Bushcraft Use of Introduced Species

[Mikey P]

Rather than hijack Xylaria's most excellent 'toxic fruit' thread, I'll ask the question here: are there any species introduced (in, say, the last 100 years) to the UK which have an alternative bushcraft use.

I had a quick look at Wild Food the other day and saw that many 'native' species of plant were introduced by the Romans! For example, Alexanders.

 

[Retired Member southey]

Are you counting plants you can buy in garde centres? and things like the tropical plants found along the south coast, palms and and alike?

 

[Callum]

Hi Mike

How about Sweet chestnut (Castanea sativa) introduced at around the time of the Romans but not a true native.

Callum

 

[Bushwhacker]

Here's a link which gives listings of introduced species since the 1700's, it doesn't give any uses though.
http://www.introduced-species.co.uk/index.htm

 

[Mesquite]

Here's a link which gives listings of introduced species since the 1700's, it doesn't give any uses though.
http://www.introduced-species.co.uk/index.htm

Now that's an interesting site... who'd have thought cricket bat willow was an introduced species

Thanks for posting it Bushwhacker

 

[Peter_t]

its suprising how many common plants and trees arn't native.

all connifors exept yew, juniper and scots pine. sycamore is one of our most common trees but is not native. even english elm isn't native!


pete

 

[Paul_B]

Japanese Knotweed IIRC is completely edible but please double check as I vaguely remember hearing it on some programme on TV while I was on the internet and listening to music as well. Multi-tasking can be done by men but might not be 100% reliable in this case.

Would be good to be able to eat the Japanese Knotweed wouldn't it. IIRC it can be used in salads and also steamed. The leaves, stem and pretty much all of it can be used. However,as with everything on here, PLEASE CHECK AND CONFIRM ELSEWHERE THAT THIS IS TRUE. I'd hate to be the reason for a few dead bushcrafters.

 

[Mesquite]

Japanese Knotweed IIRC is completely edible but please double check as I vaguely remember hearing it on some programme on TV while I was on the internet and listening to music as well. Multi-tasking can be done by men but might not be 100% reliable in this case.

Would be good to be able to eat the Japanese Knotweed wouldn't it. IIRC it can be used in salads and also steamed. The leaves, stem and pretty much all of it can be used. However,as with everything on here, PLEASE CHECK AND CONFIRM ELSEWHERE THAT THIS IS TRUE. I'd hate to be the reason for a few dead bushcrafters.

Quote from Wikipedia about the edibility of knotweed.

The young stems are edible as a spring vegetable, with a flavor similar to mild rhubarb. In some locations, semi-cultivating Japanese knotweed for food has been used as a means of controlling knotweed populations that invade sensitive wetland areas and drive out the native vegetation. Some caution should be exercised when consuming this plant because it, similar to rhubarb, contains oxalic acid, which may aggravate conditions such as rheumatism, arthritis, gout, kidney stones or hyperacidity

 

[forestwalker]

If you want to go back further there is ground elder (Aegopodium podagraria), which reportedly was introduced to brittan by the romans. Our old house had almost half an acre of it, not a bad food plant.

 

[mountainm]

If you want to go back further there is ground elder (Aegopodium podagraria), which reportedly was introduced to brittan by the romans. Our old house had almost half an acre of it, not a bad food plant.

That stuff is almost as bad as japanese knotweed - it get's everywhere.