Page 87 - The Forager’s Guide to Wild Foods

Marsh Woundwort/Swamp
Hedgenettle, Stachys palustris

(LAMIACEAE)

MARSH WOUNDWORT / SWAMP HEDGENETTLE,
Clown’s Woundwort, or Clown’s Heal-All is a perennial
that can be found growing in wet soils near lakeshores,
alder tree marshes, streams and ditch banks. Downy
plants with square stems can reach 2-3 ft. (0.6-1m) tall
and can spread via its hollow tuberous roots.
FLOWER: Purplish-red, labiate flowers bloom July to
September in terminal spikes. They are tightly clumped
in whorls at the tips and more widely spaced at the bot-
tom of spikes. Each flower consists of 5 fused petals with KEY MEDICINAL USES: It has antiseptic, antispas-
a gently hooded upper lip, a flat three-lobed lower lip, modic, expectorant, and sedative properties.
and a two-lobed corolla. The lower lip is marked with
HOW TO HARVEST AND EAT: Harvest in summer
purple or white blotches.
when coming into flower. Young shoots can be cooked
LEAF: Linearly lanceolate stem leaves have almost no and eaten like asparagus. Harvest roots from fall to
petiole and are opposite with branching occurring in early spring after the plant has died off. Roots can be
the axils. Leaves are 1.5-4 inches (3.5-10cm) long, up to cooked or dried, ground, and cooked into bread.
1.5 inches (4cm) wide, serrated and slightly cordate, or STEAMED SWAMP HEDGE-NETTLE “ASPARAGUS”:
heart-shaped, at the base.
Steam a couple handfuls of young shoots with
EDIBLE PARTS: roots, young shoots chopped Wild Garlic for 3-5 min. Season to taste.

Meadow Beauty, Rhexia

virginica (MELASTOMATACEAE)

VIRGINIA MEADOW BEAUTY or Handsome Harry is
an herbaceous perennial with fibrous roots and tuber-
ous swellings. It varies in size from ½ to 2 ½ ft. (0.15-
0.8 m) tall. In short plants, it stands erect while taller
plants often sprawl across the ground. It grows in wet
to moist, acidic, sandy soils in prairies and marshes in
high-quality natural areas.
FLOWER: Rose pink to pale pink with 4 petals, each
flower is 1 to 1 ½ inches (2.5-3 cm) across. They bloom
in loose clusters from midsummer to fall. Flowers are Joshua Mayer, CC-BY-SA-2.0 Doug McGrady, CC-BY-2.0
followed by pitcher-shaped, ½ inch (1.3 cm) long, red
a slightly acid taste that may be sweet. Plunge in cold
seedpods.
salted water to wash. Roots are best gathered after
LEAF: Leaves occur in opposite pairs along the central
plant has completed making seeds in fall. Cut down
stem. They are 3 by 1 ¼ inches (7.5 by 3cm) in size, me-
the plant, taking a moment to distribute seeds. Dig
dium green, sharply toothed, and attach directly to the the roots and wash well. They can be chopped up and
stem.
eaten raw in salads or as a snack.
EDIBLE PARTS: leaves and roots
MEADOW BEAUTY SALAD: Gather 2 cups young
KEY MEDICINAL USES: Leaves make a throat cleansing leaves. Plunge in cold salted water for 10 min., dry
tea. well, and chop. Chop 1 cucumber, 1 red bell pepper,
HOW TO HARVEST AND EAT: Choose young leaves be- and 1 tomato. As dressing, mix ¼ cup olive oil, ⅛ cup
fore the plant makes flowerheads in spring and early lemon juice, splash of balsamic vinegar, salt, and pep-
summer. Leaves can be eaten raw or cooked and have per. Mix all ingredients together. Enjoy.

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