Edible wild plants for January

It's surprising what edible wild plants you can find to eat in the winter months. Here are some plants to look for in January, many can be found even with snow on the ground.

Beech nuts

This year was a mast year for beech and we still have a lot of fresh beech nuts sitting on the ground. There is nothing left on the trees now except the spiky empty husks. Flocks of chaffinches swoop down and forage for the nuts on the driveway. The nuts themselves are surprisingly fresh and clean once the leathery skins have been removed. We've dried a bucketful for future use and left the rest for the wildlife.

Crab apples

 
Crab apples, softened by the winter frosts, are still sitting on the crab apple tree. Apart from eating the odd one or two when passing, we haven't used them this year preferring to leave them for the birds. Large flocks of fieldfare periodically gather on the branches for two or three hours, chattering away to each other, eating their fill, before they fly off to pastures new.

It's been a mild winter so far where we are and we can still find the odd patch of nettles with green leaves attached to the top of the plant. Most of the leaves are, however, going black and are largely inedible. We've taken a few for tea or a green smoothie but generally, they are quite strong tasting and we prefer to wait for the spring growth.

Smooth sow thistle

The best crunchy green and mild-tasting greens in January can be found on the smooth sow thistle plant. Even when the snow is falling, this hardy little chap can be found with fresh edible leaves. Allow plants to self-seed and there will be more where they came from next winter.

Chickweed

Chickweed is still growing in the polytunnel. It comes up as regular as clockwork and can be relied upon for fresh salad greens at any time of the year. Only when the temperature dropped to minus double figures (celsius) did we lose it one year. However, it was back in spring. We let it grow around the base of cabbages, kale, tomatoes and other plants.

It makes good ground cover and will readily self-seed. You can buy seeds if you don't have any of this very useful low growing plant. It has mild-tasting leaves which can be stripped from the stringy stems and used as a lettuce substitute.

Wild cabbage

Wild cabbage is, of course, a perennial hardy plant that can be foraged for, or grown as you would any other cultivated cabbage. We always grow it rather than forage for it as it can't be found in the wild where we live.

Common sorrel leaves will also be available for picking. The tart lemon-flavoured leaves a refreshing addition to salads. A more bitter taste can be found with dandelion leaves but they are usually not as plentiful as during the spring and summer months. Look out for their bright yellow flowers in the spring and add them to salads. Don't forget to leave some for the bees and other pollinating insects.

For hot peppery flavoured leaves lookout for bittercress. It often comes up at the side of paths and driveways and sometimes in the polytunnel where we leave it until it is a good size and then add to salads to give them a kick.

Rosehips

The occasional rosehip can still be found on the rose bushes but most were picked earlier on after the first frosts. They are a good source of vitamin C for the winter. Split the softened red skin and scoop out the seed. Further information on processing this fruit can be found on the dog rose page. Don't eat the little tiny hairs, they are an irritant!

Sweet chestnut (Castanea sativa)

Sweet chestnut (Castanea sativa) is a deciduous tree from the Fagaceae family. It is also known as European chestnut. It is native to Southern Europe, Asia and North Africa. Probably brought to the British Isles by the Romans, the sweet chestnut has naturalised here. The Romans regarded the tree very highly and it is said that armies marched on sweet chestnut porridge. China is now the largest supplier of chestnuts in the world. Very popular in Britain, the seed, which are called 'chestnuts' or 'sweet chestnuts', are gathered in the autumn and either eaten raw or, more commonly, roasted in an open fire or a brazier.

Sweet chestnut (Castanea sativa) seed. Image: Kostanj

 
Growing methods

Sow fresh seed immediately either in pots or a seed bed, undercover or outside. Do not let the seed dry out or it will not germinate. Seeds germinate in late winter or early spring. Plant saplings out in the summer or autumn and provide some protection from any harsh winter weather in their first year. Choose a dry sunny spot. Sweet chestnut are very drought tolerant.

Sweet chestnut (Castanea sativa) leaves. Image: Karduelis

The sweet chestnut is a hardy tree that will grow to a height of 35 metres and have a spread of around 15 metres. It is renowned for its ability to grow to an old age. It can be grown in all types of soil, including poor soil, but prefers a well-drained situation. It flowers in July with long yellow catkins and is pollinated by bees. The seeds or 'chestnuts' ripen in October. Trees take 25-30 years from seed to produce edible the chestnuts.

Sweet chestnut (Castanea sativa) tree in flower

Other uses

The seed can be used as a starch and whitener for fabrics. The leaves and the skins of the seed can be made into a shampoo. The wood is hard, strong and light. It has a variety of uses including fence posts and basketry. It is a good source of fuel and trees can be coppiced. The leaves and bark are a good source of tannins. Sweet chestnut has a variety of herbal medicinal uses. The leaves and bark are anti-inflammatory, astringent, expectorant and tonic. There is a Bach flower remedy associated with the tree. The sweet chestnut attracts wildlife including pollinating insects, micro-moths as well as red squirrels who love to feed on the chestnuts.

An ancient coppiced tree in Surrey. Image: D. Simon

 





















Raw edible parts

The seeds or 'chestnuts' are available in the autumn in Britain and are edible raw or cooked. They have a mild, slightly sweet flavour. Make sure they are fully ripe before using. Chestnuts can be found on the ground under the tree after blustery weather. Look for the open greeny/brown spiky burrs. Remove the outer burr but keep the brown leathery inner skin on until right before you want to use them otherwise they will dry out. The brown shells that are glossy and feel heavy are the best. The brown leathery skin can be softened in a bowl of hot water. Removing both husks and skins are a challenge! After removing the leathery brown skin, you will come across the soft inner skin, called the pellicle. This needs to be scraped off because it is quite astringent. Chestnuts are creamy white and crunchy. Traditionally they are baked, toasted or boiled in their leathery skins. Rich in carbohydrates, they can be dried and ground down to be used as a flour. The roasted seed can be used as a coffee substitute (as can many other seeds and roots). A sugar can be extracted from the seed. The seed can be pickled or preserved. It is often made into a stuffing and used at Christmas.

Chestnuts hanging on the tree. Image R. Illes

Issues

Don't mistake a horse chestnut tree (Aesculus hippocastanum), which produces 'conkers' which are not edible, for a sweet chestnut tree (Castanea sativa) which produces 'chestnuts'!

The Best Edible Wild Plants in Britain

 Free excerpt

 CHAPTER 1: Introduction

This book contains plants that I found in my garden which tasted good and were fairly easy to use. Since there are so many edible wild plants available I wanted to list those that I use most often to help others make the transition to eating wild plants much easier. There are a lot of plants that you can eat but, to be brutally honest, there are some that you really wouldn't want to!

I initially found these plants in my suburban garden in the south east of England and more recently on the land of a small holding in rural Scotland. I realise I am quite lucky in that my current foraging area is large and contains a variety of habitats including woodland with mature beech trees, moorland with gorse and a riparian area where I can find plants like marsh pennywort. However, most of the plants I use regularly are actually found near the house.

Looking close to home for your plants will encourage regular use. If you have to make a 50 mile round trip every time you want to eat a wild plant, you will soon tire of the whole foraging thing whether you like doing it or not. The easier you make the job of wild foraging the better. So remember the three 'F's: Forage From your Front door.

The first place to look for wild plants is always always always in your own garden. If you haven't got a garden, try those of your neighbours, relatives or friends. Most will be eternally grateful if you remove what they consider to be weeds. I'll go with the assumption that you've got yourself a garden. If you're looking out the window at this garden and the grass is mown short, the flower beds only contain flowers recently planted from the garden centre and there isn't a dandelion in sight, do not despair. Hope and wild plants spring eternal!

The first thing you need is a little time to let the wild plants grow and to learn to go a little bit wild in your mind. The most important thing is to let go of social conventions and brace yourself for any strange looks or comments from the neighbours. Even today, with all our talk of being green and looking after the planet, copious amounts of weed killer and slug pellets are still the norm. People simply refuse to let wild plants grow and generally try to make their gardens look like the inside of their house; all clean and tidy. Everything in a garden should not be shoved away, swept up and wiped down.

If you have an immaculate garden and are worried that you will never be able to find anything to eat, all is not lost. Remember how those so-called weeds kept coming back even though they were relentlessly removed? Week after week they kept coming up especially in the summer. It was a nightmare wasn't it?! That is all about to change. Now you need to look on these plants as a good rather than a bad thing. You need to stop weeding. It can be done in stages to ease you into it without too much anxiety. Begin by leaving a couple of metres at the end of the back garden to go wild. You could then move on to any formal beds you have. The ultimate challenge is probably letting the lawn grow. It's not easy to do, especially in a residential area where the pressure is on to give all lawns a number one buzz cut. This probably doesn't need to be said but do keep in mind that these plants are not only good for you, they are also good for wildlife.

The first time I let my front lawn grow instead of mowing it was over ten years ago and it was a very hair raising experience. It already contained a lot of plants other than grass because my dad never used weed killer on the lawn in 60 years. I think he resented paying for the weed killer rather than objecting to the danger of using chemicals! Anyway, I knew the plants were there. Hell, I could see them. Tiny little leaves that belonged to plants which hadn't been allowed to grow to their full potential in years!

The house was detached and the front lawn quite large. More importantly everyone in the neighbourhood could easily see it. Could I do it? Yes, but it took a while to pluck up the courage. Quite a few plants came up in that first showing including yarrow, clover, hawkweed, daisy, violets, cat's ear, ox eye daisies and the ubiquitous dandelion. The latter probably caused my neighbours more stress than anything else because I knew they really didn't want the dandelion seeds floating away on the wind and seeding their immaculate lawns which only contained one species ie. grass.

As a concession to the neighbours' nerves, the lawn was cut once the flowers got to the point of seeding. On a few occasions it didn't get mowed in time, I snuck out in the early hours of the morning and removed the seed 'clocks' by hand, shoving them unceremoniously into a polythene bag before ducking back in the front door. The neighbours, give them their due, didn't utter a word about the dandelions but I just knew they were relieved when I finally moved out.

If you can't find what you are looking for you can buy seeds, plug plants and larger potted plants from specialist nurseries on line. Do not shy away from growing your own foraging. It is not unnatural or something to be ashamed of. Search online for native wild flower sellers or organic herb nurseries as a starting point. I began sowing chickweed seed in my polytunnel for a fresh supply of wild salad greens. Once it became established I didn't need to do a thing. Chickweed self seeds readily and will come up quickly. It is one way of getting a reliable supply of fresh salad greens throughout the year.

While this book lists the wild plants I use, you will inevitably find others. I could list them all but the list is long and others have already completed this labour of love. Look out for blogs like Raw Edible Plants or organisations like Plants for a Future who maintain a wonderful online database of useful plants including how to identify them and eat them. This book, therefore, is not a comprehensive listing of edible wild plants but a starting point for your edible journey. Perhaps, if you are already on this journey, you will find a few things to add to your knowledge base. There are a great deal of wild plant enthusiasts around these days. They have books, blogs and online videos espousing recipes and recommended ways of using wild plants. Round of applause to them all. Be sure to check them out.

The following chapters comprise of plants that are relatively easy to find and don't take too much processing to make into something half decent to eat or drink. I've started off with the ones that are easier to find and that you might know already. As with all wild edible plants, check the Latin name when identifying them rather than use the common name as this is more accurate. Enjoy!

 CHAPTER 2: Stinging nettles

The stinging nettle (Urtica dioica) is one of my favourite plants because it screams 'stay away' and yet is one of the most useful plants found in temperate regions of the world. An herbaceous perennial from the Urticaceae family, it is known by many different common names throughout the world such as leaf nettle, common nettle, burn nettle, burn weed, burn hazel or just plain 'nettle'.

Robe up before you go in search of this little beauty. Any flesh showing will almost certainly come into contact with the tiny hairs made of silica called trichomes that break off easily dispersing a cocktail of chemicals into your body which include formic acid, histamine, acetylcholine and serotonin. These chemicals cause a stinging pain and ensure you suffer for hours afterwards with a tingly irritating numbness. Remedies for the sting include dock leaves, plantain leaves and calamine lotion but I can't guarantee any will be truly effective.

If you don't have any nettles in your garden, you can dig up a small clump of root and replant them. Nettles are considered invasive and difficult to get rid of so woe betide me for suggesting doing this. However, I don't think being labelled an 'invasive weed' is any reason not to grow a very useful edible plant. We spend far too much time eradicating plants that we should really be making use of.

Nettles grow to just over a metre in height with white to yellowish flowers but are best picked before they grow tall and flower. If you've got a good patch you can cut them down when they are about 30cm in height and let them grow again. This can be done three or four times a year or more under the right conditions. Remember the taller they get, the more tough and stringy they are. Also remember that this plant is good for wildlife attracting butterflies and moths so leave some plants to fully mature and flower. The tops of this plant will die down in the winter but it is a tough perennial and will emerge ready to go again in the spring.

The leaves, younger stems and the shoots can all be eaten raw. Use a clean glove and roll them tightly crushing them well before popping them in your mouth. This removes the sting. Other ways of removing the sting include wilting, blending, refrigerating, cooking and making a tea from them. I have to say I don't relish eating these little raw balls but prefer to add the fresh plant material to green smoothies or use to make a herbal tea. If you have any tea over it can be used as a hair rinse. My overwhelmingly favourite way of using the leaves, stems and shoots is by cooking them lightly in a little water and using like spinach. They have a nice mouth feel and are much less slimy. You can add fried onions, chickpeas and spices to make a type of spinach saag. Another age old favourite is, of course, to use nettles to make soup. A plentiful supply of nettles in your garden is a cheap and nutritious way of getting your daily greens.

Nettles have a lot of other uses. They make a good fibre which is created by stripping the outer stems. These stringy strips are then dried and spun into a yarn. Nettle yarn can then be knitted up or woven into a fabric. It is a long and somewhat fiddly process. Nettles are very beneficial medicinally but can also be used to make paper, biomass, compost/plant feed/compost activator, dye, rennet and oil.

My favourite ways to use nettle: The young leaves and stems made into a tea, added raw to green smoothies or cooked like spinach.

Self heal (Prunella vulgaris)

Self heal (Prunella vulgaris) is an herbaceous perennial plant from the mint or Lamiaceae family. It is also known as common selfheal, heal-all, sicklewort, hook heal, pickpocket, poverty pink, woundwort, carpenter's herb, brownwort, heart o' the earth, blue curls and lance selfheal. It can often be found in lawns, which is probably where most of us will find it, as well as grassland, meadows, waste ground and woodland edges. It ranges from Europe to temperate Asia and down to north Africa. It has unusual violet coloured flowers.

Self heal (Prunella vulgaris)

Growing methods

Self heal is propagated by seed or the replanting of rooted creeping stems in the spring. However, if you already have some, it will happily self seed and spread by itself. It is in flower from June to November and the seeds are shed from August to October. It will grow to between 10 - 30 cm. It attracts bees and butterflies but there is no floral scent. This plant prefers cool mild temperatures and a sunny or partially sunny spot. Plants are generally pest and disease free.

Sow seeds in the spring in trays in warm sunny place. Germination can be improved by scarifying the seeds. Seeds germinate well in a fluctuating temperature of between 20°C and 30°C. When the seedlings are large enough, pot on into larger pots and, once established, plant out into their final position. They suit most soil conditions. They may be cut back after flowering if needs be.

Other uses

Self heal has long been used in herbal medicine for an extremely wide range of ailments and is strongly anti-viral. Historically, it was used for sore throats. Please do check it out. A green dye can be obtained from the stems and flowers.

Raw edible parts

The leaves, flowers and stems can be eaten raw or cooked. They are good in salads. Alternatively, make them into a hot tea or infuse in cold water for a cold drink. They can be dried in the summer for use in the winter. Picking the flowers frequently encourages more flowers. It is considered a very safe herb. We have dried a bunch for use in the winter to guard against colds and flu. You can never have enough self heal. We love it!

Okahijiki (Salsola komarovii)

Okahijiki (Salsola komarovii) is an annual plant from the Chenopodiaceae family. A traditional oriental vegetable, it is also known as land seaweed or saltwort. Found growing wild in salty coastal marshes in Japan and coastal regions of northern China, it is has vibrant green succulent stems. It is considered to be one of Japan's oldest cultivated vegetables and is ideal for growing in the British Isles. It is one of our firm favourites.

Okahijiki (Salsola komarovii)

Okahijiki grows on land (oka) but looks like seaweed (hijiki). Its Latin name, Salsola, means salty and it is a salt-tolerant plant although it doesn't require salt water to grow!

Growing methods

This plant is very easy to grow under cover or outside in rows. It is also ideal for those with little space as it lends itself to being grown in pots. Sow seeds 5mm deep in rows 10cm apart during April to July or in early Autumn. They should come up within 7 to 10 days at around 23-26°C. Thin the rows so that plants are about 15cm apart. The thinnings can be added to salads. Plants can be grown outside or under cover such as a polytunnel or greenhouse where they thrive.

Okahijiki (Salsola komarovii) growing in a polytunnel

Although Okahijiki usually grows in salt water areas in the wild, it doesn't need this to survive and will grow perfectly well in potting compost or garden soil. It does, however, need sun so make sure it has a sunny spot. Ensure it is kept moist and try not to let it dry out. It will grow up to 30cm high and can be picked right up until flowering time. It begins flowering when the days shorten. It can be grown under cover in the winter but won't tolerate frosts. We didn't have any pest or disease problems with it.

Raw edible parts

The juicy crisp leaves have a lovely crunchy fresh texture and are edible raw or cooked. The raw leaves have a slightly peppery/salty flavour. They can be lightly steamed, used in a stir fry, added to noodle soups, vegan sushi rolls or pickled. They make a great garnish. Seedlings can be harvested for micro greens or the more mature leaves cut later on.

The younger shoots are more tender. The older main stems do become woody. This plant can be cut several times during the growing season and will sprout up again. Use scissors to snip off the shoots. A similar plant, Salsola soda, can be used in the same way.

Don't forget our native wild marsh samphire (Salicornia europaea) found in coastal areas in Britain. This can also be home grown. Check out our blog for details.

Primrose (Primula vulgaris)

Primrose (Primula vulgaris) is a hardy herbaceous perennial plant from the Primulaceae family. It is also known as common primrose and English primrose. It can be found in woodland areas, hedgerows, banks, meadows and gardens. It is native to North West Asia, North Africa and Europe including the British Isles.

Primrose (Primula vulgaris) on the hedge bank by Tony Atkin

One of the first blooms of spring, this fragrant flower is traditionally yellow in colour with a deep yellow centre but can also be white, pink or mauve too. Garden hybrids exist in all sorts of colours.

Growing methods

Primrose can be propagated by seed and division in the autumn or early spring. Seeds are difficult to germinate and require a period of cold stratification to break the dormancy. This can be artificially induced by placing seeds (in compost) in the fridge for 4 weeks. Otherwise, sow in the autumn in trays and cover with a thin layer of compost. Sow plenty of seed to ensure at least some germinate. Seeds should germinate, after the period of cold, in the spring. Plant out in their final position in the spring or autumn.

Primroses form clumps of rosettes which can be teased apart and replanted. This is best carried out after the plant has flowered during spring (but can also be during the winter months).

Seeds ripen in June and are dispersed by wildlife.

Other uses

Primrose is seldom used in herbal medicine today. However, it was once used for muscular rheumatism, gout, back pain, headaches and as a wormer, amongst other things. It is antispasmodic, anthelmintic, astringent, anti-inflammatory and emetic.
This is a good ground cover plant. It is ideal for planting in cottage gardens and wild areas. It can be used to under plant shrubs or be grown in containers. It is great for wildlife as it is pollinated by bees, moths and butterflies.

Raw edible parts

The sweet flowers and wrinkly leaves are edible raw or cooked. The younger leaves are better as they can become quite tough. The flowers and leaves can be used to make a tea. The flowers can be crystallised as cake decorations. In times gone by, and when there were far more in number than there are now, huge quantities of primroses were picked to make vinegar and wine. It is one of the few edible leaves available throughout the winter months.

Issues

Some people may be allergic to primrose.

Dog violet (Viola canina)

Dog violet (Viola canina) is a low growing herbaceous perennial from the Violaceae family. Native to Europe and the British Isles, it is also known as heath dog violet or heath violet. It can be found in meadows, grasslands, hedgerows, woodlands, heath, dunes and fens.

Dog violet (V. canina) flower and leaf with 1cm scaling

Dog violet has declined in number since the 1950s due mainly to habitat loss, drainage and agricultural improvement, over and under-grazing and possible hybridisation with other Viola species.

Growing methods

Dog violet can be propagated by seed sowing or division. Sow seed in the autumn in a cold frame. When the seedlings are large enough prick them out. Plant them in their final position during the summer months. To divide the plants, wait until the plants have flowered or the autumn. If the divided plants are quite small use individual pots to grow them on and then plant them out the following spring or summer. Otherwise they can simply be placed in their final position.

Dog violet (V. canina) in flower

Dog violet prefers acid soils and will grow from 5 - 15 cm in height. Plants produce a pretty pale blue or white flower which is in flower from April to August. It has a longer flowering period than the sweet violet (Viola odorata). The flowers are scentless, generally larger than those of the sweet violet, not only paler in colour, but like most purple flowers, occasionally varying to white. 

Dog violet (V. canina) after flowering

Plants may vary depending on where they are grown. The leaves are heart-shaped and with serrated edges. They are ordinarily, like the stems, quite smooth, while in the sweet violet we often get them more or less covered with soft hairs. The flowering stems are at first short but lengthen as time goes on.

Other uses

The flowers and leaves are used in herbal medicine.

Raw edible parts

The young leaves and flower buds are edible raw or cooked. They are mucilaginous and will thicken dishes. A tea can be made from the leaves. As a point of interest, the leaves and flowers of all members of the viola genus are generally thought to be edible.

Yarrow (Achillea millefolium)

Yarrow (Achillea millefolium) is a hardy herbaceous perennial belonging to the Asteraceae family. It has many common names including common yarrow, millefoil, sneezewort, bloodwort, carpenter's weed, staunchweed, soldier's woundwort, thousand leaf and millefoil.

Yarrow flowers (Achillea millefolium) by Alberto Salguero

Yarrow, with its fern-like leaves and clusters of white or pink flowers (called a corymb), is native to the temperate Northern Hemisphere including the British Isles. It is found in lawns, grassland areas, meadows, pasture, banks and hedgerows. It has been used in herbal medicine for thousands of years and is a very valuable plant. This is one you just have to add to your garden.

Growing methods

Plants can be propagated by seed, cuttings or division. Sow the seed in spring or autumn. Seed will typically germinate within 3 months. When seedlings are large enough pot them on to a larger container and plant out during the summer. To take cuttings, place 8 cm softwood cuttings in pots in a propagator or cold frame in the spring, keeping cuttings warm and out of direct sunlight. Rooting should take place within a few weeks. Place rooted plants in their final position in the summer. Division can be carried out on mature clumps during the spring or autumn. Water the plant first to enable easy removal. Use a fork and tease the roots apart.

Soft fern-like young yarrow leaves

White or pink flowers appear from June to October. Plants grow to around 60-70 cm in height. Yarrow is pollinated by insects and is known for attracting wildlife including butterflies and bees. It is ideal for a cottage garden or a wild flower border. Wherever you grow it, it will probably do well. It will grow in full sun or semi-shade but prefers dry or moist soil. It will tolerate drought and maritime exposure. It is great for ground cover since it grows vigorously and spreads quickly. It can also be grown in pots. There are all sorts of recommendations regarding tending to the plant, such as cutting it down in the autumn before they set seed, dividing the clumps every few years, but we like to just leave it to do its own thing. Yarrow is generally problem-free with regards pests and diseases. Some would call it invasive. We would never think of doing this!

Prof. Dr. Otto Wilhelm Thomé Flora von Deutschland, Österreich und der Schweiz 1885

 

Other uses

Yarrow is highly beneficial to health and has been widely used in herbal medicine for thousands of years, internally and externally, and for a wide range of disorders. For home use, the leaves can easily be made into a tea, along with elder flowers (Sambucus niger) and peppermint leaves (Mentha x piperita vulgaris), and used as a remedy for colds and flu. The leaves can be used instead of hops to flavour and preserve alcohol such as beer. Yarrow can be used to make a liquid plant feed and is an ingredient of the Quick Return herbal compost activator, used to promote bacterial activity, and commonly used in compost heaps. It is also useful plant for erosion control due to the well developed but shallow root system and will improve soil fertility. A green and yellow dye can be made from the flowers.

 

Issues

There is a warning about using this plant continually for long periods of time. It may cause an allergic reaction or photosensitivity in some people. Always check with a qualified herbalist if using for medicinal purposes to be on the safe side.

Raw edible parts

The leaves can be eaten raw or cooked. However, cooking yarrow does impart a bitterness to the food. Even though they are a little bitter, the leaves can be added to salads in small amounts which is one of our favourite ways of using it. A herbal tea can be made from the flowers and leaves which is the second one of our favourite ways of using it! We often mix it with elder flowers, nettle and mint for a refreshing brew. An essential oil can be obtained from the flowers. Yarrow can be dried when the plant is almost, but not quite, in flower and saved for later use.

Wild strawberry (Fragaria vesca)

Wild strawberry (Fragaria vesca) is a perennial herbaceous plant belonging to the Rosaceae family. Other common names include alpine strawberry, woodland strawberry, Carpathian strawberry, European strawberry and fraisier des bois. It is commonly found throughout the Northern Hemisphere in woodland, hedgerows, grassy banks and grassland areas. The earliest archeological evidence of wild strawberries in Britain was during the Mesolithic (Middle Stone Age).

Wild strawberry (Fragaria vesca) fruit

Plants are very similar to the cultivated garden varieties (Fragaria x ananassa) but the fruit is very much smaller, produces a distinctive perfume and an intensely rich flavour.

Growing methods

Plants produce creamy white flowers in May to June and deep red fruit from June to September. They are one of the first fruits to ripen in the wild. They enjoy moist positions and are hardy but will grow in full sun and partial shade. They prefer alkaline soil and do well in a chalky areas. Wild strawberries, if left to their own devices in an area they like, will do very well without any intervention. In fact, this is why we like wild plants so much. They are not delicate and don't, generally, require a lot of fuss. Given half a chance they will colonise a crack in the pavement and often grow in very little soil.

Wild strawberry (Fragaria vesca) in flower

Wild strawberries propagate in the wild by seed dispersal and there are around 150 seeds (called achenes) on the outer surface of each fruit. Plants also spread prolifically by runners and these are one of the easiest ways of propagating the wild strawberry for home use.

To grow from seed, sow the tiny seed in pots or trays under cover. Be careful not to lose them due to heavy watering. Spread a fine layer of compost over the seed, water carefully and keep at a constant 15-21°C for successful germination within two to three weeks. Once the seedlings are large enough, pot them on into large containers and harden them off. Place in their final growing position as soon as possible.

To grow from runners (stolens), remove runners from the plant during early summer onwards and plant in a pot or final growing position. As with cultivated strawberries they can be fed a high potash fertiliser to improve yield and the fruit packed underneath with straw to protect whilst ripening. However, the fruit does tend to sit high on the plants and so naturally protects itself, although perhaps not from birds and animals. Plants grow to around 20 cm in height and with a 30cm spread.

You can also buy wild strawberry plug plants online.

Other uses

The leaves, roots and fruit have many medicinal uses. Plants are ideal for ground cover in a forest garden or any other garden, as they spread readily using runners. The fruit has been used as a teeth cleaner and whitener.

Issues

The wild strawberry (Fragaria vesca) is not to be confused with the barren strawberry (Potentilla sterilis). The latter has darker leaves and hairs on the underside that stand erect. The hairs on the leaves of the wild strawberry lay flat.

Raw edible parts

The fruit, leaves and flowers are edible raw or cooked. The fruit can be used to make jam, preserves and sauces. The leaves (the younger the better) are mild in flavour and can be used in salads. They have also traditionally been used as a pot herb. Leaves can also be used to make a black tea or a green tea.

The root has been used as a coffee substitute but we haven't tried this. Wild strawberries don't produce a lot of root so unless you have a lot of plants to spare it might be better leaving the plants for the leaves and fruit rather than destroying the plant for the root. A particularly good coffee substitute can be made from dry roasted dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) root. The good thing about dandelions is that they easily regenerate from a small piece of root so if you leave some behind they will keep growing!

As a point of interest, all Rosa species have edible fruit and most, if not all, species have edible flowers.

Red dead nettle (Lamium purpureum)

Red dead nettle (Lamium purpureum) belongs to the Lamiaceae or mint family. Other common names include purple dead nettle, purple archangle, red henbit and French nettle. It is a hardy herbaceous annual native to Europe and Asia.

Red dead nettle (Lamium purpureum)

This useful little plant can be found in fertile cultivated ground such as gardens, roadside verges, hedgerows, meadows and at the edge of woodlands. Although it looks very similar to the stinging nettle (Urtica dioica), it isn't related and certainly won't sting. The word 'dead' in the name refers to this fact.

Growing methods

Red dead nettle is easily grown from seed which can be sown at any time of the year but probably best in spring or autumn for over wintering. Sow in situ in fertile soil that has been raked to a fine tilth. Cover the seed lightly with soil. Germination takes between 20 and 60 days at around 17-20°C. Red dead nettle prefers full sun or partial shade and a sheltered position. It will grow in most types of moist well-drained soil.

Red dead nettle (Lamium purpureum)

The upper leaves are a reddish colour and the stem is square, as is common with other dead nettle species. The flowers come in various shades of pink colour. Flowering begins in March and goes on until October. Seeds are produced from April to November. This plant will reach a height of around 30 cm and spreads to about 18 cm wide. It self seeds freely so once you have it, you are likely to keep it, which is a good thing. If the plants are cut back, they will regrow so you can use it as a cut-and-come-again plant.

Other uses

Red dead nettle is a plant which attracts wildlife including pollinating insects. It is an important source of nectar for bees and butterflies early and late in the year. Ants eat the elaisosome, which is a little white fleshy part attached to the seed. Once eaten, the seed is discarded and thus these industrial little ants help with seed dispersal. Red dead nettle is an excellent ground cover plant for a forest (or any) garden. The plant has medicinal properties and has long been used in folk medicine.

Red dead nettle (Lamium purpureum) leaf

Raw edible parts

The tops and leaves of the younger plants are edible raw and can be used in salads or smoothies. They can also be used to make a herbal tea. Cooked, the leaves are used in stir fries or soups and the plant was traditionally used as a pot herb. The leaves are available at most times of the year, often in the winter which makes this a very useful source of green leaves.

Navelwort (Umbilicus rupestris)

Navelwort (Umbilicus rupestris) is an evergreen perennial plant from the stonecrop or Crassulaceae family. Other common names include pennywort, wall pennywort, penny pies, corn leaves and Venus's navel. It is native to the British Isles (mainly in western regions), Europe, North Africa and the Mediterranean. It can be found in damp acid conditions, often in rock crevices, on walls or steep banks.

Growing methods

Navelwort is easy to grow. Plants can be propagated from seed, plant division in the spring or from leaf cuttings. To propagate from seed, sow in the spring in trays using a seed compost. Barely cover the seed in with soil. When the seedlings are large enough to handle, place in larger pots and plant out into a permanent position during the summer.

Navelwort flowers are bell-shaped and pendant. They can be seen from June to August. The flowers sit on a thick upright spike. They are usually yellow or green, sometimes with a pinky tinge. The roots are shallow and easily damaged. Navelwort is in leaf all year round, grows to about 25cm in height and is hardy to about -15°C. Seeds ripen from July to September. This plant prefers damp well-drained soil in the sun or light shade.

Other uses

It has been used as a remedy in homeopathic and herbal medicine. Bartram's Encyclopedia of Herbal Medicine reports is as having an anodyne and demulcent action.

Navelwort (Umbilicus rupestris) in flower

 




















Issues

Pennywort (Umbilicus rupestris) is not Asiatic pennywort (Centella asiatica) which is used in Asian medicine.

Raw edible parts

Navelwort is a fleshy hairless plant. The leaves are scalloped at the edges and have a dimple or navel in the middle where the stem is attached. They are very distinctive and easy to recognise. Since the roots are so shallow and fragile, the plant can be easily dislodged. It is wise to use a small pair of scissors to snip off the leaves and be careful not to take too many from each plant.

The leaves are edible raw or cooked.  They are great for salads being crunchy and usually mild in flavour. The flavour becomes a little stronger as the season progresses and can occasionally be slightly bitter depending on where the plant has grown.