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Similar to Gourmet Greens 2013 (20)
Gourmet Greens 2013
- 1. 2/3/2013
Out of the Wilds and Into Your Garden
Gardening with California Native Plants in Western L.A. County
Project SOUND – 2013 (our 9th year)
© Project SOUND
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Gourmet Greens
CA native plants for salads,
snacks & cooked greens
C.M. Vadheim and T. Drake
CSUDH & Madrona Marsh Preserve
Madrona Marsh Preserve/El Dorado Nature Center
February 2 & 5, 2013
© Project SOUND
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Growing your own food: on the upswing?
Fun
Educational
Good exercise
Interesting looking
plants
Saves money
Tasty, fresh
ingredients
Chance to grow &
use ‘exotic’
ingredients –
http://bloomtown.typepad.com/bloomtown/bloomtown_my_garden/ including CA native
plants
© Project SOUND
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Advantages of using native greens plants
Easy to grow
Water-wise (compared to
non-native greens)
Add wonderful ‘exotic’ &
healthy flavors to your
diet
Good nutritional value
Good for pollinators, Add interest to
butterflies, birds, etc. vegetable garden
© Project SOUND
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Miner’s Lettuce – Claytonia perfoliata
ssp. perfoliata & mexicana
© 2001 Steven Thorsted
http://nativeplantsocietyca.tribe.net/photos/cfd27d18-6ba7-4365-b1d9-c1c7c67b9cbe
© Project SOUND
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Characteristics of Miner’s Lettuce
Herbaceous annual; makes a good
annual groundcover
Size: 6-12 in. high; to 12 in. wide
Growth period: fall to spring
Blooms:
Small, white
Feb-May
http://www.timetotrack.com/jay/minersl2.htm
in English kitchen gardens, Miner’s Foliage:
Lettuce (called ‘Winter Purslane’) is Attractive & unusual
esteemed as a pot-herb and a Edible: usually raw in salads or as
salad plant. mild cooked greens
© Project SOUND
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Miner’s lettuce is
great for out of the
way places
In the vegetable
garden
In pots
Under deciduous trees
Along a fence
Along a seasonal
stream or pond
© Project SOUND
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Suggestions for growing native greens
Give them a special space in
your vegetable garden – or grow
them in pots for easy harvest
Locate them away from sources
of pollution – streets, etc.
Make sure they get adequate
winter rain (or water them) –
you want lots of young leaves
Use no pesticides/herbicides
Grow plenty – you want to let
some plants go to seed for next
year’s crop
© Project SOUND
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Claytonia perfoliata on the table
Pick young leaves –
best before it flowers
Refreshing raw – as a
succulent snack or in a
salad
Nice with a vinaigrette
dressing – gives it a
little spice
Can also be used for
cooked greens – but
quite bland flavor
© Project SOUND
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Seasoning marinades
& vinegars
Artemisia californica
Artemisia dracunculus
Bladderpod
Native onions (Allium)
Peppergrasses
Salvias
Even some of the berries/
fruits
Experiment to find the best
combinations. In general, stronger
flavors are best with red wine or rice
vinegars
© Project SOUND
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Use mild native greens in creative ways
In sandwiches
As greens in tacos
On party snacks
In tabouleh – also use your Wild
Mint (Mentha arvense)
http://abouquetfrommendel.wordpress.com/2012/02/04/getting-
nettled/#more-208
http://thecaptivatinglife.blogspot.com/2012/04/tabouleh.html
http://hippojoy.wordpress.com/tag/event/
© Project SOUND
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Fringed Redmaids – Calandrinia ciliata var menziesii
Wide distribution:
Western United States ,
Central America, and northern
South America.
In CA: California Floristic
Province, some areas E. of
Sierras
Usually in grassy areas,
woodland openings or disturbed
areas
Name derivation:
Calandrinia: named for Jean
Louis Calandrini (1703-1758), a
professor of mathematics and
philosophy, and a botanical
Question to ponder: does the author in Switzerland
distribution of this plant suggest a
human role? ciliata: indicates the slight
fringing of the petals like an
eyelash
© Project SOUND
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In nature, Red Maids often occurs on sandy or
rocky soils, after fires
Beatrice F. Howitt © California Academy of Sciences
© Project SOUND
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Red Maids are spreading annuals
Size:
< 2 ft tall; tips of stems
upcurviing
2-3 ft wide – side stems are
spreading; plants will grow
together
Growth form: sprawling/spreading
herbaceous annual from a basal
rosette.
Foliage:
Attractive light green
Slightly succulent leaves; spatula
shaped
Roots: taproot; grow in place
© 2006 Chris Wagner
© Project SOUND
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Flowers are an Spring-blooming – as early as
added bonus Feb. to May
Long bloom period with adequate
water – flowers open sequentially
along the stems
Flowers are:
Tiny - < ½ inch across
An unusual shade of hot
pink/magenta – hard to
photograph
Robert Potts © California Academy of Sciences
Open only during sunniest part of
the day – flowers ‘disappear’ into
their calyces at other times
Seeds are:
Tiny & shiny – but numerous; wind
spread
Very tasty – were prized food
for Native Californians (parched
& ground to make pinole)
© Project SOUND
Jo-Ann Ordano © California Academy of Sciences
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Red Maids is well suited to the vegetable
garden…
Soils:
Texture: any well-drained soil;
does super in sandy or rocky soils,
but typical vegetable gardens
soils would be great
pH: just about any local
Light: full sun; great in regular
vegetable garden
Water:
Winter: needs good winter/
spring rains
Summer: regular water (Zone 2-3
or 3) will extend blooms slightly;
no water for seed set
Fertilizer: fine with light fertilizer
Plants re-seed very well – but it’s easy
to weed out unwanted plants
© Project SOUND
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Picking your native greens
Be sure you know what you’re
picking – this is certainly easier in
the garden than in the wilds
As with any new food, it’s best to
just try a little bit at first
Tastiest greens are young leaves
and shoots – before flowering
Be sure to wash all greens
carefully before eating/preparing
them
You may be able to just remove
leaves from some plants – and
they’ll re-grow new greens
© Project SOUND
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Redmaids make Use only young leaves – best
piquant greens before flowering; Arugala-like
Leaves contain oxalic acid, so
should be used in moderation.
Oxalic acid can lock up certain of
the nutrients in food - can lead to
nutritional deficiencies if eaten in
excess.
They are, however, perfectly safe
in small amounts and their acid
taste adds a nice flavor to salads.
Cooking the plant will reduce the
quantity of oxalic acid.
People with a tendency to
rheumatism, arthritis, gout, kidney
stones and hyperacidity should
take especial caution if including
this plant in their diet since it can
aggravate their condition
© Project SOUND
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Many uses for Red Maids in the garden
Very nice in pots – very green
and attractive; helps control
them to an extent
In the vegetable garden –
flowers really perk up a
vegetable garden
In the fronts of mixed beds
Along walkways
Among native bunchgrasses;
needs bare ground to reseed
In the ‘Children’s Garden’ – easy
For bird habitat – many birds &
insects relish the seeds
© Project SOUND
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Preparing native
Some young greens can be eaten
greens raw – alone or in salads
Some wild greens have strong
flavors – use them with other,
milder-flavored greens
Older greens often taste better
steamed or boiled
Taste a small bit raw – the more
bitter the taste, the more likely
it will taste better cooked
For bitter greens, change water
several times – but use as few
changes as possible to retain
nutrients
Treat like you would spinach –
often 5-10 min. cooking is all
that’s needed
© Project SOUND
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Parching seeds
Use a heavy skillet (cast iron is
great)
http://www.texasbeyondhistory.net/granado/images/basket.html Heat a little oil in the skillet
over low heat; no oil needed for
well-seasoned skillets
Wipe out all but a thin layer of
the oil
Pour in a thin layer of fully dry
seeds
Keep seeds moving so they
http://www.d.umn.edu/cla/faculty/troufs/Buffalo/images/pf021841.jpg don’t burn
Remove from skillet when
golden brown – some may pop
You can also parch seeds in
the oven
© Project SOUND
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Using parched seeds: limited only by your
imagination
To add flavor to baked or
cooked items
Topping for bread
On bland cooked vegetables
On casseroles
As a salad topper
Etc.
Ground (alone or with other
http://plants.usda.gov/culturalinfo.html
seeds/spices)
Pinole
Mush
Beverages
Biscuits & pancakes
Etc.
http://www.allgauhotel.com/wiki/wiki_turkish_cuisine.html
© Project SOUND
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Cobwebby Thistle – Cirsium occidentale
http://www.ubcbotanicalgarden.org/potd/2006/01/cirsium_occidentale_var_occidentale.php
© Project SOUND
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Cobwebby Thistle – Cirsium occidentale
Two varients:
var. californicum:
Sierra Nevada and coastal &
var. californicum transverse ranges from central
CA south into Baja
Disturbed places, woodland,
open forest, as well as
chaparral, coastal sage scrub
var. occidentale:
Coastal CA, coastal ranges from
N. CA south
Stabilized dunes, roadsides
Grasslands, coastal scrub,
var. occidentale chaparral, oak woodlands,
© Project SOUND
http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/cgi-bin/get_JM_treatment.pl?609,963,987,991
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Cobwebby Thistles are nice thistles
Size:
1-4 ft tall
1-3 ft wide
Growth form:
Biennial or short-lived perennial
Basal rosette of leaves in first
year; flowers second year
Fast-growing; not invasive
Foliage:
Foliage gray-green, very wooly
Spiny, coarsely toothed leaves –
very showy
http://plants.montara.com/ListPages/FamPages/Astera3.html#cirocc © Project SOUND
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Flowers make a bold
statement
Blooms:
usually April-July along coast
Bloom period: 3-4 wks
Flowers:
Super-showy thistle flowers
Pollinated by bees, flies,
butterflies (American & Painted
Ladies)
Seeds:
Will self-sow; rarely weedy
Vegetative Reproduction: no –
not invasive
G.A. Cooper @ USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database
http://plants.montara.com/ListPages/FamPages/Astera3.html#cirocc © Project SOUND
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Cobwebby Thistle is well suited to garden
conditions…
Soils:
Texture: best with well-
drained; sandy/rocky soils best
pH: any
Light: full sun to light shade
Water:
Summer: none to occasional;
would do well with native
annuals
Fertilizer: none – likes poor soils
http://www.calfloranursery.com/pages_main/whatsnew.html
© Project SOUND
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Garden uses for Cobwebby Thistle
As an attractive pot plant
In the annual wildflower garden or mixed
beds
In the vegetable garden; stem may be
eaten raw or cooked
Great addition to the wildlife garden:
butterflies, bees, birds, hummingbirds,
and more!
http://earthhomegarden.blogspot.com/search/label/native
%20plant%20garden
Remember: plant where the
spiny leaves won’t be a hazard
http://www.calfloranursery.com/pag © Project SOUND
es_main/whatsnew.html
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Preparing Thistle stems for cooking
Pick young stems, after they’ve
extended but before the flowering
heads are fully developed
Handle plants with protection –
rose-pruning gloves
Cut off the stalk (or just the top
foot or so)
Rinse in cool water
Remove leaves & top bud (which you
can prepare like artichoke)
Peel, scrape or rough-brush to
remove fuzzy epidermis
Cut stalk into appropriate sized
pieces – eat raw or cook
© Project SOUND
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Cooking with Cirsium stems
Rub the raw shoots or roots
with lemon juice prior to cooking
to keep them from darkening
Steam or boil stems until just
tender
Use cooked Cirsium in:
http://www.foragingfoodie.net/stinging-nettle-quiche.html
Recipes calling for artichokes –
Quiche with Stinging nettles taste is similar
Recipes for dishes using
asparagus (quiche, etc.)
Traditional dishes that feature
thistles
© Project SOUND
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Thistles are a delicacy in Mediterranean
countries, particularly in Spain
Variety of traditional Spanish dishes made from
thistles, which grow well in Spain.
The Rioja region in the north of Spain is famous
for a number of dishes, including cardo con
almendras ‘thistle with almonds’ (traditionally
eaten during Christmas fiestas).
http://dietamediterraneasana.blogspot.com/2012/02/
berenjenas-rellenas-de-nueces-y-reto.html
Other regions of Spain have their own traditional
dishes:
Basque Country: conejo con cardo ‘rabbit with
thistle’
Aragón: cardo con nueces ‘thistle with walnuts’ and
cardo a la bechamel con piñones ‘thistle in bechamel
sauce with pine nuts’.
Galician coast with its great variety of seafood
http://andosillagastronomica.blogspot.com/2012/11/fotof
provides cardo con almejas ‘thistle with clams’
rafias-del-curso-de-cocina.html © Project SOUND
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Thistles in Almond Sauce -
cardo con almendras
Boil thistle pieces until tender; drain
and keep some of the cooking water.
In a frying pan heat olive oil, add
garlic and cook until golden. Add the
ground almonds and toast lightly,
stirring continuously.
http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/6391/thistles-in-almond-sauce
Thistles Add ¾ cup of the cooking water and let
2 garlic cloves simmer for a couple of minutes. Stir in
the boiled thistles and bubble to
Olive oil
thicken a bit.
Almond, finely ground
Almond flakes
Place in a baking dish. Finish with
chopped parsley, grated parmesan
parsley, chopped
cheese, almond flakes and freshly
parmesan cheese, grated
ground black pepper.
black peppercorns, freshly
ground Bake for 15-20 minutes at 350º
© Project SOUND
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Prickly-pear cuisine
Young pads: raw or cooked (nopales)
Seeds: parched and eaten or ground
into flour
Fruits: sweet & distinctive
Raw
Dried
http://www.ecnca.org/Plants/Photo_Pages/Opuntia_littoralis.htm Stewed/steamed
Made into jellies, juices & sauces
Care in handling Prickly-pear
http://www.newportbay.org/plants/pricklypearleaf.html#Leaf3 © Project SOUND
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Using Opuntia pads for cooked greens
Gather the young pads when
about half grown and before
the spines have hardened.
Remove any spines with heavy
knife, wash pad
Cut into narrow strips, boil
until tender
Serve with a tasty dressing or
just salt and pepper - or use as
you would a side of green beans
Cactus greens have always
been much appreciated by
desert dwellers whose craving
for green food it is not always
easy to satisfy.
© Project SOUND
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Nopalitos – yum!
Many traditional dishes: Spanish,
Native Southwestern and
Central/South America
Consider swapping Cirsium for
http://www.girlichef.com/2011/05/nopalitos-salad-cactus-paddle-salad.html
Nopalitos for a Mediterranean taste
Nopalitos salade with cilantro dressing
http://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/cactus_and_corn_salsa/
Nopalitos tacos Nopalitos and corn salsa
© Project SOUND
http://www.gourmetsleuth.com/Recipes/Mexican-Taco-Recipes-670/Nopalitos-Tacos-Tacos-de-Nopalitos-1149.aspx
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Canyon Pea - Lathyrus vestitus
Coasts & coastal ranges of
CA, from OR to Baja
Coastal sage scrub,
chaparral, oak woodland,
coniferous or mixed forest
Common and widespread
inhabitant of dry to
shaded places below 5000‘
Lathyrus: from the Greek
lathyros, an old name for
"pea", vestitus: covered,
clothed, usually with hairs
© Project SOUND
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Yes, you can have sweet peas in your CSS
garden!
Size:
2-8 ft long (usually 1-3);
spreading
Growth form:
Perennial vine with woody base
Climbing, sprawling with twining
green stems, with tendrils
Quick-growing (each year)
Foliage:
Gray-green leaves; slightly
hairy
Leaves compound; 10-12 large,
elongated opposite leaflets
Drought-deciduous
Larval food for Marine Blue
butterfly
http://www.coepark.org/wildflowers/white/lathyrus-vestitus.html
© Project SOUND
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Canyon Pea flowers are a joy to behold
Flowers:
Spring: usually April-June
Color:
usually light pink to white;
may be lavender;
San Diego variant (var. alefeldii ) is
magenta
Flowers look like wild sweetpeas (or
even slightly small horticultural
varieties)
Sweetly scented
Good for native pollinators: bees,
hummingbirds & butterflies
Seed pod:
pink-green & fuzzy, drying to brown
http://www.calflora.net/bloomingplants/canyonsweetpea.html Seeds of Pea family may be toxic if
http://www.calflora.net/bloomingplants/canyonsweetpea.html eaten
© Project SOUND
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Garden conditions
Soils:
Texture: any from sand to clay
pH: 5-8
Light:
Usually occurs in part shade near
oaks and other shrubs
Best in filtered sun or morning sun
Water:
Winter: moist soils; rapid growth in
winter/spring
Summer:
Fairly dry soils; fine with no summer
water
can be aggressive with regular
water; its growth should be
monitored so it doesn't escape into
http://www.calflora.net/favoritephotos/images/sandiegopea7.jpg
natural habitats.
Fertilizer: none needed; organic
San Diego Pea mulch is fine
Lathyrus vestitus var. alefeldii
© Project SOUND
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Use Canyon Pea like any
Sweetpea
In a fragrance garden
Climbing up fences, trellises or other
supports
On ‘natural’ hillsides
Great under oaks, Toyon, other
chaparral tree & shrubs
http://www.calflora.net/bloomingplants/canyonsweetpea.html
Probably even in large containers
Locate Canyon Pea where you can enjoy
its flowers & fragrance
http://www.redshift.com/~bigcreek/fire/fire5/index.html © Project SOUND
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Recipes calling for Nettles can be
adapted for Canyon Pea Greens
Soups
Sauces
Pesto
Etc.
http://abouquetfrommendel.wordpress.com/2012/02/04/getting-nettled/#more-208
http://honest-food.net/veggie-recipes/greens-and-herbs/nettle-pesto/
© Project SOUND
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1. Preheat the oven to 375° F
Creamed Greens Casserole 2. Melt the butter in the pot over medium
heat. Saute the onions and garlic until
they are soft and translucent. Add the
mushrooms and saute until they soften
and glisten, about 3 minutes. Sprinkle the
paprika over the vegetables and stir.
3. Add greens a few handfuls at a time,
stirring as you go. Once they have cooked
3 tablespoons unsalted butter down a bit, season with a little salt and
1 medium onion, minced pepper. Cover and continue cooking until
6 cloves garlic, minced the greens are tender, 20 to 30 minutes.
8 ounces (227 g) sliced mushrooms 4. Stir in the cream or half & half, and
1 teaspoon paprika, chili powder, or
bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, cook
Cajun seasoning
1 pound (454 g) fresh early greens, until thickened, about 5 minutes or so.
washed, trimmed, and chopped 5. Pour into baking dish and sprinkle with
sea salt, to taste grated cheese.
fresh ground black pepper, to taste 6. Bake 5 to 10 minutes, until the cheese
16 ounces (473 mil) heavy cream or
half & half
is bubbly. Remove from the oven and allow
4 ounces (113 g) sharp cheddar to cool for a few minutes serving. Serves
cheese, grated 6 to 8.
© Project SOUND
http://andreasrecipes.com/creamed-turnip-greens/
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You can save native greens for later
Wash, cut as usual
Blanch (cook partially) for 2-3
minutes
Boiling water
Steam
Microwave (shorter time)
http://www.theworldinmykitchen.com/2011/06/how-to-freeze-greens-spinach-kale-chard.html
Chill quickly in ice water/cold
water
Freeze in freezer bags
Best used within 3-6 months
http://foodwhirl.com/techniques/how-to-freeze-greens
© Project SOUND
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Fringed Willow Herb – Epilobium ciliatum ssp. ciliatum
http://minnesotaseasons.com/Plants/American_willowherb.html
© Project SOUND
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Fringed Willow-herb: A plant of many
names…
Epilobium adenocaulon, including var. ecomosum,
holosericeum, occidentale, parishii, perplexans;
Epilobium americanum;
Epilobium brevistylum, including var. ursinum;
Epilobium californicum including var. holosericeum;
Epilobium ciliatum var. ecomosum;
Epilobium delicatum;
Epilobium ecomosum;
Epilobium glandulosum var. adenocaulon, ecomosum,
macounii;
Epilobium leptocarpum var. macounii;
Epilobium ursinum;
Epilobium watsonii var. parishii
© Project SOUND
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Fringed Willow Herb – Epilobium ciliatum ssp. ciliatum
Ssp ciliatum widespread, both
as native and as an adventive
weed throughout North America
(including the Arctic), southern
South America, and eastern Asia
An introduced weed throughout
Europe and Australasia.
http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/cgi-bin/get_JM_treatment.pl?5263,5410,5417,5418
Fairly common member of many
CA plant communities
moist areas below 10,000‘
most of cismontane and montane
California
© Project SOUND
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Fringed Willow-herb: Epilobium characteristics
Size:
2-5 ft tall (moisture dependent)
1-3 ft wide
Growth form:
Herbaceous perennial
May be winter and/or drought
deciduous
Upright; many-branched
Foliage:
Medium green (red-tinged with
drought/age) ; largely smooth and
basal leaves
Leaves lance-shaped; deep veins
Young foliage edible as cooked
greens; older shoots dried for tea
http://biology.burke.washington.edu/herbarium/ima
gecollection.php?Genus=Epilobium&Species=ciliat http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Epilobium_ciliatum_0374.JPG © Project SOUND
um
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Flowers are tiny
Blooms:
During warm weather
Anytime from June to Oct. in
our area
Flowers:
White or pink
Very small; usually alone or in
small clusters
Most conspicuous feature:
inferior ovary (becomes the
seed pod)
Seeds:
Tiny; adundant
http://www.calflora.net/bloomingplants/willowherb.html
Have fluffy tuft – wind
distributed
© Project SOUND
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One man’s weed –
another man’s feed
Harvest fresh, young leaves in
spring (before flowering) – early
leaves best-tasting and are not
http://oregonstate.edu/dept/nursery-
weeds/feature_articles/willowherb/willowherb_control_page.htm
tough
Wash in cool water
The young shoots can be eaten
cooked or raw in salads
The pith can be used to thicken
soups and stews.
© Project SOUND
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Using cooked greens
Cooked greens are a part of
many ethnic traditions – try
them in your favorite greens
recipes
Use native cooked greens in
any recipe for cooked spinach
or greens:
Soups
Stews
Frittata
Dips
Etc, etc. etc.
© Project SOUND
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Ingredients
Tuna (or other fish) steak, sliced
Tuna with creamed ½ lb willow-herb leaves and young shoots,
lightly steamed
Willow-herb 1 onion, finely-chopped
generous pinch of ground cumin
butter or oil for frying
2 oz light cream
1 green chili, finely shredded
salt and black pepper, to taste
Blanch willow-herb by plunging in lightly-
http://www.jeffeatschicago.com/2011_09_01_archive.html salted boiling water for 6 minutes. Drain and
immediately chill in coldwater.
Add a little oil/butter to a pan; heat and add
the onion and chili. Fry until soft and
translucent then add the tuna and cumin and
fry for about two minutes.
Add the willow-herb and saute for 2 minutes
until cooked through. Add the cream, season
and stir to mix through. Serve with rice.
© Project SOUND
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Curried Willow- Ingredients
1/2 lb young willow-herb shoots
herb Shoots 3 tbsp butter
2 tbsp plain flour
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp paprika
1 tbsp curry powder
1 tsp freshly-grated ginger
12 oz. coconut milk
2 hard-boiled eggs, sliced
Bring 300ml of lightly-salted water to a boil, add the fireweed shoots and simmer
for 10 minutes, or until tender. Drain and set aside.
In the meantime, melt the butter in a pan, scatter the flour over the top and stir in
to form a roux. Add the garlic, salt, paprika, curry powder and ginger then fry for 2
minutes, stirring constantly. Now whisk in the coconut milk, until smooth.
Bring to a boil and cook until well thickened. Arrange the boiled fireweed on a
serving plate, pour over the curry sauce, garnish with the sliced eggs and serve.
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Curried Couscous 'n' Greens
Follow the directions for making couscous
on the box.
While boiling the water, add your green
peas, diced onion, curry powder, cumin, salt
and pepper along with a little bit of olive oil.
After the peas and onions are tender, add
the couscous. Remove from heat and let
Ingredients stand for 5-7 minutes.
Instant boxed couscous In a frying pan, add enough sesame oil to
1/2 Onion (diced) coat the pan, heat and add the garlic.
Green peas Once the garlic is slightly browned, add the
Fresh Greens greens (chopped into smaller pieces) to the
Curry powder mix and cook until bright green and slightly
Salt & pepper limp.
Cumin Now, add the cooked greens/garlic mix to
Fresh garlic (finely your couscous. Fluff the mix lightly, serve
minced) warm.
Sesame oil
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Plant Requirements Soils:
Texture: any
pH: any local
Light:
Full sun to part shade
Water:
Winter: likes plenty –
tolerates some flooding
Summer: best with occasional
water – Zone 2 or 2-3
Fertilizer: none; likes poor soils
Other: really re-seeds in moist
places – pull up unwanted plants
when young
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Epilobium_ciliatum_0374.JPG
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Fine in the right places
Wet places like rain gardens, bog
gardens, etc.
In pots for edible uses
You may have it already
http://biology.burke.washington.edu/herbarium/imagecollection.php?G
enus=Epilobium&Species=ciliatum
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Perhaps you’d like to try some more
robust native greens
http://blog.breakawaytrainingonline.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/kale.jpg
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California Marshlavender – Limonium californicum
Occurs in CA, NV, AZ and N. Mexico
In CA along the immediate coast
Commonly occurs near the edge of salt
marshes, rocky shorelines, and in the spray
zone along the California Coast
http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/cgi-bin/get_JM_treatment.pl?5645,5648,5650
http://jaysullivan.org/limonc5.htm © Project SOUND
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The genus Limonium About 120-150 species world-wide;
N. America has only 3 natives
Many are local endemics with very
restricted range
In Plumbago/leadwort family,
(Plumbaginaceae)
Common names: Sea-lavender
Statice, Marsh-rosemary.
Normally herbaceous perennials
from a rhizome
Many species flourish in saline
soils, and are therefore common
near coasts and in saltmarshes,
and also on saline, gypsum and
alkaline soils in continental
interiors
Several species are popular garden
flowers; they are generally known
to gardeners as statices.
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Characteristics of Marsh Lavender
Size:
1-2 ft tall & wide; flowering stalks
somewhat taller
Growth form:
Herbaceous perennial
Drought-deciduous; ?evergreen
with water
Slow-growing (at least in my yard)
Foliage:
Leaves fleshy, oblong
Mostly in basal rosette
Roots: ??
http://www.calflora.net/bloomingplants/sealavender.html
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Flowers are showy – but not as showy as Statice
Blooms: Aug-Dec. along S. Ca coast
Flowers:
Like a refined Statice
Sprays of tiny blue and white
flowers
Good cut flowers
Good nectar source for Fall-flying
http://www.newportbay.org/plants/marshrosemary.html
butterflies
Seeds:
Birds eat them
Vegetative reproduction: slowly
spreading – makes ‘pups’
http://nathistoc.bio.uci.edu/Plants%20of%20Upper%20Newport%20Bay
%20(Robert%20De%20Ruff)/Plumbaginaceae/Limonium_californicum_ © Project SOUND
July2.jpg
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Marsh Lavender Small size and scale
in the garden Flowers would be a nice
addition in fall
Soils: sandy
Sun: full sun to light shade
Water:
Likes water; Zone 2-3,
possibly 3
Tolerates even brackish
water
High salt tolerance
Edible leaves, and attracts
Said to be good as a ground pollinators - ?? Around
cover & soil stabilizer vegetable garden
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Eating leaves/shoots of native wetland plants
Use only plants from your own garden
– you know what they are and how
they’ve been treated
Pick leaves and shoots when they are
young – usually early spring in our
area
Know whether the plant contains
oxalic acid or tannins – you’ll need to
http://calphotos.berkeley.edu/imgs/512x768/0000_0000/0212/0963.jpeg
cook (best in several changes of
water; until not bitter tasting)
Use recipes that specify
robust/pungent greens - escarole,
curly endive, mustard greens, spinach,
kale, wild greens, dandelion greens or
broccoli rabe
© Project SOUND
http://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/ingredient/greens/
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Willow Dock – Rumex salicifolia var. salicifolia
© 2002 Margo Bors
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Docks/Sorrels – Genus Rumex
~ 200 herbaceous species in the
buckwheat family (Polygonaceae).
Very common in acidic soils mainly
in the northern hemisphere - but
introduced almost everywhere.
Many are nuisance weeds (like
Curley Dock)
Some (including the non-native
Common Sorrel, Rumex acetosa) as
well as native species have edible
leaves and are used in soups and
salads.
Most of them contain oxalic acid
and tannin. They should therefore
© 2008 Keir Morse
be cooked in several changes of
water and eaten in small
Willow Dock – Rumex salicifolius quantities.
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Canaigre Dock – Rumex hymenosepalus
http://www.wildflower.org/gallery/result.php?id_image=6407
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Canaigre Dock – Rumex hymenosepalus
AKA: Tanner’s Dock
Native to Western U.S. from
Wyoming to Texas, Baja
http://www.bonap.org/BONAPmaps2010/Rumex.html
In S. CA from our area to the
Mojave Desert – locally in Palos
Verdes, San Gabriels, Coastal
Prairie
Generally in dry sandy places below
5000'
coastal sage scrub, valley grassland,
chaparral,
joshua tree woodland, creosote
bush scrub
http://www.fws.gov/southwest/refuges/newmex/sanandres/Photoshop_gallery/pla
nts/pages/Wild%20Rhubarb%20-%20Rumex%20hymenosepalus.htm
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A robust perennial
Size:
1-3 ft tall; flowering stalks 2-3 ft
3-5+ ft wide, spreading
Growth form:
Cold/drought deciduous perennial
– dies back to ground in fall or
summer
Basal rosette of large, succulent
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Rumex_hymenosepalus
leaves – like rhubarb
Foliage:
Robust
Blue-green to pale green
Leaves have straight edges – not
curly like Curley Dock
Roots: rhizomes; tuber-like (like
dahlia)
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Flowers & pods brighten the landscape
Blooms:
Spring - usually April-June
in S. CA
Flowers:
Flowing stalks above the
http://tcf.bh.cornell.edu/imgs/lkelly/r/Polygon
aceae_Rumex_hymenosepalus_14879.html
leaves
Tiny greenish/yellow flowers;
replaced by showy
pink/red/brown seed pods
Probably the showiest of the
native Docks
Seeds:
Eaten by birds and humans
Vegetative reproduction: from
rhizomes
© Project SOUND
http://www.fireflyforest.com/flowers/2283/rumex-hymenosepalus-canaigre-dock/
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Soils:
Plant Requirements Texture: often heavy soils in
nature; probably any
pH: any local including alkali
Light:
Full sun to part-shade
Water:
Winter: tolerates flooding;
likes plenty of winter water
Summer: likes moderately dry
– Water Zone 2 – give one
watering in late summer
Fertilizer: likes some organics;
use a leaf mulch
Other: does spread – just dig
out unwanted plants
http://www.fireflyforest.com/flowers/2283/rumex-hymenosepalus-canaigre-dock/
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Canaigre in the garden
Interesting container plant
In seasonally wet areas
Rain garden
Bog garden
Along seasonal ‘streams’
http://www.fireflyforest.com/flowers/2283/rumex-hymenosepalus-canaigre-dock/ In dye garden or vegetable garden
– has been extensively cultivated
http://www.rshantz.com/Plants/Wild/General/20050402Wild08.htm http://www.swsbm.com/Images/New2005/New2005.html SOUND
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A most useful plant
The tuber is used for
tanning, dyeing and curative
purposes. For tanning hides,
the dry roots are crushed
and placed in a vat with
water and the leather is
soaked therein for a long
time. The resultant color is a
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2012/01/22/1057254/-Native-Farming-for-Restoring-
Sacred-Land-Direct-Action
Medicinal and other uses
brownish red.
The seeds can be roasted,
ground and made into flat
A powder made from the dried cakes.
roots can be used to heal skin
sores Roots can be chewed for
relief from colds, coughs,
sore throats, and sore gums.
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