Top ten plants

[Douglas]

For me it would probably be:

- Nettles (absolute n°1)
- Dandelion (just a little more complicated to find)
- Beech
- Chestnut (not too difficult to find depending on the forest and will really fill you up)
- Pine (good for lighting fires and making tee)
- Wild strawberry/raspberry
- Cattail in swampy areas (I new it did great tinder, but only just read about it's food properties in Ray's book)

That's only seven though...so I'll add
- Rosehip
- Mint
- Oak since I think you can make flower from it's nuts. (I forgot the name of the nuts...)

Rosehip and mint are more difficult to find but I can still recognise them...

 

[Ed]

TheViking.....
Be careful with the wood sorrel ;-)
The whole plant contains a considerable amount of oxalic acid which gives the leaves that acidic refreshing taste.
Oxalic acid is harmful to the kidneys and the heart and has caused serious poisoning in children (some fatal). It can also endanger cattle and is especially deadly to sheep when there is a lack of other pasture......
Much more fatal than dandelion.... this one can kill... I suggest you cross it off your list if you have a problem with toxic plants..... or only eat a few (its fine in small quantities as the body can handle small amounts of oxalic acid)) to add taste to a salad, not as a main food.

Ed

 

[TheViking]

Hi...

Yes... (it just tastes so good!! :biggthump :biggthump )
My 'Dandelion-source' taught me to watch out of the wood sorrel too. Normally i never eat them! And in this case normally would be very rare or never.......

 

[Kath]

Here's a good link if you're interested in all things dandelion: http://www.edibleweeds.com/

 

[Richard]

To add to the whole dandelion debate check out the excellent and searchable 'Plants for a Future Database' (www.scs.leeds.ac.uk/pfaf/) which states:

"This plant has been mentioned in various books on poisonous plants but any possible toxins will be of very low concentration and toxicity[10]. There are reports that some people have suffered dermatitis as a result of touching the plant, this is probably caused by the latex in the leaves and stems[222]."

I have recently come across one other source (a book written for gardeners) which mentions dandelion as toxic in larger doses.

 

[Ginger]

I think (but could be wrong) that a rule of thujmb for the best time to eat most leaves is before the plant has flowered. This means leaves from young plants. Which puts you earlier into the year.

For roots, the best time to gather or eat seems to be after the plant has begun to die back for winter.

These are rough rules though and I'd be interested to hear if other folks agree with them.

 

[Ed]

For roots, the best time to gather or eat seems to be after the plant has begun to die back for winter.

Yep thats correct..... autumn is a great time for root collecting. Just make sure you have the landowners permission as digging up roots is theft and criminal damage. You are only free to take the 4 F's (flowers, foliage, fruits and fungi).
At that time if year the roots are storing up neutrients to survive through the winter and ready for the new growth spurt in the spring... nice and tasty

Ed

 

[Gary]

Yep as Ed points out, however be also aware some plants are protected for good reasons and as such you had best leave well alone.

Also gather if you need to - but please gather with a view to the contunied life of that plant.

 

[Zacary]

Gary,
You say we only need to learn Ten plants surely this is not correct? Do you teach this to your students? My understanding of Bushcraft or even survival is that it is about utilising all the flora and fauna which surrounds us. If you only have knowledge of ten plants what happens if you cannot find any of those plants which you know?
I am just curious.

 

[Gary]

The idea of learning a top ten of plants is firstly to give you confidence, confidence you can learn them, confidence that you already know some maybe and confidence to go out into the wider world and look for more. Ten is about right as it would be unwise to try to learn say the top one hundred as this would be to great a task. Secondly it is a foundation to build upon, I dont know how well you read the original comments, but I usually tell people to look for and learn those which are most common everywhere or at least in the northern hemisphere that way they will find them on most continents. However as I say this is a foundation - not the end of the lesson.

Plantcraft, like a house, needs to be built upon a good foundation and a good foundation would be those wild plants you see every day on your way to work or growing in the borders of your garden.

And yes you should learn to use all the plants and animals around you but Roman wasnt built in a day so take your time and learn each new lesson throughly - slow and steady wins the race!

Hope that has helped.

 

[match]

Just to add my 2 cents, dandelions are definitely edible, although they have a mild diuretic effect. I have harvested dandelion leaves and roots for use in salads and for making a coffee-substitute. Dandelion is also grown commercially in Japan and is used (along with Burdock root) in stir-fries.

Information on growing Dandelion as a crop is available here!

New Zealand Institute of Crop and Food Research

As to my top ten list - in no particular order:

1) Elder - flowers and berries for food/drinks, leaves for insect repellant, wood (fallen only) for tinder/tools
2) Blackberries/raspberries/other native berries
3) Beech - leaves and nuts for making Noyau and roasting!
4) Birch - excellent for tinder, impromptu paper and weaving small baskets etc
5) Nettles - food and cordage and beer
6) Dock - excellent for removing nettle stings
7) Orache/Good King Henry/Burdock/Sorrel - like nettles, good source of greens
8) Bog Myrtle - Best midge repellant I know!
9) Comfrey - excellent ingredient in ointments for cuts and bruises, sore irritated skin (along with elderflower) etc. Also useful if left to compost to feed other crops
10) Yarrow - stops nosebleeds, astringent that closes up cuts, insect repellant, tincture is calming and relaxing, stems can apparently be used in divining the future!

Of course there are always more - these just happen to be the ones I use most and therefore spring to mind

 

[TheViking]

Dandelions are definitely edible, although they have a mild diuretic effect. I have harvested dandelion leaves and roots for use in salads and for making a coffee-substitute. Dandelion is also grown commercailly in Japan and is used (along with Burdock root) in stir-fries.

Information on growing Dandelion as a crop is available here:

New Zealand Institute of Crop and Food Research

For other references to its non-toxicity, see:


Plants For a Future

US GRAS List (Generally Recognised as Safe)

So I'll keep eating my dandelion salads!

It's also definately sure that I will not comment further in this thread, else than what I'm writing now. But if you have read my earlier posts through you'll notice my opinions and facts. :biggthump
My contact is on a danish forum and haven't got the time to join another forum right now. But i'm sure that he will one day and then I'll ask him to subscribe to this thread.

 

[match]

Ooops - you people are fast!

Yes, having written the reply, I noticed that I had failed to see pages 2/3/4 of replies to the thread, nicely summing up this discussion and moving on, so I thought I'd quickly edit my post to be more relevant - but obviously not fast enough - D'oh! Sorry for dragging it all up again :embarasse

 

[Little Mole]

Dandelions are edible and medicinal but they wouldn't figure in my list. I find them a bit smelly...hence the molehills. lol

My top ten plants would be...

1. Roses (wild or garden). Edible hips for winter vitamin C and who could resist the opportunity to make turkish delight.

2. Oats (wild are probably rare so I'd have to dig a couple of furrows). One of the gentlest, healthiest most medicinal foods a person can eat. I know some people hate porridge but I've never heard of anyone being allergic to it.

3. Hazelnuts. To make flapjacks (with some of the oats) for winter protein snacks.

4. Radishes. I'm sure they're wild somewhere. Imagine finding a patch of wild radishes on a hot summer day. If you mean plants that are native to Ireland I'll have to think of a substitute if I can't find a native variety.

5. Watercress. It's full of iron. Pretty common here too.

6. Damsons (or sloes or any other plum-like fruit). I'd cook them along with any meat or fish I might encounter and try new recipes for damson breakfast cakes or something.

7. Thyme. Because I reckon it might go with roast venison, damson sauce and oatmeal biscuits and it's the one of the best all-round native medicinals I can think of.

8. Fungus. I know it's not really a plant but it is very useful and can be tasty and filling.

9. Nettles. To go with the fungus soup.

10. Honey. Also not really a plant but entirely derived from flowers it's an essential survival food and emergency item.


I think I could survive on that. :biggthump

 

[Great Pebble]

I'd need some wild chillis...... :struck:

Don't hold out much hope mind you.

 

[Little Mole]

You will love my radishes. I'll grow some really hot ones for you.

 

[Moonraker]

Tvividr, that is 'seriously' good info! Thanks for posting.

In this case I would agree on Dandelion being a safe plant to eat ( as Gary says ALL foods can hypothetically kill you if you eat or drink enough, even water :yikes

But The Viking makes a valid point in highlighting the potential dangers of eating or utilising wild plants ( or even cultivated or ornamental plants come to that).

I posted a lengthy couple of messages on the 'Eating from Natures larder' thread in this sub-forum which gives a lot of detail, in that case for Elderberry (Sambucus nigra) but with more general issues on this. You can see them here:

http://www.bushcraftuk.net/community/showpost.php?p=36875&postcount=27

and here:

http://www.bushcraftuk.net/community/showpost.php?p=37032&postcount=35

I said it there but I will say it again (because I think it really is an important issue which others have raised) and strongly advise anyone foraging wild plants to firstly learn to identify confidently the deadly poisonous plants and be aware of the general issues of plant toxicity (the links give further links/ detail, on this). And/ or read something from more official and informed sources such as The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries & Foods 'Poisonous Plants & Fungi. An Illustrated Guide' as has been mentioned earlier. I don' think anyone sensible would go out and munch away at every fungus they came across because there are strong cultural warnings about doing so. I can't see way the same due care and attention is not given to plants which can be equally deadly, whether in immediate toxicity or accumulated damage over time from prolonged ingestion (such as has been noted for Wood Sorrel (Oxalis acetosella).

-----End of rant -----

Just to clarify a few things with the humble Dandelion.

The current correct botanical name is:

Taraxacum officinale

not:
Taraxacum vulgare
or
Taraxacum officinalis

and if you want to be 'really' correct it is properly called:

Common Dandelion



Of course, like many plants it has numerous 'common' or local names in all languages and often these are great to know and often help understand the plant. Like in Keith Beef's example of Pissenlit in French . In fact the common name in English comes from the Old French:

Dent-de-lion, literally, “tooth of the lion,”

Here are a load more from around the world. I will let you guess which name goes with which country :rolmao:

Chiang Nou Ts'Ao, Chin Tsan Ts'Ao, Common Dandelion, Dandelion, Diente De Leon, Gewone Paardebloem, Hindiba Berri, Huang Hua Ti Ting, Kara Hindiba, Khas Berri, Kou Ju Ts'Ao, Lion's Tooth, Maitiainen, P'O Kung Ying, P'U Kung Ying, Pissenlit, Priest's Crown, Pu Gong Ying, Seiyo-Tanpopo, Swine's Snout

I think this also gives a good idea why, if you really want to get into this great subject, it is worth learning the botanical (latin) names as well. They really do help to identify and explain uses more often than not.

Like for Dandelion:

officinale, officinalis official; used in a pharmacological sense (L.) [[o-fis´-i-NAL-iss]

Lets you know just by the name that it is/ was used in medicine.

The main active ingredients of the Common Dandelion are:

inulin, bitter principle, taraxin, choline, taraxerine, resin, traces of essential oil. sugar, vitamin C (leaves) and vitamin A. nicotinic acid, mucilage.

Just to give an example of the chemical complexity of plants here is a full list of the phytochemicals:

DANDELION - Taraxacum officinale WEBER EX F. H. WIGG. (Asteraceae)

Phytochemicals:********************************************************************************************** Plant part:

11,13-DIHYDROTARAXIN-ACID-BETA-D-GLUCOPYRANOSYL-ESTER ************************ Plant:

14-TARAXEREN-3BETA-OL ****************************************************************************************************** Plant:

3,4-DIHYDROXYCINNAMIC-ACID ********************************************************************************************* Plant:

31-NORCYCLOARTENOL ********************************************************************************************************** Plant:

ALPHA-AMYLASE ************************************************************************************************************************ Plant:

ANDROSTEROL *************************************************************************************************************************** Plant:

ANEURINE ************************************************************************************************************************************* Plant:

APIGENIN-7-GLUCOSIDE ********************************************************************************************************** Leaf:

ARABINOSE ********************************************************************************************************************************** Plant:

ARNIDIOL *************************************************************************************************************************************** Flower:

ASPARAGINIC-ACID ******************************************************************************************************************* Plant:

BETA-AMYRIN ****************************************************************************************************************************** Flower:

BETA-CAROTENE *********************************************************************************************************************** Root

BETA-SITOSTEROL ******************************************************************************************************************** Plant:

CAFFEIC-ACID ****************************************************************************************************************************** Plant:

CAOUTCHOUC ***************************************************************************************************************************** Latex Exudate

CEROTIC-ACID ***************************************************************************************************************************** Root:

CERYL-ALCOHOL *********************************************************************************************************************** Latex Exudate:

CHOLINE **************************************************************************************************************************************** Root:

CHRYSANTHEMUMXANTHIN ************************************************************************************************** Flower:

CLUYTIANOL ******************************************************************************************************************************** Root:

COUMESTROL ***************************************************************************************************************************** Plant:

CRYPTOXANTHIN *********************************************************************************************************************** Flower:

CRYPTOXANTHIN-EPOXIDE **************************************************************************************************** Flower:

CYCLOARTANOL ************************************************************************************************************************* Plant:

CYCLOARTENOL ************************************************************************************************************************* Plant:

D-GLUCURONIC-ACID *************************************************************************************************************** Plant:

FARADIOL ************************************************************************************************************************************** Plant:

FLAVOXANTHIN *************************************************************************************************************************** Flower:

GERMACRANOLIDE ******************************************************************************************************************* Plant:

GLUTAMIC-ACID ************************************************************************************************************************** Leaf:

HOMOANDROSTEROL *************************************************************************************************************** Root:

HOMOTARAXASTEROL ************************************************************************************************************* Root:

INULIN ********************************************************************************************************************************************* Root

LACTUCEROL ****************************************************************************************************************************** Plant:

LECITHIN *************************************************************************************************************************************** Flower


LEVULIN ***************************************************************************************************************************************** Plant:

LEVULOSE ************************************************************************************************************************************ Plant:

LINOLEIC-ACID **************************************************************************************************************************** Root:

LINOLENIC-ACID ************************************************************************************************************************* Root:

LUTEIN ******************************************************************************************************************************************* Flower:

LUTEOLIN-7-GLUCOSIDE ********************************************************************************************************* Leaf:

MELISSIC-ACID **************************************************************************************************************************** Root:

NIACIN ******************************************************************************************************************************************** Root:

NICOTINIC-ACID *************************************************************************************************************************** Root:

OLEIC-ACID *********************************************************************************************************************************** Root:

P-COUMARIC-ACID ********************************************************************************************************************* Plant:

P-HYDROXYPHENYLACETIC-ACID **************************************************************************************** Plant:

PALMITIC-ACID **************************************************************************************************************************** Root:

PECTINS **************************************************************************************************************************************** Root

PHLOBAPHENE *************************************************************************************************************************** Root:

POLLINASTANOL ************************************************************************************************************************ Plant:

PSEUDOTARAXASTEROL ******************************************************************************************************** Plant:

RIBOFLAVIN ********************************************************************************************************************************** Leaf Root

SAPONIN **************************************************************************************************************************************** Plant:

STIGMASTEROL ** *********************************************************************************************************************** Root:

STRONTIUM ********************************************************************************************************************************** Plant

TARAXACERINE ************************************************************************************************************************** Root:

TARAXACINE ******************************************************************************************************************************** Root:

TARAXACOSIDE ************************************************************************************************************************** Plant:

TARAXANTHIN ***************************************************************************************************************************** Plant:

TARAXASTEROL ************************************************************************************************************************* Latex Exudate:

TARAXEROL ********************************************************************************************************************************* Root:

TARAXIN-ACID ***************************************************************************************************************************** Plant:

TARAXIN-ACID-BETA-D-GLUCOPYRANOSYL-ESTER ***************************************************** Plant:

TARAXOL *************************************************************************************************************************************** Root:

TARTARIC-ACID *************************************************************************** *********************************************** Plant:

THIAMIN ****************************************************************************************************************************************** Leaf Root:

TYROSINASE ******************************************************************************************************************************** Root:

VIOLAXANTHIN **************************************************************************************************************************** Flower:

XANTHOPHYLL **************************************************************************************************************************** Plant:

:yikes: You get a few of those in Marmite

Finally some other useful bushcrafty stuff:

Effect diuretic, digestive tonic; stimulates stomach and bile secretion, Parts used the young herb before flowering; dry in a warm room. The tap-root; dig up, clean with a brush (but do not wash), split lengthwise and dry thoroughly; keep in insect-proof containers. Application Medicinal: in allopathic medicine a decoction of 2 teaspoons mixed herb and root per cup water, bring quickly to the boil. allow to stand for 12-15 minutes taken 2-3 times a day is prescribed for disorders of the gall-bladder and dyspepsia. In homoeopathy an essence. prepared from fresh material, is given for rheumatism, neuralgia and stomach complaints, The time honoured home-remedy is either as the above decoction or the freshly pressed juice (commercially available) 1 tablespoon, 3 times a day for the same ailments as well as a diuretic; it should be taken over a period of several weeks to be effective, Edible: the young leaves are eaten as salad or vegetable (the bitter taste can be alleviated by putting them into cold water2 hours before use), Very young flower buds can be preserved in vinegar and used like capers. The developing shoots, before the scape begins to grow, also make a fine vegetable and are used like brussel sprouts, Tap roots, dug up in the autumn, are used like salsify.

Source; 'The Hamlyn Guide To Edible & Medicinal Plants of Britian and Northern Europe'. Edmund Launert. Hamlyn. 1989 Forth IMpression. ISBN 0 600 56395 2 (now sadly out of print but well worth picking up if you can)

Not sure how useful the 'dandelion clock' seeds are for tinder? Maybe the white latex could be used as a glue?

BTW: The garden variety grown here in France is actually Taraxacum officinale 'sativum'. This strain features tender fleshy leaves very high in iron, ideal for spring salads or cooked like spinach.

The humble Dandelion will never look the same again

 

[Moonraker]

Tvividr, that is 'seriously' good info! Thanks for posting.

In this case I would agree on Dandelion being a safe plant to eat ( as Gary says ALL foods can hypothetically kill you if you eat or drink enough, even water :yikes

But The Viking makes a valid point in highlighting the potential dangers of eating or utilising wild plants ( or even cultivated or ornamental plants come to that).

I posted a lengthy couple of messages on the 'Eating from Natures larder' thread in this sub-forum which gives a lot of detail, in that case for Elderberry (Sambucus nigra) but with more general issues on this. You can see them here:

http://www.bushcraftuk.net/community/showpost.php?p=36875&postcount=27

and here:

http://www.bushcraftuk.net/community/showpost.php?p=37032&postcount=35

I said it there but I will say it again (because I think it really is an important issue which others have raised) and strongly advise anyone foraging wild plants to firstly learn to identify confidently the deadly poisonous plants and be aware of the general issues of plant toxicity (the links give further links/ detail, on this). And/ or read something from more official and informed sources such as The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries & Foods 'Poisonous Plants & Fungi. An Illustrated Guide' as has been mentioned earlier. I don' think anyone sensible would go out and munch away at every fungus they came across because there are strong cultural warnings about doing so. I can't see way the same due care and attention is not given to plants which can be equally deadly, whether in immediate toxicity or accumulated damage over time from prolonged ingestion (such as has been noted for Wood Sorrel (Oxalis acetosella).

-----End of rant -----

Just to clarify a few things with the humble Dandelion.

The current correct botanical name is:

Taraxacum officinale

not:
Taraxacum vulgare
or
Taraxacum officinalis

and if you want to be 'really' correct it is properly called:

'Common Dandelion'



Of course, like many plants it has numerous 'common' or local names in all languages and often these are great to know and often help understand the plant. Like in Keith Beef's example of Pissenlit in French . In fact the common name in English comes from the Old French:

Dent-de-lion, literally, “tooth of the lion,”

Here are a load more from around the world. I will let you guess which name goes with which country :rolmao:

Chiang Nou Ts'Ao, Chin Tsan Ts'Ao, Common Dandelion, Dandelion, Diente De Leon, Gewone Paardebloem, Hindiba Berri, Huang Hua Ti Ting, Kara Hindiba, Khas Berri, Kou Ju Ts'Ao, Lion's Tooth, Maitiainen, P'O Kung Ying, P'U Kung Ying, Pissenlit, Priest's Crown, Pu Gong Ying, Seiyo-Tanpopo, Swine's Snout

I think this also gives a good idea why, if you really want to get into this great subject, it is worth learning the botanical (latin) names as well. They really do help to identify and explain uses more often than not.

Like for Dandelion:

officinale, officinalis official; used in a pharmacological sense (L.) [[o-fis´-i-NAL-iss]

Lets you know just by the name that it is/ was used in medicine.

The main active ingredients of the Common Dandelion are:

inulin, bitter principle, taraxin, choline, taraxerine, resin, traces of essential oil. sugar, vitamin C (leaves) and vitamin A. nicotinic acid, mucilage.

Just to give an example of the chemical complexity of plants here is a full list of the phytochemicals:

DANDELION - Taraxacum officinale WEBER EX F. H. WIGG. (Asteraceae)

Phytochemicals:********************************************************************************************** Plant part:

11,13-DIHYDROTARAXIN-ACID-BETA-D-GLUCOPYRANOSYL-ESTER ************************ Plant:

14-TARAXEREN-3BETA-OL ****************************************************************************************************** Plant:

3,4-DIHYDROXYCINNAMIC-ACID ********************************************************************************************* Plant:

31-NORCYCLOARTENOL ********************************************************************************************************** Plant:

ALPHA-AMYLASE ************************************************************************************************************************ Plant:

ANDROSTEROL *************************************************************************************************************************** Plant:

ANEURINE ************************************************************************************************************************************* Plant:

APIGENIN-7-GLUCOSIDE ********************************************************************************************************** Leaf:

ARABINOSE ********************************************************************************************************************************** Plant:

ARNIDIOL *************************************************************************************************************************************** Flower:

ASPARAGINIC-ACID ******************************************************************************************************************* Plant:

BETA-AMYRIN ****************************************************************************************************************************** Flower:

BETA-CAROTENE *********************************************************************************************************************** Root

BETA-SITOSTEROL ******************************************************************************************************************** Plant:

CAFFEIC-ACID ****************************************************************************************************************************** Plant:

CAOUTCHOUC ***************************************************************************************************************************** Latex Exudate

CEROTIC-ACID ***************************************************************************************************************************** Root:

CERYL-ALCOHOL *********************************************************************************************************************** Latex Exudate:

CHOLINE **************************************************************************************************************************************** Root:

CHRYSANTHEMUMXANTHIN ************************************************************************************************** Flower:

CLUYTIANOL ******************************************************************************************************************************** Root:

COUMESTROL ***************************************************************************************************************************** Plant:

CRYPTOXANTHIN *********************************************************************************************************************** Flower:

CRYPTOXANTHIN-EPOXIDE **************************************************************************************************** Flower:

CYCLOARTANOL ************************************************************************************************************************* Plant:

CYCLOARTENOL ************************************************************************************************************************* Plant:

D-GLUCURONIC-ACID *************************************************************************************************************** Plant:

FARADIOL ************************************************************************************************************************************** Plant:

FLAVOXANTHIN *************************************************************************************************************************** Flower:

GERMACRANOLIDE ******************************************************************************************************************* Plant:

GLUTAMIC-ACID ************************************************************************************************************************** Leaf:

HOMOANDROSTEROL *************************************************************************************************************** Root:

HOMOTARAXASTEROL ************************************************************************************************************* Root:

INULIN ********************************************************************************************************************************************* Root

LACTUCEROL ****************************************************************************************************************************** Plant:

LECITHIN *************************************************************************************************************************************** Flower


LEVULIN ***************************************************************************************************************************************** Plant:

LEVULOSE ************************************************************************************************************************************ Plant:

LINOLEIC-ACID **************************************************************************************************************************** Root:

LINOLENIC-ACID ************************************************************************************************************************* Root:

LUTEIN ******************************************************************************************************************************************* Flower:

LUTEOLIN-7-GLUCOSIDE ********************************************************************************************************* Leaf:

MELISSIC-ACID **************************************************************************************************************************** Root:

NIACIN ******************************************************************************************************************************************** Root:

NICOTINIC-ACID *************************************************************************************************************************** Root:

OLEIC-ACID *********************************************************************************************************************************** Root:

P-COUMARIC-ACID ********************************************************************************************************************* Plant:

P-HYDROXYPHENYLACETIC-ACID **************************************************************************************** Plant:

PALMITIC-ACID **************************************************************************************************************************** Root:

PECTINS **************************************************************************************************************************************** Root

PHLOBAPHENE *************************************************************************************************************************** Root:

POLLINASTANOL ************************************************************************************************************************ Plant:

PSEUDOTARAXASTEROL ******************************************************************************************************** Plant:

RIBOFLAVIN ********************************************************************************************************************************** Leaf Root

SAPONIN **************************************************************************************************************************************** Plant:

STIGMASTEROL ** *********************************************************************************************************************** Root:

STRONTIUM ********************************************************************************************************************************** Plant

TARAXACERINE ************************************************************************************************************************** Root:

TARAXACINE ******************************************************************************************************************************** Root:

TARAXACOSIDE ************************************************************************************************************************** Plant:

TARAXANTHIN ***************************************************************************************************************************** Plant:

TARAXASTEROL ************************************************************************************************************************* Latex Exudate:

TARAXEROL ********************************************************************************************************************************* Root:

TARAXIN-ACID ***************************************************************************************************************************** Plant:

TARAXIN-ACID-BETA-D-GLUCOPYRANOSYL-ESTER ***************************************************** Plant:

TARAXOL *************************************************************************************************************************************** Root:

TARTARIC-ACID *************************************************************************** *********************************************** Plant:

THIAMIN ****************************************************************************************************************************************** Leaf Root:

TYROSINASE ******************************************************************************************************************************** Root:

VIOLAXANTHIN **************************************************************************************************************************** Flower:

XANTHOPHYLL **************************************************************************************************************************** Plant:

:yikes: You get a few of those in Marmite

Finally some other useful bushcrafty stuff:

Effect diuretic, digestive tonic; stimulates stomach and bile secretion, Parts used the young herb before flowering; dry in a warm room. The tap-root; dig up, clean with a brush (but do not wash), split lengthwise and dry thoroughly; keep in insect-proof containers. Application Medicinal: in allopathic medicine a decoction of 2 teaspoons mixed herb and root per cup water, bring quickly to the boil. allow to stand for 12-15 minutes taken 2-3 times a day is prescribed for disorders of the gall-bladder and dyspepsia. In homoeopathy an essence. prepared from fresh material, is given for rheumatism, neuralgia and stomach complaints, The time honoured home-remedy is either as the above decoction or the freshly pressed juice (commercially available) 1 tablespoon, 3 times a day for the same ailments as well as a diuretic; it should be taken over a period of several weeks to be effective, Edible: the young leaves are eaten as salad or vegetable (the bitter taste can be alleviated by putting them into cold water2 hours before use), Very young flower buds can be preserved in vinegar and used like capers. The developing shoots, before the scape begins to grow, also make a fine vegetable and are used like brussel sprouts, Tap roots, dug up in the autumn, are used like salsify.

Source; 'The Hamlyn Guide To Edible & Medicinal Plants of Britian and Northern Europe'. Edmund Launert. Hamlyn. 1989 Forth Impression. ISBN 0 600 56395 2 (now sadly out of print but well worth picking up if you can)

Not sure how useful the 'dandelion clock' seeds are for tinder? Maybe the white latex could be used as a glue? Externally, the white sap from the stems or roots can be applied directly to ease the pain of sores and bee stings, and is useful in the elimination of warts, acne, and calluses.

Not so effective for warts I found but goes a great colour

BTW: The garden variety grown here in France is actually Taraxacum officinale 'sativum'. This strain features tender fleshy leaves very high in iron, ideal for spring salads or cooked like spinach.

The humble Dandelion will never look the same again

Simon

 

[TheViking]

Good point there in listing the chemicals found in that plant. And you remembered Taraxin which is a non-glycodic chemical which is bitter. In larger doses this chemical can make you throw up and it can have an influence on the digestion. I knew I was going to start a huge debate when I said the opposite of all the books.

My contact told me that you had to eat very large doses before it got dangerous. But he also agrees that the plant has/is been used as medicine.

The Taraxin can be removed through boiling. He also writes that the few leaves you put in the salad won't do any harm.

But I don't think i'll never change the way you look at the plant, nor will you. :biggthump

Cheers

 

[Tantalus]

gotta say here that all plants have an effect on the digestion (try surviving on prunes lol) and too much of anything will make you throw up

as for poisonous, well potatoes are related to nightshade and can contain poisons too, specially if green or sprouting but i dont see anyone tempted to stop eating potatoes

hunger is also really very bad for your system, severer cases causing irrational thinking which in a bushcraft situation could be deadly

Sooooooo back on topic with top 10 plants and foods from the wild

Nettle
Willowherb
Beech mast
Fungi
Rushes -yes the normal ones have edible roots too
Dandelion (coffee is not a luxury ok?)
Sorrel
Wild oats
Shepherds Purse
Wild garlic and Mint cos they make plain things much more interesting

all sorts of seasonal fruits and berries, Hips, Haws, Sloes, Rowan berries, rasps, blaeberries, Crab apples etc but didnt add them to the list cos they are not available all year round

Tant

ps anyone ever eaten poppyseed cake ? it is delicious but will make you fail a drugs test