Bistorta bistortoides

Bistorta bistortoides

Bistort root

American Bistort is Bistorta bistortoides in latin (formerly Polygonum bistortoides). It is found as a dense head of small white flowers in wet (but usually not boggy) meadows at high altitudes. If you get out your magnifying glass, you may be able to count 8 stamens and 3 styles in each flower.

Although this is known to have been used as a food plant by Native Americans, I found that Bistort is not very tasty for eating. 

The most important part of Bistort for food is the root. It is not large, but it is easy to dig, being only 1-2 inches deep in the soil. The biggest problem is cleaning the roots. They curve back on themselves (as shown in the picture below), and have many rootlets, creating many recesses where dirt can remain. The best method I found was to break or cut them into straightish pieces, pull most of the rootlets off, and then wash them under fast running water. At home I use a colander and sprayer for this, but in the mountains I have net bag which I can hold under a swiftly running stream or small waterfall. 

I boiled the roots for 30 minutes. This was at 10,000 feet elevation, so you might need less time down where water boils at a higher temperature. They finally softened some after that time. The taste is rather bland and unremarkable. The consistency is not starchy, but rather chalky instead, and it is stightly astringent. One source said they were good baked, so I baked them in tin foil on the coals of a fire for 20-30 minutes. The result was drier than the boiled roots, which accentuated the chalkiness. Boiling tasted better, but I cannot say I enjoyed them either way, because the main taste was "chalky".

The raw leaves are good, but not very flavorful. There is more flavor than lettuce and not as much as spinach, but it doesn't stand out in any way. Boiling the leaves for 10 minutes did not change the taste or texture of the leaves much. They were only slightly softer. I did not notice any bitterness or unpleasant flavor, but they did not stand out with any pleasant flavor either. Some sources say they contain oxalic acid, which has a distinct lemony taste, but I did not notice that taste in them, so they must not contain very much at all.

The base of the stem where it nears the root is pinkish or orangish in color. It was soft and had a mild flavor, either raw or boiled. This might be the best tasting part of the plant.

I also tried the flowers (raw). They had more flavor than the rest of the plant. It is still not a particularly strong flavor, but I would describe it as a parsley and spicy flavor.

Epilobium angustifolium

Epilobium angustifolium

Fireweed, or Epilobium angustifolium, is a beautiful plant. It has a tall flowering stalk, full of fairly large, purple flowers. The flowers bloom starting at the bottom of the stalk, and work their way up, while the top is still growing new flowers, so that it continues blooming for most of the summer.

The flowers have four purple petals, and four narrower and darker purple sepals. The prominent style (female part) is divided into four curled stigmas at the end. It has eight stamens. These are all common characteristics of the Evening Primrose family of plants (Onagraceae). It also has a long tube behind the petals where the seeds form. This will get longer after the flower fades and falls off. This is characteristic of the Epilobium genus, and this is the largest and showiest member of the genus.

I have found many sources which say that fireweed is edible, but mostly when I have tried it, I have found it very unsatisfactory. The leaves are rather bitter, and the flowers and seedpods are not much better. Some sources recommend the small amount of juicy core inside the pithy stem, but this is a very small amount of food, and it's hard to justify tearing up such a beautiful flower for that.

The key to eating fireweed turns out to be that you must eat the young stem before the flowers form. The stem will be less that 2 feet tall, and growing only new leaves at the top. The stems can vary in thickness from about 2-5mm, and you should select the thicker ones to get more food. The outer part of the stem can be very fibrous, so it may help to peel the stem. The lowest portion of the stem may have finished growing already and will have become tough and fibrous or even pithy already. So you need to find the tender section of the stem. Too low will be tough and fibrous. The bottom of the tender section will need the outer part peeled off. Higher up the stem will be thinner, but not need peeled. At the top, the stem is very thin, and consists mostly of the bitter leaves, so I usually discard that too. But the tender section is quite good tasting. It is juicy and fresh and a bit crunchy. Some sources compare it to cucumber in taste, and it is not entirely unlike cucumber in taste. The texture is more mucilaginous than fresh cucumber. If you scrape the small amount of juicy core from a mature flowering stem, you can get a good idea of the taste of the full stem when it is young.

Young plant /
close-up of leaf

The problem with eating fireweed is identifying the young stems without flowers. When flowering, it is easy to identify, because there are no other flowers quite like them. But before the flowers bloom, there are a lot of plants which look very similar in leaf shape and growth form, so it is not easy for a novice forager to identify it at that stage. To be confident in identifying young plants before flowering requires a lot of observations, usually over several years, so that once you confidently know the mature plant, you can identify it confidently at younger and younger stages. Fortunately, you can use the mountains to shorten this process significantly, because summer comes later at higher elevations. If you identify the plant at low elevation, so can hike or drive to a higher elevation and try to identify it at a younger stage. Or, if you suspect you have identified something at a high elevation before it flowers, you can try going to a lower elevation and see if you can find the same plant in bloom.

This still requires some experience with the plant to be able to identify the young stage confidently. It is difficult to explain how I do it in text, or even with pictures. But one characteristic I look for, is that the leaves, which are long and fairly narrow (lanceolate), have a semi-prominent vein all the way around the leaf, inset about a millimeter from the edge. You can see this in the picture above. This is fairly unusual, so it is helpful, but not necessarily a guarantee that you have the right plant. I have found that the youngest plants are sometimes purple in color, with the first leaves changing from purple to green as it matures. It is especially tender at this stage, but I still find it helpful to peel the stem. On the other hand, if the stem is hairy, you definitely have the wrong plant, perhaps something like Senecio serra, which grows in the same area, looks similar when young, and is at least mildly toxic.

progression
from buds
to flowers
to seed pods

But actually, my favorite use of fireweed is for entertaining children, and sometimes adults too. If you find the long thin seedpods when they are not quite mature enough to open on their own, you can pick them, and then gently roll them between your fingers, until you get them to pop open. They will suddenly spring open, releasing the tiny seeds, along with quite a surprising amount of fluffy silk material (considering how thin the seedpods are) which can carry them away on the wind. When I do this, I tell children I have a magic trick to show them. My kids have been entertained in this way for hours.

Galium aparine

Galium aparine

leaves and stems

Galium species are commonly known as Cleavers or Bedstraw, and sometimes as Catchweed or even Sticky-willy. They have small hooked hairs which catch on to other things as well as itself, similar to velcro. Aside from its propensity to hitchhike, the next most noticeable feature is the whorled leaves. There are usually six leaves growing from a single spot on the stem, in a whorl evenly spaced around the stem. Galium aparine usually has six leaves in each whorl, but can often have more or less, and other species can vary as well. The flowers are tiny, white, with four petals. And the fruit are distinctive because they grow in pairs and look like tiny hairy balls.

All species of Galium are edible, although the hooked hairs can be distracting, especially on the lips. When picked in the spring, when they are tender, they are fairly good tasting. The hairs do not really encourage one to eat a lot of them however. 

Many people recommend using them as a pot-herb, so I tried boiling a bunch in water for 5 minutes. The flavor is fairly bland, but good. Unfortunately, the stems are rather tough. I harvested mine by grabbing a bunch and pulling the top parts off. This method is efficient for picking a lot, but seems to get too much of the tough stems. It would be better strip the leaves from the stems, or just pick the very uppermost part of the plant where the stem is still tender. After boiling, the leaves end up quite mushy, while the stems are still tough. I did not notice the hairs after cooking, but some others who tried said they did. I know that people who use this as a pot-herb, usually mix it in with a lot of other pot-herbs, rather than eating it alone.

Because it has many medicinal uses, I saved the water it was boiled in, so I could try the tea made from it. Galium tea has a rich, hearty flavor, and the tea is definitely my favorite way to enjoy this plant. It's flavor makes a fine addition to soups and sauces. 

The medicinal uses of cleavers include using it as a poultice for wounds and skin health. It is diuretic and antioxidant, so it helps clean out the body, including the lymphatic system. It has even been used to treat cancer. So enjoy the tea. It will help you in lots of ways.

Oxalis corniculata

Oxalis corniculata
afternoon -- flowers open, leaves closed

morning -- flowers closed, leaves open

Oxalis corniculata is commonly known as Yellow Woodsorrel, or Creeping Woodsorrel. It grows as a weed in my lawn, and the "creeping" aspect keeps it below the level of the lawnmower. Like other sorrels or docks, it is known for its lemony flavor, which comes from the oxalic acid content. This plant's flavor is better than most. It is lemony and juicy, without any of the bitterness which is common in other sorrels and docks.

The oxalic acid has some downsides. The main caution is that is can contribute to causing kidney stones, so your should avoid it if you have problems with those. It can bind to minerals and prevent their intake by the body. Thus it can prevent calcium and iron absorption, but on the other hand it could be helpful if you want to eliminate minerals from your body. It is a common compound in leafy greens. Rhubarb and spinach are often cited as being high in oxalates. The plants with enough that you can taste the lemony flavor of it are especially high in oxalic acid, and it takes its name from this Oxalis genus of plants.

I enjoy the taste of Oxalis corniculata as an occasional treat, because the flavor is very good. The leaves, flowers, and fruit (all the above-ground parts) are all edible and taste about the same. It makes a nice addition to salads, where a bit of lemon flavor is often a welcome addition. Instead of adding lemon juice to your salad dressing, just add some Oxalis instead.

There are many other species of Oxalis, which have similar flavors. I have eaten Oxalis oregana (Redwood sorrel), for example, while visiting the redwood forests in California.

The main identifying feature of the Oxalis genus is the leaves. They are heart-shaped and come in threes, so they look a lot like clover leaves. They often have different shades on the top and bottom. Oxalis corniculata is green on both sides, but Oxalis oregana is green on the top and often purple on the bottom. There is an ornamental variety of Oxalis which is dark purple on both sides. The leaves are light-sensitive, usually closing at night and opening during the day. But I suspect they don't want too much light, because the ones in my yard tend to open in the morning and close by afternoon. The ones growing in the shady redwood forests stay open all day. The Oxalis corniculata species is distinguished by its yellow flowers, and by the fruit, which are smooth, narrow and about 1/2 to 1 cm long, and stand upright on deflexed (sideways or downward growing) stems.

Osmorhiza occidentalis

Osmorhiza occidentalis

close-up of the seeds

The botanical name for Western Sweetroot is Osmorhiza occidentalis, which is almost a direct translation. "Occidentalis" is Latin for western, "rhiza" is Greek for root, and "osmo-" is Greek for smelly but in a good way. So the botanical name translates to "western sweet-smelling root", which is a very good description for this plant, which is the most fragrant member of its genus. The seeds have a strong sweet anise smell. The leaves smell like candy to me. And the root has such a strong and pleasing scent that it is begging to be used in a potpourri.

But this blog is about eating things, so how does it taste? I think "mountain candy" is how I would describe it. I enjoy the seeds or flower clusters as a trail nibble. They are sweet and have a very powerful flavor (the seeds of most members of the carrot family have a lot of volatile oils in them), so they are best eaten sparingly, like candy. The leaves can develop some bitterness when older, but the young ones have a similar pleasant flavor, but not as strong without all the seed oils. I boiled the leaves for 5 minutes, and they had a milder flavor. 

The tea from cooking the leaves had both a pleasant refreshing flavor, and a certain brothiness when hot, and when chilled, it made a wonderfully refreshing drink, without needing any sweetening. The dried leaves can be used to make that same refreshing drink, and adds a great flavor to soups and sauces. I have been adding some of the crushed leaves to flavor my stir-fry sauces, soups, and gravies with delicious results.

The dried root makes an earthy tea with medicinal properties which are useful for respiration and digestion. The flavor reminds me of Osha (Ligusticum porteri), but is not quite the same.

Identifying this plant can be a little tricky, like most members of the carrot family. First, it has the typical compound umbels of the carrot family, with yellow flowers. The leaves are compound, with definite leaflets (not finely dissected into small indefinite segments). Of particular importance are the seeds, which are a little over 1 cm long, thin with shallow lobes running the length of them, smooth (other members of the genus have hairy seeds), and they usually stick straight up from the stem. If all of that matches, break open a seed and smell it. The very strong and pleasant anise scent is like nothing else in my area. Scent seems to be a very good way of identifying members of the carrot family, but you have to learn the scents yourself, because the scientific floras do not try to describe scents.

Finally, a few notes about other species of Osmorhiza. Osmorhiza depauperata, commonly known as Sweet Cicely, is much more common than O. occidentalis in my region. It is easily distinguished by the few rays in its umbels. It only has 3-6 rays in both the umbels and umbellets, which is very unusual in this family, but not in this genus. The seeds are darker, have little hairs, and tend to split in half and hang from their tips when mature. It has very little scent to it, and the leaves can be eaten. Sam Thayer lists several other species which are common in the eastern United States, which are more similar to O. depauperata than to O. occidentalis. 

Campanula rotundifolia

Campanula rotundifolia

There are many species of the Campanula genus around the world, and they are all considered edible, although some have better reports of edibility and some are not so great. My local species is Campanula rotundifolia, and it is one of the not-so-great ones. 

Most Campanula species have a common name which is a variant of either Harebell or Bellflower, and this species also known by both of those names. It is also called Bluebells, especially in Scotland, but here in the Mountain West, Bluebells refers to flowers in the Mertensia genus. Bellflowers is a good description, because they are largish bell-shaped flowers, which hang down like a bell would. But this species is usually called Harebells.

The flowers themselves are the best edible part of this species. They are tender, and have a good taste, which seems both mildly sweet and mildly savory to me. They would make an attractive addition to a salad.

The leaves are rather tough, and develop a bit of bitter taste by the time I finish chewing them. The latin species name, rotundifolia, translates to "round leaves", but these plants have long thin leaves (lanceolate). 

Some Campanula species have roots which are good to eat, but this species has long, thin, creeping roots. They are fairly small and difficult to follow in order to dig them up. Even after boiling for ten minutes, they are too bland, tough, and small to be worth the effort of digging for.

Agoseris aurantiaca

Orange Agoseris

Agoseris aurantiaca is not common enough to have a real common name, so its name in English is "Orange Agoseris". Unsurprisingly, aurantiaca is a latin word for "orange". It is a cousin of dandelion, and is sometimes called "Mountain Dandelion". By cousin, I mean that it is in the same tribe (or sub-family) of composite flowers with milky juice and ray-flowers only (no disk flowers like you see in the middle of a daisy). It superficially resembles a dandelion, with the most obvious difference being the bright orange color of the flower. The leaves are not toothed on the edges like dandelion leaves, and the green phyllaries under the flower (a primary character used by botanists to distinguish different genera) are quite different.

Sources say that the leaves of agoseris have been eaten when cooked like spinach. However, when I tried them, I found them to be even more bitter than dandelion leaves, either raw or after being boiled for 5 minutes. Perhaps one could consider this survival food, but when real dandelions are much, much more common, and taste better, why would you bother? Not recommended.