have realized that roses fruit.  Some ornamental varieties don’t produce as large a fruit as heirloom varieties, so they aren’t very obvious.  But they do produce fruit; these fruits are known as “rose hips.”

The hips are high in vitamin C.  They’re often used for making tea, but that’s not their only use.  Rose hip jelly is another common application.  Check here for a list of links to recipes.

Cautions

There is the standard disclaimer that I’m not a medical professional (nor an expert forager), so all of this should be considered educational only, and not for the purposes of diagnosis/treatment of anything.  You know the drill.

Be sure to stop and think, though, and use common sense when foraging.  Don’t consume plants that have been treated with pesticides (unless, of course, they’re food-safe).  Use caution in locations where toxins may have run off – for instance, near roadways where gasoline and other auto-related substances may have run off the road, or near waterways that might be contaminated.  Also, be sure if you’re foraging on private property that you have permission!

More Information

Foraging can be a fantastic way to find free food (good for the budget!) and to avoid wasting resources.  But most of us – myself included – aren’t knowledgeable enough to make as full a use of this opportunity as we otherwise might.  In that spirit, here are some resources that can help you identify edible and/or medicinal plants.  (Don’t forget to check Pinterest, too!  Search for terms like “foraging,”  “wildcrafting,” or “wild edible” to find Pins – or whole boards of Pins – leading to educational pages.)

This post is being shared at Small Footprint Friday, Simply Natural Saturday, Natural Living Monday, Mostly Homemade Mondays, Thriving on Thursdays, Proverbs 31 Thursdays, Green Thumb Thursday, Fresh Foods Wednesday, Wildcrafting Wednesday, Penny Pinching Party, Waste Not Want Not Wednesdays.