Page 119 - The Lost Ways

Arrowhead (Sagittaria Latifolia)

Perennial herb; harvest all year

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Arrowheads are common. They grow in wet soil along creeks and rivers, in marshes, and
in other wetlands. They are easy to identify by their arrow-shaped leaves.

They grow in drain ditches and soggy meadows too. This habitat is lucky because that wet
soil gives up the plant easily with a little digging. The simplest way to accomplish this is to
roll up your britches and wade in.

Use your toes to loosen the roots. The tubers are what you’re after, and these float to the

surface when they are dislodged. The tubers are edible raw but better cooked. They can
replace potatoes in any recipe but ought to be peeled before eating.

Asparagus (Asparagus Officinalis)

Perennial herb; harvest spring through summer

Asparagus grows wild and is widespread throughout the continent. You will find it
alongside roads, in ditches, and anywhere else the soil has ever been disturbed. It prefers
sandy, well-draining soil.

Harvest first in the spring then all season long. Just be sure to give it enough time at the
end to go to seed so there will be more next year. Don’t eat older growth as it is mildly
toxic. It’s the young shoots you are after.

14 "Sagittaria latifolia Willd" by: Udo Schmidt, (CC BY-SA 2.0)

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