Page 51 - The Forager’s Guide to Wild Foods

Chamomile, Matricaria

chamomilla (ASTERACEAE)

CHAMOMILE grows 6 to 24 inches (15-60 cm) tall. It is an
annual with aromatic flowers blooming in late summer.
It has smooth, branching stems, which grow in an up-
right form and arise from thin, shallow, spreading roots.
FLOWER: Daisy-like flowers with white petals and yel-
low centers, usually less than 1 inch (2.5 cm) across.
LEAF: Leaves are deep spring green, sparse, finely divid-
ed, and up to 3 inches (7.5 cm) long. The slightly fleshy,
aromatic, fern-like foliage is bitter tasting.

Giscan, CC-BY-SA-4.0
EDIBLE PARTS: flowers, leaves
ers and leaves. Let dry. Steep 1 tsp. of dried flowers
KEY MEDICINAL USES: Calming, soothes stomach is-
in 1 cup of boiling water. Drink in the evening to sup-
sues, muscle spasms, and skin irritations.
port quality, restful sleep, and a settled stomach. You
HOW TO HARVEST AND EAT: Flowers and leaves
can also add rose hips or raspberry leaves.
are edible raw. Use in salads or as an herbal tea. Flow-
WARNING: Chamomile can cause drowsiness and
ers are best harvested just as they open. They can
vomiting when large quantities are ingested, and
continually open over several weeks, so harvest ev-
some people may be allergic if sensitive to plants in
ery couple of days. Leaves can be used at any time.
the daisy family.
CHAMOMILE SLEEP AID TEA: Gather chamomile flow-
Chia Sage, Salvia
columbariae (LAMIACEAE)

CHIA SAGE grows in the southern US, in California, New
Mexico, Arizona, Nevada, Utah and south of the border,
in Baja California and Sonora. It grows 4 to 20 inches
(10-50 cm) tall with sparsely haired stems in dry, un-
disturbed, sunny, sage scrub sites.

FLOWER: Flowers appear in July-September, with seed
production in August-September. Blue to purple ¼ to
½ inch (0.6-1.2 cm) flowers form in 1 to 4 clusters of
whorls of tubular flowers from several 4 to 20-inch (10-
50 cm) stems, that emerge from the base of the plant. Walter Siegmund, CC-BY-SA-4.0
LEAF: Basal leaves are oblong or ovate and 1-5 inch- latinous coating; can be added to cereals and to
es (2.5-13 cm) long, with irregularly rounded lobes. baked goods. They can be roasted and ground into
EDIBLE PARTS: seeds, leaves powder to make a nutritious easily digestible drink.
Seeds can also be sprouted and added to salads or
KEY MEDICINAL USES: Seeds can be made into a disin-
sandwiches.
fectant poultice.
HOW TO HARVEST AND EAT: Collect seeds by cutting CHIA SAGE PORRIDGE: Using 1:2 ratio per serving,
flower stalks after the petals fall, but before the heads use ½ cup rolled oats to 1 cup water. Bring water to a
are too dry. Place in paper bags and put in a dry place for boil and add in oats, stirring occasionally until all the
several weeks. The seed heads can then be rubbed with liquid is absorbed (about 5 min.). Season with honey,
a flat hand or rolled with a rolling pin to free the seeds milk, dried fruit. Add 2 tbsp. chia sage seeds and stir
from shell. These can be winnowed or sifted to clean. well. Let stand another 2 min., serve warm, and enjoy
Like chia seeds, can be mixed with water and form a ge- the extra added nutrition and protein.

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