Plants in the garden. Plant ID.

[Ali Graham]

Hi guys,

I class myself as very much a novice when it comes to bushcraft and even more so when it comes to plant ID. This afternoon I decided to have a snoop around the garden to see what I could ID. I managed to correctly ID some things but there are 2 I dont know.

The first I thought may be sorrel but im not really sure?

And the second I think is from the Apiaceae family but unsure which species it is?

Any help I would be very greatful.

Thank you.

 

[birchwood]

Hi, off the top of my head the first one is plantain, can not tell the umbellifors apart ,sorry

 

[cranmere]

Agree, the first one is a plantain, probably Plantago lanceolata. The second one is an umbellifer, if I was pushed to guess I'd say cow parsley but they are difficult to tell apart without a really good key or a lot of experience (I use the key, I have a small book specifically on identifying umbellifers called "Umbellifers of the British Isles" by Tutin), and some I identify by smell as much as anything else.

 

[dennydrewcook]

The first is ribwort plantain, the bud in the first two pictures has a taste of mushroom and parsley and can be used to thicken soups but you need a lot. leaves are edible aswell same taste as the buds just a little weaker. The second I'm not sure of but I'm sure someone on here will know


denny 😊

 

[Toddy]

Ribwort plantain and that looks like pignut, and that's in bloom just now, but for heavens sake don't take any identification over the net as gospel when it comes to the white umbellifleurs….Cranmere's spot on with that. Get a really clear guide and learn to recognise the familiar ones and the indications of the bad ones.
The bad ones are fatal. No joke, no mucking around, they will kill.

I like the look of your wild bit in the garden

M

 

[Ali Graham]

Thanks guys.
Thank you for pointing out some uses for the Ribwort aswell Denny.
1 down 1 to go lol.

 

[Ali Graham]

Toddy,
I have had dealings with pignut before and this is not the same I dont think. The leaves are too big and too flat to be pignut.

Thank you.

 

[Ali Graham]

I tried eating some of the Ribwort today. Amazing how is tastes so strongly of mushrooms.