Page 31 - The Forager’s Guide to Wild Foods
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American Bistort, Polygonum

              bistortoides (POLYGONACEAE)























                                                                                           David Monniaux, CC-BY-SA-3.0















                                                                                               Glen mittelhauser



        AMERICAN BISTORT, also known as Knotweed,               are smaller on flower stalks.
        Smartweed, or Snakeweed, is found from west-            EDIBLE PARTS: starchy rootstocks, seeds, leaves, and
        ern Canada to New Mexico on moist, open slopes in       shoots are edible (Alpine bistort produces small bulb-
        montane, subalpine, and alpine areas, with Alpine       lets that can be eaten raw)
        Bistort, P. viviparum found farther north. American     KEY MEDICINAL USES: Roots are astringent and may
        knotweed is known as both Polygonum bistortoides
                                                                help dental and skin issues.
        and Bistorta bistortoides. This herbaceous perennial
                                                                HOW  TO  HARVEST  AND  EAT:  Seeds,  harvested  in
        grows 8-28 inches (20-70 cm), with the alpine vari-
                                                                fall, can be roasted and ground into flour or meal to
        ety being shorter (10 inches). It is an erect herb with
                                                                add to baked goods, or used as a thickener. Bulblets
        thick rootstocks.  There are over 200 species, some
                                                                can be eaten raw. Leaves  and shoots,  best harvest-
        are more edible than others. The sap is acidic, so best
                                                                ed in spring, can be pleasantly tart but can become
        to be avoided by people with sensitive skin.
                                                                tough with age. Shoots can be used like rhubarb or as
        FLOWER:  The  white  or  pink  flowers  have  no  pet-  a potherb. Roots are best harvested in spring before
        als with 5 oblong sepals, which form dense clusters     the plant begins to flower. They are starchy and can
        on single  spikes from May to September.  American      be eaten raw or boiled in soups and stews or roasted.
        smartweed is quite showy with shiny brown achenes       They can also be dried and ground into flour for bread.
        and  no bulblets.  Alpine  bistort has pretty,  white to   SEARED BISTORT LEAVES ON PEARL BARLEY PI-
        pink flower spikes with dull brown achenes at the top
                                                                LAF: With 2 cups young, trimmed,  washed  bistort
        and vegetative bulblets near the base.
                                                                leaves and 1 cup pearl barley, finely dice 1 onion, and
        LEAF: Lance-shaped  leaves  are 6 inches  (15  cm)      1 clove garlic. Boil 3 cups high-quality water or stock
        long, sheathed and mostly basal, on 6-inch (15 cm)      and cook pearl barley with half the onion and garlic
        red-green stems, with  heart-shaped bases. Leath-       for 45 min. Sear bistort leaves in remaining onion and
        ery leaves are bluish to dark green in color. Leaves    garlic. Serve pilaf with seared leaves.

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