wild food school pocket cornwall foraging · pdf filewild food school pocket cornwall...

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WILD FOOD SCHOOL

PocketCORNWALL FORAGING

GUIDE

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For wild food recipes check out theCooking with Weeds™ eBooks at

www.wildfoodwisdom.co.uk

Pictures and textCopyright © Marcus Harrison, 2008

Version 1.0 - November 2008

The format of the pages in this E-guide aredesigned so that the images can be printedout on standard 10 x 15 cm photo paper,then ring bound. You may like to laminateyour printouts for durability.

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Whether you want to forage for fun, are a surfingvisitor looking for a few cheap ingredients for thepot, or have 'survival' in mind, welcome to thisfreebie pocket-size Cornish foraging guide –courtesy of Wild Food School. It is designed toprovide you with basic information on some ofthe most common edible wild veggie greensfound in our part of the world.

Many more edible wild plants are availablewithin Cornwall but they are too numerous forthis small guide, and berries like those of thebramble and wild rose are not covered since theyare too well known to most people. However,the species listed here will keep you alive interms of greens, and some can be positivelydelicious when harvested at the right time of yearand if properly prepared.

A general rule of thumb for harvesting the bestwild greens is to gather them before the plantsare in flower – but I recognise that that inevitablymeans you need to recognise a species before itIS in flower. Given a couple of years observation[I won’t say study] of the plants covered here andyou should be able to spot them at whatever partof their life-cycle that you come across them.

Marcus HarrisonNovember, 2008

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On the LEGAL side in the UK...

• it is illegal to uproot ANY wild plant without'authorisation' (ie. permission)• it is illegal to disturb or collect plant materialfrom any PROTECTED wild plant• the law of trespass exists, so gain permissionbefore entering someone's land• a plant is the 'property' of a landowner even ifit is a weed, so you really should gain permission

On the ETIQUETTE side...

• only take what you need [in the case of smallpopulations of less than 10 specimens of a wildplant, select a little foliage from each plant so theplant may continue to thrive]... of course withweeds like thistles, nettles and dandelion this ishardly a problem• FOLIAGE, FLOWERS and FRUIT are the partswhich may be gathered of species that are not'protected'• respect the environment that you are collectingfrom and leave it as undisturbed as possible• during breeding seasons try not to disturbnatural wildlife in the environment you gatherfrom.

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SAFE WILD PLANT FORAGING

• Only harvest wild plants from safe stocks. Studythe landscape for sources of contamination[factory fallout, water run-off, effluent seepageetc.]. In parts of Cornwall there’s arsenic in thesoil so that needs to be factored-in if you’reforaging a location on a regular basis.• Avoid plants from busy roadsides, near landfillsites, or foul water.• Avoid gathering plants from areas that mayhave recently been sprayed [look for telltale signsof wilting, chemical deposits on leaves, or evenchemical drums].• Avoid harvesting / consuming discoloured,diseased and dying plants. Never eat deadleaves.• For more scarce plants only harvest what youneed, leaving stocks behind to propagate[although invasive weeds covered in this guidehardly need help with that]. It is better to selecta few leaves from several plants rather than takeall the leaves from one plant specimen.• Wash all your harvested plants thoroughlybefore use.• Never consume a wild plant unless you areabsolutely certain of its identification and itssafety for consumption.

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TESTING YOUR TOLERANCE

This is one of THE most important things tocheck before you launch yourself into eating anyedible wild plants in quantity. Over a number ofyears WFS hands-on courses have shown thatwild greens too, may cause reactions in somehypersensitive folks so please do be careful.I have come across folks who react to sorrel andto elderberries, while I personally don't toleratehawthorn berries too well.

Most of the plants covered in this guide havebeen used as food for a long time or in survivalsituations before, so the real question is yourown personal tolerance.

The first time you encounter one of the plants asa potential food source the recommendation is totake a small piece of the raw 'part', suitablypeeled or whatever, bite on it a few times to get alittle of the sap on your tongue and inner lipthen spit everything out. Do not ingest. Wait for20 to 30 minutes to see if you have any badphysical reaction – nausea, headache and so on.

Assuming your initial tolerance test is fine, younext need to try eating a piece of the plant. If it isone of the mild salad plants, then just consume asmall leaf, or part of a larger one. If it is a bittertasting plant or needs to be cooked then boil one

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of the leaves, or specified part of the plant, andconsume a very small portion. Again wait forabout 30 minutes to an hour and keep an eye onyour reaction.

If everything is fine then the suggestion is to goahead with eating a small quantity - about atablespoon or so - of the plant cooked. Onceyou’ve eaten the food just keep an eye on howyou feel for 2 to 3 hours. If everything is okay,then you're in business. Whatever you do, nevereat large amounts of any of the plants whichfollow without having tested your tolerance to it.Everyone is different and you may not be tolerantto something here.

There are also some plants that have constituentswhich can have a cumulative effect in your body[such as the oxalates] and should therefore not beconsumed on a too regular basis or in largequantities. The sorrels are one such plant.

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FORAGING IN CORNWALL...

This pocket guide contains pictures of around 24species with edible parts, and I have also listedsome other useful ones at the very back.

While Cornwall is full of many more traditionaledible wild plants there are also imported‘domesticated’ species grown in gardens andwhich may escape into the wild. Some of thesemore exotics plants, too, provide you with newflavours and textures to try.

I have omitted a number of common edible wildspecies because using some of them can befraught with troubles, and this mini guide isdesigned to be simple. Dealing with the difficultplants is the sort of stuff I do in courses wherethere's more explanatory space and time.

However, the plants listed here will stand you ingood stead. In fact if you know your dandelions,nettles, chickweed and thistles you can actuallysurvive on those. Additional species just makelife more interesting, and provide you withfallbacks when things are a bit thin on theground.

You also need to 'manage' your wild foodresources so that they are available to you on aregular basis. Leave some 'annuals' (plants which

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flower and die in one year) to go to seed toprovide next year's resource.

Biennials like burdock work on a two year life-cycle, while perennials last more than two yearsproviding a food resource year after year. In factperennials are the forager's best friend in terms ofharvesting because once you know where a plantpopulation is located it is then simply a matter ofreturning on a regular basis to harvest - savingtime and energy. While this sounds like an idealworld note, however, that even perennials canbe killed off by over-harvesting.

It is recommended that you don't pick any of theaquatic-type plants from urban or built up areas.Quite simply I don't think you can trust thecleanliness of water sources in such places,either in terms of pollutants or things like Weil'sdisease. Even in the great Outdoors I alwaysrecommend that any edible vegetation sourcedfrom aquatic environments is cooked.

Lastly, parts of Cornwall have arsenic in the soilas a legacy of the tin industry. So you need to doa bit of research to check that your own local turfis not contaminated.

For wild food recipes check out the Cooking withWeeds™ eBooks at www.wildfoodwisdom.co.uk.

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ALEXANDERS - Smyrnium olusatrum

Alexanders is found frequently around Cornwall,particularly near the sea. As part of the Umbelliferfamily (which also contains carrots and parsley,but also poisonous hemlock and hemlock water-dropwort) you need to make sure that you have100% positive identification.

It is a biennial, is frequently found along roadsideverges which are damp, and all parts of the planthave a use (though remember you’re not allowedto dig up any wild plant without permission). Thecarrot-like roots have a dark brown skin and arebeige-white in colour internally. The flower budsmay be used, the young leaves, supple stemmaterial, and the dried seeds, which are black incolour and used as an aromatic flavouring.

Indeed, the whole plant has a myrrh-likearomatic quality which is not to everyone’sliking, and this tends to be more exaggerated inolder plants.

www.wildfoodschool.co.uk

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BILBERRY - Vaccinium myrtillus

Bilberry is a small shrub which grows about 1 to2ft tall, and is frequently found on heaths andhilly ground with poor soils, although I havecome across it on the tops of several of the high-banked hedges around Cornwall.

As you can see from the top picture the noddingflowers of the plant are a sort of reddish-purpleand eventually produce the tasty blue-blackberries which have a bluey bloom. Use theberries to make pies, tarts, fruit sauce &c.


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BURDOCK - Arctium lappa & minor

You have probably heard of dandelion andburdock root beer, well these burdocks are theplants involved in that famous drink.

Found in field margins and hedgerow verges thegreater burdock (A. lappa) has large, almostkidney shaped leaves while those of the lesserburdock (A. minor) are more triangular in shapewith the leaf edges tending to be wavy in boththe horizontal and vertical axes. These burdocksalso have a tendency to hybridise which canmake exact positive ID sometimes difficult.

The roots are by far the best material to use,having a crunchy bamboo shoot-like texturewhen cooked. Cut roots into matchsticks or shredfinely, then either stir-fry or simmer for 20-30minutes, or until tender. Use either end of firstyear roots (these are biennial plants) or at start ofyear two. Young leaf stalk material may be usedalso, but remove the stringy cordage first. Theycan also be bitter, as can the root. If you readsome survival handbooks you'll find the leavesbeing mentioned as edible. They may not bepoisonous but they are pretty revolting to thetaste-buds so don't bother with them unless youreally are looking for 'survival' food.


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BROOKLIME - Veronica beccabunga

Brooklime is a succulent freshwater plant withglossy leaves. Sometimes it is found in runningwater / streams in which case the stems float, onother occasions it be found growing in soft dampground near ponds and streams. Frequently it isfound growing alongside watercress in Cornwall.

In the past the plant was regarded as one of thespringtime food tonics (after a winter on picklesand salted meats). However, for modern palatesthe young leaves are generally a little too bitterfor salads but can be added to pottages andsoups as an additional veggie ingredient.


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CHICKWEED - Stellaria media

Chickweed is one of the star salad veggies foundout and about. It's generally found everywherewhere there is disturbed ground or soil, and willproduce three or four generations in a year. Lookout for it on footpaths, in gardens, parks and, ofcourse, allotments.

Use the tender new growth up to about 3 or 4inches tall as chickweed gets horribly chewywhen older. The very young foliage (includingthe stems) can simply be harvested and used rawbut you can also put it in soups or cook it. It hasa very delicate taste.


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CUCKOO-FLOWER / LADY’S SMOCK -Cardamine pratensis

Cuckooflower is one of the late spring, earlysummer flowering plants with pale lilac-whiteflowers about 1cm in diameter. It likes moistground such as water-meadows, river banks, andmarshy areas. Although I have heard reports ofthe species carpeting areas, in my own experienceit doesn’t always do so and you may only find afew specimens growing at a time (so harvestwisely).

It is the leaves that you are after, particularly theearly base leaves rather than the flowering stemleaves, and they have a hot peppery cress-likeflavour with a warm aftertone. As such they canbe used in salads to add something extra. Theflowers and flower buds can also be similarlyused, but even though it’s a perennial if there’sonly a small colony don’t pick the flowers andleave the seeds to propagate the colony.


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DANDELION - Taraxacum officinale

Dandelion has to be one of the best knownplants, though it should be said there about 200micro-species in the British Isles... all of whichcan be eaten. Two leaf shapes are pictured to theright.

The plant is a perennial, so unless you aredigging up the roots for dandelion coffee (anextremely good substitute for the real thing) youcan repeatedly harvest this plant which is full ofvitamins.

The young leaves are best, however they arebitter and may not be to your liking. If you likeraddichio and chicory then you should get onokay with the leaves. One way of reducing thebitterness is to light-blanch the growing leaves -use a black bin liner, upturned flowerpot or somesimilar item. The resulting leaves are a paleyellow-white colour and make a nice salad crop.

Also useful are the unopened flower buds whichmay be pickled, and the flowers which somefolks use to make wine or may also be made intoan interesting dandelion flower marmalade.


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FAT-HEN - Chenopodium album

With all the arable land in Cornwall it is notunsurprising that fat-hen makes an appearance.This annual plant likes open, disturbed habitatsrather than grassy verges and meadows.

The leaves have a sort of toothed diamond shape,with a kind of mealy surface which sometimesfeels quite granular to the touch. The specimenpictured is in its early growth phase and virtuallyall of the upper growth could be added to yourpottage or soup, or cooked as a vegetable.

Fat-hen can grow to about 2ft tall (I’ve had onegrow to about 3ft high) and then the upper stemleaves are more elongated and smooth-edged.The stems of older plants can be distinctlyreddish in colour.

Overall, fat-hen in one of the best spinach-likesubstitute wild greens, and doesn’t have thegrating ‘edge’ that you sometimes get withspinach.

Occasionally you’ll come may across Fig-LeavedGoosefoot (C. ficofolium) growing in fields andon waste ground, the leaves of which may alsobe cooked.


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FENNEL - Foeniculum vulgare

Fennel is related to alexanders in terms of beingpart of the Umbellifer family. There are severaltypes of fennel: the one providing the bulb usedin culinary contexts is not this plant, there is alsoa garden bronze fennel. What we are looking athere is the ‘standard’ fennel which not onlygrows in gardens but also close to the sea. I havecome across it growing in the shingle round Looefor example.

Fennel has an overall anise-like flavour whetheryou are using the seeds or the young frothyleaves. It is a perennial growing up to about 5ft.and the picture shows new growth emergingfrom last year’s stumps.

If you happen to be beach line fishing formackerel and decide on an impromptu barbythen look around to see if there’s any fennelnearby to add flavour - but then you might preferyour fish simply on its own.


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GOOSEGRASS / CLEAVERS - Galium aparine

If you have ever been on a country walk andfound your socks or trousers dotted with littleround bristly seeds then this is the likely culprit.

Goosegrass is an annual climber, the 'sticky'stems growing to about 4ft. in length andstraggling over other vegetation (sometimesalmost to the point of smothering the supportingplant). That 'stickyness' is due to the finerecurved hooks which cover the foliage surface,rather than any glue-like substance.

The parts to use of this are the VERY youngspring seedlings which make a tender cookedvegetable. Any more than about 3 or 4 inches talland the square stem starts to grow fibrous and isrevolting. When the plant is slightly older thelittle tufts of upward pointing top leaves can alsobe nipped out and cooked up.

Finally, the seeds are used as a coffee-typesubstitute. Don't wait till they are dead andbrown, but use them when they become purplein colour. It isn't exactly a wonderful 'coffee' butif you have nothing else then you might considerit.


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OPPOSITE-LEAVED GOLDEN SAXIFRAGE -Chrysosplenium oppositifolium

This small, low-lying plant with tiny, almostinconspicuous yellow flowers, is an inhabitant ofmoist shady places, and appears to be quitecommonly found in Cornwall - as far as I canjudge. Although it is frequently found alongsidestreams it only seems to need to have freshmoving water to thrive. Frequently it carpetsmoist areas.

The slightly blunt-toothed roundish leaves aresupported on square stems, and with age theleaves become rather bristly on their top surface,and not particularly nice.

As a young plant the young springtime leavesand small stems can be cooked – in soups,pottages, and even as a veggie.


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GROUND IVY - Glechoma hederacea

Ground Ivy is part of the mint family and hasnothing to do with the true ivy plant, other thanthe fact that ground ivy trails on the ground likeits namesake.

It is the leaves which are used, though they arerather bitter. That, however, makes them a goodcandidate for flavouring stuffing, soups andstews, and also as a tea once the leaves havebeen dried. An infusion of the fresh leaves canalso provide you with a beverage.


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HEDGE GARLIC - Alliaria petiolata

Called Jack-by-the-Hedge in the old days theleaves of this plant provide you with a very mildgarlic-like flavour.

It is a biennial and during the first year simplyforms a ground-hugging rosette with almostkidney-shaped leaves. In the second year itproduces a flower stem and a cluster of smallwhite, cross-shaped, flowers. The leaves of thestem are more like a rounded off nettle in profilerather than the kidney-shaped base leaves.

Young leaves can be used in salads while olderones are better cooked. However, old leaveseventually get bitter and chewy and aren't worthbothering with.

Excessive heat de-natures the garlic-like qualityso add hedge garlic at the end of any cookingprocess.


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HOGWEED - Heracleum sphondylium

Use of this very common weed comes with aCAUTION... the sap can blister skin, particularlyin sunlight, and if you are going to use it thesuggestion is to pick it on overcast days or fromshaded habitats. Cut rather than break or tear thestalks.

With that caution out of the way, welcome tohogweed. It has been used on ContinentalEurope as a foodstuff in the past but in thiscountry never had a following. It is the young,emerging leaf fronds which are used (picturedbottom) or freshly opened young leaves (topright). They are cooked, either boiled or steamed.

Hogweed is part of the Umbellifer family (carrotand parsley also belong too) and it is importantthat this plant is identified correctly as the familyalso includes some of the most toxic plant in theBritish Isles - hemlock and hemlock water-dropwort being the two key bad ones in thefamily. The seeds of hogweed (top left) are quitedistinctive having 3 or 4 stripes (actually they areoil ducts) on the surface.

AVOID, also, the giant hogweed, the sap ofwhich can cause skin blistering in the absence ofany sunlight.


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NAVELWORT - Umbilicus rupestris

There can be hardly anyone who lives inCornwall who has not come across navelwort atsome time or other, although they might not haverealised that the leaves are edible.

It is a perennial plant which grows out of oldwalls and on rocks where there is moisture. Oneold book I have in my possession regarded thisplant as ‘rare’ - not in Cornwall. Navelwort has astrange spike of pale yellow-green, tube-like,flowers which rather give it a sinister look.

There is also a version which grows in marshesbut I would suggest you avoid that species asthere is nothing in the literature to suggest it isedible, and quite the contrary in terms oflivestock.

On the true navelwort the young leaves are best,either stir-fried, popped into pottages and soups,or added to other salad ingredients for itssucculent crunchy texture. Older leaves get a bitbitter. The plant is also diuretic so perhaps bestnot use in too large quantities.


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COMMON / STINGING NETTLE - Urtica dioica

It is doubtful that you need any introduction tothe common, or stinging, nettle. Look out for thisplant where there is good, rich soil, frequentlywhere there is lots of humus from leaf fall.

Nettles only briefly need to be exposed to heat todenature the 'sting' which is actually formic acid.In the spring the whole young shoots up to about3 or 4 inches tall make an excellent cookedveggie. For later growth the best leaves to harvestare the top two or four fresh green leaves,sometimes six. The lower ones aren't reallyworth bothering with if you are looking for'quality'.

Be adventurous with nettles, don't confineyourself to that TV celeb chef fallback of nettlesoup. Use nettles like a substitute for spinach - sonettle aloo, nettle roulade, pasta primavera &c.

The leaves may also be dried for later use, andalso used as a beverage.

A plant long associated with nettles is the broad-leaved dock (Rumex obtusifolius). And the VERYyoung leaves of this may be eaten once cooked.They're more survival food than pleasant eating.


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ORACHE - Atriplex

There are numerous members of the orachefamily (closely allied to the Chenopodiaceaewhich includes Fat-Hen - covered elsewhere inthis guide), and they quite easily confused sinceleaf shapes can look remarkably similar.

The two you are most likely to come across nearthe sea coasts are Atriplex patula and hastata(pictured). The leaves of both of these can becooked up as a vegetable green or added tosoups, pottage &c.

If you’re on one of the heritage or conservancybeaches please don’t pick the orache – or anyother forage green for that matter.


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RAMSONS - Allium ursinum

If you have ever done any foraging before thenyou might well be familiar with ramsons. It is theedible green that most folks refer to as wild garlic(actually there are a number of wild garlics sothat common name can rather confuse the issue).

Perennial ramsons is one of the quintessentiallate spring flowers and reeks of garlic. The wholeplant may be used (REMEMBER you are notallowed to uproot any wild plant withoutauthorisation - besides you'd be destroying yoursource of garlic leaf greens by removing anybulb). Use the young leaves chopped in salads orcook them gently, chop and add to soups. Theflowerbuds may also be used, the flowers too,while the young seedpods may be 'blitzed' tomake a quite good garlic pesto. Excessive heatdrives off the volatile oils in ramsons so it'sgenerally best to add ramsons at the end of anycooking method.

CAUTION: the leaves of the poisonous lily-of-the-valley (Convallaria majalis) look very similarto that of ramsons so be careful. However, if youcrush ramsons leaves you will smell garlicwhereas that does not apply to convallaria.


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SCURVY-GRASS - Cochlearia officinalis

Now scurvy-grass might have a name thatconjures up an image of disease but in fact it wasused as part of the medicinal cure for scurvy inthe old days because of its high vitamin content.

It’s a plant that likes saline conditions so will befound growing in clumps on Cornwall’s cliffs andshorelines, but also in the saline esturine creeksof our tidal rivers (as can sea beet, mentionedelsewhere).

Scurvy-grass has a peppery, almost horseradish-like pungency which you may or may not like.The leaves are only good before the plant comesinto flower because, as the plant ages, it developsa kind of acetone overtone which is unpleasantto nostrils and taste-buds alike. When young,however, it can add an interesting flavour accentto salads and dips.


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SEA BEET - Beta vulgaris ssp. maritima

This upright growing perennial is very commonto Cornwall’s shorelines and coasts, and theyoung leaves make a very good vegetable greenwhen cooked.

The leaves are quite fleshy, and become leatheryand darker green when old. Sea beet stemsfrequently trail or lie on the ground while theplant produces a spike of inconspicuous flowers.


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SEA BUCKTHORN - Hippophae rhamnoides

Sea buckthorn is a silvery-tinged, green leavedshrub which grows to about 8ft tall, and isfrequently found in dune-like and sandy heathhabitats near the coast and sea. Frequently it willgrow in almost thicket-like clumps.

The plant is armed with thorns but it producesclusters of small orange fruits (about the size of asmall pea from all the examples that I haveencountered) which have a really tart-acid taste.They are not to everyone’s liking but are full ofvitamin C and make a lovely vigorously refreshingtaste.

In the picture you’ll see a few really brightberries. These are the fully ripened ones and arewhat you should be aiming to use rather than thelighter coloured ones.


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SORREL, COMMON - Rumex acetosa

Sorrel is an amazing edible - if you like the sortof acid taste of lemon, rhubarb or gooseberries.It's a very common perennial with leaves whichcan best be described as arrow-like at the base,having ears that extend backwards towards theleaf stem.

Common sorrel is a plant of meadows, pasture andhedgerows, and the high-banked Cornish hedgesmake picking the leaves of this excellent plantvery easy..

The whole plant (as in leaf and stem) has a lovelyfresh acid taste and may be used raw in salads orit can be cooked like spinach. When cooked,however, the leaves turn a dark green thatdoesn't look particularly appealing but the tasteimproves and it makes a great pudding ingredientfor crumbles and turnovers. DO NOT, however,eat sorrel in large quantities or too often.

A note of CAUTION. There is one poisonousplant which has leaves very similar in shape tosorrel when in its young state. That plant is theCuckoopint or Lords & Ladies (Arum maculatum).You may well recognise the Arum in autumn, asthe plant at that stage in its life has a cluster ofscarlet berries on a stalk.


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SMOOTH SOW-THISTLE - Sonchus oleraceus

This plant is almost as common as the dandelionand although it's a plant of waste places andcultivated ground it will frequently be foundgrowing in the narrow gaps between walls andpavements where it can find a foothold. It's alsoa frequent garden weed, but appears to be lessfrequent towards the coast from experience.

Smooth Sow-thistle is an annual, the flower stemis hollow and exudes a bitter white sap when cutor broken. Although at first glance the paleyellow flowers look a bit dandelion-like you willsee from the top picture that the flower stalk hasa cluster of flower buds whereas true dandelionshave single flowers on their stalks. Smooth Sow-thistle is also highly variable physically, and isfrequently tinged with purple where it is stressedthrough nutrient or water deficiency.

The part to eat are the very young leaves whichdo make quite good eating at that stage - oncecooked. Although some folks can tolerate theleaves in salads they are generally too bitter.Don't bother with older leaves which are prickly(any prickles should be removed if have to resortto older leaves).


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THREE-CORNERED LEEK - Allium triquetrum

This perennial plant is the nearest wild equivalentto garlic chives that you can get and makes avery good ingredient - young leaves in salads andolder leaves cooked. The flowers and flowerbuds may also be used.

Three-cornered leek is not a native of this countryand is generally found towards warmer southerncoasts and in certain parts of Cornwall it’sendemic and almost a troublesome weed.

The whole plant reeks of garlic when crushed,and although the leaves grow about 12 inches inlength they look almost like grass. However, thehave a distinctive angular keel on one side of theleaf (top right picture). The cluster of white bell-like flowers sit on a single stalk, and also smell ofgarlic.


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OTHER SPECIES WITH SOMETHING TO OFFER

The majority of the vascular plants covered in theprevious pages are what might mainly beregarded as edible weeds. Here are a few moreplants which might provide you with some extraflavours PLUS a number of ornamentals that folksmight be growing in your corner of Cornwall.

BIRCH, SILVER - Betula pendulaSap extracted from the trunk in early spring canprovide a useful cooking fluid, and can befermented and made into a wine. The sap isdiuretic.

ELDER, COMMON - Sumbucus nigraThis probably needs no introduction. The flowerscan be used to make a so-called ‘champagne’and also the ripe berries for wine. The unopenedflower buds can be pickled and used like capers.Do not consume elder leaves or bark - they arepoisonous.

MOUNTAIN ASH / ROWAN - Sorbus aucupariaThis tree is very commonly planted in urbanareas but you’ll find lots of trees dotted round thehedgerows of Cornwall. The ripe orange-redberries are used to make the rowan jellyconserve.

GORSE - Ulex europaeusThere seems to be lots of this prickly shrub

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around Cornwall, particularly on upland areasand the waste ground left behind after the miningindustries. It isn’t a great provider in terms ofedible foliage but the flowers have a flavour andsmell of coconut. They can be used to flavourvinegar, make wine, and also a gorse and honeyice cream.

HORSERADISH - Cochlearia armoraciaYou may well find this perennial in wasteground, as well as hedgerows although you willneed permission to dig up any root material formaking your own horseradish sauce the young,fresh green, springtime leaves may be cookedand eaten. Older leaves are horribly bitter.

MARIGOLD - Calendula officinalisThe orangy-yellow flower petals of this wereused as a flavouring and colouring in the past.I vaguely remember seeing a reference somewhereas to the leaves being used in salads or cooked inold times, but don’t quote me on that.

NASTURTIUM - Tropaeolum majusA favourite garden plant, the flowers and leavesof which are edible. Peppery young leaves makea good salad item or general nibble.

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A FEW BEVERAGE IDEAS…

Dried green blackberry leaves can be used as atea. Raspberry leaves can similarly be used (don’tuse either during pregnancy).

Young leaves of the wild / dog rose (Rosa canina)may also be used for an infused beverage.

The open clumps of flowers of the Meadowsweet(Filipendula ulmaria) - which particularly likesmoist habitats – make an interesting beveragewhen infused for a few minutes in hot water.Sweeten with a little honey.

Elder flowers, partly covered previously, may bedried for later use as an infused beverage.

Dried flowers of the Lime tree (Tilia) made a teaknown as Linden Tea in former times. It’s gotsome herbal qualities so it’s probably best todrink this in moderation.

Although it's not something I have tried the leavesof mountain ash (Sorbus aucuparia) have beenused to adulterate tea in the past so there mightbe some scope there for experimentation.

If you have permission to dig up dandelion rootsthen these make an excellent coffee substituteonce roasted.

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SAFE WILD PLANT FORAGING

THE GOLDEN RULE...If you cannot identify a wild plant with 100%certainty as being one of the edible speciesNEVER use it as food. If you have the slightesthesitation over a plant's identity be safe andMOVE ON. Similarly, if you cannot rememberwhich part of the plant is used leave it alone.

MOST IMPORTANT...Check your personal tolerance to ANY newedible wild plant before consuming in quantity.If you have a medical condition or are takingmedication then you should seek professionalmedical advice before consuming edible wildplants as they may contain constituents thatimpair or amplify that medication.

AND DO...Be 'aware' of the environment that you aregathering from. Is there possible contaminationfrom effluent, car exhaust emissions, sprays, dogsand so on?

LASTLY...NEVER consume dead or dying foliage, or thatwhich is discoloured (although the plant COULDbe just discoloured from bad soil nutrients itcould also be an indicator of weedkillers atwork).

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LOSTWITHIEL


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