Page 134 - The Forager’s Guide to Wild Foods

Wild Rice, Zizania spp. (POACEAE)

WILD RICE, also known as Canadian Rice, Indian Rice,
and Water Oats, is an aquatic grass. There are 4 species
in the Zizania genus. 3 are native to North America: Z.
aquatica; Z. palustris, and Z. texana. Z. latifolia is native
to Eurasia. Plants can grow up to 3 ft. (1m) tall with
branching flower stalks reaching 2ft. (0.6m) long, load-
ed with edible seeds up to 0.8 inches (2cm) long.
FLOWER: Separate pistillate (female) and staminate
(male) flowers bloom from July to September on single
branching clusters that can grow to 2 ft. (0.6m) long.
LEAF: Leaves float on water’s surface early in the sea- Matt Lavin, CC-BY-SA-2.0 Matt Lavin, CC-BY-SA-2.0
son, becoming emersed (growing up out of the water) in mid to late summer. Harvest young, tender shoots.
as the season progresses. Flat basal leaves are alternate,
FIRST RICE FEAST: (recipe credit: River Corcoran):
spreading and hairless. They can grow 8-24 inches (20-
Cook onion and sauté until golden brown. Add elk
61cm) long and up to 1.5 inches (4cm) wide.
or other wild meat, cook until not quite brown. Add
EDIBLE PARTS: stalk/shoot and seeds (cooked) mushrooms and cook until soft. Add celery. Add cran-
KEY MEDICINAL USES: Wild Rice has antioxidant and berries. Add already cooked wild rice. Put in a baked
diuretic properties, lowers cholesterol, and is beneficial and buttered acorn squash. Enjoy!
to the cardiovascular system. WARNING: Ergot, a toxic fungus, can infect Wild
HOW TO HARVEST AND EAT: Best place to collect is Rice Seeds and should not be eaten. Pink or purplish
throughout the Mississippi Valley and Great Lakes region blotches on enlarged seeds indicate fungal growth.

Wild Strawberry,

Fragaria vesca (ROSACEAE)

WILD STRAWBERRY, also known as Alpine Strawber-
ry, Carpathian Strawberry, and Woodland Strawber-
ry, is found in forests and grasslands of the Northern
Hemisphere. It is a fruiting, evergreen vine that spreads
easily with adventitious roots at nodes along runners,
or stolons.

FLOWER: Soft, hairy flower stalks are 1.2-6 inches (3-
15cm) long with 5 to 11 flowers measuring 0.5 inches
(1.3cm) across; they bloom from May through August.
Flowers have 5 round, white petals, a light green to yel-
low center of tightly clustered pistils and stamens, and a
KEY MEDICINAL USES: It is a tonic, astringent and
calyx of 5 green sepals joined together at the base. Fruits
diuretic.
are bright red, ovoid, a little less than 0.5 inches (1.3 cm)
HOW TO HARVEST AND EAT: Harvest green and
long and have achenes embedded in the surface. Sepals
red fruits to eat fresh, or make a jam. Harvest young
of the persistent calyx are reflexed and do not adhere to
leaves and eat raw or cooked with other greens. Dry
the fruit.
leaves or steep fresh for a mild tea.
LEAF: Trifoliate leaves have coarsely toothed margins
WILD STRAWBERRY SYRUP: Bring 1 cup water, 2
and grow in rosettes. Ovate leaflets are hairy, thick and
cups Wild Strawberries, and 1 cup sugar to a boil for
leathery with pinnate veins, growing to 2.5 inches (6cm)
10 min., mash berries a little, and reduce heat to sim-
long and 0.75-2 inches (2-5cm) across.
mer 10 min., until the mixture thickens. Put in a jar
EDIBLE PARTS: leaves, flowers, fruit and store in refrigerator. Strain for a smooth syrup.

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