Page 95 - The Forager’s Guide to Wild Foods

Ohio Spiderwort/Blue Jacket,
,
Tradescantia ohiensis

(COMMELINACEAE)

OHIO SPIDERWORT / BLUE JACKET, Cow Slobber,
Indian Paint, Job’s Tears, Trinity Flower, Dayflower,
or Widow’s Tears is a flowering perennial that can be
found growing in moist, acidic soils. It can reach 2-3 ft.
(0.6-1m) tall, and has an 18-30 inch (45-7 cm) spread.
FLOWER: Cup-shaped flower clusters bloom sequential-
ly, each flower for just a single day, from early June to
September. 3 lavender petals, 0.3-0.8 inches (8-20mm)
peganum, CC-BY-SA-2.0
long, are circular, radially symmetrical surrounding 6
bright yellow anthers on purple filaments. Each flower stems can be eaten raw, or cooked like asparagus.
is on a 0.3-1.2 inches (7-30mm) long pedicle. Dry fruits OHIO SPIDERWORT AND ASPARAGUS: ½ pound
split open when ripe. (225g) of both Ohio Spiderwort stems and aspara-
gus, 1 cup of mozzarella cheese, 5 cloves of chopped
LEAF: Blue-green, grass-like, whorled, lanceolate leaves
are up to 1.5 ft. (0.5m) long and 1.7 inches (4.5 cm) wide garlic, 3 tbsp. of olive oil, 2 tbsp. of lemon juice, salt
and are folded lengthwise, forming a channel. and pepper. Lay stems out on a baking paper. Mix the

garlic, olive oil, lemon juice and salt and pepper to-
EDIBLE PARTS: flowers, leaves, and stems
gether in a jar and pour it over the stems and aspar-
KEY MEDICINAL USES: Can be used for kidney prob- agus. Bake in the oven for 10 min. at 425°F (220°C).
lems, digestive problems, stomach ulcers, and insect Remove from oven and cover with cheese and grill
bites. for another 5 min.

HOW TO HARVEST AND EAT: Flowers can be harvested WARNING: Stems lactate a thick white sap that can ir-
in May-July and are best used raw in salads. Leaves and ritate skin.

Ostrich Fern, Matteuccia
struthiopteris (ONOCLEACEAE)

OSTRICH FERN is the only species of its genus. It has
green sterile fronds that are almost vertical, resembling
ostrich feathers. They can be 3-6 ft (1-2m) tall and 8 to
14 inches (20-35cm) wide. It favors moist areas such as
rich woodlands, riverbanks, and sandbars.

FLOWER: none
LEAF: The sterile leaves are compound, can grow up to
6 ft. (2m) tall and 12 inches (30cm) across. and have be-
tween 20-50 pairs of leaflets. The central stalk is green
and hairless. The fertile leaves have 10-30 pairs of leaf-
lets and turn dark brown at maturity.
or steam for 10-12 min. At this point, they are ready
EDIBLE PARTS: young, unfurled leaves (fiddleheads) to cook in any recipe calling for green vegetables.
KEY MEDICINAL USES: May help pain, blood disorders, SEARED FIDDLEHEADS WITH GARLIC: Heat butter
and infection. and 1 clove crushed garlic in a pan. Use 2 to 3 cups
HOW TO HARVEST AND EAT: From late April to early fiddleheads prepared as above. Put in garlic butter.
June, search for unfurled, sterile leaves. They are rolled Turn up the heat and stir fry for 5-10 min. Add a
in a circular shape, deep green, and 6 to 8 fronds emerge splash of lemon juice and salt and pepper. Enjoy.
from a single crown. Pick fiddleheads that are still tight- WARNING: Ensure correct identification because
ly coiled and less than 6 inches (15cm) tall. Fiddleheads some ferns are known to have carcinogenic properties.
must be cooked. Put in boiling water and boil for 15 min.
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