Page 59 - The Forager’s Guide to Wild Foods

Creeping Bellflower, Campanula

rapunculoides (CAMPANULACEAE)

CREEPING BELLFLOWER is an herbaceous perennial
with deep taproots, found on grassy hillsides, meadows,
in deciduous and pine forests, roadsides, fields, and
along railways. It can be an aggressive weed, choking
out other plants. It grows quickly to an average height
of 12-30 inches (30-80 cm), but can be as tall as 48 inch-
es (1.2 m) on simple, erect stems.
FLOWER: Blooming from June to August, 1 inch (2.5
cm) bell-shaped showy flowers are purple or bluish, and
grow drooping off one side of each stem.
LEAF: Short and hairy upper leaves are sessile (stalk- cooked and mashed.
less) and lance shaped. Basal leaves are triangular, nar- MASHED BELLFLOWER ROOTS WITH STEAMED
row, and heart shaped at the base. They can have jagged
GREENS: Harvest whole young plants before flow-
edges and are up to 4.7 inches (12 cm) long, often form-
er stalk appears. Wash vigorously. Roots should be
ing a mat.
scrubbed. Peel roots as the skin can be tough. Boil in
EDIBLE PARTS: young shoots and roots, leaves, rhi- salted water for 20 min., until soft. Mash with but-
zomes ter and seasoning. Wash and trim young shoots and
HOW TO HARVEST AND EAT: Young leaves and shoots leaves and steam in butter (seared). Serve alongside
make a nice spring green. Rhizomes can be eaten mashed roots.
raw, but taste better harvested when young and eaten

Creeping Charlie, Glechoma
hederacea (LAMIACEAE)

CREEPING CHARLIE is an introduced creeping plant,
widespread throughout Canada and the USA. It grows
close to the ground, can form a dense ground cover, and
can grow from 2 to 20 inches (5-50 cm) tall, depending on
conditions. Its roots can grow over 7 ft. (2 m) in length.
It can remain green through winter, can tolerate sunny
and shady sites, and can outcompete native wild plants.
FLOWER: Flowers are blue to purple tiny funnels less
than ½ inch (1 cm) in size. They grow in clusters of 2 to
3 on opposite sides of the stem at the leaf axils.

LEAF: Fan-shaped or kidney-shaped leaves are dark can be used in herbal tea blends. Creeping Charlie
green with scalloped edges and veins arising from the becomes bitter over time so harvest in the spring,
same point like a fan. They are about an inch (2.5 cm) in avoiding hot weather.
size. Leaves grow in opposite pairs on the square stems
SEARED SPRING GREENS: Collect young tender
and have small, sparse hairs.
spring greens including Creeping Charlie, dandeli-
EDIBLE PARTS: leaves on, and sowthistle. Gently trim and rinse. Sauté with
KEY MEDICINAL USES: It is an astringent, a diuretic and minced onion and garlic in butter. Splash on a bit of
may aid respiratory and digestive issues. lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper. Serve with

HOW TO HARVEST AND EAT: Tangy young leaves can spring vegetables such as asparagus.
be used in salads or cooked like spinach. Dried leaves

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