Common Reed- (Phragmites australis) Edible shoots

[jon r]

I discovered from the Plants For a Future website that the Common Reed is a very good food source. It has a rating of 5/5
http://www.pfaf.org/database/plants.php?Phragmites+australis

It says that the roots and new shoots are edible. I am mainly interested in eating the shoots and cooking them like bamboo shoots. I was wondering if anyone has experience of eating these already.

I understand that the Common reed filters Nitrates etc out of the water and ground (this is why they are used as an organic sewer bed solution. I'm guessing that the nitrates and chenicals are not absorbed into the shoots as much as the roots. What do you think?

 

[TeeDee]

I would have thought thats accurate , as the roots draw up the chemical nitrates and nutrients the plant would filter it up , the roots being the most active in the converting process and the Shoots using just the converted energy from the roots system.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phragmites

I trust you will give it a go and report back here?

 

[jon r]

indeed i'll give thjem a go tomorrow... thanks for your input

 

[Cromm]

And if we don't hear anything from you in a day or two, I will mark it down as a DO NOT EAT......

 

[chickenofthewoods]

I suspect that Xylaria can give you some insight into them. Hopefully she'll be along shortly.

 

[jon r]

Hi, thought i'd better post something quick or you might have feared the worst.

The reeds were pretty good but not the best wild food ive eaten. There was no trace of bitterness and the flavour was very pleasant although the base and the top of each shoot is too tough to eat. To start off with i peeled off the outer parts of each shoot to get to the more tender core. by the time you have done that there is not much left and then the top and bottom is too tough so all in all you are left with about probably 15- 20% of the original shoot being edible. Which is ok to be honest.

I much prefer the new shoots of the Cattail reeds.