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Wild Edibles
- Thread starter RBM
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Wow, thanks Robert! A few years ago, a young painter, helping paint our house, was also a mushroom expert. He and his son found a lot of the orange mushrooms (morel?) on our wooded land. He told me they are about $35 (?) a pound. So, I figured on our whole 9 acres, we might have about $7 worth! They are light. I've never picked them, just let them grow and do whatever they do. But it's interesting. I reckon in a real mess hitting old fan situation, I better study up on this stuff.
Are Elderberries and poke sallat berries the same thing?
No, not by a long shot. Elderberry (Sambucus canadensis,) is a woody shrub. All parts of the plant except for the ripe berries are toxic. The ripe berries make excellent jelly and wine, and have antiviral properties. Very good for colds and flu and such. You can rub the leaves on you for an insect repellant. The pithy stems make good blowguns.
Poke sallet/pokeweed (Phytolacca americana,) is a herbaceous perennial plant. All parts of the plant are very toxic to humans, except that the young shoots can be eaten after being boiled in two-three changes of water. They still don't taste good, IMO. Pokeweed is so toxic that contact with your skin can cause mutation of your DNA. The roots contain cardiac glycosides.
Poke sallet/pokeweed (Phytolacca americana,) is a herbaceous perennial plant. All parts of the plant are very toxic to humans, except that the young shoots can be eaten after being boiled in two-three changes of water. They still don't taste good, IMO. Pokeweed is so toxic that contact with your skin can cause mutation of your DNA. The roots contain cardiac glycosides.
Thanks, I never been around any elderberry before... Just noticed how similar they look to poke berries.
I have a lot of things growing in our woods, and have only scratched the surface.
Wild Muscadines are everywhere... but only high up and out of reache.
Lots of Sassafras, I have made tea and root beer from the roots, the leaves are good to munch on when walking through the woods. The leaves are also dried, and powdered for a thickening agent in stews.
Blueberries, hard to find when ripe, the early birds get them.
Blackberries EVERYWHERE! I make wine out of them, the wife makes jam. Good in and on pancakes or waffles. Never tried making tea with the leaves though.
Winged Sumac, has red seed clusters, NOT WHITE. The Indians used the seeds to make a lemon ade-ish drink, or they can be dried and ground into a spice. Great on fish and chicken. Looking forward to getting enough seeds to try a wine.
Mueline leaves need to be strained when used in teas, because the hairs can be a problem. Good for lung issues, been told it can also be smoked. The leaves also make an ok compress for sprains and other boo boos. They are slow growing, so be careful not to kill it off over harvesting it.
Wild Bay plants, the leaves are awesome in stews as a spice, as well as Low Country Boils.
Wild Lettuce, used as a pain reliever and sedative, but I have not found a reliable source for how to use it. It was used as a substitute for opium. The sap can be made into latex, but no source on that either.
I also just planted a Juniper bush. The berries are used to make Gin. I don't care for Gin, so I won't tempt the Revenuers by distilling any.
Wild Muscadines are everywhere... but only high up and out of reache.
Lots of Sassafras, I have made tea and root beer from the roots, the leaves are good to munch on when walking through the woods. The leaves are also dried, and powdered for a thickening agent in stews.
Blueberries, hard to find when ripe, the early birds get them.
Blackberries EVERYWHERE! I make wine out of them, the wife makes jam. Good in and on pancakes or waffles. Never tried making tea with the leaves though.
Winged Sumac, has red seed clusters, NOT WHITE. The Indians used the seeds to make a lemon ade-ish drink, or they can be dried and ground into a spice. Great on fish and chicken. Looking forward to getting enough seeds to try a wine.
Mueline leaves need to be strained when used in teas, because the hairs can be a problem. Good for lung issues, been told it can also be smoked. The leaves also make an ok compress for sprains and other boo boos. They are slow growing, so be careful not to kill it off over harvesting it.
Wild Bay plants, the leaves are awesome in stews as a spice, as well as Low Country Boils.
Wild Lettuce, used as a pain reliever and sedative, but I have not found a reliable source for how to use it. It was used as a substitute for opium. The sap can be made into latex, but no source on that either.
I also just planted a Juniper bush. The berries are used to make Gin. I don't care for Gin, so I won't tempt the Revenuers by distilling any.