Japanese Quince / Spring / Summer / Autumn / Winter / Edible Japanese Quince is a non-native, thorny deciduous shrub, popular in gardens for its attractive flowers and fruit. it is generally quite compact but can grow up to 2 metres tall. Common Names Japanese Quince, Maule’s Quince, Northern Lemon,…
Tag: winter
Daisy / All Year Round / Edible An abundant, perennial, wild edible that all of us are familiar with, if only from making ‘daisy bracelets’ as a child. They can be found almost anywhere on any soil type. Common Names Daisy, Common Daisy, Lawn Daisy, English daisy, Bruisewort, Gardeners’ Friend…
Pink Purslane / All Year Round / Edible A common non-native plant. It has a earthy almost beetroot like flavour and can be eaten raw or cooked. Common Names Winter Purslane, Siberian Spring Beauty Botanical Name Claytonia sibirica Scientific Classification Kingdom – Plantae Order – Caryophyllales Family – Montiaceae Physical…
Heather / All Year / Edible Common Names Heather/Ling Heather/Scotch Heather Latin Name: Calluna vulgaris, Erica tetralix, E. caerulea – Ericaceae Harvest Season: Best to collect fresh, young (not too woody) flowering tops (leaves and flowers) when the flowers have just bloomed – usually July – October, depending on the…
Buttercups / All Year round / Toxic There are many types of Buttercups, three species are very common in the UK. They can all be thought of as the same from a foraging point of view as they are all toxic. Common Names Buttercups, Creeping crazy, Devil’s guts, Lantern leaves,…
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…
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…
Irish Moss Seaweed /Autumn / Winter / Spring / Edible Irish Moss (the source of carrageenan) Note: You may have heard more about Carrageenan than about Irish Moss, and you may be surprised to find controversial material after googling carrageenan! Irish Moss is the seaweed from which the fibre/carbohydrate carrageenan…