Page 119 - The Forager’s Guide to Wild Foods
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Sweet Clover (Yellow), Melilotus
officinalis (FABACEAE)
YELLOW SWEET CLOVER or Common Melilot is an HOW TO HARVEST AND EAT: Flowers picked at the
annual or biennial that can reach 6 ft. (2m) in height. It peak of blooming can be used as a flavoring in tea. Lat-
is often found in colonies. The sweet-smelling plants er, the subsequent seeds can be winnowed right off
have deep taproots, allowing them to survive drought the plant, once the pods have turned brown or black,
and cold temperatures. They are often found in dis- and used as a spice. Young leaves can be used spar-
turbed areas, but can also be found in open grass- ingly to flavor salads. Young shoots can be used like
lands and woodlands, where they often outcompete asparagus. Leaves and young green seedpods can be
and shade native plants. Light green stems are lanky cooked as a vegetable.
and smooth, almost hairless, and freely branching.
CLOVER FLOWER ICED TEA: Collect flowers early in
FLOWER: Blooming from May to October, its yellow the morning before the bees are at them. Rinse in cold
flowers grow in whorls on 6-inch (15cm) long droop- water. Place 1 tbsp. of flowers per each cup of boiling
ing spikes, that form at the leaf axils of the upper water. Let steep 15-20 min. Remove flowers and allow
leaves and at the ends of stems. Flowers are ⅓ inch water to cool. Add honey or sweetener of your choice,
(0.8cm) long; they become small seedpods, each con- about 1 tsp. per cup. Mix well and enjoy the refresh-
taining 1 to 2 seeds. ing, lightly vanilla flavored iced tea. Soaking flowers
LEAF: Leaves are alternate and divided into 3 oblong overnight in cold water will also make a nice infusion
leaflets, that are about ¾ inch (2cm) long and ¼ inch that can be used the same way.
(0.5cm) wide, with fine toothed almost hairless mar- WARNING: Fermented and mouldy plants should nev-
gins. er be used. These are toxic to livestock. Dried leaves
EDIBLE PARTS: seedpods, flowers, leaves, shoots, may be toxic to humans. People using heart medica-
and roots tion, diuretics, blood thinners, or who have diabetes or
KEY MEDICINAL USES: Common sweet clover keeps prediabetes should be extra cautious with this plant.
blood from clotting, is a diuretic and laxative.
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