Page 39 - The Forager’s Guide to Wild Foods

Bee Balm, Monarda

fistulosa (LAMIACEAE)

BEE BALM, Horsemint or Wild Bergamot, is a mem-
ber of the mint family, and has the typical square, of-
ten hairy stem and a soft mint scent. It grows in a va-
riety of conditions and thrives in open grasslands
and woodlands across North America. It can grow
anywhere from 2-5 ft. (0.5-1.5m) tall and is often
identified by its showy, pompom-like purple flowers.
Many Monarda have other flower colors, including the
bright red of M. didyma, and can be used the same way.
FLOWER: It is quite different to other mints. Large flow-
er heads only grow at the end of the stems and are made
KEY MEDICINAL USES: Antiseptic properties make
up of numerous, small flowers. Multiple flowers are held
leaves ideal for coughs and throat infections.
within 5 sepals that are fused into a cup almost 2 inches
HOW TO HARVEST AND EAT: Leaves can be harvest-
(5 cm) in diameter. The unsymmetrical, fluffy or feath-
ed any time of the. Flowers can be added as a garnish,
ery petals range from pink to purple and the 2 stamens
so should be picked while in full bloom from May to
are almost twice as long.

September.
LEAF: Pairs of opposite leaves are arranged along a thick
BEE BALM CAKE ICING RECIPE: Ingredients: ¼ cup
stem. Mature plants may have slightly reddish stems.
of fresh Bee Balm leaves, 5 tsp. butter, ½ cup of icing
Leaves are usually hairy underneath, and may be hairy
sugar. Blend the leaves until a paste has formed. Melt
on the surface as well. The leaves grow up to 3 inches (8
the butter, add the icing sugar and Bee Balm paste
cm) long and the margins are coarsely toothed.
and then it’s ready to go on cakes or muffins.
EDIBLE PARTS: leaves, stems and flowers
Biscuitroot, Lomatium
triternatum (APIACEAE)

BISCUITROOT is native to western North America and
can be found from British Columbia, south to California
and East to Colorado. It is a hardy herbaceous perennial
about 3 ft. (1 m) tall and has a long taproot.
FLOWER: Flowers are large yellow umbels varying in
size from 2 to 8 inches (50-20 cm) across with 4 to 20
rays of small, bright yellow flowers that arise from leaf-
less stalks. They bloom from April to July. The seeds are
small and plentiful.
Walter Siegmund, CC-BY-SA-3.0 Walter Siegmund, CC-BY-SA-3.0
LEAF: Leaves are trifoliate, parsley scented, with 9-21
leaflets, 8 inches (20 cm) long ing from green to brown as they dry. Gently trim um-

bels with scissors and collect in a bowl or paper bag.
EDIBLE PARTS: young leaves and shoots, roots, seeds
Let cure for several weeks in a cool, dry place. Shake
KEY MEDICINAL USES: Used for skin issues, arthritis,
the dried seeds off the umbel stems and roll with a
digestive issues and respiratory problems.
rolling pin to relieve the seed from its hard outer shell.
HOW TO HARVEST AND EAT: Young shoots and leaves Sift or blow away the excess debris. Once seeds are
can be eaten raw or cooked. The taproot can be dug in cleaned, place in a jar and store in a cool, dark place.
the spring, before the plant flowers, and cooked and used Use to add flavor to meat, poultry, soup, and stews.
as a root vegetable, or ground into flower. Seeds can be POISONOUS LOOK-ALIKES: Poison Hemlock, Coni-
harvested in late summer and fall and used as a spice.
um maculatum - Unlike Biscuitroot, Poison hemlock
SAVING THE AROMATIC SEEDS FOR CULINARY USE: has tiny white flowers arranged in small umbrel-
As the umbels finish blooming, they go to seed, turn- la-shaped clusters.
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