Herb Gardens

Eat Your Weeds

I finally got my husband to try edible flowers in some of the salads I serve him made with ingredients picked from our organic garden. He was really thrilled when I told him I was writing an article on edible weeds. I have banished him from the kitchen so he can’t see what I’m adding to the meals I prepare. After he gulps down dinner then I can tell him what he just ate.

Here are some weeds you may want to consider adding to your culinary creations. Many of these weeds can now be purchased from garden centers, either as plants or seeds, so you can grown them in your own garden, or in containers, if you can’t find them growing in the wild.

Burdock (Arctium lappa) - cultivated as a vegetable in Japan where it is known as gobo. The stalks are scraped and cooked like celery. The roots can be eaten raw in salads or added to stir fries.

Cattail (Typha latifolia) - the pollen can be used to enrich flour. The unripe flower spikes can be cooked as a vegetable and the young shoots and inner stems are eaten raw or cooked.

Century plant (Agave americana) - the flower stems and leaf bases can be roasted and eaten. Certain species can be made into alcoholic drinks such as tequila.

Chickweed (Stellaria media) - can be added raw to salads or cooked as a vegetable.

Chicory (Cichorium intybus) - the roots of this plant are used as a coffee additive. The sky blue flowers are also edible and make a terrific addition to salads.

Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) - the flowers can be made into wine or jelly. The roots are sometimes used as a coffee substitute. The young leaves make a nice addition to salads.

Epazote (Chenopodium ambrosioides) - a tropical American weed commonly used in Mexican cooking to flavor corn, beans, mushrooms, seafood, fish, soups, and sauces.

Garlic mustard (Alliaria officinalis) - the young leaves add a mild garlic flavor to salads, sandwiches, and soups.

Goldenrod (Solidago spp.) - the leaves and flowers can be used for herbal tea.

Horseweed (Conyza canadensis) - the young leaves can be cooked as a vegetable.

Kudzu (Pueraria lobata) - AKA Japanese arrowroot. It is a prolific weed in south Florida. A starch can be made from its roots. This starch can be used to thicken sauces and gravies as you would use cornstarch. The leaves can be battered and fried.

Lamb’s quarter (Chenopodium album) - the young leaves can be added to salads.

Milk thistle (Silybum marianum) - the young leaves with the spines removed are eaten raw or cooked as a spinach-like vegetable. The flower buds can be eaten, they are like miniature artichokes.

Plantain (Plantago spp.) - the young leaves are edible if the fibrous midribs and veins are removed. The seeds are also edible.

Prickly lettuce (Lactuca serriola) - the young leaves can be eaten raw in salads or cooked as a vegetable.

Purslane (Portulaca oleracea) - tastes similar to spinach and the leaves and stems can be eaten raw in salads or cooked or pickled in vinegar. Cooked purslane has a mucilaginous texture similar to okra.

Sheep’s sorrel (Rumex acetosella) - the young leaves can be added to salads, sauces, soups, and egg dishes.

Shepherd’s purse (Capsella bursa-pastoris) - has been used as a food for thousands of years. The seed pods have a peppery flavor and can be used as a seasoning.

Stinging nettle (Urtica diocia) - the cooked young leaves can be eaten like spinach, added to soups and egg and vegetable dishes. Do not consume raw leaves, they are covered with highly irritating hairs thus the name STINGING nettle.

The plants mentioned in below serve a multitude of functions. They have ornamental foliage and flowers, they can be used for culinary and/or medicinal purposes and they attract a plethora of wildlife to your yard. The following is a listing of my top ten favorite multipurpose ornamental plants all of which I have grown in my USDA Zone 10 garden in subtropical SE Florida.

False Roselle (Hibiscus acetosella)
-ornamental flowers
-edible flowers
-Japanese maple-type burgundy foliage
-leaves can be eaten in salads or stir-fires
-AKA red-leaf hibiscus, bronze hibiscus

The September 2003 issue of Better Homes and Gardens shows false Roselle in a planting along with yellow-green ornamental grasses and silver-leaved Artemisia. I have mine planted along side a giant clump of lemon grass.

Jerusalem artichoke (Helianthus tuberosus)
-AKA sun choke
-wonderful 8’ tall plants
-long lasting miniature sunflower like flowers
-attracts lots of beneficial insects
-edible tubers can be used raw or cooked in a variety of culinary creations.

Jerusalem artichokes have no problem growing during our hot and humid south Florida summers although they don’t start to flower until the early fall. They grow extremely tall, I have mine planted next to 8’ tall sections of lattice trellis for support. They are a perennial that spreads prolifically unless you harvest every last bit of the tuber. This is not a problem if you are growing the plant to harvest the tubers for culinary purposes but I would not recommend growing it for solely ornamental purposes unless you have a large piece of land.

Nasturtium

Nasturtium (Tropaeolum majus)
-wonderful ornamental plant with prolific flowers
-edible leaves
-edible flowers
-immature seed pods are edible and can be preserved and eaten like capers.

My favorite variety is Alaska which has beautiful variegated cream and green colored foliage.

Okra

Okra (Abelmoschus esculentus ‘burgundy‘)
-flowers
-vegetable
-seeds
-dried seed pods

What’s a vegetable doing on this list you may ask!?! I’m talking about the burgundy variety of okra. It gets pretty hollyhock-like flowers. You can eat the immature seed pods in a variety of dishes including my favorite - chicken gumbo. The mature seed pods can be harvested for their seeds and planted for next years crop. The mature seed pods with the seeds removed can be dried and used in a plethora of dried arrangements and potpourri blends.

Pineapple mint (Mentha suaveolens ‘variegata’)
-edible leaves and flowers
-variegated foliage
-use fresh leaves in your culinary creations
-use dried leaves in medicinal teas

Pineapple sage (Salvia elegans)
-wonderful fruity scent
-edible flowers
-edible leaves
-leaves used in tea
-attracts butterflies

Pot marigold (Calendula officinalis)
-edible flower petals
-use fresh or dried petals in lotions
-use dried petals in potpourri
-wonderful ornamental plant

Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis)
-edible leaves and flowers
-evergreen-like plant in USDA Zones 7-10
-use dried leaves in potpourri or tea
-used medicinally for nervous exhaustion, headaches and migraines

Lizards like to hide in the base of the plants which provides endless hours of entertainment for the neighborhood kids that like to see who can be the first to catch one.

Society garlic (Tulbaghia violacea)
-ornamental foliage
-wonderful flowers
-leaves and flowers can be eaten like chives
-bulbs can be cooked and eaten like scallions
-has a wide range of medicinal uses

Society garlic makes a wonderful edging plant for your garden beds. I purchased my plants from the Home Depot.

Winter tarragon (Tagetes lucida)
-edible leaves for recipes and tea
-miniature marigold flowers
-aromatic leaves for potpourri
-AKA Mexican mint marigold
-medicinally used to treat diarrhea, indigestion and nausea

Try growing one or more of these wonderful multipurpose ornamental plants in your own garden. The next time you are thinking of adding plants to your landscape research additional varieties which have multiple uses.

Spilanthes is a member of the Asteraceae family with over 60 species occurring in this genus. Spilanthes is also known as the toothache plant because when you chew on the leaves or flowers it produces a numbing effect to the tongue and gums. Spilanthes can be used in this manner to help ease the pain of a toothache. The bronze-green leaves, and the more potent yellow and red cone shaped flowers, have a taste and properties similar to coneflower (Echinacea purpurea).

As a sialagogue it stimulates the flow of salvia which cleanses the mouth, tones the gums, and enhances immune function. Spilanthes also improves digestion, eases flatulence, improves the appetite, and helps to overcome nausea and vomiting by its stimulating effect on the salivary glands.

Growth Habit

Spilanthes is a native of the tropics of Africa and South America. It grows well in full sun to partial shade reaching a height of 12 to 15 inches with a spread of 24 to 30 inches. It has bronze-green foliage with yellow petaless flowers with a red eye on top of long stems. To promote bushy growth wait until the fourth set of true leaves appear then pinch back the plant to the second set of true leaves.

Spilanthes has no serious disease problems although it may occasionally suffer from spider mite damage. In my zone 10 sub-tropical garden it behaves as a perennial. It is a perennial in USDA zones 10-12. It can be grown as a perennial indoors in cooler climates or treat it as an annual and sow fresh seeds in your garden every year. It is easily started from seeds directly sown in the garden or indoors sown in seed flats. You can also propagate spilanthes from stem cuttings. It needs regular watering, do not allow the plant to dry out. It thrives in high humidity in well-drained soils.

Culinary Uses

The leaves, especially of the milder tasting Spilanthes oleracea AKA paracress; when used in moderation make a great addition to fresh green salads. The leaves have a slight peppery taste. The flower buds, sometimes referred to as sechuan buttons or sansho buttons, are currently a hot item in the culinary world.

Harvesting Spilanthes

The leaves and flower buds may be harvested on an ongoing basis for fresh use. The flower buds may be dried and stored in an airtight glass container for up to one year. I harvest my plants in one of two ways. I eat the fresh leaves in salads or I harvest a few and eat them immediately while I am out working in the garden. I also pick the flower heads and dry them in my oven on the lowest setting (~175 degrees) to store them for future use. I use the dried flower buds in my herbal tea blends.

An infusion can be made from the leaves and flowers. When cooled this infusion can be used as a mouth rinse. The infusion may also be taken as a medicinal tea which is utilized for its antifungal, antiviral, antibacterial, and immune system stimulating properties.

Exciting news. Now you can purchase garden books, gifts, tools, plants and accessories at the Herb Gardens Boutique online store. Check out the Herb Gardens Boutique when you get a chance.

Take care,

Herb Witch

Overview: Evergreen shrub which has dark green, pine needle like leaves.

Common Name: Rosemary

Latin Name: Rosmarinus officinalis

Additional Varieties:
R. Officinalis ‘Roseus’ - pink rosemary
R. officinalis ‘Aureus’ - golden rosemary

Alternate Names: Dew of the sea, herb of remembrance.

Zone: Rosemary can be over wintered in USDA zones 6-10. In cooler areas, either grow rosemary as an annual, or grow it in containers which can be brought indoors during the winter.

Sun: Sunny location which is out of direct wind.

Soil: Well drained soil which is not too heavily fertilized.

Mature Size: Three to six feet tall and up to three feet wide.

Propagating: Stem cuttings taken in the summer or by stem layering.

Growing Tips: Plants can be successfully started from seeds started in the spring. Both prostrate, I.e. trailing, and upright forms of rosemary can be purchased at most nursery and garden supply stores.

Culinary Uses: Rosemary can be used both fresh or dried. This herb tastes fantastic in a variety of potato and meat dishes. Finely chopped fresh rosemary works well in a variety of fresh baked breads, rolls and muffins.

Aromatherapy and Decorative Uses: The dried leaves make a wonderful addition to potpourri blends and sachets. Rosemary produces delicate flowers in the spring. The lilac, blue, or less common white flowers are both decorative and edible. Rosemary flowers from early spring through early summer, with sometimes a second flowering in the fall.

Medicinal Uses: Used as a memory enhancer. The essential oil has been used as an insect repellent. A bit of the essential, rubbed into the temples, is thought to help cure a headache.

Here are a few links to some articles I’ve written on how to collect, harvest and store herbs for both long-term and short-term storage.

Freeze Herbs in Ice Cube Trays; How to Process Fresh Herbs for Long-term Storage

Harvesting and Storing Spices; Nutmeg, Ginger, Celery Seed and More

Short-term Herb Storage; Preserving Fresh Produce in Salt, Oil or Water

How to Store Dried Herbs and Spices; Methods for Long Term Stockpiling

How to Dry Fresh Herbs; Using the Microwave, Air, Food Dehydrators and Ovens to Keep Herbs

Where to Buy Fresh Herbs; Farmer’s Markets, Wildcrafting and Community Supported Agriculture

I’ve written articles for a variety of online content providers and print magazines. Here are links to a few of my herb gardening articles on other websites.

Extend the Growing Season; Using a Miniature Greenhouse Shelving System

Top 10 Herb Garden Catalogs; Favorite Catalogs from Nurseries and Garden Centers

Propagating Herbs; Starting New Plants From Stem Cuttings

Zodiac Gardening; Planting by the Signs of the Moon

Farmer’s Almanacs; Folklore or Authentic Gardening Methods

Plant Spirits and Elementals; Magical Gardening Techniques for the Natural Witch

I’m thinking of adding a banner header to the top of the Herb Gardens main page. I like the banner shown above, it’s simple and concise. Now if I can just figure out how to add it to the top of the main page.

Born and raised in Rochester, New York, freelance writer Lynn Smythe obtained her bachelor’s degree in Geology from the University of Rochester. She has worked in the past as an Environmentalist for Palm Beach Counties Department of Environmental Resources Management located in West Palm Beach, Florida.

Lynn learned how to cook at a young age as she helped her grandmother and mother put together various culinary creations throughout the years. She grows over 90 varieties of herbs and vegetables in her organic, raised bed gardens. Her duties as the Herbs & Spices Feature Writer on Suite101 allow her to combine her love of gardening and cooking into one exciting topic.

Lynn is also a trained Natural Health Consultant and perpetual student of herbalism. Lynn’s horticultural expertise includes herb gardening, vegetable gardening, organic gardening, and butterfly gardening. She researches and writes about a variety of topics including the history, mythology, magic, and folklore of herbs. She has written articles for a variety of print publications including The Old Farmer’s Almanac, The Herb Quarterly, BackHome Magazine, Veggie Life and Llewellyn’s Annual Herbal Almanac.

Lynn writes for a number of online sites:
Herbs & Spices Feature Writer on Suite101
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Helium
Bike Diva
Herbal Apothecary
I Love Herbs
The Pagan Path
Freelance Online Work
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