Despite The Cold Weather January’s Edible Wild Plant Harvest Is Plentiful If You Know Where The Search For The Plants Listed.
January’s Edible Wild Plant Harvest list is accurate in my part of the English West Country most years. But of course weather and local conditions affect availability.
Here’s my list …. but before eating any of these plants please read the Beware section at the end of the post.
Birch – Betula pendula
The twigs can be used to make a tea at this time of year. Later in the years the sap can be used to make wine, syrups and vinegar. But you need to wait until the sap is rising and not take too much sap or the tree will be damaged.
The sap of the birch tree can be tapped and fermented to make drinks, vinegar or syrups. Birch sap has been popular as a springtime drink even in times of plenty.
Hairy Bittercress – Cardamine spp.
The leaves can be eaten raw out cooked.
Burdock – Arctium spp.
The root can be cooked or eaten raw.
Cleavers – Galium aparine
Eat the fresh shoots raw or cooked. But leave enough for future months
Creeping Thistle – Cirsium arvense
Apparently the root can be cooked.
Daisy – Bellis perennis
The roseate of leaves can be cooked.
Dandelion – Taraxacum officinale
Eat the leaves raw or cooked but leave enough so that it can flower early and feed the bees.
Fennel – Foeniculum vulgare
A strong flavoured leaf that is good in salads and can also be cooked
Ground Elder – Aegopodium podagraria
A plant often accused of being a bullying weed. One way to control it is to eat the leaves, raw or cooked.
Hogweed – Heracleum sphondylium
The root can be cooked.
Horseradish – Armoracia rusticana
Strongly flavoured. The roots makes a wonderful relish.
Lesser Celandine– Ficaria verna
Try the leaves when cooked.
Mahonia – Mahonia aquifolium
Try the flowers raw.
Meadowsweet – Filipendula ulmaria
Dig and cook the root.
Navelwort – Umbilicus rupestris
Leaves can be eaten raw or cooked.
Nipplewort – Lapsana communis
Another plant that can be eaten as raw or cooked leaves.
Pink Purslane – Claytonia sibirica
Where found the leaves can be eaten raw or cooked.
Red Valerian – Centranthus ruber
This is one that never looks appetising to me. It is however plentiful where I live so maybe I should try the cooked leaves and/or root.
Rough Hawkbit – Leontodon hispidus
Saxifrage – Chrysosplenium spp.
Sea Buckthorn – Hippophae rhamnoides
The fruit is edible both raw or cooked.
Smooth Sowthistle– Sonchus oleraceus
The leaves are edible when raw or cooked.
Three-Cornered Leek – Allium triquetrum
The leaves have powerful flavour and can be eaten raw or cooked. Some people make a there cornered leek oil
Violet – Viola spp.
I dislike the smell of violets so can’t be tempted by their one. But I understand the lewacves can be eaten raw or cooked.
White Dead Nettle – Lamium album
Wood Avens – Geum urban
Beware. Some wild plants are poisonous so please note that you should be absolutely certain you have identified a plant correctly before consuming it. Plants can also prompt allergic and other negative reactions so, before eating any quantity, ensure you are not sensitive or allergic to plants you don’t have experience of eating.
If in doubt don’t eat them. None of the following should be taken as advice that plants are safe to eat Please always get professional advice before consuming or handling unknown or unusual plants.
More on the Edible Wild Plant Harvest
I’m publishing more Edible Wild Plant Harvest posts every month. Search for them via the search bar at the top of the website or follow links within the articles to discover more .. eg December’s Edible Wild Plant Harvest is here.
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Tag: January’s Edible Wild Plant Harvest
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