MIEN 'g LAIPINYD o8aIq ues Aq pas1opuy EMUUOFITED WIBYINOg UT PETES PLM E yeq pue ‘g[quiessy ysaarey] 0} MOP]by) asserile, sin Southern Calflora staloging in-Publication Data | ee oe Table of Contents You Can Eat (some of) the Weeds! Benefits of Harvesting and Eating Wild Salads ‘A Recipe for Wild Salad Success Harvester Be Aware $ Miner’ Lettuce (Claytonia perfoliata subsp. perf ‘Common Mallow (Malva neglect) PES ‘Common Dandelion Taraxacum officinale. 7 ‘Sweet Fennel Foenculum vulgare) 9 Bermuda Buttercup or ‘Sourgras"(Oxalls pes caprae Py 11 Garden Nasturtium Cropaechum maj) Pg 13 Black Mustard (Brasia nigra) P15 Common Pineapple-Weed (Matricaradiscoidea) Py 17, ‘Wild Radish / Jointed Charlock (Raphanus sativus, Rrapharistram) Pg. 19 Red:Stem Flare /torksbil(Erodum cicutarium) Pg, 21 Stinging Netle / Hoary Nettle / Dwarf Nettle (Urtica cic, U. wren) Py. 23 (Cornmon Poison Hemlock (Conium maculatu) Pg 25 Castor Bean (Ricinus communis) Pg. 27 Western Poison-Oak (Toxicodendron diverslobum) Pg. 29 ‘Whaat is Nature Connection? Credits and Resources¢ ) come of) the Weeds! You Can Eat ations that Benefits of Harvesting and Eating Wild Salads se plants ike a scavenger hunt that lunch cooked) wild greens are highly time together is good for hu which plants are edible is one way ong wit hiking, birding, drawing, journaling, and ‘more 1 get inspired to spend more time outside. I you learn your favorite wild edible ve place in which you li : = @ A Recipe for Wild Salad Success if you arent aki, consider bringing one with you Harvest when the plants are tender and green, be fore flowering (unless youre collecting flowers oF fruit) Thisis when they taste best. Harvest just a little bit from any one plant. Dontt narvest from the first plant you find. We want to take only what we need and leave plenty fo rritters and seasons, Collect one third (or less of the plant material, leaving at hirds for pla regeneration and wildlife. Experiment with a litte bt of the plant first. Find your favorites, and use more of them. You don't need to find all of these plants for one salad, Try mixing just a few as you discover your favorites ‘Mix and match: add Wild Salad ingredients to your regular’ salad greens. ‘Ada your favorite salad dressing Have a Wild Salad picnic. t's lovely to eat your Wild Salad somewhere near where the plants grow. ‘Note that we have included many non-native plants: ‘our goal isto introduce you to what is nearby and, edible; this includes introduced (non-native) species. ‘Spring is the best time in Southern California to go ‘on your Wild Salad adventure, but some of these plants can be harvested at other times.Harvester Be Aware KA the fine print) tion cards highlight both rous/poisonous lookalike shave fun harvesting and mation in this field guide ference only and should in no forough and detailed know! in your specific area. For xdon several cards: “when In other words, if you are nether a plant in front of 1 "good" plants inthis guide, skip it! ble Wild Salad is found tn..thte 5s typically has dirt paths, rocks, hills, creeks, and sometimes lements like bees, snakes, ention in this guide. For all, rather than "beware," we urge You ware” Look around, notice where you are when you have taken see that itis safe, proceed! you are responsible for your own tainty of plant identification, and your own per: nal safety at all times. The publisher and author sume no responsibility for proceedings or prose cutions brought or instituted by any individualls) or organization(s) as a result of misidentifying and consuming or handling harmful plants. Miner's-Lettuce (Claytonia perfoliata supsp. perfoliata) PLANT Flesh annual rosette forming plant. Native. LEAVES; Distinctive round shaped leaf with the stem piercing through the center and flowering mid-way ‘up. This stem can get quite tall and has one main leaf branching off of it along with several small flowers and seed pou. FLOWERS: Small pink or white flowers have five petals. EDIBILITY: Flowers, leaves, and shoots.( MINER'S-LETTUCE No Wild Salad green is more important than miner’ lettuce. It is pleasingly crunchy, mild nas large leaves, remains tender even hen in flower, and is loaded with vitamins. hasitt lant gotitsname because uush miners ate it to stave off scurvy, bya vitamin C deficiency. uuce as the “romaine valent: we use it to half of our salad. The leaves are d very pleasant tasting compared to id collectible greens that tend to have ger flavors or coarse textures. We think hey taste like a combination of bean sprouts spinach. Common Chickweed (stellaria media) Eingrre Ken PLANT: Common flowering annual. Non-native LEAVES: Stem is sparsely hairy, with hairs in a line along, the stem, The leaves are oval and opposite, the lower ones swith tales FLOWERS: Flowers are white and small with § very Geeply lobed petals, making it seem like there are 10 petals They have some resemblance to carnation flowers. EDIBILITY. Flowers, stems, and leaves. NOTE: (shown below) closely Tesembles Common Chickweed, expecially when not in bloom. The stems of Scarlet Pimpernel are smooth and hairless, in direct contrast to the fin line of hair on chickweed. palaCOMMON CHICKWEED ld edible salad artists, popularity and can be some stores and restaurants, d “base,” Common Chickweed has sh sweetness which we've heard or iceberg lettuce. It in early spring, and grows OU Chickweed is a crowd-pleaser as a een, but it can also be cooked and asa green veggie to other dishes. | | i 6) PLANT. Low-growing, upto feet tall. Non-native. LEAVES: Nearly round or heart shaped. 1-4 inches wide and 57 lobes. FLOWERS: 5 petals, cup-shaped, pale lavender to white EIBILITY: Young leaves flowers, and seeds are good in soupsand salads, NOTE: Sometimes leaves can closely resemble poisonous Castor Bean (shown on page 27) or non-poisonous Geranium Shown below,Common Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) COMMON MALLOW &) The mild flavored leaves and young shoots are highly m s both raw and cooked. They salads or cooked as greens. his plant are edible. The fruit can be a substitute for capers and the flowers he seeds have a sant nutty flavor. If you look closely at its , it resembles a miniature wheel ith wedge-shaped sections which jant its nickname: ‘cheeseweed.” mon Mallow is easily recognized by its -or sever-lobed leaves, similar to geranium. Note that the leaves are mucilaginous; when ‘ooked in soups they act as a thickener, in much the same way as okra PLANT-Flowering herbaceous perennial plant. Non-native. LEAVES: Tooth, deeply notched, hairlessleaves.2-40inches inlength. FLOWERS: Well-known yellow, composite flowers are 4-2 inches wide, and grow individually on hollow flower stalks 2-18 inches tal, EDIBILITY: Flowers, leaves, and root.den and lawn weed, have a bad reputation among those want grass that looks as uniform as.a golf xt every part of this common edible y, both raw and cooked, from the vescan be harvested at jing season, and while the are considered to be less bitter able raw, the bigger leaves can especially as an addition salad. The flowers are sweet and crunchy and can be eaten raw. Dandelions are a rich source of vitamins, min- erals, and even antioxidants. For example, one ip of raw dandelion greens contains 112% of your daily required intake of vitamin A and of vitamin K. PLANT: Thesstalks ofthis nor-native/inwasive plant grow 4-5 feet high. When seeds and leaves are crushed they havea strong licorice or anise smell LEAVES. Feathery, branching, cut into thin segments, FLOWERS: Small bright yellow flowers, clustered in large {up to 4 inch) umbels of 13-20 rays EDIBILITY: Flowers, seeds, leaves, and root. NOTE (Shown on page 25)edible bulb and Fennel (the oes not produce a bulb f you like the .e Sweet Fennel Wild Salad ill: thin, feathery, sionally a bluish Don't get them mixed .elhasaa very strong licorice aroma. Hemlock does not. Also Poison Hemlock ge leaves and the veins on the leaf termi- 1e between the teeth (the pointed edges of the contrast, Sweet Fennel leaves are much ler and the veins do not terminate between he teeth, { @ Bermuda Buttercup or “Sourgras: aN (Oxalis pes-caprae) PLANT: A small, lowrlying plant that measures approx: imately 6-14 inches in height. This wildflower is easily recognizable by its light green, clover shaped leaves. While there are many species of both native and non-native ‘Oxalis present in Southern California, Bermuda Buttercup {snon-native and considered invasive LEAVES: Small heart-shaped, “folded” leaves grow in groups of 3, Small brown or purple spots can be found on theleaves, FLOWERS: Individual flowers are found on the ends of slender leafless stalks and consist of 5 yellow petals that are Yeto 1 inch long. EDIBILITY: Leaves, lowers, stalks, roots, and seed pods.BERMUDA BUTTERCUP/ SOURGRASS y. (Oxalis means “sour.") Rumor .nd dried sour rr and make a lemon-free lem- ables, its very high C. As many children can tell you, ss is refreshing on hot days. Since it found id-hike thirst quencher. The leaves, flowers, -ed pods, and roots are all edible, raw ng trails, it is a perfect Buttercup is a member of the wood- family. Like other wood sorrels it con- ns high amounts of potassium oxalate and oxalic acid and should be avoided by people | with kidney disease, kidney stones, rheuma- | ‘oid arthritis, or gout. Some people can have | allergic reactions to wood sorrels, so try this one carefully. A small amount of sour grass adds interest to your Wild Salad. cup is deliciously sour, but in Garden Nasturtium (Tropaeotum majus) PLANT, Heibaccous annual plant with trailing stems growing to 3 feet or more. Non-native. LEAVES: The peltate leaves are large, nearly circular, green above, paler below. FLOWERS: Five petals, eight stamens, and a nectar spur atthe rear they vary from yellow to orange to red, frilled land often darker at the base of the petals. EDIBILITY: All parts ofthe plant.My yy GARDEN NASTURTIUM = @ Joaves, flowers, seeds, delicious, with a spici Raw, the flowers make salad. They have a ste which really spices flavor, the Garden of vitamin C e spicy flavor (we do), add im to your salad for zing and PLANT: Low growing to tall, lke wild grasses. Non-native. LEAVES: Alternate, deeply lobed. FLOWERS: 4 petaled, isto inch, yellow. EDIBILITY: Entire plant. Spicy young leaves and flowers, are great in salads. The seeds are wonderful to spice up a dish,BLACK MUSTARD 1a Black Mustard is easy to identify and has no poisonous look-a-likes. I's very versatile, fla- vorful, and nutritious While the table condiment mustard does indeed come from the mustard seed, the leaves, s, seed pods, and roots of the Black plant are also edible. Mustards are ime large family with cabbage, cauli- ‘ower, broccoli, turnips, kale, kohlrabi, wasabi Young leaves can be used raw in salads. As the plant ages, it becomes strong and sometimes the leaves are too bitter to eat, so get them while they're fresh (before flowering). If you choose to wait for the plant to flower so you an eat the flowers, the flowers taste like broc- coli with wasabi sauce. Common Pineapple-Weed (Matricaria discoidea) Boni Inset PLANT: Looks, smells, and tastes like chamomile, only ‘without the flower petals. It is a low-growing plant With finely divided follage that yives off a pineapple smell when crushed. Native. LEAVES: Finely divided into narrow, feathery seg: iments. They grow alternatively along the stem and average up to 5 inches long, Leaves are hairless. FLOWERS: PincappleWeed has a cone-shaped or rounded norrrayed, composite flower head that is yellow-greenish in color. EDIBILITY: Flowers and leaves.(@ Wild Radish/Jointed Charlock (Raphanus sativus, R. raphanistrum) COMMON PINEAPPLE-WEED w allergic to this plant, so try it hardy weed and thus, Common Pineapple-Weed is poor, compacted soil ed can be a good indicator of cil has been compacted or recently ‘hrives where there is not much tition from other native plants, so you cently disturbed areas around will find it in Southern California or on and near trails. ing the flowers produces a notably pple ike scent. pine: Enjoy the novelty of the flowers in your salad, or steep them to make a delicious tea that tastes a bit like Chamomile In fact, a nickname for this plant is “false Chamomile.” PLANT: A winter or summer annual, broadleaf, plants are erect, up to 2 feet tall, and usually branch in the upper portion. Non-native, LEAVES: Lower leaves range from football to egg shaped, deeply lobed to deeply divided into leaflets, have irregu- larly round edges or sharp toothed edges. FLOWERS: Flower petals range from white to a faded yellow, or pale purplish pink. Flowers have four petals ‘that are narrowed at the base, are generally % to 1 inch Jong, and may have dark violet veins. EDIBILITY: Flowers, seed pods, leaves, and roots.WILD RADISH/ JOINTED CHARLOCK ke the mustard, tender young greens of the wild Radish make an excellent salad. When mature, boil or sauté. They are edible raw but upset some tummies, $0 proceed slowly with this one. The blossoms are edible and the sced pods can he eaten raw or cooked or Wild Radish looks similar to its equally y cousin, the wild mustard. In fact, it ally makes no difference which you have; both are edible, appear at the same time, and are used the same way. Try just a few young leaves and petals in your Wild Salad, along with some peppery crunchy seed pods which taste a bit like the roots of their relative, the domestic radish. Red-Stem Filaree/Storksbill (Erodium cicutarium) PLANT: Usually ankle-high, can grow to 12 inches. Rs Jong seedpod resembles the bill of a stork. Non-native. LEAVES: Leaves are reddish: green pinnate, ferme, ana arranged in two ranks, upto four inches long, FLOWERS: Bright pink five-petaled flowers in a loose cluster. EDIBILITY: While the entire plant is edible, usually the Jeaves are eaten, Can be chopped and added to salads raw. NOTE. MAKE SURE THE STEMS ARE HAIRY!RED-STEM FILAREE/ STORKSBILL h nlant is edible raw or cooked, and a: a is better than old and nium family, when flavor similar to in) means resembling the genus Hemlock, and it does. The ficant difference between them when rksbill has hairy stems. He is not hairy. Don't mis: Heinlock is deadly. When Gather young leaves in early spring. Take care certain that leaf stalks are hairy. Stinging Nettle/Hoary Nettle/ Dwarf Nettle (Urtica dioica, U. urens) . _ (reece Pre PLANT. Can be commonly found as native Hoary Nettle (Urtica dioica) or nor-native shorter Dwarf Nettle Urtica turens, An herbacious, perennial flowering plant with many hallow stinging hairs called trichomes ox leaves, ‘and stems, acting like hypodermic needles, injecting his- tamine and other chemicals producing a stinging sens2- tion when contacted by humans and other animals. LEAVES: Fine-toothed, tapered, somewhat heartshaped. | FLOWERS: Thin catkins of tiny green flowers grow from, the leaf axils Yellowgreen to reddish in the spring and summer, and bright red or pink from late July to October, NOTE: Warning! You do not want to put your bare hands (or legs) on Stinging Nettle - OUCH! ) J4 STINGING NETTLE/HOARY & NETTLE/DWARF NETTLE le here. Its BOTH a joesntt go in your tention because ere you are fine hairs on the leaves tain irritating chemicals, released when the plant comes in skin. The hairs, or spines, of ttle are normally very painful neutralizes the plant's sting. Nettles ave many known edible and medicinal benefits. Common Poison Hemlock (Conium maculatum PLANT The stalks ofthis tll, non-native/invasve, bien pial plant can grow up to 8-10 feet high. Look for purplish spots or streaks on the stem. LEAVES: The compound leaves have 2 to 4 leaflets franged on each side of the ster, are divides and lacy, ‘vera triangular in shape, hairless, and up to 20 inches Jong and up to 16 inches broad. FLOWERS: Small, white lowers are clustered in large (uP to 6inch) umbels After the flowers bloom they produce seeds which look ike fernel seeds, but are very poisonous.COMMON POISON HEMLOCK extremely toxic to people and on Hemlock is one of the dead- in North America and can be fatal if amount is ingested. It can often be wntified by the purple blotches on the it does not always have this all times All parts of the plant are hairless s). When crushed, the leaves and uot ank, unpleasant odor often compared parsnips, have heard stories of Poison Hemlock being mistaken for a wild edible, so proceed with caution, | PLANT: This non-native/invasive plant can be up to ‘{2feet tall. Usually growsin clusters. Reddish stalks. LEAVES: Large, palmately lobed. FRUIT: Spiny, reddish, to 1 inch long.CASTOR BEAN Western Poison-Oak (Toxicodendron diversilobur) Castor Bean plants are stunning with their star-shaped leaves that can reach 3 length. The valuable oil from this trop- thousands of years ago to jor Bean plants in cultivation is use the seeds are extremely IPLANT. This native woody plant grow: Idhrub, Branches grow in an alternating pattern off the rain stem, LEAVES: The leaves ae divided into three leaflets, about 444 inches long, with scalloped, toothed, or lobed eds. ‘The central leaflet has a longer stem than the two side Jeafeta They generally retemmble the lobed leaves of a | true oak, though tend to be mare glossy. Leaves are typ- | jaally bronze when frst unfolding in February to March, bright green inthe spring, yellow-green to reddish in the ‘summer, and bright red or pink from late July to October. FLOWERS: White flowers form in the spring.e WESTERN POISON-OAK Humans these days are spending aln Pour time indours. Over the cot You're not likely to try to put this in your salad, ne ‘oremind you that while youre tern Poison-Oak is, few generations we have become indoor an that this shift has some ‘mals, and it turns out negative side effects. Hur fe spend time in our natural habit doors, Connecting v smarter, healthier, and hap with all parts of Poison Oak. In nice and green, but it cant be in Il in stick form, so keep an eye alternating branches. here are many ways * With ature: hiking, climb Ibrees, digging in a garden, ever’ Ipetting a dog or cat! Learning fo identity and enjoy wild edi- bples in your own region is yet nothe: great way to cone frect with nature. Once YOu Degin to recognize a few plants in this guide, you will start noticing them everywhere! Learning to identify a few (and over time all) ot the plants in this guide will inspire you to get outside more, and experience the awesome: ness of nature connection. As the above rhyt Poison-Oak leav e indicates, Western can closely resemble the of some berry plants. key difference is the Western Poison-Oak stems are smooth. whereas the stems of berry plants such as the lifornia Blackberry Rubus ursinus (shown below) are “hairy” or prickly (‘Rubus’ means ramble). But rather than risk confusing the‘Those who dwell among the beauties mysteries of the earth are never we or weary oflife.” _ pel Carson ‘There IS such a thing as a free lunch, or almost free: The edible wild plants around you.” ~Green Deane Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants.” - Michael Pollan a Credits and Resources Sources of Inspiration: + California Naturalist Training: httpu/ealnat.ucanredu/ ip Wilderness Youth Project: www.wyporg DsantaBarbara Botanic Garden: www-sbbg org © Annie OBrien * Ken Bowles great resources for further foraging: Ittp//wwweattheweeds.com/ «= https//wwrwiwildediblecom/ ‘Edible and Useful Plants of California (California Natural History Guides) by Charlotte Bringle Clarke ‘* Foraging California by Christopher Nyerges + Foraging Wild Edible Plants of North America by Christopher Nyerges + Guide to Wild Foods and Useful Plants by Christopher Nyerges ‘Nuts and Berries of California by Christopher Nyerges ‘ Tending the Wild, Native American Knowledge and the Management of Californias Natural Resources ‘by M. Kat Anderson