I was fortunate enough to recently participate in an edible and medicinal plant nature walk with the staff naturalist at Mohonk Mountain House in New Paltz NY. We didn’t have to walk that far, and in fact every few feet, the naturalist was pointing out another edible or medicinal plant. Any other day, I might have just walked past these plants, enjoying the greenery, the variety of plant shapes, and the delicate flowers here and there, oblivious to their food and medicinal uses, and toxic properties too.
Here’s what we saw on our short walk.
Plantains – I never knew about this important plant – no not the yellow fruit that is fried and part of many Latin cuisines - this is an entirely different vital wild edible good for overall health. It can be used to treat chronic diarrhea as well as digestive tract disorders. Fresh ground up leaves can be applied to the skin to treat minor burns, insect bites, or open wounds.
Sweet Fern – Can be dried and used as a tea for soothing your belly, headache, fevers, and even ringworm. The plant also helps keeps insects away.
Jack in the Pulpit is a powerful astringent. A medicinal poultice of the root can be used for headache and various skin diseases.
Burdock – This was the first time I’ve ever been shown burdock growing in the ground. I sometimes, but rarely see the root in the health food store or farmers market in the fall and it is for sure on my list to try. The root can be roasted, stir-fried, or peeled and sliced to eat raw in a salad. The leaves are edible as well, and can be used in place of spinach or other leafy greens. Among the many burdock plant uses is the treatment of scalp and skin problems. It is also known to be a liver treatment and stimulates the digestive system. It is a detoxifying herb and diuretic.
White Snakeroot is one you do not want to consume as it contains a toxin tremetol, which can be poisonous if consumed directly or second-hand. This plant can poison animals who graze on white snakeroot, and it human’s eat their meet or drink their milk, can also be poisoned. It is reported that Abraham Lincoln’s mother diet of “milk sickness” after injecting contaminated milk from a cow that had grazed on while snakeroot. Stay away!
Coltsfoot (naturalist is standing in it) has traditionally been used as a food source, a sweetener, and in herbal medicine for the treatment of respiratory tract, skin, viral infections, colds, fever, rheumatism, and gout. However, coltsfoot does contain a toxin, which can harm the liver. Manufacturers of coltsfoot for medicinal purposes have found ways to remove the toxin. Buyer beware!
Solomon’s Seal – can be usedto treat lung disorders, reduce swelling and inflammation, and as an astringent. Some people apply Solomon’s seal directly to the skin for bruises, ulcers, or boils on the fingers, hemorrhoids, skin redness, and water retention. You can buy a tincture or tea. The root is delicious to eat.
White Baneberry – Both the berries and the entire plant are considered poisonous to humans.
Black Cohosh – Many women know about this as it helps with PMS, can help reduce the frequency of hot flashes, and can help the induction of labor. It can also help with migraine headache, osteoarthritis, and pain associated with rheumatoid arthritis. There are some warnings with this herb, and it should not be taken when pregnant.
Queens Anne’s Lace– We see Queen Anne’s lace on the side of highways and the country roads. The flower head, leaves, and the root are all edible. The root smells like carrots because it is the wild ancestor of all cultivated carrots. Be careful not to confuse this plant with other poisonous look-alikes, such as poison hemlock.
Mulberry Tree – The fruit from the tree can be found in tarts, jams, wines, and teas. But be careful as the unripe berries and the white sap from the tree are toxic and can cause hallucinations and stomach upset.
Thistle - While there are many varieties of thistle, milk thistle is used medicinally for liver and gallbladder health.
May Apple – is the last plant we saw on our nature walk and again, the fruit is edible, but only when ripe, and I wouldn’t eat it off the tree. The unripen fruit and the seeds and rind are poisonous! The resin of may apple, which is obtained from the root, is used in the treatment of warts.
While the walk was educational, the best part was being together with my sister. Love you Kath!