Page 166 - The Forager’s Guide to Wild Foods

Rose (Wild), Rosa spp. (ROSACEAE)

WILD ROSES are a group of bristly or thorny flowering
shrubs. Ranging 2-6.6 ft. (0.6-1.8m) tall, there are over
35 species of wild roses in North America including
Western Wood’s Rose, R. woodsii, and Eastern Sweet-

briar, R. rubiginosa.
FLOWER AND FRUIT: 1-2 inches (2.5-5cm) across flow-
ers develop at the stem tips, ranging from white to pink
to deep lilac-rose. Bright red-orange fruits (rosehips)
are 0.5-1 inch (1.5-2.5cm) across and appear in late
summer, often persisting into winter.
LEAF: Leaves are alternate and pinnately compound Matt Lavin, CC-BY-SA-2.0 River Corcoran
with 5-9 toothed leaflets. Leaflets are ovate or obovate syrup, and tea. Young leaf shoots, harvested in spring,
and 0.8-2 inches (2-5cm) long. The blade margins of R. can be peeled and eaten raw. Use mature petals in
woodsii are toothed toward the tip, while R. rubiginosa’s salads after removing the bitter white base.
leaflets are hairy and double-toothed.
ROSEHIP BBQ SAUCE: Ingredients: 3 cups rosehips
EDIBLE PARTS: fruit, petals, leaf shoots
(lobes removed), 3 tomatoes (diced, 2 cloves garlic
KEY MEDICINAL USES: Wild rose is astringent, analge- (minced), 1 tbsp. allspice, 2 carrots (diced), 1 cup
sic, and diuretic. white vinegar, 1 cup water, 1 tbsp. birch syrup, ½
HOW TO HARVEST AND EAT: Gather rosehips in au- cup brown sugar, ¼ tsp. cayenne pepper. Combine
tumn after a frost when they are sweet and tender. The ingredients in a saucepan. Bring to a boil and sim-
thin layer of flesh surrounding the seed is high in vita- mer until reduced to a thick sauce. Apply to meat and
min C. It can be nibbled raw or made into jams, jellies, grill.

Sacahuista, Nolina

microcarpa (ASPARAGACEAE)

SACAHUISTA, Beargrass or Palmilla is distinguished by
its rosette of narrow fibrous leaves, which grow from
a woody underground caudex. Leaves form a dense
mound measuring 6.5 ft. (2m) wide.
FLOWER AND FRUIT: The 3-ft. (1m) panicle of tiny
cream-colored tepals bloom on a 3-6 ft. (0.9-1.8m)
stalk. Flowers are 0.06-0.13 inches (0.15-0.3cm) across,
persisting until the end of September. They give way to
papery 3-lobed capsules, 0.15-0.25 inches (0.4-0.6cm)
wide, which contain 3 seeds. Stan Shebs, CC-BY-SA-3.0 Dick Culbert, CC-BY-2.0
LEAF: Evergreen leaves are thick, linear, and rigid. They sweeten them while mellowing out their naturally
are 1.5-4 ft. (0.5-1.2m) long and 0.2-0.5 inches (0.5- bitter taste. Seeds appear in mid to late summer; can
1.3cm) wide, with minutely serrated edges and a grey- be ground into flour and used to make bread.
green hue. Curly fibers grow from the ends of the leaves,
ROASTED SACAHUISTA STALK: Ingredients: Young
giving the plant a slightly disheveled appearance.
flower stalks, butter, smoked paprika, salt, pepper.
EDIBLE PARTS: young flower stalks Peel outer skin from stalks. Roll the center of the
KEY MEDICINAL USES: A root decoction has been used stalk in butter and season with salt, white pepper,
for rheumatoid arthritis. and smoked paprika. Wrap in foil. Roast over coals
HOW TO HARVEST AND EAT: Young flower stalks can for 15-20 min., turning stalks over every 5 min.
be peeled, then roasted, boiled, or eaten raw. They are WARNING: Sacahuista is a protected species in Ari-
most tender in May and June when they are no more zona and should not be harvested there.
than 1-2 ft. (0.3-0.6m) long. Cooking the stalk hearts will
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