Please eat the dandelions: 9 edible garden

weeds

Derek Markham (@derekmarkham)

Living / Lawn & Garden March 28, 2014

CC BY 3.0 ugod

All too often, homeowners and gardeners wage war in their lawns and gardens against the plants

that grow incredibly well there, but that aren't intentionally planted, and many times, the

justification for these battles all comes down to the words we use to describe them.

When we buy and plant packets of common flower, vegetable, or herb seeds, we spend a lot of

time, energy, and water in our efforts to get those seeds to germinate and grow, and take pride in

our green thumb and homegrown food supply.

But when a plant that we identify as being a weed is found growing in our lawn or garden, out

comes the trowel and hoe (or for the ruthless and impatient gardeners, weedkillers such as

RoundUp), and we may spend the entire growing season keeping these opportunistic and

resilient plants at bay, in order to have neat and tidy garden beds and uniform lawns. And it's too

bad, really, as many of the common garden weeds are not only edible and nutritious, but can be a

great homegrown (and free) addition to our meals.

Part of the resistance to eating plants that we believe to be weeds, in my opinion, is that we are

conditioned to only consider the items we find in the grocery store as food, and not things that

the rest of the neighborhood sees as unwelcome invaders in lawns and gardens. And unless we've

been exposed to eating plants that are seen as common garden weeds, and had them prepared for

us, we're probably not likely to try to eat them on our own. Once in a while, we might come

across dandelion greens or purslane for sale in the produce section of the grocery store, or the

farmers market, but for the most part, many common edible garden weeds aren't available

anywhere else except for our lawns or garden beds. And that's a shame.

Although the edible weeds that you can find in your yard might be different ones than the ones I

find in my yard, due to weather, soil conditions, and geography, here are some of the most

common garden weeds that can be used for both meals and medicine:

1. Dandelion:

The quintessential garden and lawn weed, dandelions have a bad reputation among those who

want grass that looks as uniform as a golf course, but every part of this common edible weed is

tasty both raw and cooked, from the roots to the blossoms. Dandelion leaves can be harvested at

any point in the growing season, and while the smaller leaves are considered to be less bitter and

more palatable raw, the bigger leaves can be eaten as well, especially as an addition to a green

salad. If raw dandelion leaves don't appeal to you, they can also be steamed or added to a stir-fry

or soup, which can make them taste less bitter. The flowers are sweet and crunchy, and can be

eaten raw, or breaded and fried, or even used to make dandelion wine. The root of the dandelion

can be dried and roasted and used as a coffee substitute, or added to any recipe that calls for root

vegetables.

http://www.treehugger.com/lawn-garden/eat-dandelions-9-edible-garden-

weeds.html

2. Purslane

ZooFari/CC BY 3.0

Purslane can often be found in moist garden beds, lawns, and shady areas, where it lies close to

the ground and often goes unnoticed. This humble garden weed, however, is a nutritional

powerhouse, as it is said to contain more omega-3 fatty acids than any other leafy vegetable, and

can be a great addition to a salad or stir-fry, or used to thicken soups or stews. Purslane is a

succulent, with a crispy texture, and the leaves and stems can be eaten raw or cooked to add a

peppery flavor to any dish.

3. Clover

Cliff/CC BY 3.0

Other than the occasional four-leafed clover hunt, this common lawn weed goes mostly

unnoticed, but is an important food for honeybees and bumblebees, and clover leaves and

flowers can be used to add variety to meals. Small amounts of raw clover leaves can be chopped

into salads, or can be sauteed and added to dishes for a green accent, and the flowers of both red

and white clover can be eaten raw or cooked, or dried for tea.

4. Lamb's Quarters

Wendell Smith/CC BY 3.0

The young shoots and leaves of Lamb's Quarters (also known as goosefoot) can be eaten raw in

any vegetable dish, or sauteed or steamed and used anywhere spinach is called for. The seeds of

the Lamb's Quarters, which resemble quinoa, can also be harvested and eaten, although it takes a

lot of patience to gather enough to make it worthwhile.

5. Plantain

Calin Darabus/CC BY 3.0

This common lawn weed (not to be confused with the tropical fruit also called plantain) is not

only a great medicinal plant that can be used topically to soothe burns, stings, rashes, and

wounds, but is also a great edible green for the table. The young leaves of plantain can be eaten

raw, steamed, boiled, or sauteed, and while the older leaves can be a bit tough, they can also be

cooked and eaten as well. The seeds of the plantain, which are produced on a distinctive flower

spike, can be cooked like a grain or ground into a flour, and are related to the more well-known

psyllium seeds, which are sold as a fiber supplement and natural laxative.

6. Chickweed

Leslie Seaton/CC BY 3.0

This rather unassuming garden weed can be harvested and used for both food and medicine.

Chickweed leaves, stems, and flowers can all be eaten either raw or cooked, where it adds a

delicate spinach-like taste to any dish. The plant can also be used as a topical poultice for minor

cuts, burns, or rashes, and can be made into a tea for use as a mild diuretic.

7. Mallow

pawpaw67/CC BY 3.0

Mallow, or malva, is also known as cheeseweed, due to the shape of its seed pods, and can be

found in many lawns or garden beds across the US. The leaves and the seed pods (also called the

'fruit') are both edible, either raw or cooked, and like many greens, are often more tender and

palatable when smaller and less mature. The older leaves can be used like any other cooked

green after steaming, boiling, or sauteeing them.

8. Wild Amaranth

United Soybean Board/CC BY 3.0

The leaves of the wild amaranth, also known as pigweed, are another great addition to any dish

that calls for leafy greens, and while the younger leaves are softer and tastier, the older leaves

can also be cooked like spinach. The seeds of the wild amaranth can be gathered and cooked just

like store-bought amaranth, either as a cooked whole grain or as a ground meal, and while it does

take a bit of time to gather enough to add to a meal, they can be a a good source of free protein.

9. Curly Dock

Michael Gras/CC BY 3.0

Curly dock (also called yellow dock) leaves can be eaten raw when young, or cooked when

older, and added to salads or soups. The stems of the dock plant can be peeled and eaten either

cooked or raw, and the mature seeds can be boiled, or eaten raw, or roasted to make a coffee

substitute. Dock leaves are rather tart, and because of their high oxalic acid content, it's often

recommended to only eat them in moderation, as well as to change the water several times

during cooking.

[Disclaimer: This is not meant as a field guide, so before you start eating the weeds out of your

lawn or garden, be sure that you've positively identified them as an edible plant, and know how

to prepare them. Unless you know for sure, steer clear of plants that grow outside your yard, in

places where they may be sprayed or treated, or in places that neighborhood dogs and cats use

to do their business.]

© Dorling Kindersley Limited 2010

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Drumstick primrose has scented, cut-flower quality blooms.

© Dorling Kindersley Limited 2010

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Nasturtiums Make Fresh and Beautiful Salad

Nasturtiums blooms add color and taste to healthy summer salads.

© Dorling Kindersley Limited 2009

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'Stafford' Daylily is the Earliest Spring Bloomer

Hemerocallis, 'Stafford', is a striking, bold, sturdy daylily featuring vivid scarlet flowers with a

yellow throat and midribs in summer. Foliage appears in early spring, creating a

© Dorling Kindersley Limited 2008

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New Dawn Rose

A great rose for a north-facing site, the new dawn rose is easy to grow and provides fragrant

blush-pink flowers in summer.

© Dorling Kindersley Limited 2008

Annual Beauty

Annuals, such as these pansies, are plants that germinate, flower, set seed, and die all in one

growing season.

© Dorling Kindersley Limited 2011

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Tulip Bulbs Planted in Fall for Spring Beauty

Tulip bulbs should be planted in the late fall in order to enjoy their blooms in the spring.

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Star chickweed is an edible weed

Star chickweed is an edible, foraging-friendly weed with a corn-cob-like flavor in its raw form.

Purslane is Favorite in Summer Garden

Purslane is a favorite summer vegetable, with a mild, sweet sour flavor and a chewy texture. Its

reddish stem, nearly as thick as a cable, creeps along the ground, rarely getting … See More

Unique Yarrow

Yarrow is a hardy and versatile perennial with fernlike leaves and colorful blooms. The large,

flat topped flower clusters are perfect for cutting and drying. Perfect plant for adding …

Stinging Nettle is Variety of Perennial Weed

Stinging nettle is a rampant grower, especially in moister areas. It spreads by seeds and

underground stems, which also cause pain if you touch them. If any part of the

wild red clover

wild red clover

Creeping Charlie is a rapidly-spreading, matted garden plant some gardeners

refer to as ground ivy.

Creeping Charlie is a rapidly-spreading, matted garden plant some gardeners refer to as ground

ivy.

- See more at: http://www.hgtvgardens.com/photos/garden-to-table-photos/eat-your-yard-13-weeds-

and-flowers-for-your-dinner-table#sthash.5E6xAxQF.dpuf

The white flower head of Queen Anne's lace is edible raw or lightly battered and fried.

Credit: Christopher Wanjek

View full size image

Updated at 12:49 p.m. ET

Has the heat killed your garden and left nothing but weeds? Then why not eat those weeds?

Last year at this time we reported on five healthy weeds likely growing in or near your yard:

dandelion, plantain, purslane, lamb's-quarters, and stinging nettles. Each one of these is a tasty

powerhouse of nutrition. Raw purslane, a rich source of omega-3 fatty acids, offers a perfect tart

punch to any smoothie; lamb's-quarters, one of the most nutritionally dense foods known, cooks

in seconds in a stir-fry and has a nutty spinach taste.

The list of edible weeds doesn't stop there, though. Here are five more, as surprisingly tasty and

nutritious as they are common, even in severe drought conditions. Just be aware of air and soil

quality of where you harvest, along with any allergies you might have to similar-looking or

tasting foods.

Burdock:

Burdock's claim to fame is that its burrs were the inspiration for Velcro. Get some on your socks,

and you'll know why. But long before those purple flowers and troublesome burrs form, the plant

has a long, thin root that is edible.

The infamous burrs don't appear until the second year of growth in this biennial plant. By

midsummer during the first year, you can identify the plant by its display of massive dark-green

leaves fairly low to the ground. The brown taproot can be up to 2 feet long. That's a lot of fine

eating. You'll need a shovel to get this out. Don't be surprised if you pull and get only a couple

inches' worth. This is a true weed that doesn't surrender easily. (The taproot helps it survive the

drought.)

Burdock roots are edible raw, but this might be quite a chew. You can slow roast them like

parsnips or chop and toss them into soups. Burdock is the wild version of the cultivated Japanese

vegetable gobo, which can grow 3 to 4 feet long. It is rich in inulin and many trace minerals,

such as manganese and magnesium. [7 Perfect Survival Foods]

Daylily:

Here's a neighbor's flower you don't have to pick in secret, especially if you kindly wait until the

end of the day. As the name almost implies, daylilies bloom only for a day. Then the blossom

falls off.

That blossom is sweet and rich in vitamin A. You can eat them raw in a salad, lightly batter and

pan-fry them, or dry them for long-term storage (sold as "golden needles" in Asian

supermarkets). Come fall, the plant's white tubers underground also are edible. You'll have to get

your neighbor's permission, this time.

The only caution here is that you should be sure you have an original wild daylily — the orange

Hemerocallis fulva or the yellow H. lilioasphodelus (look them up) — and not a true lily, which

is usually toxic. [10 Most Common Poisonous Plants]

Queen Anne's Lace:

Also known as the wild carrot, Queen Anne's lace is in full bloom across much of "temperate"

North America, Europe and Asia right now. The white flower head is edible raw or lightly

battered and fried. The seeds work well in soups and stews and can flavor tea, too.

If you catch these plants early enough, you can eat the roots and leaves. These are indeed wild

carrots, the ancestor of all cultivated carrots. By the time the flower appears, though, the root is

too woody to eat.

A few words of caution: Hippocrates prescribed the crush seeds as a form of birth control more

than 2,000 years ago, and modern studies find some truth in the fact that the seeds and flower

heads should be avoided by women pregnant or hoping to conceive. Also, to the untrained eye,

Queen Anne's lace looks a little like poisonous hemlock, which will kill you in an hour if

consumed. The latter has a hairless stem and doesn't smell like carrots. (I don't know what it

tastes like.)

Mare's Tail:

This vigorous crack-dweller has a dozen names, a sure sign that most people consider it

unsightly and invasive. It is one of those "oh, so that's what it is" kind of weeds. Also known as

horseweed and, more properly, Conyza canadensis, the mare's tail is prolific in both rural and

urban settings and will grow with hardly any water or soil straight and tall, up to 4 feet high.

Again, that's a lot of food.

The leaves are most palatable when young. By midsummer, only the top foot or so of a 3-foot

plant is tender enough to eat after a quick boil. They are peppery and, in fact, you can dry them

as a spice. As with many dark, leafy greens, the plant is a decent source of calcium, potassium

and other minerals.

And now for some Boy Scout trivia: Mare's tail is the weed of choice for making a fire via the

drill-friction method. The very straight, hard stem rotates perfectly between the hands to make

heat. What other plant can make the fire needed to cook it?

Perilla:

A prized herb called shiso in Japan, perilla is yanked from backyards with resentment by many a

Western gardener. Pity. This green- or red-leaf plant has a unique taste that is a cross between

mint and fennel, is very high in vitamins A and C and sundry minerals, and can boost the

immune system. The red-leaf version is sometimes called beefsteak.

Most agricultural websites treat perilla as an invasive weed, and for good reason. It is mildly

toxic to horses and cattle, and farmers don't want it on their pastures. Some gardeners are slowly

warming to the red variety, though, because the vibrant leaves can add deep color to the garden

when other plants start turning brown.

This nascent love of perilla's aesthetics will benefit weed-eaters everywhere, because a single

perilla plant will produce thousands of seeds, ensuring that those tasty leaves will appear

throughout the neighborhood, should you know what to look for.

Christopher Wanjek is the author of a new science novel, "Hey, Einstein!", a comical nature-

versus-nurture tale about raising clones of Albert Einstein in less-than-ideal settings. His

column, Bad Medicine, appears regularly on LiveScience.

Editor's Note: This article has been updated to correct a statement saying that Burdock contains

insulin; it actually contains "inulin."

Many of the lawn-and-garden weeds that people kill with toxic herbicides actually contain

health-giving properties and vital nutrients often missing from foods grown in depleted soil.

A weedy lawn is often a goldmine of healing and health! Find out what four of the most common

weeds growing in your yard may offer you:

Chickweed: Rich in nutrients, chickweed makes a great addition to the salad bowl, nourishing to

the lymph and glandular systems, and offering healing for those with cysts, fevers, and

inflammations. A good neutralizer for those with over-acid systems, and beneficial for those with

yeast overgrowth and fatty deposits.

Dandelion: All parts, from root to flower, are beneficial. Good for the liver, urinary tract, and

female reproductive system, dandelion has cancer- and virus-fighting properties, and is a great

beautifier. Dandelion is also beneficial for insomnia, arthritis, hypoglycemia and diabetes. Sap

from a cut stem may be used to treat blemishes, corns, stings, warts and other skin problems.

Nettle: Yes, they can sting you but if you gather them carefully and tincture or cook them,

nettles are a fabulous source of calcium–a must to prevent osteoporosis–and a great ally for

regrowing thinning hair. They are a tonic for the kidneys and adrenals (if you’ve been stressed or

fatigued, nettle is the ally for you) and for the respiratory system, offering healing for asthmatics

and those with other bronchial and lung complaints.

Red Clover: Herbalist Susun Weed says red clover offers menopausal women many of the

benefits of soy without any of the drawbacks. It is one ingredient of traditional spring tonics to

purify and revitalize the entire system, high in calcium and compounds that are useful in treating

bronchitis and other respiratory conditions.

CAUTION: Before you eat your weeds, be sure that you’ve picked them in an area free of

animal waste, pollution from motor vehicles, and chemical herbicide or pesticide treatments.

Please consult a health professional before treating health conditions with herbs. We are not

recommending that you discontinue conventional medical practices.

Read more: http://www.care2.com/greenliving/the-healing-weeds-in-your-yard.html#ixzz32NsGRmLp

But last year, I realized my weeds are beautiful. And healing. I have done a little research and

realized I have Shepherd’s Purse, Chickweed, Dandelion and Nettle in my yard!

All these years I could have been making herbal teas and tinctures, but instead I was neurotically

picking them to keep my yard perfect.

Then wash off the roots and set them out to dry in the sun or dehydrate them in a dehydrator (this

is the one I have) for about 6 to 12 hours. Then you ground them into a powder and can use

them in cooking or to make a tea.

Lamb's Quarters (Chenopodium album)

Lamb's-quarters—also known as pigweed, goosefoot, and wild spinach—is a relative of spinach

and one of the most widely distributed plants on earth. In years gone by, both Europeans and

American Indians cultivated this leafy annual for its abundant yield of seeds (seeds which—

incidentally—contain an average of 16% protein, compared to wheat's 14%).

As a green, however, lamb's-quarters is delicious. And surprisingly nutritious . . . for the

uncooked plant happens to be richer in iron, protein, and vitamin B 2 than either raw cabbage or

raw spinach.

Mature lamb's-quarters stands two to seven feet tall and can be identified by its jagged-edged,

diamond-shaped leaves . . . leaves which—on their undersides—are powdered with coarse,

whitish particles (hence the Latin name album, or "white"). The short leafstalks may either be

reddish-streaked or plain green. (Both the stem and leaves of young plants are usually just mealy

white.)

Read more: http://www.motherearthnews.com/real-food/edible-weeds-

zmaz76jaztak.aspx#ixzz32Nt6Ca8O