Todays search takes place during a brisk walk along the Calapooia River next to Bryant Park.
Burdock – Arctium lappa , Once a cultivated crop brought by the European settlers, Burdock is a nutritious root and leaf vegetable. First year plants are less bitter and should be boiled once before cooking to help reduce such bitterness.New growth of the well known Himalayan Blackberry – Rubus armeniacus , Although enjoyed by wildlife as an abundant source of food, Himalayan Blackberry is invasive and can quickly crowd any space it takes root. Nonetheless I look forward to its tasty berries for snacking, baking, and wine making. Blackberry Wine RecipeDandelion – Taraxacum officinale , a nutritious green rich in Vitamins A & C and minerals. Enjoy the fresh leaves in a salad or roast the tap root and grind/brew as a coffee substitute.One of my favorite berries for flavor is the Thimbleberry – Rubus parviflorusFlower buds neatly wrapped like a gift soon to be opened.Pacific Blackberry – Rubus ursinus.Also known as the Trailing Blackberry, Pacific Blackberry is native to our region. It may yield less than the Himalayan Blackberry but is just as delicious and much less invasive.Cherry blossoms. This variety of cherry puts on a wonderful show however it rarely yields any fruit worth noting.English Daisy – Bellis perennis. The entire plant is edible and the flowers make an attractive garnish for food.Chilling in the shade by the river is the nutritious Stinging Nettle – Urtica dioica. <<For more info.Leaf sprouts of the much anticipated Hazelnut aka Filbert.Delicious filberts from last years harvest. Filberts are a great source of healthy fats (oleic acid), protein, carbohydrates, vitamin E, minerals, dietary fiber, (beta-sitosterol), and antioxidants.I stumbled upon this healthy patch of the Broadleaf Dock – Rumex obtusifolius.“The very best leaves that curly dock produces are the first or second-year basal rosette of leaves, before the stalk develops. These leaves are somewhat rounder than at any other time in the plant’s life. They are also more tender and have a lemony flavor. These are good raw, steamed, or boiled.” -Edible Wild Plants by John Kallas“These are the best-known edible part of dock. If you want them tender and palatable, harvest the young leaves in the center of the rosette during the spring. They do not have to be tiny, just young. The leaves are scrolled up as they emerge, each side unrolling as the leaf lengthens until eventually the blade lies flat.” -Nature’s Garden by Samuel ThayerBeetle chilling on the flower bud of a Wintercress – Barbarea. “Edible parts: Growing tips of leafy stems, Leaves, Buds, Flowers – Wintercress leaves are bitter and pungent in the raw form, and they can leave a strong bitter aftertaste… Here are some general tips to enjoy its flavors: Make wintercress greens only about a fourth to a fifth of the mass of a salad… Cook the buds as you would the leaves. But because the bud clusters are three-dimensional, they will be more bitter than the leaves when steamed or sautéed… Whole flowers are mildly bitter, much less bitter than the greens or buds.” -Edible Wild Plants by John KallasAs I come across this regularly, I am often confronted by my many ill memories of being exposed to its leaves. I find it necessary to share these two photos of Poison Oak – Toxicodendron diversilobum. Please consider this a warning to be very cautious whenever you spot this rash inducing shrub.Poison Oak growing along the Calapooia River.
Till next time, thanks for reading and Happy Foraging!
-Henry H.
Your questions, comments, and experiences are always welcome.
The Northwest Forager™ 