Page 92 - The Forager’s Guide to Wild Foods

Monkeyflower, Mimulus

ringens (PHRYMACEAE)

MONKEYFLOWER is a rhizomatous perennial that
grows from 8 inches (20cm) to 3 ft. (0.9m) tall. It is
recognizable for its 4-angled stems which are erect,
green, and smooth. It prefers moist floodplains, bottom-
land forests, swamps, muddy streams, or pond edges,
and likes sunny spots.
FLOWER: Lavender flowers are about an inch (2-3cm)
long on a tubular sheathed base, that is also about an
inch (2-3 cm) long. It blooms for about 1.5 months from
midsummer to fall.
LEAF: Leaves are lance-shaped to oblong, up to 4 inches monkeyflower leaves and add 2 cups baby spinach
(10cm) long and 1 inch (2.5cm) wide with pointed tips.
leaves. Plunge in cold salted water for 10 min. Drain
They are opposite, nearly joining where they clasp the
and dry well. Grate 1 carrot and 1 beet. Add ½ cup
stem.
fresh peas. For the dressing, chop 1 clove garlic, and
EDIBLE PARTS: leaves fresh herbs (parsley, dill, basil). Mix 1 tbsp. honey
HOW TO HARVEST AND EAT: Leaves are edible cooked with 1 tbsp. apple cider vinegar. Mix all dressing in-
or raw; best to harvest in spring before the stems have gredients in ½ yogurt. Let stand 10 min. Mix salad
made flower buds. They have a slightly bitter taste. It’s greens with grated roots and peas. Toss in dressing.
recommended to pick a few leaves over several plants. Enjoy fresh.
MONKEYFLOWER LEAF SALAD: Harvest 2 cups

Mountain Mint, Pycnanthemum

spp. (LAMIACEAE)

MOUNTAIN MINT is recognizable by its strong menthol
or camphor herbal-like scent when crushed. It makes
small colonies through its rhizomatous root system
and adapts to many conditions. It can be found from
moist sand prairies to rocky bluffs. It is a large, spread-
ing plant that can grow 1 to 4 ft. (0.3-1.2m) with equal
spread. Many populations are at risk so keep an eye out
for these plants to take a moment to spread some seeds.
FLOWER: The plant is topped with numerous flattened
small heads of white to purple dotted flowers. Each head Krzysztof Ziarnek, CC-BY-SA-4.0 rockerBOO, CC-BY-SA-2.0
is around 1 to 3 inches (2.5-7.5cm) across with as many
HOW TO HARVEST AND EAT: Leaves are edible raw
as 50 flowers, framed by a rosette of leaves. Each flow-
or cooked and make a good seasoning. Young leaves
er is ⅛ inch (0.3cm) long. Plants bloom for a month in
and unopened flower buds are nice additions to
summer.
soups and salads and these are best harvested early
LEAF: The opposite leaves look more like basil than in the day in spring or early summer. Leaves fresh or
mint, are deeply veined, and 1 to 3 inches (2.5-7.5cm) dried make a nice herbal tea.
long.
MOUNTAIN MINT TEA: Collect a handful of fresh
EDIBLE PARTS: leaves, unopened flower buds, and leaves or use 1 tbsp. dried leaves. Boil 1 to 2 cups of
flowers water. Add leaves. Steep for 10 min. and enjoy!
KEY MEDICINAL USES: Strongly medicinal with many WARNING: Pregnant women are advised to avoid us-
uses including analgesic, expectorant, and as a broncho- ing this plant.
dilator.

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