30 Wild Edibles and Medicinals I’m letting grow wild in my yard (Part 1)
Dandelion Taraxacum officinale-
We’re going to start with a plant that most people are familiar with, but sadly few people look forward to seeing in their lawns, though the bright sunshine yellow flower and puff ball seed head are classic summertime images. Dandelions are a multifaceted, edible and medicinal plant, originally cultivated and intentionally brought to North America when Europeans settled here.
Most of us are familiar with the flat many petaled bright yellow blooms that appear in early spring and sometimes later in the summer, though there are some other common “weeds” with similar blooms (like Cats Ear or Sow thistle, which I will discuss in later posts). Dandelion leaves are sharply toothed and grow only from the base of the stem in a rosette pattern, and only one flower grows on each stem— if you find a similar looking plant that has many flowers growing from the stem, it is a look-a-like. The hollow stem leaks a milky white latex when broken, and if you pull the whole plant out, including the root, you will find a long, single tap root growing deep into the soil, drawing nutrients up towards the surface for neighboring plants.
All parts of the dandelion are edible and also have medicinal qualities. Young greens are fantastic as a bitter green in salads, or can be cooked like spinach or other bitter garden greens. The flowers can also be eaten in salads, can be cooked into frittatas, made into mead or wine, or my favorite way to preserve them is as a jelly, which has a beautiful golden color. The root can be roasted and turned into a coffee substitute.
Dandelion is very nutrient dense, high in vitamins A, C, E, K, and B as well as potassium, calcium, iron and magnesium. Dandelion has an affinity for the liver, and gallbladder, assisting with detoxification, but also stimulating digestive function. It is also used as a diuretic, helping to flush toxins from the kidneys while improving kidney function.
Plantain Plantago sp.-
Plantain is another common weed found in most backyards, driveways or walking paths, often called White Man’s Footstep, as it turns up in many disturbed areas, and followed European settlers everywhere they went. There are two varieties which are not native to North America, but have naturalized and show up across the continent— most commonly you will find broadleaf plantain ( Plantago major) or narrow leaf/ribwort/lanceleaf plantain (Plantago lanceolata). There are also some native varieties found throughout the continent including P. Rugelii (which looks like broadleaf plantain but has pink in the stem), P. cordata and P. Virginia. All varieties grow in a basal rosette, with leaves growing from a central point at the base of the stem. The leaves of plantain have parallel, fiberous veins that are visible from end to end in the leaf, and are covered with soft hairs, and if you are very careful tearing the outer layer of the leaf, you will find an elastic-like string inside those veins.
Broadleaf plantain can grow up to 16 inches tall, with leaves that grow from 2 to 7 inches long they are somewhat egg shaped with a narrower, pointy top, and a narrow V-shaped stem. The flower heads are long clusters of tiny white green flowers in a spike shape. Narrow leaf plantain is significantly thinner, typically 1/2 inch to 1 1/2 inches wide, with only 3 to 5 veins running throughout. They typically grow 3 to 10 inches long. The flower stalks end in a dense spike of small flowers with visible white stamens.
All parts of Plantain are safe to work with. Young leaves are a great addition to salads and in other dishes you would use fresh, bitter greens, though they get tough and more bitter the older they become. The seeds can be toasted and ground and can be a good addition to porridge and baked goods, adding fiber to aid with digestion.
Primarily, I work with this plant medicinally— it is the number one plant I teach about for adding to one’s herbal medicine first aid kit. It is a fantastic plant for wounds and insect bites or stings, it is antimicrobial and drawing, so it is perfect for dealing with unexpected wounds while hiking or camping. It can be used as a poultice (mashed up and placed directly onto the bite or wound) or can be made into a salve for easy access all seasons. It is also great as a tea for digestive complaints, especially ones involving infections and sores like ulcers.
Purslane Portulaca oleracea-
Purslane is a low growing weedy succulent that is highly nutritious and also delicious! It is incredibly high in omega-3 fatty acids and contains high amounts of vitamins A and C, as well as calcium, iron, magnesium, and potassium, as well as many antioxidants. It does also contain high amounts of oxalates, so it should be eaten with caution by people with kidney problems or those susceptible to kidney stones.
Purslane typically grows in a mat along the ground, covering up to 3 feet, with smooth, reddish, prostrate stems originating from a single tap root. The oblong, oval to spoon shaped flat green succulent leaves are fleshy, bright green, sometimes with reddish smooth margins. Leaves are attached directly to the stem and rarely have petioles. Plants will flower with small (1/4-1/2”) yellow petals- Typically 5 notched petals, though occasionally only four. Flowers will only appear when moisture is sufficient and will only open on hot sunny days in the late morning to early afternoon.
There is one look-alike to be aware of, called Spurge (Euphorbia spp.), which is a similarly low growing plant with similar shaped leaves that is toxic. Spurge leaves are not fleshy like a succulent, they are paper thin and have a serrated edge and it has small white or pinkish flowers. The easiest identifying characteristic to tell the two apart, is that spurge with emit a milky sap when you break the stem, while Purslane will leak a clear fluid.
Purslane has a slightly tart or sour/salty taste, typically leaves picked earlier in the day will have the tartest flavor. My favorite way to eat purslane is in a Chimichurri style sauce on steak, but it can be added to salads, cooked like spinach, added to pesto or salsa. It is a bright flavor and can lend itself to so many kinds of dishes!