Lesser Celandine / Spring / Summer / Edible A very common, woodland plant, one of the first plants to flower in spring. Common Names Lesser Celandine, Spring Messenger, Pilewort Botanical Name Ficaria verna formally Ranunculus ficaria Scientific Classification Kingdom – Plantae Order – Ranunculales Family – Ranunculaceae Physical Characteristics for…
Journal
Wild Fennel / Spring / Summer / Autumn / Edible Latin Name: Foeniculum vulgare Physical Characteristics: A tall umbellifer that can grow to 1.5-2m tall in favourable conditions. Leaves The leaves, which begin sheathed, are very finely branched and appear feathery. They have a strong aniseed smell when crushed Flowers…
Sea Plantain / Spring / Summer / Autumn / Edible Common Names Coastal Plantain, Plantain by the Sea, Goose tongue Botanical Name Plantago maritima subsp. maritima (there are several subspecies, differentiated by their geographical distributions). Scientific Classification Kingdom – Plantae Order –Lamiales Family – Plantaginaceae Physical Characteristics Looking a bit…
Salty Fingers / All Year / Edible Salty Fingers are an absolutely outstanding species that grows at certain special coastal spots throughout the UK and the rest of the world. This one looks prehistoric and like it shouldn’t be eaten, however it has a delightful salty flavour and the way…
Lilac / Spring / Summer / Edible Common Names Lilac flower, sweet lilac Botanical Name Syringa vulgaris and other species Scientific Classification Kingdom – Plantae Order –Lamiales Family – Oleaceae Physical Characteristics This is a deciduous shrub that blooms in spring with cones of wonderfully fragrant flowers. It can grow…
Buck’s Horn Plantain / Spring / Summer / Autumn / Edible Common Names Stagshorn plantain, Minutina Botanical Name Plantago coronopus Scientific Classification Kingdom – Plantae Order –Lamiales Family – Plantaginaceae Physical Characteristics The whole plant rarely grows more than 10cm tall. Leaves Hairy leaves growing in a basal rosette. Each…
Reindeer Moss / All Year / Edible Common Names Reindeer lichen, Reindeer cup lichen, Grey reindeer lichen, Caribou moss, Deer moss Botanical Name Cladonia rangiferina Scientific Classification Kingdom – Fungi Order –Lecanorales Family – Cladoniaceae Physical Characteristics of Reindeer Moss While it is colloquially known as a moss, this is…
Old Man’s Beard / All Year / Edible After processing Old Man’s Beard, it can be dried, or powdered and added to energy balls, crackers, and sauces that need thickening. Common Names (this refers to the lichen, not the species of Clematis that goes by the same common name). Tree’s…
Oak Moss / All Year Round / Edible Oak Moss and other Lichens have been used as food and medicine as long as there have been people. Common Names Tree moss Botanical Name Evernia prunastri Scientific Classification Kingdom – Fungi Order –Lecanorales Family – Parmeliaceae Physical Characteristics Grows primarily on…
Nori / Spring / Summer / Autumn / Winter / Edible Other Common Names: sometimes called Laver (not strictly correct, but they are very similar) Latin Name: Pyropia yezoensis, californica, tenera and other species. Note that Laver is in the Porphyria genus, but the seaweeds in each are often reclassified.…