Top Ten Edible Plants

[TeeDee]

Following on from this thread

Top Ten Medicinal Plants
http://www.bushcraftuk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=62036


I'd like to hear your nominations for your Top Ten Edible U.K plants , these would be the plants that If you could only teach a student to learn and recognize a small selection , these would be on the list.

In the same way that there was a criteria for the Top Ten Medicinal Plants thread , that the plant should offer a 'REAL' effect ( direct health benefit ) not placebo, I would ask you to consider the Edible list in the same manner.

#Does it return a positive calorie count?
#Easy to identify ( not be confused with poisonous plants)
#Is it available as a food for less or more of the year?
#Is a long complicated cooking process required to make the plant edible/safe??

These are just MY ideas of criteria to consider , if you can think of any other reasons to include/exclude , please jot them down.

So ,if you could only teach your Nan/Sister/Brother/Dad/Dog Ten UK edible plants that offer the most bang-for-the-buck before they wander out into the wilderness please put down your suggestions , I'm looking for a correlation so the more the merrier.

Thank You.

 

[Toddy]

I think that's a very tall order; in the UK, seasonality rules.

cheers,
M

 

[Miyagi]

Spaghetti Hoops from the Spaghetti Tree, available all year round. I saw it on Nationwide you know...

 

[v-ness]

How about the Top Ten favourite Edible Wild Plants, and give a reason why. That would negate the problem of seasonal availability. Would make the thread a lot less scientific though.
Just a thought

Cheers Ness

 

[TeeDee]

Spaghetti Hoops from the Spaghetti Tree, available all year round. I saw it on Nationwide you know...

I have a Alphabetti Spaghetti Tree in my garden , Can you guess what phrase I'm spelling out for you Miyagi?

 

[TeeDee]

I think that's a very tall order; in the UK, seasonality rules.

cheers,
M

Ok , give me Your best ten throughout the year.

 

[Geoff Dann]

Well...I'm still quite new to eating weeds, but here's my number one: Fat Hen + other goosefoots. Why? They taste great. Like spinach, but nicer, free and lacking the oxalic acid that gives you kidney stones. I'd also recomend mallow (which ends up like okra) and chickweed. All of these are relatively easy to identify, not easily confusable with anything poisonous and straightforward to prepare.

 

[TeeDee]

How about the Top Ten favourite Edible Wild Plants, and give a reason why. That would negate the problem of seasonal availability. Would make the thread a lot less scientific though.
Just a thought

Cheers Ness

Go for it. I'm interested to hear all views ( Put your hand down Miyagi..) , I did'nt mention Year around availibilty , but if Plant 'A' is edible and present 9 months of a year , all things being equal I would say its more suited to the list then something which is present only 3 months of the year.

 

[John Fenna]

Nettles have to be in there!

 

[Miyagi]

I have a Alphabetti Spaghetti Tree in my garden , Can you guess what phrase I'm spelling out for you Miyagi?

Hmmm, nope, I'm stumped hen, I was always rubbish at that part of Countdown.

Sorry TeeDee couldn't resist.

 

[TeeDee]

Hmmm, nope, I'm stumped hen, I was always rubbish at that part of Countdown.

Sorry TeeDee couldn't resist.

No need for apologies mate , received in the intention it was delivered , well humoured.

 

[Man of Tanith]

i shall be following this one with interest
Acorns apart from the duration of the processing
Hawthorn
Plantain
Nettles
um um um

 

[v-ness]

My two contributions are
Wild Strawberry- because i love the taste and
Dandelions for its many uses, (especially lovely dandelion sirup made from the petals)

Cheers
Ness

 

[John Fenna]

OK - nettles - as a veg, wine, beer but also for their medicinal properties and string ...it is more than just edible!
Dandilions - salad, coffee, root veg, wine, syrup
Wild garlic/Ransoms - makes dandilion salad taste good raw, great veg cooked
Wall pennywort/navelwort - easy to identify and so prolific around here not to mention tasty
Jack-by-the-hedge/Garlic Mustard - good hot or cold easy to identify, prolific
Wild Strawberry - I like a dessert!
Crab Apple - obvious realy
Hazel - nuts hot or cold
Wood Sorrel - delicious and makes a Dandilion leaf and Wild Garlic salad realy good
and of course
Blackberries - not only the fruit (dessert/wine) but also the growing tips as a veg!

 

[Toddy]

Okay, my list.

Prunus species,
Nettles,
Roses,
Brambles,
Fat hen/ good king Henry
Reedmace, *available all year*
Burdock,
Silverweed,
Plantain,
Hazelnut.

cheers,
Toddy

 

[Man of Tanith]

Reedmace! how did i forget that one!

 

[TeeDee]

Reedmace! how did i forget that one!

Gotta admit , I was wondering when someone was going to say it. Easily Identifed.
I think everyone gettin the idea of this now.
Good list John , like you say the 'humble' nettle.

 

[IntrepidStu]

Ive heard Meadowsweet is a great one but as yet ive not found any. Many uses as well.

 

[Toddy]

It's a weed around here. I grows along side every burn or wet ditch.......and my garden ponds

If you'd like a bit of root to plant up , let me know and I'll dig you out some. I've got flourish dried too.
It's not a food plant though, it's a medicinal herb and sometimes an additive to wines and beers.

cheers,
M

 

[StigOfTheDump]

Ive heard Meadowsweet is a great one but as yet ive not found any. Many uses as well.

Good for fritters, like elder flower.

http://huntergathercook.typepad.com...owsweet-champagne-no-headache-guaranteed.html