VIOLETS

Viola odorata

In north Idaho where I live, these bright purple flowers are one of the first spring colors that appear amongst the grass. These low growing perennial plants have heart shaped green leaves and are found in moist meadows.

To gather violet flowers simply reach under the blossom and pinch off near the stem near the base where the stem and blossom meet. Dry on a paper plate or basket with a tight weave for later use. Be sure to harvest these tender flowers in places that have not been sprayed with fertilizers or pesticides.

The dried flowers and leaves increase circulation and have heart healing powers. A tea preparation soothes irritated throats and makes an antiseptic mouth rinse. Due to the natural salicylic acid it contains mild pain reliving abilities. To make a tea simply steep 1 teaspoon of dried flowers in 1 cup of water for 10 minutes. I like the delicate scent and gently sweet taste of the tea that encourages me to slow down and smell the violets.

Violets provided food for colonial Americans and have been gathered for food, medicine, and perfume for generations in Europe. Violet flower water was a popular perfume in the 1400-1600’s with the scent noted to bring comfort and strengthen the heart. In the British Herbal Pharmacopoeia violet flowers are suggested as a topical treatment for eczema.

These vibrant purple sweet fragrant fresh flowers provide festive color when added to springtime salads, as a finish for your favorite dessert, or a garnish on top of quinoa pilaf. Float a few violets in your favorite white wine or white grape juice for your springtime guests.

The fresh heart shaped leaves can be gathered and added to a vegetable stir-fry or steamed greens.

For more springtime herbs check out my dandelion and burdock posts

Foraging Plantain

 Broad Leaf Plantain Plantago major

 

Plantain (not to be confused with the cooking banana Plantain) is one of those perennial "weeds" that grows near dandelions in many untreated lawns and meadows. There are 2 easy to identify species, one with longer narrow leaves and the other with broad leaves. These deeply ribbed leaves can be snipped at the base and steamed for a chard-like green. The leaves can be used fresh in soups or dried for use during the winter.

Narrow Leaf Plantain Plantago lanceolata

To make a urinary tract or sore throat tea blend, combine dried plantain leaves with wild mallow leaves, nettles, and rosehips. Plantain leaves are high in silica and have a diuretic effect as well as expectorant and emollient properties to soothe sore throats. 

These antiseptic and anti-inflammatory leaves make a great addition to topical skin salves. Plantain leaves are also one of those safe green leaves that can be picked straight from the field, crushed to activate the healing juices, then rubbed directly on bug bites and wounds. The astringent tannins in the leaves also help to stop bleeding.

On some species including Plantago psyllium, the central stem that develops over the season produces psyllium seeds in the Fall that can be added to water as bulk laxative. 

 

Next time you see Plantain, do not pass it by.

Foraging Linden Flowers

Lovely Linden

Foraging Linden flowers in the middle of the summer is easy. As you are walking in your local park or your neighborhood simple follow your nose to the sweetest smelling tree around.

When I know the Linden is blooming I put a large cotton sheet and scissors in the car and head out to the gathering location. Since the flowers are dangling from the trees and it is hard to hold the both the gathering basket and the scissors, I just lay a sheet out on the ground below the flowers dangling down amongst the leaves and snip away.

I dry the Linden flowers in wicker baskets that I set on a wooden clothes drying rack. The flowers dry relatively quickly (3-5 days) and shrink in size. To make a tea only a pinch ( about 1 tsp.) is needed per cup because they do expand once that are re-hydrated.

To make a rejuvenating nerve tonic tea I blend linden flowers with equal parts  of rosemary leaves and lavender flowers. Pour 2 cups of boiling water over  the tea blend and steep for 20 minutes. I like this tea when I feel fatigue due to excess thinking, worry, or overwork. It helps to create calm focused sustained action.

Linden flowers on their own makes a soothing evening tea to help you drift into a peaceful night's sleep and also encourages sweet dreams. I add a touch of agave sweetener to mine for a perfect way to end my day.

One of my favorite tea blends that I call Relaxing tea contains organic rose petals gathered from my meditation rose garden, organic lemon balm from my gardens, and the wild linden flowers that I gather.

Coming soon: Gathering Elderberries, Rose hips, and Fall Seed saving.

Collecting Cleavers

This medicinal weed is easy to identify with its 4 sided stem and slender leaves that grow in whorled clusters. It grows in shaded areas and near streams. The unique characteristic of Cleavers is that the whole plant clings to you as you walk by due to its small hooks on the leaves. Later in the season its small round seeds cling to animal fur and socks like velcro. Also know as northern bedstraw, Cleavers is mostly used medicinally, compared to the non sticky variety of bedstraw that has a sweet smell and taste which makes it edible.

I blend cleavers with nettles, marshmallow, and uva ursi for urinary tract health. Some clients have benefited from the tea as part of a natural protocol clear kidney stones. Another tea made with calendula flowers, cleavers, and mullein supports healthy lymphatic function and can reduce edema.

Foraging Oxeye Daisy

Oxeye daisy grows like a weed in my gardens and lawn. The fresh leaves are edible and have a sweet lettuce-like taste when they are young. They are best eaten then since after the flowers bloom the leaves can turn bitter. I like to nibble on the cool smooth textured leaves or decorate my midday salad with its deep green color. For something different I toss the chopped leaves with red grape tomatoes and a little balsamic vinegar for a condiment and also serve it on toast for a bruschetta appetizer. Fresh oxeye daisy leaves can be substituted for parsley in many grain dishes including tabouli. I have enjoyed being creative with this tasty wild edible.

This perennial daisy is easy to find in spring as a low growing rosette of leaves.  It has a unique basal leaf pattern that distinguishes it from other daisy plants. The spoon shaped leaves have rounded teeth at the end of the thin leaf stem.

Research says a tea made with the leaves acts as a natural antihistamine. If I had allergies I would certainly try this free medicine in my back yard. To prepare them for tea, gather the leaves by snipping at the base and dry them on a paper plate or in a basket. When they are dried, usually within 3-5 days, the leaves will crumble easily when pinched. Store the dried oxyeye daisy leaves in a glass jar. When you need relief from allergies, simply add 2 teaspoons of dried leaves to 1 cup of boiling water and let it steep for about 20 minutes. Use a small strainer to separate the leaves from the liquid tea. Enjoy this natural health remedy.

Foraging Miner's Lettuce

You'll find miner's lettuce growing in shady areas like the woods and near the water. It is ready to harvest from late May-August or until the heat dries it up. This slightly sour wild green high in vitamin C adds a unique taste to a cool summer salad.

Harvesting Yarrow