Page 149 - The Forager’s Guide to Wild Foods

Devil’s Club, Oplopanax

horridus (ARALIACEAE)

DEVIL’S CLUB is a large understory shrub, often found
in sprawling colonies, growing on erect, woody stems
that are covered with noxious, irritating spines. It usu-
Stan Shebs, CC-BY-SA-3.0
ally grows 5 ft. (1.5m) tall but can reach 15 ft. (4.5m)
high in moist, undisturbed sites.
FLOWER: Flower umbels are dense pyramidal clusters,
4 to 8 inches (10-20cm) in diameter. Flowers have 5
greenish-white petals and produce a small red fruit or
drupe which is about ¼ inch (0.5cm) in size.
LEAF: Large, palmate leaves look like maple leaves but Matt Lavin, CC-BY-SA-2.0 Walter Siegmund, CC-BY-SA-3.0
have spines along the veins on the underside and on the the spring when they are 2 inches (5cm) long. Re-
petioles. They grow 8-16 inches (20-40cm) across and
move brown sheath. Wash well in a couple of chang-
are arranged spirally on the stems. Leaves are simple,
es of water. Blanch in boiling salted water for 5 min.
green and lobed with 5 to 13 lobes on each leaf.
and plunge directly into cold water. Roots can be dug,
EDIBLE PARTS: young shoots and roots (tea) peeled and chewed, but they have a strong taste.
KEY MEDICINAL USES: Inner bark and stems are used SAUTEED DEVIL’S CLUB SHOOTS: In a hot skillet,
for infection, pain, inflammation, arthritis, and adult-on- melt butter. Sauté shoots for 5-10 min., coating well
set diabetes. in butter. Season with salt and pepper.
HOW TO HARVEST AND EAT: Wearing long sleeves WARNING: Potential severe injury to skin and eyes
and gloves, being careful of the ½ inch (1.3cm) spines from spines, as well as allergic reaction to spine
on the stems and leaves, cut or twist off new shoots in prickles have been reported by some.

Dewberry, Rubus spp. (ROSACEAE)

DEWBERRIES are slender trailing shrubs that occur in
temperate climates. There are 7 main species of dew-
berry in North America including Bristly Dewberry, R.

hispidus, Northern Dewberry, R. flagellaris, and South- James H. Miller &
Ted Bodner, CC-BY-SA-3.0
ern Dewberry, R. trivialis. All are edible. Stalks of many
species are covered with prickles.
FLOWER AND FRUIT: Blossoms are white or pale pink
with 5 petals and many stamens. Flowers do not form
dense clusters; they are irregularly dispersed. Each
flower is 0.8-1.1 inches (2-2.8cm) across. Aggregate
fruits are red to inky black and composed of many dru- Fritzflohrreynolds,CC-BY-SA-3.0 Joshua Mayer, CC-BY-SA-2.0
plets. Some species ripen between April and May. Other
once picked, so harvest only when fully mature. Store
species mature in the fall.
in a dry place.
LEAF: Arranged in an alternate pattern, 1-3 inches (2.5-
DEWBERRY FRUIT LEATHER: You will need a flat
7cm) long leaves are oval-shaped and palmately com-
surface for drying your fruit and plenty of sunlight.
pound. They are typically dark green with pale under-
A sheet of freshly cut and cleaned birch bark will
sides and serrated edges.
work. Crush dewberries in a bowl. With your hands,
EDIBLE PARTS: fruit
squeeze out the juice into a second container and
KEY MEDICINAL USES: It has been used to treat hem- make flat patties with the pulp. Press patties down
orrhoids, heal gastric disorders, and promote throat and as thin as you can and lay out in the sun (bringing
mouth health. indoors at night) to dehydrate. 2-3 days should do it.
HOW TO HARVEST AND EAT: Dewberries are sweet, You can also prepare in an oven at low heat.
juicy, and delicious raw or cooked. Fruits don’t ripen
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