D2_Agraria_Journal_21_OPT

WOOD SORREL Oxalis stricta Description: Small yellow flower with five petals, bright green heart shaped leaflets in sets of 3 - classic “shamrock” shape, fruits resemble miniature okra. Growth habits: Common garden and lawn “weed,” can form dense mats Edible parts: Leaves, flowers, and fruits. Sour, lemony taste. Harvest late spring to early fall. Fruits are delightfully crisp and crunchy. Can be used in salads, cooked greens, soups, sauces, garnishes, teas, and as a cool, sweetened lemonade- like drink. Nutrition: High in iron, calcium, and vitamin c. WOOD NETTLE Laportea canadensis Description: Tall (2-5’) medium green plant with large, alternate, serrated leaves. Stalks and leaves are covered with stinging hairs. This is a native plant often mistaken for another member of the nettle family, stinging nettle (Urica dioica). However, the stinging nettle has pairs of opposite leaves only, while wood nettle has some alternate leaves. Growth habits: Moist, rich soils, floodplain and bottomland woodlands, colony forming Edible parts: Shoots, tops, young leaves, and seeds. Best eaten early to mid-summer. Gloves must be used to harvest; boiling neutralizes the sting. Can be eaten as a cooked green, an addition to soups or casseroles, or made into tea. Seeds are very similar to flax seeds and can be used in hot cereals or breads. Nutrition: There is not much information about the nutritional content of wood nettle, though its relative stinging nettle is considered a super power in terms of its nutritional content. It is high in iron, calcium, protein, and vitamins C, A, and K, among other things. EVENING PRIMROSE Oenothera biennis Description: Tall (3-6’), biennial plant with dark green, narrow, pointed leaves with a light-green or red contrasting mid-rib. Upper portion of the plant has 1” wide yellow flowers with four petals that come together to form a long slender tube. Flowers bloom early summer to early fall. Only a few flowers bloom at a time, opening during the evening and closing late the following morning. Unopened buds are found above the blooming flowers, and seed pods found below. Growth habits: Sunny, dry areas such as field edges and meadows. Edible parts: Taproot of 1st year growth (basal rosette of leaves) can be cooked and used like other root vegetables and has a spicy taste. Young shoots and leaves of second- year growth (flowering stalk) can be eaten raw or cooked as a spicy green. Harvest mid to late spring before flowering. Flowers and buds, spicy and a little sweet, can be added to salads or used as a garnish. Seeds have a pleasant flavor and can be roasted, used likewise as a garnish, or an addition to breads. Nutrition: The oil of the seeds has the highest amount of gamma-linolenic acid, an Omega 6 fatty acid, of any known food and also contain the amino acid tryptophan. Evening primrose is also a source of protein, carbohydrates, beta carotene, potassium, and vitamin B3. Teddy Pierson is a naturalist, photographer, and member of the land team at Agraria. 14 AGRARIA JOURNAL 2021 Natural Foods – Native Edible Plants BY TEDDY PIERSON