Page 126 - The Forager’s Guide to Wild Foods

Waterleaf, Hydrophyllum spp.

(BORAGINACEAE) KEY MEDICINAL USES: Tea is used to treat diarrhea.
HOW TO HARVEST AND EAT: Leaves may be eaten
WATERLEAFS are named for the light markings found raw, but are fuzzy; I prefer them steamed or added
on their leaves, looking like water spots. All species in to soups. Young leaves are best, having pleasant taste
North America have edible leaves and stems; some also similar to spinach or nettles. Harvest roots using
have edible roots. Common edible species are H. occi- your hands or a small rake to carefully pull surface
dentale, H. tenuipes, H. virginianum, H. canadense, H. cap-
soil back. Snap or sever the rhizome growth. Cook
itatum, H. fendleri. Some species are protected. until tender before eating. Mild flavored rhizomes/
EDIBLE PARTS: leaves, stems, and roots of certain spe- roots from H. tenuipes and H. occidentale are crisp
cies (cooked) and watery, similar to a bean sprout.

CALIFORNIA WATERLEAF, H. occidentale, is native to
California, Nevada, Utah, Arizona, Oregon and Idaho. It’s
usually found on moist slopes in forested areas. It can
grow up to 2 ft. (0.6 m) tall. Roots are also edible.
FLOWER: A ball of clustered flowers grows at the end
of a fuzzy stem that can rise 12 inches (30cm) above the
Andrey Zharkikh, CC-BY-2.0
foliage. The flower consists of 5 white-to-lavender pet-
als that are slightly lobed on the tips and ⅓ inch (1cm) LEAF: Leaves can grow up to 15 inches (40cm) and
long. Each flower has 5 lavender colored stamens that are deeply lobed with rounded tips. Leave is covered
are twice the length of the petals. with fine hairs that give it a fuzzy appearance.

PACIFIC WATERLEAF, H. tenuipes, is native to the Pa-
cific Northwest, from Canada to Northern California for-
ests. It grows in rich, moist shaded soils of low to mid
elevation steams and forests. Roots are also edible.
FLOWER: Stalks extend from upper leaves in spherical
clusters of numerous flowers as cyme scorpioid. Bell
shaped flowers can have cream, greenish-white, laven-
inches (30cm) long, and 8 inches (20cm) wide.
der, or blue petals and grow to 0.4 inches (1cm) long.
Leaves are 5-9 pinnate with an odd number of deeply
LEAF: Leaves can be 12-24 inches (30-60cm) high, 12 cut, toothed lobes with sharp points.

VIRGINIA WATERLEAF, H. virginianum, or Indian Cab-
bage has the typical ‘feathery’ or fuzzy’ characteristics. It
has a clumping habit due to its rhizomatous roots, and
prefers part-shade in moist forests and closed wood-
lands, but it will tolerate a wide range of conditions.
In full bloom, the plant can grow up to 2 ft. (0.6m) tall.
Roots can only be used for tea.
somewhat hairy and split into 2 when mature in July
FLOWER: Flowers usually appear only in May. Bell-
and August to release 1-3 seeds.
shaped, flowers are pink, purple or white. Each flower
is ½ inch (1cm) long and made up of 5 feathery petals. LEAF: Leaves are deeply divided into either 3, 5, 7
The 5 stamens are also feathery, are twice as long as the or 9 segments, and each segment has blunt-toothed
petals and protrude from below the petals. Fruits are edges and pointed tips.

STEAMED WATERLEAF: Steam fresh, young leaves for lar basis can be harmful to your liver.
5 min. Season to taste with smoked sea salt. POISONOUS LOOK-ALIKES: Grecian wildflower,

WARNING: As with most species in the Boraginaceae Anemonoides blanda - has a similar habitat and leaf
family, consuming high amounts of waterleaf on a regu- as Virginia waterleaf.
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