GOINGnative
Spring Tonics In the October 2014 issue, I discussed how easy it is to grow and eat Ramps (Allium tricoccum). Little do most people realize the health benefits they are bestowing upon themselves when consuming this culinary delight. Ramps are very high in the alkaloids Allinin, Allicin, and Allinaise and do a great job as a “blood purifier.” The concept of “blood purification” or blutreininigungsmittel, as it was called in the Pennsylvania German community, dates back many centuries. After a long, cold winter of starchy foods and dried meats, a “spring cleaning” was in order. This practice is still called for in these modern times, what with all of the garbage that most people eat. Another herb that was a popular “tonic” is Sassafras albidum. I’ve enjoyed many a tasty cup of tea made from the bark of the roots of this prevalent understory tree, in spite of the fact that the FDA has banned the sale of it as a tea due to the fact that lab rats fed high doses (like the equivalent of 200 cups of tea a day) developed liver cancer. Sarsaparilla (Aralia nudicaulis) is a plant related to Ginseng and was also a very popular spring tonic. I’ve never tried it, but I remember seeing old-timey posters touting a health beverage made from the plant. It’s an attractive plant and should be welcome in any wild garden. Dandelion (Taraxicum officianale) is
by Barry Glick still a traditional spring tonic in many countries. The German government has recently approved its use as a diuretic, a drug that promotes urination, and as a digestive tonic to treat bloating, indigestion, and poor appetite. Fresh Dandelion greens contain fourtimes the Vitamin C, seven-times the Vitamin A, and twice the potassium of romaine lettuce. Leaves should be soaked overnight to remove the bitterness and then cooked like spinach. I’ve also read that the unopened flower buds can be dipped in batter and fried. Burdock species (Arctium minus and A. lappa) are common and pernicious weeds introduced from Europe that can be easily identified by their Rhubarblike leaves and bristly Velcro-like seed heads. They supposedly have edible roots that can be seasoned and boiled, or pared and sliced for stir fry. Let me know if you are daring enough to try it. By the way, bring a strong shovel, as these roots can penetrate the earth to a depth of two feet. One of the most delicious wild greens that I’ve ever tasted has to be “Rock Lettuce” or what I’ve come to know as Saxifraga micranthidifolia. Rock Lettuce grows in running water and has very toothed, soft leaves. I’ve tasted it at virtually every time of the year and it’s never been bitter. Watercress (Nasturtium officianale) is another European introduction that’s found it’s home here in the US and has
become a very trendy, tangy green for salads. It can be found in running water and can be cultivated if you have a little stream or brook close by as it roots at the nodes and can be a very prolific grower. The unfolding fronds of most ferns are known as “fiddleheads” and, if you’ve ever looked closely, you’ll understand why. They can be eaten raw (I’ve done this and I can report that they are tasty) or sautéed in a stir fry. Chenopodium album or “Lambs Quarters” (in Greek, chen means goose and podium foot, so called for the shape of the leaves) are delicious raw in salads or cooked like spinach. It is another one of those naturalized weeds from Europe and can be found in poor soil and on barren grounds almost everywhere east of the Rocky Mountains. Remember that all of the greens and vegetables that you buy at the supermarket have their wild origins and counterparts and, over the years, have been bred for looks more than health benefits. I sample almost anything in the woods, but you must be careful and have a copy of Flora of West Virginia or another good field identification manual with you, as there are several poisonous plants that can give you a belly ache or worse. Better yet, why not join the National Wild Foods Association (NWFA)? The NWFA is a group of more than 100 folks who enjoy foraging for wild foods. It was started by Edelene Wood from Parkersburg, WV, over 40 years ago. Every year on the third weekend in September, they have a Wild Food Gathering Weekend in North Bend State Park near Parkersburg. Dues are a real bargain — only $2.00 per year! For details, contact Edelene Wood at http://www.wildfoodadventures.com/ naturewonderweekend.html. o Barry Glick, a transplanted Philadelphian, has been residing in Greenbrier County, WV, since 1972. His mountaintop garden and nursery is a mecca for gardeners from virtually every country in the world. Barry writes and lectures extensively about native plants and Hellebores, his two main specialties, and welcomes visitors with advance notice. He can be reached at barry@sunfarm.com, www.sunfarm.com, or 304.497.2208. APRIL 2015
WASHINGTON GARDENER
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