Cleavers / Spring / Summer / Autumn / Edible Everything you need to safely identify the edible and medicinal Cleavers or Sticky Weed (Gallium Aparine) before heading out to forage some. Scientific Name Gallium aparine Family Rubiaceae Also known as Clivers, “bort”, bedstraw, goosegrass, catchweed, stickyweed, stickybud, robin-run-the-hedge, sticky willy,…
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Darwins Barberry (Berberis darwinii) How to Identify Darwins Barberry Edible Scientific NameBerberis darwinii FamilyBerberidaceae Also known asMmichay, calafate, and quelung. HabitatNative to southern Chile and Argentina and naturalized elsewhere. Moist shady woodland in the Patagonian mountains. Woodland Garden Dappled Shade; Shady Edge; Hedge; DescriptionIt is an evergreen thorny shrub growing…

GROUND ELDER (Aegopodium podagraria) How to Identify Ground Elder(Edible) Common namesGround Elder, Bishop’s Weed, Goutweed, Gout Wort, Snow-in-the-Mountain, English Masterwort, Wild Masterwort Botanical nameAegopodium podagraria Meaning of botanical nameFrom the Greek Aigos for “goat” and podo meaning foot. The second part of the name is Latin and is another reference…

Primrose / Spring / Edible Primrose is one of the first plants to produce edible wild flowers in spring, our favourite thing is to use them as a garnish or to crystalise them for future use. Common names Primrose, Common Primrose, Wild Primrose, English Primrose Botanical name Primula vulgaris Meaning…

HIMALAYAN BALSAM (Impatiens glandulifera) How to Identify Himalayan Balsam(Edible) Common namesHimalayan Balsam, Indian Balsam, Bobby Tops, Copper Tops, Gnome’s Hatstand, Ornamental Jewelweed, Policeman’s Helmet, Kiss-me-on-the-Mountain Botanical nameImpatiens glandulifera Meaning of botanical nameImpatiens is from the Latin for impatient, referring to how the seed pods burst open. Glandulifera means to have…

Garlic Mustard / Spring / Summer / Autumn / Edible How to Identify Hedge Garlic Common names Hedge garlic, Jack-by-the-Hedge, Garlic Mustard, Poor Man’s Mustard, Garlic Root, Penny Hedge, Sauce Alone Botanical name Alliaria petiolata Meaning of botanical name The first part of the name, Alliaria, means “resembling an Allium”,…

ROSEBAY WILLOWHERB (Chamerion angustifolim) How to Identify Rosebay Willowherb(Edible) Common namesRosebay Willowherb, Fireweed Botanical nameChamerion angustifolium Meaning of botanical nameThe first part, Chamerion, comes from the Greek words for low to the ground, chamai, and oldeander, nerion. Angustifolium is derived from Latin words for narrow, angustus, and leaves, folium. Known…

HAIRY BITTERCRESS (Cardamine hirsuta) How to Identify Hairy Bittercress(Edible) Common namesHairy Bittercress, Lamb’s Cress, Hoary Bittercress, Spring Cress, Flick Weed, Shot Weed Botanical nameCardamine hirsuta Meaning of botanical nameCardamine comes from the Greek Kardamon, meaning cress-like. Hirsuta means hairy, which is in references to the hairs on the leaves of…

Silver Birch (Betula pendula) How to Identify Silver Birch Edible Botanical Name:Betula pendula Known Hazards:The tar present in the bark of this tree has been recorded as causing skin irritation, there’s also reference to an insect that feeds on the sap of the silver birch leaves exuding a chemical called…

Hazel (Corylus avellana) How to Identify Hazel Edible Botanical Name: Corylus avellana Known Hazards: N/A Could be confused with: Other species in the Corylus family, of which are similarly used. Linden Tree (Tilia) which has a similar leaf structure but grows to a huge size and doesn’t produce hazel nuts…

Alexanders / spring / summer / autumn / winter / edible How to Identify Alexanders Common Names: Alexanders, horse parsley, alisanders and smyrnium. Botanical Name: Smyrnium Olusatrum Meaning of Botanical Name: Smyrnuim indicates the plants distinct myrrh-like aromatics. While Olusatrum comes from Olus meaning garden herb and Atrum from…

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The Prince/ Summer/ Autumn / Edible Common Name The Prince Botanical Name Agaricus Augustus Meaning of Botanical Name Augustus is refering to the month of August which is when these mushrooms appear. Family Agaricaceae Known Hazards None Known Could be confused with Agaricus Impidicus, which has a strong radishy smell…

Blackberry / Spring / Summer / Autumn / Edible How to Identify Blackberries and Brambles Common Names Blackberry, Brambles Latin Name Rubus Fruticosus Known Hazards The stem of this plant contains many thorns and spikes, it’s almost impossible to walk through brambles and it’s fairly common to catch or even…

Sweet Cicely / Spring / Summer / Autumn / Edible How to Identify Sweet Cicely Botanical Name Myrrhis Odorata Could be confused with Cows Parsley (Anthriscus Sylvestris) very easily, the leaves are almost identical although Sweet Cicely leaves are a little softer to touch, the flower bunches of Sweet Cicely…
How to Identify Bilberry Bilberries are Edible Botanical Name: Vaccinium myrtillus Known Hazards: The Plant has high tannin content and if eaten to excess can effect digestion. Avoid eating if taking anti-coagulating medication. Could be confused with: Other Closely Related species in the Vaccinium Genus, Vaccinium uliginosum, Vaccinium cespitosum, Vaccinium…

Japanese Knotweed / Spring / Summer / Edible Japanese Knotweed is an incredibly invasive plant, but it has an amazing rhubarb flavour which we can use in cooking. Botanical Name: Fallopia japonica Known Hazards: Oxalic acid and oxalates are mild nephrotoxic acids that are abundantly present in the stem and…

This Sea Bass with sea beet and marsh samphire dish was created using the Wild Veg box from Totally Wild UK, using the foraged ingredients, sea bass and a few other simple ingredients. Ingredients Knob of butter (make this recipe dairy free by substituting with dairy-free spread) 100g Girolles mushrooms…