There’s a neglected lot between two buildings near my house. Somehow I wandered into it several years ago, having glimpsed it from the sidewalk. It looked like a weedy sort of place…and I like weeds. But as it was a hot, dry September then, the place looked like this.
Following my instinct next spring, I went back to see if the rains had brought up any interesting herbs from that sere ground with its two pathetic tree stumps. I found this:
A wealth of wild chamomile and other herbs, with a flowering magnolia tree to the left and an orange tree bearing both blooms and fruit on the right.
Today, I took bags, scissors, and my camera out there to pick and photograph the wild bounty.
There was so much plantain and chamomile. Below, you see a clump of plantain (Plantago lanceolata) with a few low-growing mallows at its feet. The starry white flowers are fragrant chamomile.
I picked two kinds of plantain today. The rarer Plantago major grows only in one place that I know of near home. It has a broad leaf and its seeds grow all along the length of a slender stalk. Below you see it on the ground, in the yard of a nearby building. I was once admiring this spread of plantains from the sidewalk when a lady passed by and said, “That’s not lettuce.”
I knew that.
The broader-leaved the plantain, the more medicinal, say herbalists.
Here is the narrow-leaved Plantago lanceolata.
When I bring plantain home, I rinse it well and allow it dry. Then I chop it up the green, vibrant leaves and steep them in hot olive oil. The infused oil is excellent as ear drops and as part of a healing salve that helps take away the venom from mosquito and spider bites. I also keep a few leaves aside to dry for use as a tea that helps control coughs. The seed head yields psyllium, a well-known bulk laxative that’s only the dry, mature seeds of this plant.
Plantains are edible, but tough, stringy, and not very tasty. If liked, though, you can use the small, young leaves in soup or stew.
Shepherd’s Purses was still green and growing, although it’s late in the season and it’s gotten kind of stringy. It’s valuable, either tinctured into alcohol or dried for tea, to stop excessive bleeding. I have often given the tea to women after birth or to control abnormally heavy menstruation.
The rosette of Shepherd’s Purse, hugging the ground, can easily be mistaken for dandelion before the stalks shoot up. One interesting thing about the herb is how it’s called the same in all languages. Apparently the heart-shaped seed pods look exactly like the lunch bag that shepherds traditionally carry on their backs.
I have eaten Shepherd’s Purse in salads. It’s quite peppery. The seed pods, broken open, reveal innumerable tiny orange seeds. Its flowers are a little, delicate white bunch sitting on top of the stalk.
Cape sorrel was originally a decorative plant brought over from South Africa. It’s now a garden weed much loved by small children, who appreciate the refreshing, sour flavor of its leaves and flowers.
Hiding among more abundant plants were some wild marigolds. I cut away as many flower heads as I could, knowing that the more you cut marigolds, the more will come back up the next morning. Marigolds (calendula) are disinfectant and soothing to the skin. I include the bright orange flowers in a formula for eczema. When a friend was bitten by a dog, I washed the wound with a strong tea of wild marigolds, plantain, and chickweed, twice daily. The inflamation came down quickly and healing started with no trouble. I also like to make a moisturizing lotion that’s made with calendula tea.
There were plenty of mallows, but this late in the season they’re infested with bug (or snail) eggs.
I console myself remembering that earlier in the spring I dried a bunch of good, small young mallow leaves.
There were still nettles, getting mature already. Once those green seeds become brown and hard, it’s time to stop picking nettles. I took a small bunch to cook up fresh tomorrow, either in soup or perhaps stirred into quinoa.
In the center of the photo below stands a proud sow thistle. The leaves on this one are old and tough, but they are edible. The young leaves of early spring make better eating. Sow Thistle revives the appetite, both for humans and for birds. I used to feed it to my budgies and they loved it. Made them hungry, too.
Here are some of the herbs at home, rinsed and drying. Broad-leaved plantain and nettles…
Chamomile…
Marigolds…
Shepherd’s Purse drying and waiting to get chopped up then steeped in alcohol. Maybe you can spot the little white flowers at the tips of the stalks.
And the graceful stalks and seed heads of narrow-leaved plantain make a little bouquet.
It was a satisfying hour spent in the sun, breathing in the apple fragrance of chamomile and admiring the courage of these little wildlings, spent so gallantly breaking through hard, unfriendly soil to spread beauty and healing. I’m glad I was there to salute them.
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My kids are crazy for chamtzutzim. The first time my mom saw my 3 year old daughter start eating them, she was horrified. I told her it was ok, this is what kids do here.
Thanks for the weed id post. I thought you would appreciate this soup recipe in the nyt: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/17/health/nutrition/17recipehealth.html?_r=1&ref=health
Abbi,
Your mom was right to be wary of eating unfamiliar wild greens – and you were right about the Cape sorrel, of course. Do your kids also eat the round seed heads of mallows (lechem aravi)? A friend once called me and nervously asked if that was OK, since her kids stuff themselves on them. I told her that the more they eat, the healthier they’ll be.
Let me add here, for the sake of anyone else reading this, that if you’re not 100% certain of the wild plant, don’t put it in your mouth. I’ve seen a little girl in the hospital having her stomach pumped because her parents took her on a lovely walk through the fields and encouraged her to eat whatever green thing looked nice. Sometimes the toxic grows right next to the edible, and can even look very much like it.
One example is wild celery and hemlock: they look very much alike unless you know the characteristics of each. Wild celery is delicious and healthy, while hemlock will make you sick or even stop the heart.
The best way to gain knowledge of the edible plants is to go on a weed walk with someone whose knowledge you trust: take a camera or sketch the edible plants, make notes, take samples to dry and keep for reference. Once you’ve gained confidence, a good field guide with close-up photos serves well, too.
Herbalists say that the best way to really get to know wild edibles/medicinals is to choose only a few every year – one or two or three – and follow their growth, decay, and regrowth through the yearly cycle. Note everything about the plant you study: where and under what conditions it thrives or dies; what it tastes like at every stage, how you respond physically and even emotionally to it through its varying phases. Once you’ve lived with a plant, it will be part of you for life.
The NY Times soup recipe looks good and simple to make. I see another two soup recipes on the same page, for black bean and vegetable soups. There’s another article there that I mean to post about next – about the influence of the home cook on the family’s health.
I love this idea of a “weed” walk.
I’ve been thinking of planting chamomile on my front lawn (it’s only a strip, in which I have daffodils and rudbeckia and other taller plants growing already).
Good point telling the story of the little girl. Sad, but it needs to be said.
Leora, I’m sure that someone must be giving weed walks in your part of NJ come spring.
At least, you can get better acquainted with dandelions…and your neighborhood hawthorn tree.
Mimi,
Thank you for showing the beauty of that weed patch. It’s so nice knowing that wonderful things can come from something that may look like nothing at first.
Also, this will be my first Pesach. Do you have any ideas for something to prepare for my first Pesach dinner. I’m sorry to say, I am not much of a cook. I did see that you will be posting recipes. I can’t wait to see them.
Thank you.
Melissa
What a lovely posting Mimi
And what a big difference in the 2 first pictures.I wish I would have a vast knowledge of wild weeds like you do, but I am learning here quite a lot! Some of these weeds grow near my home as well.
Melissa,
I think that for your very first Seder meal, you should plan an easy menu so you can come to the table relaxed and ready to enjoy.
There’s nothing wrong with gefulte fish out of a jar: just improve it by making a broth with carrots, celery, a little salt, and a little sugar, then simmering the pieces in it for 20 minutes. Let everything cool down, covered, then replace the fish pieces in the jar till you need them. Buy a small jar of horseradish to go with it.
Hard-boiled eggs in salt water are traditional, as is chicken soup. Roast a young turkey if you can get one – and there’s no shame in serving a beautiful roasted chicken either. Rub the bird with lemon and olive oil. Sprinkle some kosher salt over it, and grate a little black pepper over it too. Stuff it with crumbled matzah that’s been soaked in water or soup, chopped onion, a little sage, and parsley, all of this bound with a beaten egg.
Or pot-roast a brisket with onions, two bay leaves, a little thyme and paprika, adding a couple of good splashes of wine just before taking it off the flame. Serve with steamed potatoes drizzled with olive oil and paprika and sprinkled with finely-chopped chives (or cilantro, or scallions, or dill). Find a recipe for one more vegetable: carrots, maybe. A big tossed salad. Keep your cooking energy for a fun dessert – a few of those will be appearing here shortly.
When you’ve gained experience and confidence, let’s say over the year till next Pesach, then plan something fancy. For the inexperienced cooking, plain and comfortable is the way to go.
Yaelian, thank you.
Mimi,
Thank you for the wonderful suggestions and advice.
I am actually looking forward to my first Pesach.
Melissa
Mimi – I really enjoyed reading about your weed walk! Who knew that there could be so much “goodness” in an abandoned lot filled with seemingly-lowly weeds…
One comment on your delicious suggestions for the Seder: Most Ashkenazim don’t eat roasted meat or poultry at the Seder. (A pot roast is fine.)
Melissa,
If anything I wrote helps you, I’ll be happy.
Hi, Mrs. S.,
Your comment intrigued me. I’m Ashkenazi and grew up with roast turkey on Seder night, as did my Litvish husband. We have the tradition not to serve roast lamb, but all other meats are OK in our families. I’m going to speak to my Rav about this…
Mrs. S, shalom! I asked my Rav about the roast bird, and he said that not to roast is a minhag, not halacha. I told him that we’re used to roasting a turkey, and he said “Go for it!”
Thank you for bringing this up.
Mimi – Shavua tov! One of the [many] things that I love about living here in Israel is being exposed to so many different and interesting customs.
Chag kasher v’same’ach to you and yours!
Thank you, Mrs. S. I wish the same to you.
Thank you for sharing! the pictures were especially helpful. I thought I knew all the plant names, but it’s reassuring to confirm again. I’m just getting reacquainted with some of the wonderful things we’ve been pulling and calling “weeds” forever. I want to grow and harvest local medicinals herbs and “weeds” here in NC and AL where we have land…any contacts of suggestions around the Asheville area are welcome.
Coleen,
I’m glad the photos were helpful. As I’ve lived outside the States for most of my life, I can’t suggest any helpful contacts for you – but try the wildforagers group at Yahoo. They have members all over the States and you might find contacts there.
[...] of the edible weeds can substitute for nettles, or you can use chard, kale, or spinach. But try nettles, if [...]