Over the past couple of years I have done alot of research into plants, in my area anyway, that are edible, have medicinal uses etc. I was interested because I think it's always good to be as prepared as possible when hiking, etc. I thought I'ld post a couple of fairly common wild plants (again stuff located in my area, Eastern Canada, but also other places). Always check before trying any wild plant for consumption! Be absolutely sure of what you're touching! Mistakes can be deadly! Here are a few which may or may not ever be useful to you 9you never know when seemingly random information can prove useful):

Yarrow- TEA : (leaves, flowers) used for a tea can induce sweating, maybe increase appetite, help with kidney and urinary tract problems, also liver problems. Ulcers,colds, flu, abdominal cramps, abscesses, trauma and bleeding.
POULTICE: wounds, cuts, scrapes, rashes, and burns.
OTHER: added to bath water for hemorrhoids, conditioner, excess use can cause skin to be sensitive to the sun.



Burdock-TEA: (leaves)treating indigestion,bladder pain, fluid retention, and gout. Stimulates eliminatory organs treating swollen glands, inflammatory conditions, rheumatic conditions, liver, hepatitis, jaundice. Stimulates the secretion of bile. (roots)effective liver cleanser and stimulator. treats respiratory tract conditions, asthma, boils, cancers,eczema and fevers. Helps eliminate poisons from the system and helps treat skin disease. Excellent blood cleanser. Aching joints. Diuretic.
POULTICES: swelling, sores, tumors, bruises, inflamed surfaces, draws out infections and toxins.





Lambs Quarters- (leaves) TEA: leaves stomachache, diarrhea.
POULTICES: burns



Daisy- (leaves,flower buds, young stalks) TEA: diruetic, swollen feet, coughs, cold, week digestive system.increase appetite and metabolism, calming effects.
POULTICE: use the tea as a poultice to help against bad healing wounds, rashes, and skin inflammation. can be an irritant to the skin.



Violets- (flowers) TEA: coughs, bronchitis (gargle) sore throats. laxative, insomnia, aspirin like effects for head ache and neck pain.
POULTICE: muscle pain, skin eruptions, sores.

Nightshade (tomato family): kills people.
Water Hemlock: (carrot family): kills people.
Amanita ocreata: Mushroom, kills people.

Yes that water hemlock is a bad one. One of the most poisonous things around here and it looks like queen anne's lace, which is edible. I steer clear of both. I do like making Sumac-ade, which has lots of vitamins. But again there's a poison Sumac which kills you. But it's easier with that one, red flower/berries, super yummy drink, white berries/flowers not yummy death. I also steer clear of mushrooms, I'ld rather not risk it.

Something MP might be interested in: http://www.summitpost.org/album/290650/ ... lants.html

Of more general interest: http://www.summitpost.org/album/493515/ ... ibles.html

Hey NW, the flower in my profile has been used to treat typhus, or perhaps typhoid, the sources aren't too clear.

nartreb wrote:Something MP might be interested in: http://www.summitpost.org/album/290650/ ... lants.html

Of more general interest: http://www.summitpost.org/album/493515/ ... ibles.html

Hey NW, the flower in my profile has been used to treat typhus, or perhaps typhoid, the sources aren't too clear.

Wow, I had no idea monk's hood was that poisonous. I see that flower a lot in northern NV/eastern CA.

that's an interesting looking flower in your profile pic. It's a good picture. I also forgot to put the common plantain, if the leaves are ground into a paste it stops bleeding quite well. Though try to clean it abit before applying it to a cut to try to avoid dirt getting into the wound of course.

My favorite topic!!

I tried a lot of this stuff when I was a kid.

Sumac lemonade: slightly pink, tasted vaguely like lemonade, had little nutritional value.

Cattail tubers for starch: a lot of tubers processed, and I had a little bit of unappetizing glop. Unfortunately, non-native species are squeezing out cattails in the NE.

Wood Sorrel: probably the most useful way to get greens when you have been out for a while, but wash them a lot first.

Chicory: after a long process, you get something that tastes vaguely like bad coffee.

Most of our natural nutrition came from berries or fish, and we would have starved were it not for the food we brought with us.

Alot of the stuff you can find seems to require abit of effort to make it taste ok as far as eating it for food and not medicinal properties. I found alot seems to require being put in cold water, brought to a boil, taken out, put in cold water, being brought to a boil again. That way the bitter taste that alot of the plants possess doesn't get stuck there. Burdock for example is one of these things. The only thing I have a problem with is that I for one would have a harder time surviving on just plants if I got lost since I have diabetes and need carbohydrates (which are rarely found in any quantity in the vegetable group). I know you can make a flour out of cattails and make a sort of bread with that but you would have to be out there awhile to need it, unless you were just doing it for fun. I did try cattails rhizomes but they were very woody, so I think there only reasonable use would be pounded into flour. I guess the fresh sprouts taste like asparagus but most of the places cattails grow here are along roads so I'ld rather not eat ditch plants (for obvious reasons)! I'm probably going out to get some Sumac this week though, I really like it. Reminds me abit of cranberry juice. It does need a fair amount of sugar, like lemonade, since it can be a bit tart. Really looks nice in a jug though, great color.

nartreb wrote:Something MP might be interested in: http://www.summitpost.org/album/290650/ ... lants.html

Of more general interest: http://www.summitpost.org/album/493515/ ... ibles.html

Hey NW, the flower in my profile has been used to treat typhus, or perhaps typhoid, the sources aren't too clear.

The question is: Has it been used successfully?

Can you give a little more detail on how you make lemonade out of sumac? I've always wanted to try this, but am a little nervous........I've never seen anyone do this before.

One thing I love to eat, which is "in season" right now is rose hips. When we go to the ocean, I nab the little buggers off the past-bloom rose bushes that grow wild there. They are high in VitC. I eat around the red exterior carefully not eating the interior white seedy part. Very very tasty. Not much meat to them, but a nice treat.

What I do to make sumac-ade is pick the bright red clusters of berries off. Then I take them and soak them in a bowl of cold water. I squeeze, rub, mash, etc them as they are soaking. After maybe 1/2 an hour I strain the juice. You can soak it longer but I'm usually just eager to have some! What I do for that, which is actually quite effective is put a filter in my coffee pot and slowly strain the contents of the bowl through the filter into the pot, I keep the coffee pot unplugged, I 'm not peculating it just using the strainer. I usually do that twice. Then just add sugar to taste. I couldn't really find a good water to sumac ratio. I usually just half fill a grocery bag and soak it in maybe 4 litres of water. It's best in August and best if it hasn't rained in a few days so the flavors nice and strong. Here's a picture of staghorn sumac, that's what I use. Make sure you never use the sumac with white berries, extremely poisonous.

Wow. very cool. I will try it!
Thanks!