Page 56 - The Forager’s Guide to Wild Foods
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Coneflower (Cut-Leaf), Rudbeckia

                  laciniata (ASTERACEAE)

























                                                                                            Joshua Mayer, CC-BY-SA-2.0















                                                                                                Σ64, CC-BY-SA-3.0



        CUT-LEAF/TALL/GREEN-HEADED  CONEFLOWER                  lobed leaflets. Drooping stem leaves decrease in size

        or  Sochan  is  an  herbaceous  perennial,  native  to   along the length of the stem.
        North America.  It can be found growing in wet          EDIBLE  PARTS: leaves  and young shoots  (cooked)
        soils  in  the  partial  shade  of  flood  plains,  thickets,
                                                                KEY MEDICINAL USES: Cut-leaf Coneflower is used
        along stream banks, and in rich forests.  Lanky
                                                                internally for indigestion and  externally for burns.
        plants have smooth, light green stems with droopy
                                                                HOW  TO  HARVEST  AND  EAT: Basal  leaves  can be
        leaves and can reach 10 ft. (3 m) tall. Clumping
                                                                harvested in the spring and fall. Spring leaves are ten-
        plants with multiple upright stems, dark green
                                                                derer and mildly flavored than fall leaves. If you want
        foliage,  and  yellow  daisy-like  flowers  form  colo-
                                                                to  harvest  in  the  fall,  it  is  best  to  cut  the  flowering
        nies through underground spreading rhizomes.
                                                                stalks in the summer, to encourage new young shoots
        FLOWER: Yellow, daisy-like flowers bloom from July
                                                                to grow. Cook leaves and shoots.
        to October in clusters on terminal ends of stems.  Each
                                                                SAUTÉED CUT-LEAF CONEFLOWER SHOOTS:  Chop
        flower measures 2-3 inches (5-7.5 cm) across with a
                                                                shoots  into bite-sized  pieces and sauté in oil of
        nubby cone and 6-12  yellow, oblong,  drooping ray
                                                                your choice with chopped garlic.  Top with coarsely
        florets. Young, green flower buds are widely spaced
                                                                chopped, roasted walnuts. Season to taste.
        giving domelike discs a pincushion-like look. As disc
        florets bloom, the cones turn yellow. Seed heads are    WARNING:  Cut-Leaf  Coneflower  is  toxic  to  cattle,
        golden brown and mature as winter  approaches.          sheep, and pigs.

        LEAF: Large, basal leaves to 12 inches (30 cm) long     POISONOUS LOOK-ALIKES: Tall Buttercup, Ranun-
        and 12 inches across have narrowly winged petioles.     culus acris and Cursed Buttercup, R. sceleratus
        They are odd pinnate leaves with 3-7 roughly toothed,


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