Tag Archives: foraging
Creeping cucumber
Few homeowners know this plant’s name, but many have cursed it. I’ve heard people describe it as that vine with the baby watermelons. Creeping cucumber or Guadeloupe cucumber are two of its most common names. This delicate-looking vine (Melothria pendula) … Continue reading
Wild daylilies
Take a drive down any road right now and you’ll see them. Daylilies (Hemerocallis fulva) are everywhere. Those wild orange ones spread into the ditches and are quite adept at holding the soil and curbing erosion. It’s a shame they … Continue reading
Yarrow – A versatile medicinal herb
A couple weeks ago I wrote a column about Queen Anne’s lace. Someone brought in a sample the other day and inquired if it was the wild carrot or maybe the poisonous water hemlock. I smiled and told her it … Continue reading
Mother’s Day Memories
Timing is the key. Everyone has heard that before. Every place has its treasures, but you must be in the right place at the right time. I love wild greens and I love Maine. It’s where I was born and … Continue reading
Queen Anne’s Lace
On roadsides those big clusters of white flowers are starting to appear. If we dug them up we would notice a root that looks a little like and smells exactly like a carrot. There’s good reason for that. Queen Anne’s … Continue reading
Wild Violets
Our lawns are starting to green up well. Troublesome weeds are rearing their ugly heads also. Well, depending upon one’s perspective some are quite attractive. The common violet is a prime example. Those bright bluish-purple flowers and heart-shaped leaves would … Continue reading
Redroot Pigweed
Some tasty greens are beginning to emerge. I saw some young lambsquarter recently and now redroot pigweed (Amaranthus retroflexus) is showing itself. If you like mild cooked greens reminiscent of beet greens, spinach or Swiss chard this one’s for you. … Continue reading
Soldier’s herb
Few lawn weeds are despised as much as broadleaf plantain (Plantago major). Maybe we should hold our contempt a little bit. I’m not saying we should want it in our front or even our backyard, but let’s recognize its merits. … Continue reading
Dandelions aren’t all bad
As spring emerges yellow flowers do too, all over our yards. One is the buttercup, which is poisonous. The other is the dandelion. I’m no big fan of them, but I do realize they have their edible and medicinal merits. … Continue reading
Lambsquarter – A most delicious weed
If a plant is growing where we don’t want it we call it a weed. However, when it makes delicious table fare maybe we should rethink our rules. Lambsquarter, Chenopodium album, fits the bill perfectly here. It’s probably my favorite … Continue reading
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