Duke of Argyll’s tea tree / Spring / Summer / Autumn / Edible Like many I’d imagine, I hadn’t heard of Goji berries (Duke of Argyll’s tea tree) until the early 2000’s when they became popular as a supposed ‘super food’. I imagined them growing on a rare, recently discovered…
Category: Plant identification
Wild Plum / Spring / Summer / Autumn / Edible Wild Plums are a common sight on these shores and as all members of the plum family are edible they are really beginner friendly. Typically appearing as a large bush or small tree, up to 8m in height. Wild Plums…
Common Reed / Spring / Summer / Autumn / Edible Common Reed is quite often a name that is used to describe the Bulrush – which has the cigar-like tops, the two plants and two names are actually commonly used for one another now which is quite confusing. In this…
Medlar / Autumn / Winter / Edible Medlar are something that isn’t often eaten in the UK, it requires picking and letting to slightly ferment to produce a really nice caramel like fruit. Common Names Medlar, Common Medlar Botanical Name Mespilus germanica Scientific Clasification Kingdom – Plantae Order – Rosales…
Wild Apple / Summer / Autumn / Edible The guide focuses on the Wild apple or Crab Apple (Malus sylvestris) but truly wild apples are getting harder to find. Most of the apples that you’ll see in the wild are technically ‘feral’. They have grown from a seed or core…
Sycamore / Spring / Edible Sycamore is a large deciduous, broad-leaved tree, it is native to Central Europe and Western Asia and is thought to have been introduced to the UK in the 1500’s. Common Names Sycamore, Sycamore maple Botanical Name Acer pseudoplatanus   Scientific Classification Kingdom – Plantae Order –…
Tansy / Spring / Summer / Autumn / Edible Tansy is an aromatic, perennial member of the Daisy family. It’s a very common plant in the UK with a long history of use. It’s native to Europe and Asia but can now be found almost worldwide. Common Names Tansy, Bitter…
Hops / Spring / Summer / Autumn / Edible An attractive climbing plant of hedgerows, well known in brewing for its aroma, bitterness and antibacterial properties Common Names Hop, common Hop Botanical Name Humulus lupulus Scientific Classification Kingdom – Plantae Order –Rosales Family – Cannabaceae Physical Characteristics of Hops Perennial…
Dittander / Spring / Summer / Autumn / Edible Through this Dittander (Lepidium latifolium) Identification guide, we’re taking a look at a perennial member of the Cabbage family. It’s not the most common plant in the wild but it is becoming more common as a planted species. It’s not native…
Creeping Thistle / Spring / Summer / Autumn / Edible A native, bi-annual member of the daisy family.  It’s the most common thistle found in the UK and the stems and roots can be eaten raw or cooked. Common Names Creeping Thistle, Canada Thistle, Field Thistle Botanical Name Cirsium arvense…