Going Wild/Growing Wild

Going Wild/ Growing Wild

A Guide to Edible, Medicinal, and Otherwise Interesting Plants at Wellesley College

2 Introduction Hello! This zine is a guide to some of my favorite plants on the Wellesley campus.

Most are edible and/or medicinal, but there are a few exceptions that are just plants worth knowing. Wellesley is incredibly beautiful, and there is a lot of wild space on and around campus. Wellesley is also incredibly stressful, particularly concerning academics. Whenever I am feeling overwhelmed or when I am having a bad day/ week/month, I take a walk around campus and Lake Waban. This helps me stay grounded and reminds me that there are good and beautiful things in my life. My hope is that this zine will inspire you to take a little extra time to interact with the environment around you and to find a deeper appreciation of the natural world.

I would also like to acknowledge that Wellesley is located on the traditional territory of the Massachusett and Nipmuck peoples. In addition, much of the knowledge shared in this zine was initially discovered by the Indigenous peoples of this country. The USA has a continuing history of oppression and erasure of Native Americans. I hope that acknowledging the history of this land can be a first step towards honoring Indigenous existence/ resistance and moving towards justice.

-Isaac

3 Table of Contents: Symbol Key………………………………………………………………………………4 Sustainable Harvesting Guidelines…………………4 Drying and Preservation Guidelines………………5 A: American Linden, American White Water Lily…………………………………………………………………………………………6-7 B: Beebalm, Black Walnut, Black-Eyed Susan, Burdock……………………………………………………………8-11 C: Cattail, Common Dandelion, Common Elderberry, Common Purslane………………………12-15 E: Evening Primrose……………………………………………………16 G: Goldenrod………………………………………………………………………17 J: Jack-in-the-Pulpit, Jewelweed…………18-19 K: Kentucky Coffeetree……………………………………………20 L: Lambsquarters, Lowbush Blueberry…21-22 M: Maryland Senna, Milkweed, Mint (Mountain, Chocolate), Mugwort………………23-27 N: New-England Aster, Nightshade…………28-29 O: Oak (Red, Black, White)…………………………30-31 P: Pawpaw, Pine (Red, White), Pink Lady’s Slippers, Poison Ivy, Pokeweed, Purple Coneflower……………………………………………………………………32-38 Q: Queen Anne’s Lace…………………………………………………39 R: Red Raspberry, Rhododendron………………40-41 S: Sorrel, St. John’s Wort, Staghorn Sumac, Sugar Maple………………………………………………42-45 T: Tulip Poplar, Tupelo…………………………………46-47 V: Virginia Creeper……………………………………………………48 W: Witch Hazel, Wood Sorrel………………………49-50 Y: Yarrow………………………………………………………………………………51 Recipes……………………………………………………………………………52-54 Resources & References……………………………………………55

4 Symbol Key Edible

Pollinator Attractor

Medicinal

Poisonous

Sustainable Harvesting Guidelines • Only pick as much as you need.

• Never take all the plants of any one kind in a given area.

• After harvesting, give the plants plenty of time to recover before returning to the same patch.

• Harvesting roots often means the death of the plant, so before you start digging ask yourself if the plant can sustain a harvest of its roots.

• Collecting barks can also be fatal to a tree try to collect only from small branches or fallen branches.

• Don’t harvest in places that are subject to pollution from roads or runoff.

Warning: Many plants have look-alike species that are inedible or toxic. Please be cautious when using this guide, and always be certain of your identification before ingesting a plant.

5 Drying and Preservation Guidelines • When to Harvest • Leaves: harvest in mid-morning before oils have been burned off by the sun, but after the dew has dried. Remove old, dead, diseased, or wilted leaves.

• Seeds: harvest when seed heads are turning brown and hardening, but not yet ready to shatter.

• Flowers: snip flower heads off the plants close to the first day the buds open.

•Indoor Air Drying: Tie stems in bundles and hang the herbs upside down in a warm, dry spot.

Wrap muslin, a mesh produce bag, or a paper bag with several holes around the bundle, and tie it at the neck.

•Refrigerator Drying: Chop herbs and spread out on a tray or a plate.

Leave uncovered in the fridge for two days to a week.

• Herbs are ready when they feel dry and crispy but not so dry that they crumble to powder at first touch.

• Store dried herbs in airtight jars out of direct light and away from high heat.

6 American Linden Tilia americana

American Linden is a wide-spreading tree, 60-80 ft. tall, with broad, oval leaves.

Its clusters of small, white flowers are inconspicuous but fragrant.

Edible Young linden leaves make a good mild salad green.

Medicinal Linden tea (flowers, buds, and leaves) or a bath with linden flowers can be used to soothe anxiety, cold symptoms, and to enhance sleep.

Where Can I Find It On Campus?

Between Grey Lot and the Science Center, in the Arboretum, various other wooded areas.

Fun Fact Linden is also called Basswood and Lime Tree (although they are not related to lime fruit trees).

7 American Water Lily Nymphaea odorata

American Water Lily is a floating aquatic plant with large white or pink flowers and flat, round, floating leaves. The leaves have long stems and are bright green above and reddish or purplish underneath. Flowers open in the early morning and close about noon.

Edible Leaves are edible cooked and can be used like kale.

Medicinal Roots can be used as an antiseptic or anti-diarrheal, but the harvesting, drying, and preparation process is labor-intensive.

Where Can I Find It On Campus?

In Paramecium Pond and the edges of Lake Waban.

Fun Fact This plant is naturally self-fertile. It is pollinated by flies and beetles, but does not depend on these insects for pollination.

8 Bee Balm Monarda fistulosa A popular, showy perennial with 2-5 ft, open-branched stems. The clusters of lavender, pink, or white flowers look like ragged pompoms. Crushed leaves have a minty smell.

Edible The flowers are edible.

Medicinal Tea from leaves and flowers can be used to sooth coughs and other respiratory ailments.

Where Can I Find It On Campus?

In the wetland area between Lulu and the lake, in the Arboretum.

Fun Fact Beebalm aerates the soil in which it grows and prevents mildew. Its flowers are also a very important source of pollen and nectar for native bee species.

9 Black Walnut Juglans nigra

Black Walnut is a large, deciduous tree, 50-75 ft tall, sometimes reaching 150 ft. The trunk has dark, furrowed bark and the leaf surface is dull green with a slightly hairy texture on the underside. The fruit is 1.5 to 2.25 inches in diameter, consisting of a hard-shelled, furrowed nut enclosed in a green husk.

Edible The nut meat is edible.

Medicinal The leaves can be used to make a soothing skin wash and the outer hull of the fruit can be chewed as a toothache remedy.

Where Can I Find It On Campus?

In the round-about in front of McAfee, in the Arboretum.

Fun Fact The crushed hulls can be used to make a blackish dye.

10 Black-Eyed Susan Rudbeckia hirta Bright-yellow, 2-3 inch wide, daisy-like flowers with dark centers are the key feature of Black-Eyed Susans. They occur singly atop 1-2 ft stems. The stems and scattered, oval leaves are covered with bristly hairs.

Edible The young spring greens are edible, but their bristly texture makes them rather unpleasant.

Medicinal The roots of Black Eyed Susan can be used in a warm infusion as a wash for sores and swellings. The Ojibwe used it in poultices for snake bites and in infusions for treating colds and worms in children. Juice from the roots had been used as drops for earaches.

Where Can I Find It On Campus?

On the path into the Edible Ecosystem Garden near the Observatory, scattered patches on the edges of paths and wild areas around campus.

Fun Facts Black-Eyed Susan is a host plant for several butterfly species.

It is the state flower of Maryland.

11 Burdock Arctium lappa Burdock is a biennial plant, rather tall (up to 10Â ft). It has large, alternating leaves that have small hairs on the undersides. The stalk is thick and grooved. The flowers are purple and grouped in spiky, globular clusters. Brown, spiky seed pods or "burs" stick to animal fur and clothing. The fleshy taproot can grow up to 3 ft deep.

Edible Burdock root is edible raw or cooked and is frequently used in East Asian cuisines. The immature flower stalks are also edible.

Medicinal Leaf wash is used to treat hives, eczema, and other minor skin irritations. Leaf poultice used for burns, ulcers, and sores. Root tea is a diuretic, stimulates digestion and sweating, and is used to treat liver and kidney ailments.

Roots contain high levels of inulin, traditionally used to treat diabetes.

Fun Fact Burdock is native to Eurasia but is an aggressive invasive in much of the US. Feel free to dig up as much Burdock as you want!

Where Can I Find It On Campus?

Between Founders and Clapp, in open areas, by paths.

12 Cattail Typha latifolia A stout-stemmed wetland perennial, 4-8 ft tall, often in found dense clumps. Broad linear leaf blades. The dense, brown, cylindrical flowering spike persist through autumn before becoming a downy mass of white. Typha angustifolia, a close relative with narrow leaves, may also be found on campus. It has the same edible and medicinal uses as Typha latifolia.

Edible The young shoots can be eaten like asparagus, the immature flower spikes can be boiled and eaten like corn on the cob, and the sprouts at the tip of the rootstock can be used in salads or boiled and served as greens.

Cattail pollen is also edible (and highly nutritious), but somewhat difficult to collect.

Medicinal Pounded roots can be used as a poultice for burns and sores.

Fun Fact When soaked in oil and set alight, cattail flowers make long-lasting torches.

Where Can I Find It On Campus?

The wetland area between Lulu and the lake, near the boardwalk on the path around Lake Waban.

13 Common Dandelion Taraxacum officinale A common weed. Yellow flower heads top hollow, leafless stalks that rise from the center of a rosette of leaves. The seeds, crowned with tufts of hair, become a large gossamer ball. The leaves are smooth, the margin of each leaf cut into great jagged teeth, either upright or pointing somewhat backwards. Stem juice is milky.

Edible The young leaves may be used in salads and soups, wine is made from the flower heads.

Medicinal Dandelion tea aids digestion and soothes upset stomachs. Tonics and juices made from dandelion root are used to relieve liver and kidney ailments.

Fun Fact The common name comes from dent de lion, French for lions tooth, referring to the teeth on the leaves.

Where Can I Find It On Campus?

All over campus, the edges of paths, fields, and other disturbed ground.

14 Common Elderberry Sambucus nigra

A 5-20 ft shrub with coarse grey outer bark. The leaves are arranged in opposite pairs, with 5-7 serrated leaflets. The flowers are borne in large, flat clusters 10–25 cm diameter in early summer, small individual flowers are ivory white, with five petals; they are pollinated by flies. The fruit is a glossy dark purple to black berry, produced in drooping clusters in late autumn.

Edible Ripe (blue/purple) berries and flowers are edible.

Medicinal Berries contain antioxidants and high levels of vitamin c. Tea from the flowers improves immune function and reduces bleeding, diarrhea, and congestion. A poultice of the leaves, applied externally, soothes soreness, inflammations, joint stiffness, and reduces the swelling of bee stings. !Warning!

Leaves, bark, and unripe (red) fruits are toxic when ingested.

Where Can I Find It On Campus?

Around Paramecium Pond, around Lake Waban.

15 Common Purslane Portulaca oleracea

Purslane has fleshy succulent leaves and stems with yellow flowers. It looks like a low-growing jade plant.

The stems lay flat on the ground as they radiate from a single taproot sometimes forming large mats of leaves.

Edible Purslane leaves are somewhat crunchy and have a slight lemony taste. !Warning!

Hairy-stemmed spurge is a poisonous plant that is similar in appearance to purslane. Spurge is distinguished by a milky sap, which can be seen if you squeeze the stem.

Fun Fact Leaves are a source of omega-3 fatty acids.

Where Can I Find It On Campus?

Across campus in grassy areas, the edges of paths, and other disturbed/ open ground.

16 Evening Primrose Oenothera biennis

Evening primrose is an erect, 2-6 ft biennial with leafy, branched stems from a basal rosette.

At the top of a leafy stalk bloom lemon-scented, large yellow flowers. Stem hairy, often purpletinged. The bright-yellow, four-petaled flowers, up to 2 inches across, open at night. Multiple flowers are clustered in a terminal spike.

Edible Cooked roots, young leaves, and flowers are edible.

Medicinal Oil from the seeds contains an essential fatty acid that the body does not manufacture. Evening Primrose oil supplements are used to prevent blood clots, to combat symptoms of PMS and menopause, to treat eczema, reduce inflammatory auto-immune responses, and to aid digestive processes and liver function. !Warning!

Ingesting the plant raw may cause throat irritation. Take care when eating cooked, as it may still be an irritant for some.

Where Can I Find It On Campus?

By the Observatory in the Edible Ecosystem garden, in meadows across campus.

17 Goldenrod Solidago canadensis

Goldenrod frequently grows in groups of multiple stems. Tall, leafy, finely hairy stems have tiny yellow flower heads on arching branches in a long or flat-topped cluster at top. There are several other species of Goldenrod on campus, all share the edible and medicinal uses of S. canadensis.

Edible The flowers are edible and make attractive garnishes on salads. Leaves can be cooked like spinach or added to soups, stews, casseroles, etc.

Medicinal Goldenrod tea can be used to treat a variety of health concerns, such as eczema, arthritis, rheumatism, kidney stones, UTIs. Goldenrod acts as a great digestive aid, and helps to treat colds and flu.

Where Can I Find It On Campus?

In the wild meadow patches around the Science Center, in the Arboretum, around Lake Waban, various other places across campus.

18 Jack-in-the-Pulpit Arisaema triphyllum One to two large, glossy leaves rise on their own stems 1-3 ft. The intriguing blossom of this woodland perennial occurs on a separate stalk at the same height as the leaves. It is a large, cylindrical, hooded flower, green in color with brown stripes. In late summer, a cluster of bright red berries appears.

Edible The root can be eaten after thorough drying and cooking.

However, the plant is slow growing, so avoid harvesting the root.

Medicinal The root is antiseptic, expectorant, and diaphoretic (stimulates sweating). It is harvested in early spring and dried for later use. The root can be applied as a poultice on sores, rheumatism, boils, abscesses and ringworm. !Toxic!

The plant contains high concentrations of calcium oxalate, which causes an intense burning sensation and swelling when ingested, take extra care to cook the root properly to neutralize the calcium oxalate before eating.

Where Can I Find It On Campus?

The Arboretum, in the woods around Lake Waban.

19 Jewelweed Impatiens capensis

Tall, leafy plant with succulent translucent stems and pendent golden-orange flowers splotched with reddish-brown. The oval seed pods have projectile seeds that explode out of ripe pods when they are lightly touched.

Edible The flowers and seeds are edible.

Medicinal The stem and leaf juice relieves itching from poison ivy and nettles and has also been used to treat athletes foot.

Fun Fact The leaves appear to be silver or 'jeweled' when held underwater, which is possibly where the jewelweed name comes from.

Where Can I Find It On Campus?

By the path in front of the Science Center, between Lulu and the lake, around the edges of Lake Waban.

20 Kentucky Coffeetree Gymnocladus dioicus

A 60-80 ft deciduous tree with rough, scaly gray-brown bark.

Leaflets are blue-green in summer, turning an undistinguished yellow in fall.

Fertilized flowers give way to flattened reddish brown pods (to 10� long) which ripen in October and persist well into winter.

Edible The seeds are edible when thoroughly roasted. When roasted and ground, they can be used to produce a coffee-flavored beverage (no caffeine).

Medicinal A tea made from the bark is used in the treatment of coughs due to inflamed mucous membranes and also to help speed up a protracted labour. A tea made from the leaves and pulp from the pods is laxative. !Toxic!

The seeds and pods are toxic when raw.

Where Can I Find It On Campus?

By the Observatory in the Edible Ecosystem garden, in between Davis garage and Lulu.

21 Lambs Quarters Chenopodium album Annual plant that looks dusty from a distance due to a white coating on the leaves. It produces tiny green flowers that form in clusters on top of spikes, and the leaves resemble the shape of a goose’s foot.

Considered a weed by many.

Edible Leaves are edible and can be used just like spinach. They can be eaten fresh in salads, juiced, or added to any recipes that call for greens. They are best eaten when younger.

Medicinal Leaf poultice can be used for insect bites, minor scrapes, injuries, inflammation, and sunburn. Tea from the leaves can treat diarrhea, internal inflammation, stomachaches, and loss of appetite. Mashed roots can be used as a soap. The roots also create a cleansing and laxative effect in the body when drunk as a tea.

Fun Fact Lamb’s Quarters is a very good source of Vitamins A, C, and B. Where Can I Find It On Campus?

Across campus, the edges of paths and other disturbed/open ground.

22 Lowbush Blueberry Vaccinium angustifolium

A low, straggling shrub, usually 6 inches to 2 ft tall and wide. Multiple stems; twiggy branches. Glossy foliage turns from red-green in spring to dark blue-green in summer to maroon-purple in fall. Small, white, pink-tinged, bell-shaped flowers are followed by blue fruit.

Edible The berries are edible (and super tasty!).

Fun Fact Highbush blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum) also grows wild on campus. This relative species has similar leaves and berries to Lowbush Blueberry, but grow 6-12 ft. tall.

Where Can I Find It On Campus?

By the Observatory in the Edible Ecosystem garden, around Lake Waban.

23 Maryland Senna Senna marilandica

Senna is an erect, shrubby perennial which grows 4-6 ft tall. Brownish-yellow, pealike flowers cluster atop unbranched stems in summer. Flowers give way to pendant, pea-like seed pods which turn black in fall. Dull green leaves in 4-8 pairs of oval leaflets.

Medicinal Tea from the leaves can be used as a laxative.

Edible Young shoots, flowers, and seeds are edible when cooked. !Warning!

Raw plant is toxic.

Fun Fact Senna is a member of the Fabaceae family (the same as peas, beans, lentils) and fixes nitrogen in the soil.

Where Can I Find It On Campus?

By the Observatory in the Edible Ecosystem garden.

24 Milkweed Asclepias syriaca

The large, bright, terminal blossoms of this showy, 2-4 ft perennial are made up of small, rose-purple flowers. Opposite, narrow, lance-shaped leaves line the erect, open-branched stem. Elongated, tan-brown seed pods filled with silky threads persist into winter.

Medicinal A tea made from the roots can be used as an anti-parasitic, a laxative, a heart tonic, and a diuretic. It is said that milkweed tea will remove tapeworms from the body in one hour.

Fun Facts Milkweed plants are a crucial part of the life cycle and migration of Monarch butterflies, they are the host plant for Monarch eggs and the only source of food for Monarch caterpillars.

Where Can I Find It On Campus?

In the meadows in front of the Science Center, on the hill between Lulu and Munger Meadow, in the Arboretum, various other places across campus.

25 Mint Pycnanthemum (virginianum, tenuifolium, incanum) These species in the Pycnanthemum genus are all erect, many-branched perennials that typically grow 2-3 feet tall on square stems.

All parts of the plants emit a strong, minty aroma when crushed.

American mountain mint (P. virginianum), features narrow, toothless, tapering leaves and profuse, somewhat flat-topped, terminal clusters of small, white, 2-lipped flowers.

Slender mountain mint(P. tenuifolium), features extremely narrow, almost needle-like leaves and profuse terminal clusters of small, white flowers which bloom in mid to late summer.

Hoary mountain mint (P. incanum), is best distinguished by the hoary/whitish appearance of the upper leaves and bracts beneath the tiered flower clusters.

Edible Leaves and flowers are edible, best used as spice/seasoning.

Medicinal Leaves can be used to make mild tea for treatment of fevers, colds, stomach aches, and other minor physical ailments.

Where Can I Find It On Campus?

By the Observatory in the Edible Ecosystem garden.

American

Slender

Hoary

26 Mint Cont.

Mentha Ă— piperita cv

Chocolate mint is a cultivar of Peppermint.

It is a herbaceous perennial plant 1-3 ft tall, with square dark brown stems. The leaves are dark green with reddish/brown veins and coarse margins. The leaves and stems are usually slightly fuzzy. The tiny purple 4-lipped flowers are produced in whorls around the stem, forming thick, blunt spikes. All parts of the plants emit a strong, minty aroma when crushed.

Edible Leaves and flowers are edible, best used as spice/seasoning.

Medicinal Tea and essential oil from this plant are used to aid digestion and to treat colds and other respiratory ailments.

Fun Fact The common name of this variety comes from the dark brown color of parts of the plant, and from the supposed chocolate hint that accompanies the minty aroma of the plant.

Where Can I Find It On Campus?

Around Paramecium Pond.

27 Mugwort Artemisia vulgaris This herbaceous perennial is 2-4 ft tall, branching in the upper half where the flower heads occur. The stems are largely hairless, angular, and furrowed. The basal and middle leaves are deeply lobed and cut. The alternate leaves are up to 4 inches long, becoming smaller and narrower as they ascend the stems. The upper surface of these leaves is green, while their lower surface is white. The inflorescence is a large cluster of leafy spikes with small flower heads.

Edible Leaves are edible raw or cooked, but are used mostly for flavor rather than substance.

Medicinal Mugwort has a long history of use in herbal medicine especially in matters connected to the digestive system, menstrual complaints and the treatment of worms. Leaves are said to promote appetite and aid digestion. Leaves and roots should be collected in August or September and dried for best medicinal use. It should never be used by pregnant women, as it can cause a miscarriage.

Fun Fact Mugwort common name comes from an historical use of this plant in Europe to flavor beer before the introduction of hops.

Where Can I Find It On Campus?

Across campus, the edges of paths and other disturbed/ open ground.

28 New-England Aster Symphyotrichum novae-angliae A stout, leafy perennial typically growing 3-6 ft tall with a robust, upright habit. Features a profuse bloom of daisy-like asters with purple rays and yellow centers from late summer to early fall.

Rough, hairy, lance-shaped leaves clasp stiff, hairy stems.

Medicinal Fresh flowers or a tea or tincture made from the blossoms has a calming, decongestant effect.

Fun Fact This species of aster was introduced to England in 1710. Since it blooms in England around the time of St. Michaelmas day (September 29), it is sometimes called Michaelmas Daisy.

Where Can I Find It On Campus?

In the Arboretum, on the margins of Lake Waban, various other places across campus.

29 Nightshade Solanum dulcamara A trailing or climbing perennial woody vine growing up to 10 feet in length.

Simple alternate leaves are 2 to 4 inches in length, broadly ovate often with basal lobes, dark green above and lighter below. Leaves and stems have a peppery odor when bruised or crushed.

Flowers develop during summer as hanging clusters of bright purple petals with yellow anthers. Hanging clusters of small, bright red, oval berries ripen in autumn.

!Toxic!

All parts of the plant are extremely toxic.

Fun Fact Nightshade is in the same family as peppers, tomatoes, and potatoes.

Where Can I Find It On Campus?

In the Arboretum, various other places across campus, around Lake Waban.

30 Oak Quercus alba

White Oak: Popular and long-lived shade tree, which grows to 100 feet, with a wide-spreading rounded crown and with numerous horizontal branches. Bark light gray, shallow furrows forming scaly ridges or plates. The round-lobed leaves turn burgundy in fall. Dried leaves remain into winter.

Edible Acorns of all species are edible when cooked, though black and red oak acorns are much more bitter than white oak acorns.

Medicinal The inner bark of the white oak (powdered or in a tincture or tea) is antiseptic and astringent. It is used to treat diarrhea, hemorrhoids, UTIs, skin irritations, and respiratory infections.

Fun Fact White Oak wood was used to build the hull of the USS Constitution in 1797. The USS Constitution is the oldest commissioned warship afloat in the world, and is berthed at one end of the Boston Freedom Trail.

Where Can I Find It On Campus?

Across campus, around Lake Waban. By the stone benches in the Edible Ecosystem Garden.

31 Oak Cont.

Quercus coccinea/Quercus velutina Red Oak: A medium sized, deciduous tree with a rounded to broad-spreading, often irregular crown. Typically grows at a moderate-to-fast rate to a height of 50-75 ft (often larger in the wild).

Dark, lustrous green leaves (grayish-white beneath) with 7-11, toothed lobes which are sharply pointed at the tips. Leaves turn brownish-red in autumn. Acorns (with flat, saucer-shaped cups) which mature in early fall.

Black Oak: A large, deciduous oak of the red oak group that typically grows 50-60 ft tall with a globular, spreading crown. It is similar in appearance to Red Oak with which it may on occasion hybridize. Buds are a significant difference between the two trees (hairless and smaller on red oak, covered with a dense, gray fuzz on black oak). Bark is almost black on mature trunks with deep furrows. Inner bark is yellow to orange. Leathery, shiny, dark green leaves have 7-9 deeply incised, pointed lobes.

Leaves turn yellow to dull red in fall. Oval acorns (to 3/4� long) have saucer-shaped acorn cups that cover up to 1/2 of the acorn.

Red Oak

Black Oak

32 Pawpaw Asimina triloba Pawpaw is a small, short-trunked tree or large, multi-stemmed shrub, 10-40 ft tall, with large, tropical-like leaves. Young shoots and leaves are covered with a rusty down, later becoming smooth. The thick, brightgreen, deciduous leaves turn yellowgreen in fall. Not particularly showy, but interesting, purple, six-petaled flowers are borne before leaf emergence. Large, cylindric, darkgreen or yellow fruit follows.

Edible The fruit is edible- it drops from the plant while still green and must be stored and ripened before eating.

The fruit has a sweet, custard-ish flavor somewhat similar to banana.

Fun Facts The pawpaw is a larval host plant for the zebra swallowtail butterfly and the pawpaw sphinx moth.

The pawpaw is one of the only fruit trees native to North America.

Where Can I Find It On Campus?

In the Arboretum, by the Observatory in the Edible Ecosystem garden

33 Pine Pinus strobus

White Pine: A stately canopy tree, 75-100 ft tall; sometimes much taller. Its branches are horizontal and tiered. Tufts of light- to bluish-green needles are borne in feathery clusters of five only toward the ends of the twigs. Cones are 6-8 inches long.

Edible The soft inner bark of pine trees can be eaten as a survival food, pine resin can be used as a chewing gum.

Medicinal Needles of both Red and White Pine can be steeped in hot water to make a tea that is high in vitamins C and A and helps soothe cold and flu symptoms.

Fun Fact The longest-lived pine species is a Great Basin bristlecone pine (Pinus longaeva), dubbed “Methuselah”, it is around 4,800 years old. This tree can be found in the White Mountains of California.

Where Can I Find It On Campus?

Across campus, around Lake Waban. There is a big stand of pines behind Paintshop Pond (the pond near the athletic fields). White Pines were planted as the ‘backbone’ of the Arboretum at its beginning.

34 Pine cont.

Pinus resinosa

Red Pine: A common, large tree with small cones and broad, irregular or rounded crown of spreading branches, 1 row added a year. Usually grows 50-75 ft but can reach 125 ft or more. The long, straight trunk is covered with reddish-brown, scaly bark.

Tufted, dark-green needles, occurring in clusters of two, are 2-5 inches long.

Medicinal Needles of both Red and White Pine can be steeped in hot water to make a tea that is high in vitamins C and A and helps soothe cold and flu symptoms.

Edible The soft inner bark of pine trees can be eaten as a survival food, pine resin can be used as a chewing gum.

Where Can I Find It On Campus?

Across campus, around Lake Waban. There is a big stand of pines behind Paintshop Pond (the pond near the athletic fields).

35 Pink Lady’s Slipper Cypripedium acaule Pink lady's slipper is a large, showy wildflower belonging to the orchid family. It has two opposite basal leaves with conspicuous parallel veins and a large flower at the end of an erect stalk. The flower is magenta to whitish-pink; sometimes the whitish pink flowers will have darker pink venation.

Medicinal The root of lady's slipper has been used as a remedy for anxiety, tooth pain, and muscle spasms. However, this plant takes a very long time to mature and does not propagate well, so it is not good to harvest the root. !Warning!

Contact with the leaves and stem can cause a rash similar to poison ivy.

Fun Fact In order to survive and reproduce, Pink Lady's Slipper has a symbiotic relationship with a fungus in the soil from the Rhizoctonia genus. The fungus provides seeds with nutrients while they germinate and begin to grow, then uses nutrients from the orchid's root system when the plant is fully grown.

Where Can I Find It On Campus?

In the woods around Lake Waban.

36 Poison Ivy Toxicodendron radicans

Upright, climbing, or trailing shrub that bears small yellowish-white flower clusters; old stems look hairy. Poison Ivy is extremely variable in form, occurring as a ground cover along roadsides, an erect shrub, or a large vine on trees. Each leaf is composed of 3, almond-shaped leaflets that can be somewhat shiny. Red fall foliage is especially conspicuous. Remember "Leaves of three, leave it be” and "Hairy vine, no friend of mine.” when trying to identify Poison Ivy. !Warning!

Contact with any part of the plant can cause a severe reaction resulting in an itchy, blistering rash due to the compound Urushiol present in the plant’s sap. The plant’s white berries are toxic to humans, but are eaten by over 80 species of birds.

Fun Fact Despite its common name, it is not a true ivy, but a member of the cashew family.

Where Can I Find It On Campus?

Wooded areas across campus, around Lake Waban.

37 Pokeweed Phytolacca americana

A tall, large-leaved, branching plant with reddish stems and long clusters of small, white flowers. Berries are dark purplered.

Edible The young shoots are edible, but only after thorough cooking.

Medicinal A root poultice can be used for rheumatism, neuralgic pains, bruises, sprains, and swelling. !Toxic!

All parts of the plant are toxic when ingested raw.

Fun Ink was the

Fact made from the berries used to write part of US Constitution.

Where Can I Find It On Campus?

Across campus, the edges of paths and other disturbed/ open ground.

38 Purple Coneflower Echinacea purpurea

Purple coneflower is a 2-3 foot perennial with large, daisy-like flowers with swept back reddishpurple rays. The center disk of the flower is cone shaped, large and orange-brown in color. The leaves are low on the flower stem, long and tapering with a rough-toothed edge.

Edible The flowers are edible.

Medicinal Teas and extracts of the root are used primarily as an immune-system booster.

It can be used as a treatment for eczema, psoriasis, boils, burns, and cold sores. It is also recommended for use to treat bronchitis, tonsillitis, meningitis, tuberculosis, and arthritis.

Reminder: harvesting the root kills the plant.

Fun Fact The genus name is from the Greek echino, meaning hedgehog, a reference to the spiny, brownish central disk.

Where Can I Find It On Campus? the Arboretum, by the Observatory in the Edible Ecosystem garden, meadows around campus.

39 Queen Anne’s Lace Daucus carota Queen Anne's Lace grows up to four feet tall. Its leaves are 2-8 inches long and fern-like, with hairy undersides. It also has a hairy stem. This plant is best known for its flowers, which are tiny and white, blooming in lacy, flat-topped clusters. Each little flower has a dark, purplish center. The fruits of Queen Anne's Lace are spiky, and they curl inward to form a "birds' nest" shape.

Edible The roots are edible, and the flower clusters are sometimes eaten when battered and fried. !Warning!

Queen Anne’s Lace is similar in appearance to Water Hemlock, which is incredibly toxic. Major differences are the stem (QAL has a hairy stem, WH has a smooth stem with purple blotches) and the flower head (QAL has a flat flower cluster with 3pronged bracts under the cluster, WH has more rounded/open flower clusters).

Fun Fact Legend has it that Queen Anne pricked her finger while sewing the lace and a droplet of blood fell to the center of the lace, hence the common name of this species.

Where Can I Find It On Campus?

In the meadows in front of the Science Center, between Lulu and the lake, various other places across campus.

40 Red Raspberry Rubus ssp.

Raspberry grows in small shrubs or thickets with prickly stems, compound leaves with 3- 5 serrated leaflets, and white flowers which develop into small red fruits.

There are many varieties of brambles on campus, such as dewberry, thimbleberry, or hybrid species. None are toxic, but some produce small berries that are better left to the birds.

Edible The fruit can be eaten raw. The young shoots, emerging from the ground in spring, can be peeled and eaten raw. The roots are edible when cooked.

Medicinal Raspberry leaf tea is used to treat diarrhea, sore throats, and menstrual cramps. !Warning!

Tea should not be consumed during pregnancy as it can cause miscarriages.

Where Can I Find It On Campus?

Behind the Greenhouse Visitor’s Center, by the Science Center loading dock, around Lake Waban, by the commuter rail stop.

41 Rhododendron Rhododendron hybrid

An evergreen, thicket-forming shrub or tree with short, crooked trunk, broad, rounded crown of many stout, crooked branches, and large white or pink blossoms.

The plant grows 4-15 ft in the north, but can grow 30 ft high in favorable sites. Its foliage is dark blue-green and leathery.

Large, bell-shaped, white to purplish-pink, spotted flowers appear in terminal clusters.

Medicinal The poulticed leaves are used externally to relieve arthritic pain and headaches. !Toxic!

No part of the plant should be ingested.

Fun Fact The Rhododendrons by Clapp Library are a cold-hardy strain that was bred specifically for Wellesley by the Hunnewell family.

Where Can I Find It On Campus?

All over campus, in the woods around Lake Waban.

42 Sorrel Rumex acetosella

A low growing plant with succulent leaves that look like an arrowhead.

The mature plant had spikes of small, reddish-brown flowers.

Edible Leaves have a delightful tangy, lemony flavor and can be eaten raw or cooked.

Sorrel should be avoided in large amounts by individuals with a history of kidney stones.

Medicinal Sorrel has a long history of use in herbal medicine. It is an ingredient of Essiac tea, which is a cancer remedy.

The leaves were once used to prevent and treat scurvy, which is a result of a lack of vitamin C. Fun Fact Sorrel contains an antibacterial compound, rumicin, that is effective against bacteria such as Escherichia, Salmonella, and Staphylococcus.

Where Can I Find It On Campus?

Across campus in grassy areas, the edges of paths, and other disturbed/ open ground.

43 St. John’s Wort Hypericum perforatum A perennial herbaceous plant, which grows to about 2ft tall. Erect, upright stems bear two raised lines along their length and branch out in the upper parts. The opposite, oval leaves are covered with translucent dots, the oil glands.

The five-petaled yellow flowers are borne in clusters. They flower from June to August.

The seeds are borne in capsules.

The flowerbud, when squeezed and rubbed on the skin stains red, this is a good way of verifying the correct species.

Edible Young leaves are edible.

Medicinal Tea from the flowers and leaves is used as an anti-depressant. Be cautious of potential interactions with existing medications.

Fun Fact The common name "St John's wort" comes from its traditional flowering and harvesting on St John's Day, June 24th.

Where Can I Find It On Campus?

The Arboretum, by the Observatory in the Edible Ecosystem garden.

44 Staghorn Sumac Rhus typhina Staghorn sumac is a 15-30 ft, colony-forming, deciduous shrub with crooked, leaning trunks, picturesque branches and velvety twigs. Large, brightgreen, pinnately-compound leaves become extremely colorful in early fall. Yellowgreen flowers are followed by fuzzy, bright red berries in erect, pyramidal clusters which persist throughout winter. This species is harmless, but there is a poisonous species of sumac with distinctive white berries, so pay attention.

Edible The berries are edible and are used to make a lemonade-like drink (see pg. 53).

Medicinal Tea from the leaves is used to treat colds and sore throats. Tea from the fruits is an antiinflammatory and can be used to treat UTIs. Fun Fact Dried sumac wood is fluorescent under long-wave UV light.

Where Can I Find It On Campus?

By the observatory, near the physical plant (between the Shakespeare House and Lulu).

45 Sugar Maple Acer saccharum A large tree with rounded, dense crown and striking, multicolored foliage in autumn. Sugar maple grows 6075 ft or taller. Bark is smooth in youth, becoming quite shaggy with age. Seeds come in a paired, winged shape (called a samara) and are sometimes called whirligigs, wingnuts, or helicopter seeds.

Edible The sap is used to make maple syrup, the seeds can also be eaten when boiled (with the wings removed).

Medicinal Maple syrup can be used as a cough syrup.

Fun Facts Maple leaves are not toxic to humans, but they are toxic to horses in high quantities.

Each tree yields between 5 and 60 gallons of sap per year; it takes about 32 gallons of sap make 1 gallon of syrup.

Where Can I Find It On Campus?

In the arboretum, around the lake, along the path between Stone-Davis and the lake.

46 Tulip Poplar Liriodendron tulipifera One of the tallest (up to 150 ft) eastern hardwoods, with a long, straight trunk, a narrow crown that spreads with age, and large, showy, yelloworange flowers resembling tulips or lilies. It has distinctive, star-shaped foliage that dependably turns bright gold in fall. Coneshaped seedheads remain after leaves have fallen.

Medicinal Inner bark can be used to make a tea to relieve fevers and indigestion. Leaves can be used to make a poultice for sores and to make a topical ointment for inflammation.

Fun Fact The fresh flowers have a small amount of nectar in them that can be tipped out and drunk (like honeysuckle flowers).

Where Can I Find It On Campus?

On the side of the road near Munger Meadow, between Jewett and Severance Green, around Lake Waban.

47 Tupelo Nyssa sylvatica Tupelo is a deciduous tree that grows 30-60 ft or taller, with horizontally spreading branches. Waxy, dark-green, oval summer foliage changes to yellow, orange, scarlet and purple in fall. Berries are small and blue.

Edible The small fruits are edible, but sour. They are an important source of food for birds migrating in the fall.

Where Can I Find It On Campus?

Tupelo point, the woods around Lake Waban.

Fun Facts The class of 1896 planted a Tupelo tree on Tupelo point as their class tree.

Tupelo is also known as Black Tupelo, Sour Gum, and Pepperidge. On Martha's Vineyard, it is called "beetlebung", probably for its use in making the mallet known as a beetle, used for hammering bungs (stoppers) into barrels.

48 Virginia Creeper Parthenocissus quinquefolia A woody, deciduous vine, Virginia Creeper can be high-climbing or trailing, 3-40 ft; the structure on which it climbs is the limiting factor. Its leaves, with 5 leaflets, are coarsely toothed, with a pointed tip and tapered to the base, up to 6 inches long. Leaves provide early fall color, turning brilliant mauve, red and purple. Inconspicuous flowers appear in small, greenish clusters in spring and produce bluish berries about 1/4 inch in diameter. It is often confused with poison ivy, although it has leaflets of 5, not poison ivy's leaves of 3.

!Toxic!

The berries are highly toxic to humans and the sap can be a skin irritant.

Where Can I Find It On Campus?

On trees and on the ground in wooded areas around campus and Lake Waban.

Fun Fact Genus name comes from the Greek words parthenos meaning a virgin and kissos meaning ivy. Specific epithet means five-leaved in reference to the palmate leaves.

49 Witch Hazel Hamamelis virginiana This tall shrub is often multi-trunked and usually grows 10-15 ft tall. Its fragrant, yellow flowers with ribbon-like, crumpled petals appear in the fall, persisting for some time after leaf drop.

Other varieties of Witch Hazel bloom in late winter/early spring, before the leaves emerge. Green, deciduous leaves with wavy edges turn gold in the fall. Bark is smooth and gray.

Medicinal Extract of witch hazel bark and leaves reduces swelling and inflammation and is commonly used in acne treatment ointments.

Where Can I Find It On Campus?

Between Lulu and Alumnae hall, in the Arboretum, various other places around campus.

Fun Fact Witch Hazel is one of the most popular sources for forked, y-shaped twigs that are used in dowsing or water divining.

50 Wood Sorrel Oxalis stricta This plant grows to 15 inches tall. Stems are usually erect.

Leaves are divided into 3 heartshaped leaflets, green to yellow-green, which fold in the evening or when it is cloudy. The yellow flowers are 1/2–1 in across, with 5 petals.

Edible Leaves are edible and have a tangy, lemony flavor. They are a good source of vitamin C. Medicinal Eaten raw or prepared in a tea, wood sorrel is diuretic, cools fevers, and can relieve indigestion.

Where Can I Find It On Campus?

Across campus on the edges of paths and open ground, around Lake Waban.

Fun Fact The name Oxalis is derived from the Greek word for sour, referring to the sour taste of the leaves. Also called "lemon clover" because of the lemony taste of the cloverlike leaves !Warning!

Wood sorrel contains high amounts of potassium oxalate and oxalic acid and should be avoided by people with kidney disease, kidney stones, rheumatoid arthritis, or gout.

51 Yarrow Achillea millefolium

Yarrow has flat-topped clusters of small white flowers that bloom from May to October. It grows up to 3ft tall and its fine, feathery-cut leaves give the plant a soft, fern-like appearance.

Edible Early spring leaves are a good addition to a salad.

Medicinal Leaves can be used as an antiseptic wound dressing.

Infusions and tea made from leaves and flower tops are used to prevent cold and flu symptoms.

Where Can I Find It On Campus?

Across campus on the edges of paths, in the Edible Ecosystem garden, in the woods around Lake Waban.

Fun Fact Supposedly, the Greek warrior Achilles used the plant to heal his soldiers’ wounds.

52 Blueberry Jam

This is a simple, small-batch jam recipe that doesn’t require canning equipment or jelling agent. It’s perfect for a small harvest of wild blueberries.

Ingredients • 4 cups fresh blueberries • 1 cup white sugar or 2/3 cup honey • 1 tbsp lemon juice 1. Put blueberries in a blender and blend for a few short bursts or roughly mash blueberries with a potato masher 2. Mix mashed blueberries, sugar/honey, and lemon juice in a saucepan 3. Cook, stirring constantly, over medium heat until thickened, about 30 minutes.

• The jam has thickened just right when you can draw a line down the middle of the pan with the mixing spoon, and it takes a second for the jam to settle back in to place.

4. Pour into clean glass jars and screw the lids on. Let cool to room temperature before refrigerating.

53 Sumac-ade or Rhus Juice Sumac berry clusters are best collected in late summer when they are a dark red color. Malic acid (what makes sumac sour) coats the outside of the berries, so don’t harvest right after a rainy day, or your sumac-ade won’t be very sour! You can use clippers to cut off the clusters or just break them off by hand.

Ingredients • 3-4 large berry clusters • 8 cups of water • sugar, honey, or other sweetener 1. Place sumac berries in cool/room temperature water.

2. Crush or break apart the berry clusters in the water.

3. Allow to soak for 4-8 hours, depending on how much sumac you used and how strong you'd like your sumac-ade.

4. Strain your extract through cheesecloth or a coffee filter.

5. Sweeten to taste.

6. Serve over ice for a refreshing beverage!

54 Wild Summer Salad Depending on the time of year, the weather, and the abundance of different plants, there are many possible permutations of this wild salad recipe.

Feel free to adapt it as you like!

Ingredients • Base: Lambsquarters, Common Sorrel, Dandelion, Purslane • In general, young leaves are the best for salads as older leaves can be quite bitter • Toppings: Goldenrod flower heads, Jewelweed flowers, raspberries • Dressing: Olive oil and Vinegar, or a dressing of your choosing • Salt and pepper 1. Rinse all ingredients 2. Roughly chop larger leaves and Goldenrod flower heads 3. Toss leaves and Goldenrod flower heads together with dressing 4. Garnish with Jewelweed flowers and raspberries 5. Add salt and pepper to taste

55 Resources & References: • http://altnature.com • http://eattheplanet.org • http://eattheweeds.com • http://herbcraft.org/seedsstems.html • https://plants.usda.gov • http://www.bio.brandeis.edu/fieldbio/ • http://www.botanical.com/ • http://www.ediblewildfood.com • https://www.fs.fed.us/wildflowers/ • http://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/ plantfinder/plantfindersearch.aspx • http://www.motherearthnews.com/naturalhealth • https://www.na.fs.fed.us/fhp/ invasive_plants/weeds/ • http://www.pfaf.org • http://www.sacredearth.com/ • http://www.umm.edu/health/medical/ altmed/ • http://www.wildflower.org

About the Author: Isaac Zerkle is a student, artist, and plant-lover. They currently study Theater and Women’s & Gender Studies at Wellesley College. Their favorite plants are the Southern Live Oak (Quercus virginiana), Jewelweed (Impatiens capensis), and Witch Hazel (Hamamelis virginiana).

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This zine would not have been possible without the help and guidance of: Wellesley College Botanic Gardens Lisa Zerkle, who shared her love of plants with me from the beginning