Pearly Everlasting
Persimmon
These sweet native fruits are not pretty, but their sweet taste makes them
a very popular wild food. Persimmon fruit has 16 calories per ounce, along with
vitamins A and C. Look for wrinkled fruits in late October. They are very
bitter and give you a strong case of cotton mouth if they are not yet ripe
Pineapple Weed
Edible parts: Pineapple weed flowers
and leaves are a tasty finger food while hiking or toss in salads. Flowers can
also be dried out and crushed so that it can be used as flour. As with
chamomile, pineapple weed is very good as a tea. Native Americans used a leaf
infusion (medicine prepared by steeping flower or leaves in a liquid without
boiling) for stomach gas pains and as a laxative.
Flower heads are edible raw. Plants
can be eaten raw, though bitter. Plants can be powdered and sprinkled on meat
to reduce spoilage and keep away flies. Grows on roadsides and disturbed ground
in plains, foothills, and montane regions.
Pine Needles
Can be made into tea
and is high in vitamin C, making it a great remedy for the common cold. Also
There are over a hundred
different species of pine. Not only can the food be used as a supply of
nourishment but, also can be used for medicinal purposes. Simmer a bowl of
water and add some pine needles to make tea. Native americans used to ground up
pine to cure skurvy, its rich in vitamin C.
Pine Nuts
The nuts of any large pine tree are
a classic western survival food. Measuring 172 calories per ounce, these nuts
are high fat, with some protein and carbohydrates. Pine nuts are also a good
source of thiamin and manganese, with a decent array of other B vitamins and
minerals.
Plantain
You can usually find plantains in wet areas like
marshes and bogs, but they’ll also sprout in alpine
Is another one of those plants that seems to
thrive right on the edge of gardens and driveways, but it’s also edible. Pick
the green, rippled leaves and leave the tall flower stems. Blanch the leaves
and sauté with some butter and garlic just as you would with kale or any other
tough green.
Young leaves can be eaten raw. Leaves are best finely chopped or when
cooked with fibers removed. Seeds can be dried and ground into flour/meal. Varieties
in Manitoba are Common plantain and Narrow-leaved plantain.
Grows in a wide range of areas, including disturbed/cultivated soil in plains,
foothills, and montane regions.
Prairie Turnip
Tuber is edible raw. Tuber
is best when gathered when tops begin to die. Tuber can be dried for storage. Tuber
can be ground into flour. Tuber is palatable and nutritious. Tuber was
traditionally an important food source. Grows in open woodlands, prairies and
stream valleys. Warning: consuming the plant may trigger a photo sensitive
reaction in some people, due to the presence of furanocoumarins.
Purslane
While considered an obnoxious weed in the
United States, Purslane can provide much needed vitamins and minerals in a
wilderness survival situation. Ghandi numbered Purslane among his favorite
foods. It’s a small plant with smooth fat leaves that have a refreshingly sour
taste. Purslane grows from the beginning of summer to the start of fall. You
can eat Purslane raw or boiled. If you’d like to remove the sour taste, boil
the leaves before eating.
Quickweed
Leaves are edible raw. Raw leaves have a blandish taste. Leaves,
stem and shoots are edible when cooked. Plants is suitable as a potherb. Plant
can be dried and powered for use as a flavouring agent. The variety in Manitoba
is Gallant soldier. Grows in disturbed sites.
Rose Hips
Can be eaten raw or
boiled down for syrup, jam or tea. Like the taste of roses without tasting
floral.
Boil for 12-15 of them for 3-5 minutes, smash them open with a spoon
and let them steep for 20 minutes, strain and serve.
The fire-engine red fruits of wild
roses are only 20 calories an ounce, but they are a good source of vitamin E
(Alpha Tocopherol), vitamin K, calcium and magnesium, dietary fiber, vitamin A
and manganese. One ounce will provide close to your daily allowance of vitamin
C.
Salsify
(Goats beard, Oyster Plant)
Roots are edible raw. Roots
can be dried and ground. Roots can be roasted as coffee substitute. Young
leaves can be eaten raw. Young stalks and root crowns can be simmered. Varieties
in Manitoba are Common salsify, Yellow salsify and Meadow
salsify. Grows in dry, disturbed areas.
Sassafras
Edible and medicinal. The old way to
make root beer was the root of this tree
Sassafras is a small to medium sized
tree. The most defining characteristic of the tree is its 3 leaf forms. One is
mitten-shaped, one is 3-lobed, and the last one has no lobes at all. None of
the leaves are toothed. The berries are blue with a reddish stalk.
Leaves: As stated above, there are three forms of the leaves: One is
mitten-shaped, one is 3-lobed, and the last one has no lobes at all.
Sassafras grows in old fields and at
the boarders of woods. The roots of Sassafras can be boiled to make a tasty
tea. Young leaves can be dried and crushed into a powder to thicken soup.
WARNING: Recent studies of Sassafras have proven that a chemical in the plant
causes cancer in animals.
Sea Asparagus,
Plant is edible raw but better when cooked/boiled. Top-half of stems can be harvested, allowing the bottom to grow a new shoot. Plant has a salty taste. Plant is best when gathered before flowering. The variety in Manitoba is Red glasswort
Grows in saltwater marshes and in the salty soil near high-tide areas.
Sea Milkwort (Sea Milkweed)
Rhizome is edible after prolonged boiling. Young leaves can be used
as a flavouring agent. Plant was traditionally consumed with grease, and only
before bedtime, due to drowsiness effects. Grows in inland marshes, wet
meadowlands, and coastal tidelines. Warning: may cause sleepiness and/or nausea
if eaten in quantity.
“Self-Heal” Prunella Vulgaris
The young leaves and stems can be
eaten raw in salads; the whole plant can be boiled and eaten as a potherb; and
the aerial parts of the plant can be powdered and brewed in a cold infusion to
make a tasty beverage. The plant contains vitamins A, C, and K, as well as
flavonoids and rutin. Medicinally, the whole plant is poulticed onto wounds to
promote healing. A mouthwash made from an infusion of the whole plant can be
used to treat sore throats, thrush and gum infections. Internally, a tea can be
used to treat diarrhea and internal bleeding. (Like all herbs, pregnant
women and breast-feeding woman should consult a physician first before use) Leaves
are edible raw. Leaves are suitable as a potherb. Leaves have a slightly bitter
taste. Leaves taste best when cooked. Grows in lawns, fields and beside roads.
Shepherd’s-purse
All parts of plant are
edible raw. Older plants can be tenderized by adding pinch of baking soda to
cooking water. Pods and seeds are edible, and taste peppery. Seeds can be
parched and ground to flour. Roots can be eaten fresh or dried. Burning the
plant results in ash that can be used as salt substitute and/or tenderizer. Grows
in a wide range as a weed, especially in disturbed or cultivated areas. Warning:
seeds may blister skin.
Sheep Sorrel
Common weed in fields,
grasslands and woodlands. It flourishes in highly acidic soil. Sheep sorrel has
a tall, reddish stem and can reach heights of 18 inches. Sheep sorrel contains
oxalates and shouldn’t be eaten in large quantities. You can eat the leaves
raw. They have a nice tart, almost lemony flavor.
Leaves are edible raw. Raw leaves may have bitter taste. Leaves are best
when boiled in several changes of water. Warning: eat only moderate quantities
of the raw plant due to oxalates, which block nutrient absorption.
Silver Orache
Leaves are edible raw. Leaves
are suitable as a potherb in moderate amounts. Grows in open areas. deserts,
and ground with high salt content, including the seaside.
Warning: seeds contain saponins and should not be consumed in
extreme quantities. Warning: plant tends to concentrate harmful nitrates in
their leaves, avoid harvesting plants which grow in artificial fertilizer.
Silverweed
Rhizomes are edible
raw, though possibly bitter. Rhizomes is best when roasted, boiled, or fried
for several minutes. Roots can be dried for storage. Roots are best when
collected in autumn or spring. Varieties in Manitoba are Common
silverweed and Pacific silverweed. Grows in moist, open areas
in plains, foothills, and montane regions.
Sow Thistle
Young leaves are edible raw. Young leaves are best after boiling in
at least one change of water. Varieties in Manitoba are Perennial sow
thistle, Prickly sow thistle and Annual sow thistle.
Grows by roadways and in disturbed areas.
Speedwell
Leaves are edible raw. Leaves are best harvested when young. Leaves
have a taste that ranges from dull to peppery. Stems and flowers are edible
raw. Plant is high in vitamin C. Plant is suitable as a potherb. The variety in
Manitoba is American speedwell. Grows in meadows, steam banks,
forested areas and disturbed sites. Warning: avoid consuming plants growing
near polluted water.
Stork’s-bill
Leaves are edible raw. Leaves
are best when young. Leaves have a sharp flavour similar to parsley. Leaves are
suitable as a potherb. Grows in open areas, fields, and disturbed sites.
Sweet Gale
Leaves are edible raw. Leaves
and nutlets are suitable for soups and cooking. Grows in thickets and moist
areas at low elevations. Leaves can be used to repel insects. Warning: this
plant should not be consumed by pregnant women, since it can induce abortions.
Sweetflag
Rhizome is edible raw. Rhizome can be made tender by prolonged
boiling. Rhizome is best when peeled and cooked, either by boiling or roasting.
Central core of young shoots is edible raw. Young spadix is
edible raw. Plant is an effective insect repellent. The variety in Manitoba
is American Sweetflag. Grows in marshes, quiet water, and wet, open
areas.
Sweet Rocket
This plant is often mistaken for Phlox. Phlox
has five petals; Dame’s Rocket has just four. The flowers, which resemble
phlox, are deep lavender, and sometimes pink to white. The plant is part of the
mustard family, which also includes radishes, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower,
and, mustard. The plant and flowers are edible, but fairly bitter. The flowers
are attractive added to green salads. The young leaves can also be added to
your salad greens (for culinary purposes, the leaves should be picked before the
plant flowers). The seed can also be sprouted and added to salads. NOTE: It is
not the same variety as the herb commonly called Rocket, which is used as a
green in salads.
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