I have really enjoyed learning about wild edible plants for the past two years and while it was difficult at first to find identification and find resources for the plants I was looking at, it has been exciting to learn how much is available in nature. I need to stay. I am often amazed at the amount of wild edibles available even in the Utah desert where I live. Not only are there many wild edibles, but many of them are quite tasty. With spring just around the corner, I’m thinking again and looking forward to looking for some food and a better diet. I bet you didn’t think eating wild edible vegetables could actually improve your diet!
That is one of the things I found when I started this journey. What most people don’t realize when it comes to wild edibles is that these plants we call wild greens and weeds were once grown. Many of my favorite wild plants were brought to the US as a vegetable and some are still grown here as a vegetable. These wild greens are often much more nutritious for you than what you can find in stores. An example is the famous Lamb’s Quarter or Wild Spinach. It’s known by many names, but the truth is simply that the plant we all call Lamb’s Quarter is a spinach brought to the US by early immigrants and has been strong enough to spread easily, which is why we now have it. in all the country. Now it grows “wild” even though it is not a native plant. this is very often the case.
Spring brings one of my favorites which is a mustard plant. I love blue mustard and wish I could keep it growing year round, but it just doesn’t like hot, dry weather, so here in Utah we have it in abundance in early spring, sometimes as early as February. It is a delicious green with a radish flavor and a mild spicy flavor. I like it on sandwiches and salads and it even makes a great cooked green. It can be added to any recipe in place of spinach, as can many vegetables. This is the plant that offers you a beautiful view when the little lavender flowers appear. It will often cover entire fields before farmers plant their crops. Blue mustard also has a fairly pungent smell that some find unpleasant. Personally, it brings back memories of rolling green hills that I played on as a child. I didn’t know what the smell was at the time and I didn’t know why the soft green plant didn’t stay all summer for me to roll, but now that I recognize the plant, the smell brings me nothing but joy.
