Plant Identification

[Coldfeet]

Hi all,

I found this whilst bimbling around the lakes, can anyone tell me what it is?






No prizes, just for fun

 

[redneck]

Water mint

 

[Coldfeet]

Thanks - is it safe to eat?

 

[JonathanD]

Certainly looks like water mint. The flowers are a purpley colour.

 

[JonathanD]

Thanks - is it safe to eat?

Yes. Makes good tea too.

 

[Coldfeet]

Yes. Makes good tea too.

Excellent, thanks. I know where to go when I go back then!

 

[JonathanD]

It should grow to about 3ft high. They are young shoots you pictured there.

 

[slowworm]

Does it smell sort of minty when you squish the leaves? Occasionally people confuse young brooklime with watermint but watermint smells minty.

http://wildflowerfinder.org.uk/Flowers/B/Brooklime/Brooklime.htm

 

[JonathanD]

Actually. It looks like brooklime. I'm one of those confused people. Water mint has square stems too. Brooklime is still edible though.

 

[Harvestman]

Easy test. Pick a leaf and chew it. If you get an immediate sensation of mint, it is mint and edible. If you don't, spit it out and call it brooklime (which isn't poisonous but isn't really edible either).

 

[Jackdaw]

Looks like brooklime Veronica beccabunga to me. The leaves should be more toothed if it was water mint. However, pick one and see

 

[cranmere]

If it smells of mint it's water mint. If it doesn't it's brooklime. So, you either have a nice mint tea or some salad leaves.

 

[Coldfeet]

Shame it's a two hour drive away, however if/when I return I can investigate further

 

[Harvestman]

I agree it does look like brooklime. Here's some water mint for comparison