todays bimble

[tommy the cat]

Well I guess this could be posted in other sections but here is what I was up to today.
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Old Jews ear?


I hope I id this correct as I ate some!
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Hope you like the pics id's please
Got some ideas but will wait to see if I make an ars*of myself.
Ta D

 

[leon-b]

i think the last pic is ground ivy, the flowers look like little men, the stem should be square and the leaves should have bumpy edges
leon

 

[British Red]

I'm not great on fungi so I'll leave that to experts. Good piccs of the cowslip and wood sorrel and ground ivy though

Red

 

[leon-b]

you can add the ground ivy to water to make a tea aswell
leon

 

[tommy the cat]

Ay up it dont say that in me book Leon!!!!! Its everywhere at the mo with the Jack o the hedge and bluebells. Any prep needed for the tea Leon?
Dave

 

[tommy the cat]

I meant to rotate this first sorry (also if you havn't got broad band!)

Medley ? sorry about the spelling not got my book to hand

 

[leon-b]

dont think so just add the leaves to the water and stir, but dont just take my word for it, hopefully someone on here will no if this is correct
leon

 

[Fenlander]

you can add the ground ivy to water to make a tea aswell
leon

I assume you've done some research prior to making a statement like that

http://www.pfaf.org/database/plants.php?Glechoma+hederacea

 

[leon-b]

thats why i said this as i wasnt one hundred percent sure

dont think so just add the leaves to the water and stir, but dont just take my word for it, hopefully someone on here will no if this is correct
leon

 

[Fenlander]

thats why i said this as i wasnt one hundred percent sure

and having followed the above link you will see you were right

 

[British Red]

I meant to rotate this first sorry (also if you havn't got broad band!)

Medley ? sorry about the spelling not got my book to hand

I'll go Herb Robert at the top and Some for of prunus (wild cherry family) at the bottom Dave

Red

 

[leon-b]

yes i will, that link was very helpful, poisinous to horses lol
leon

 

[tommy the cat]

Thats a top site just book marked it ....I take it is access is open to everyone (didnt search around the site)
D

 

[tommy the cat]

Cheers Red thought that i was getting better at id ing plants oh well at least I didnt try to eat these!
Thanks as always for the time and effort/patience of all your replies. Dave

 

[British Red]

Don't trust me more than a book Dave, Fenlander and Jon Pickett are the gurus - they put me right regularly! Each one I learn helps a little more though. My fungi are still rubbish though!

Red

 

[tommy the cat]

Well on closer inspection I think Prunus spinosa blackthorn which to be honest we were looking for hawthorn Are the leaves to blackthorn also edible?
I will go and get my coat.
D

 

[ScottC]

That deffo looks like blackthorn, hawthorn has very distinctive shaped leaves. Blackthorn leaves have cyanide in them which is what gives them their almondy flavour, I wouldn't worry about having a nibble on them though, I have even heard small amounts of cyanide is good for you. The flowers are good for eating too and I was chewing on some over easter to no ill effects.

 

[Matt Weir]

Don't trust me more than a book Dave, Fenlander and Jon Pickett are the gurus - they put me right regularly! Each one I learn helps a little more though. My fungi are still rubbish though!

Red

Fungi are on my 'list-to-learn' also :bluThinki. I think they are magical. I have had the Roger Phillips book 'Mushrooms and other fungi of Great Britain and Europe' for a couple of years now which I have heard tell is the bible of 'shroom ID books but still I find and bring fungi home and have trouble getting 100% ID.

I keep meaning to to get out with my Dad who is in no way a qualified mycologist but does know what is edible locally and does occasionally return home after going out with the dogs with enough for a fried mushroom butty. He has tipped me off to a local spot that sometimes yields the St Georges mushroom calocybe gambosa which is due up anytime now. Fingers crossed that I can harvest some and with the eggs from my chickens I will be onto a really tasty omlette

 

[xylaria]

Take some care with St Goerges, I have seen some fungi this year but they have all been fruiting out of season. St georges are normally really safe to ID because they are the only big fat bun shaped white fungi you find in damp fields in the spring, . If you keep to speciums that are at least as broad as your hand and the flesh is as at least a thumb width between the gills the top of the cap, you should be safe. St georges also have a very strong carateristic smell where as Clitocybes and melanoleucas dont.

I have used ground ivy to stop bleeding when I could not tell the differance between it and self heal . Dispite it being a mis ID it worked quite well. It is/was a member of the mint family which are poorly tolarated by horses and cattle (cooper johnson 1985) it was also used as flavouring for beer before hops were used. Having attempted eating it I would say IMHO it tastes like the smell of mice . It has been used in moderation to treat asthma (schauenberg paris 1979). Like alot plants used correctly in moderation it is safe.