The exciting spring comes around, as the cold winter is stepping away...
There is always a saying——spring is a season for growth and life; as new leaves appear on top of branches, as grass on the side walk start growing longer; we believe that most families are prepared and ready to step into the time of spring. On the other hand, pros and cons on the facet of spring could vary, enjoying spring at many aspects could be tough, as most people are not aware of the possible activities in spring, including digging edible wild vegetables.
However, it's never late to try something new, so for those of you who are interested, you might ask——which types of wild vegetables are actually safe and edible within Ontario?
Well, Wow Nature is going to help you out!
1. Burdock-Arctium spp
Arctium, as one of the plant under chrysanthemum, surprisingly have the function for medicine usage.
Observable Characteristics:
Have an average height of 0.5-1.5m
Has a pink or purple flowers with large burrs
Heart shaped green leaves, having soft white fur on the back
Guide and information for edible Arctium:
Young leaves could be use for many ways of dishes, including the present directly into the salad, in stew, or in sauteed in wok
If the skin of root is being removed, then the root could be use to boiled, sauteed or marinated
The medicine using leaves to made, could be use as a kind of tea, whereas it also having function to support the purify of blood and improve the function of liver and kidney
Location:
On the side of the walk
Within weeds
Precautions:
Pregnant women should avoid consuming, it may cause miscarriage
Can affect blood sugar levels
2. Camas
Camas is under the area of asparagus, where it originally came from North America.
Observable Characteristics:
Linear leaves with a basic length of 20 to 40 cm
A multi-flowered stem emerges above the main plant in summer
The color of its flowers varies from lavender to blue-purple or dark purple
Guide and information for edible Camas:
Its bulbs can be eaten raw
Taste better when baked or boiled, rich in nutrition
Camas has little flavor when cooked for a short time
After slow roasting for 24-48 hours, the color will become darker and sweeter
Location:
Moist plains and foothills
Precautions:
It is very easily to confuse Camas with poisonous dead flower bulbs, they grow in very similar areas but have different flower colors; therefore, make sure to take a second look!
3. Wild Ginger
Wild Ginger, appear in mainly east throughout the whole North America, including eastern North America and eastern Great Plains.
Observable Characteristics:
Large heart-shaped leaves covered with soft fur
The flowers are deep purple, located between the petioles
The growth height is less than 15 cm
Guide and information for edible Wild Ginger:
Could be use to treat many ailments such as coughs, colds, dysentery, and digestive problems
It can be used as condiments where it has a similar taste to real ginger
Often added when making tea
Location:
Usually appear within deciduous forests
Grows in large areas
Precautions:
The root of this plant contains aristolochic acid, which is a carcinogenic compound that can sometimes lead to severe issues such as kidney disfunction; therefore, avoiding the root is extremely important.
4. Catnip
Catnip is a labiatae plant with a special smell.
Observable Characteristics:
Grayish green
Can grow up to three feet tall
Serrated, heart-shaped leaves
Thick stems
Guide and information for edible Catnip:
Old leaves are suitable for flavoring agent
Young leaves can be eaten raw
Can be added when making tea
Location:
Dry area
Areas with weeds
Precautions:
Long-term and high-frequency consumption could cause certain harm to the human body, such as diarrhea
Excessive use in cats can also cause diarrhea
5. Cattail
Cattail is a small genus with a total of 11 species, which are distributed in almost all regions of the world except South Africa, and are extremely common in Canada.
Observable Characteristics:
1 to 3 m height
Leaves are long, slender and hard
The form of its fruits is similar to cylindrical clusters as they compact
Image taken from https://education.mdc.mo.gov
Guide and information for edible Cattail:
The core of the stalk tastes similar to a cucumber and can be eaten raw, boiled, sautéed or fried
When the leaves are green, it can be steamed or roasted after removing the outer layer of the flower stalk and stem
The pollen can be collected by shaking the flower heads into a bag and then sifting the contents to separate the pollen, which can be used in both savory and sweet recipes
Location:
Swamps
Lakes
Streams
Precautions:
Young cattails can be mistaken with some wild members of the Iridaceae family, which are poisonous
Avoid growing cattails in stagnant water, as it will smell bad and absorb pollutants
Avoid eating brown-headed fruits by mistake
6. Dandelion
Dandelion is a common plant in temperate to subtropical regions, it is very common in Canada.
Observable Characteristics:
5 to 45 cm tall with long taproot
Rubber stem containing milky white liquid
Its flowers usually open at the end of the stem and are bright yellow in color
Its roots are longer and thicker than shepherd's purse
Guide and information for edible Dandelion:
The leaves can be eaten fresh in salads,
cooked in soups and stews, or dried and used in tea (preferably young leaves as older leaves can become bitter)
The roost develops a coffee/cocoa-like flavor after hours of roasting in the oven, and can be ground to make tea or used in baking
The stems can be boiled and used as a pasta substitute
Cattail could lower the blood pressure, blood sugar and cholesterol
The leaves grow in shade are more bitter than the leaves grow in sunny places
For later use, dried or frozen are both fine
Location:
Weeds
Roadsides
Grasslands
Precautions:
Avoid eating dandelions in lawns or urban landscapes that may have deposited pesticides and pollutants
7. Allium tricoccum
Allium tricoccum is a North American wild onion, widely distributed in eastern Canada and the eastern United States.
Observable Characteristics:
The petiole is about 20-30cm long
There are about 2-6 bulbs in a cluster
Usually with dark purple or burgundy lower stems, the bulbs are white surrounded by a brown to gray sheath
Each cluster of bulbs produces a flowering stem whose flowers are arranged in umbels, usually 10-40 cm long
Guide and information for edible Allium tricoccum:
The leaves and bulbs are edible
The leaves and stems can be roasted, sautéed, or eaten raw
Has a pungent garlic smell and leek/onion smell
Location:
Forests with fertile soil and wet ground in depressions, streamside cliffs and alluvial slopes
Precautions:
Excessive consumption can cause harm to the body.
8. Garlic mustard
Garlic mustard is a species in the cruciferous family.
Observable Characteristics:
It could produce a rosette of dark green in first year
Leaves are kidney-shaped with scalloped edges
The plants will develop 0.3 to 1.2 m tall in the second year, with triangular, alternate, sharp-toothed leaves
The lower leaves are broad and kidney-shaped, up to 10 cm wide
The upper leaves are triangular, 5 to 10 cm wide, narrowing towards the tip
Guide and information for edible Garlic mustard:
Flowers, leaves, roots and seeds can be used
In summer, when the weather is hot, the leaves will become a bit bitter
Can be shredded and added to soups, chips and other dishes
The leaves have a strong garlic smell
Image taken from https://www.eekwi.org/plants/garlic-mustard
Location:
Especially common in moist deciduous forests.
The above introduces eight common edible wild vegetables.
For the sake of safety, it is recommended that you read some more detailed information before eating.
WOW Nature wishes everyone could enjoy, and taste the delicious happiness of Spring!
WOW Nature outdoor exploration was established in Beijing, China in 2015, and is committed to advocating a lifestyle that is close to nature, healthy and balanced, and green and environmentally friendly.
In 2016, WOW Nature settled in Canada and registered as a public welfare organization. Through well-designed outdoor exploration activities, Wow Nature leads everyone to walk into nature and experience local culture deeply during the process of "playing", so as to improve the quality of life, enhance parent-child relationship, expand social circle, and gain more health and joy!
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