Page 117 - The Forager’s Guide to Wild Foods

Stork’s-Bill, Erodium

cicutarium (GERANIACEAE)

STORK’S-BILL, Redstem Filaree, Pigweed, Common or
Red-Stemmed Stork’s-Bill is an herbaceous annual in
cold climates and biennial in warm climates. It can be
found growing in dry sandy soils along roadsides and
in fields.

FLOWER: Flowers with 5 pink, purple, or white ellip-
tical petals measure 0.25-0.5 inches (5-8mm) in diam-
eter. Umbrella-like clusters bloom from November to
June. Seedpods look like a stork’s bill, which split into 5
achenes with a long awn that coils tightly to “drill” the
seed into the ground.
HOW TO HARVEST AND EAT: Harvest young, over-
LEAF: Basal leaves are 2-18 inches (5-45cm) long and wintered, tender leaves. They taste like parsley. Old
0.15-2 inches (0.4-4.5cm) wide. They are pinnate to pin- leaves are tough and bitter.
nate-pinnatifid, made of 3-9 deeply lobed leaflets, giv- STORKS-BILL, NETTLE PESTO, WITH SHEPHERD’S
ing them a fern-like appearance. Leaves are alternate
PURSE SEED: You’ll need a handful of each plant’s
and have no petioles, with their bases wrapping around
boiled leaves, 1 clove garlic, pine nuts, parmesan
stems appearing as if they have been pierced by the
cheese, shepherd’s purse seed. Blend with olive oil
stem.
to desired consistency. Season to taste. Use on pasta,
EDIBLE PARTS: the entire plant meats and fish, or mix with yolk for deviled-eggs.
KEY MEDICINAL USES: It is astringent and hemostatic. POISONOUS LOOK-ALIKES: Poison Hemlock, Coni-
Seeds are rich in Vitamin K. um maculatum

Strawberry Blite, Blitum
capitatum (AMARANTHACEAE)

STRAWBERRY BLITE, Elite Goosefoot, Strawberry
Spinach, Strawberry Goosefoot, Indian Paint, or Indian
Ink is a monocarpic plant, which can be found growing
in moist mountain valleys, in partial shade or sun and
in disturbed soils along roadsides, gravel pits, waste ar-
eas, fields, open forests, thickets and clearings. Plants
can reach 8-40 inches (2-10cm) tall, and have a 12-15
inch (5-38cm) spread.
FLOWER: Tiny flowers bloom from July to August in
tight clusters, measuring 0.4 inches (1cm) in diameter,
and are whorled along upper stems. Fruits are small and
HOW TO HARVEST AND EAT: Eat younger leaves
bright red, measuring 0.5 inches (1.2cm) in diameter
fresh in salads and cook the older leaves. Seeds can
and containing small, black seeds. Strawberry Blite is
be cooked and ground into a meal after being soaked
most recognized by its bright red berries whorled along
overnight and rinsed to remove saponins. Fruits can
upper branches.
be eaten raw or cooked in syrup or jelly.
LEAF: Thin, green leaves are coarsely serrated, arrow-
STEAMED STRAWBERRY BLITE LEAVES: Steam a
head-shaped, and alternate. They are 1-4 inches (10-
few handfuls of Strawberry Blite leaves with chopped
20cm) long with long petioles. They both become short-
garlic for 3-5 min. Drizzle olive oil. Season to taste.
er along the length of the stem.
WARNING: Raw leaves contain oxalates and should
EDIBLE PARTS: fruits, leaves, seed
be eaten in moderation. Seeds may be toxic when eat-
KEY MEDICINAL USES: Strawberry Blite has been used en in large quantities.
for treating black eyes, head bruises, and lung congestion.
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