Juneberry blossoms (Amelanchier species) by wide eyed lib
Today was an absolutely gorgeous Spring day-- 67 degrees and sunny with just a bit of a breeze. The air was deeply fragranced with redbud and apple blossoms. It was truly magical.
Unfortunately, it was so magical that I couldn't pull myself away. As a result, this diary is long on photos and short on descriptions. Sorry about that. If you want to learn more about each plant, please follow the link to the diary where I covered it in more detail.
Oh, and if you are following me but not the Foraging group, you might be missing out on great diaries like this morel diary by the very fungally knowledgeable wv voice of reason. So follow the first link and click on the little heart to follow the Foraging group and ensure you don't miss any foraging diaries, regardless of who writes them.
The Foraging group's blogroll also features an extensive list of helpful resources, including several that aren't in the list below. Check it out, and if you can think of any resources that I've missed, let me know!
Pictured: Virginia waterleaf, ramps, ostrich fiddleheads & trout lily
(As always, if you're new to foraging and want to give it a try, please read the first diary in the series as well as the linked diary for the full discussion of each plant. For a complete list of all plants covered in the series, click here.)
Virginia Waterleaf (Hydrophyllum virginianum)
Virginia waterleaf by wide eyed lib
This distinctly spotted leaf loves somewhat damp places and dappled shade. It has a lovely mild flavor that's delicious in salads. Although it's not strictly an ephemeral since it doesn't disappear, the leaves get larger and tougher as Spring turns to Summer. Learn more about Virginia waterleaf and its edible relatives
here.
Ramps (Allium tricoccum)
Ramps by wide eyed lib
Ramps (aka wild leeks) are one of the most commonly foraged wild foods, and for good reason. Their mild oniony flavor is fantastic raw or cooked. The leaves have a very short season from early to mid Spring, but at other times of year you can dig the bulbs and use them like onions. Learn more about ramps
here.
Ostrich fiddleheads (Matteuccia struthiopteris)
Ostrich fiddleheads by wide eyed lib
Another plant on the "greatest hits of foraging" list are the Spring shoots of the ostrich fern, known as fiddleheads because the curled tops resemble the wooden scrolls atop fiddles. Sauteed in butter, fiddleheads are truly a delicacy. More information, along with some caveats, can be found
here.
Trout lily (Erythronium americanum)
Trout lily leaves by wide eyed lib
You'd think it would be hard to miss these distinctly mottled leaves, but because they tightly hug the ground, many people don't see them at all. That's a shame, because they are deliciously crispy and delicate, a bit like cucumber. Although some plant guides warn that trout lily leaves are emetic (meaning they have a tendency to make people throw up), I've never had a problem, and neither have any of the foragers I know. Still, the first time you eat anything, it's always wise to eat only a few. Learn more about trout lily
here.
I hope you've enjoyed this look at some of Spring's delicious ephemeral plants.
As always, please feel free to post photos in the comments and I'll do my best to help identify what you've found. (And if you find any errors, let me know.)
See you in 2 weeks!
Helpful foraging resources
If you'd like to learn more about foraging but missed the earlier diaries in the series, you can click
here for the previous 50 installments, and
here for RonV's 4 part mini-series on medicinal plants and how to use them.
"Wildman" Steve Brill's site covers many edibles and includes nice drawings.
"Green" Deane Jordan's site is quite comprehensive and has color photos and stories about many plants.
Green Deane's foraging how-to clips on youtube each cover a single plant in reassuring detail.
Linda Runyon's site features only a few plants but has great deals on her dvd, wild cards and books (check out the package deals in particular).
Steve Brill's book, Identifying and Harvesting Edible and Medicinal Plants in Wild (and Not So Wild) Places is my primary foraging guide. (Read reviews here, but if you're feeling generous, please buy from Steve's website.)
Linda Runyon's book The Essential Wild Food Survival Guide contains especially detailed information about nutritional content and how to store and preserve wild foods.
Samuel Thayer’s book The Forager's Harvest is perhaps the finest resource out there for the 32 plants covered. The color photos and detailed harvest and preparation information are top-notch. His second book, Nature's Garden, is just as good. For an autographed copy of either book, order from Sam's website.
Steve Brill also offers guided foraging tours in NYC-area parks. Details and contact info are on his website.
Don Wiss’s website is a treasure trove featuring hundreds of photos of common northeastern edibles.
For well-sourced info on the medicinal uses of plants, Plants for a Future is a site I turn to time and time again.
Finally, the USDA plants database is a great place to look up info on all sorts of plants.