Wednesday, August 23, 2023

Wild & Weedy Wednesday: Edible weeds

I'm joining Cathy of Words and Herbs for her 'Wild and Weedy Wednesday' meme again this week.  I've got three plants that are bona fide weeds in my garden, two of which are edible and one which definitely is not.

The first edible weed is mint (Mentha sp.), possibly spearmint.  It came with the garden.  I noticed it blanketing one of the raised planters in what's now my cutting garden during our pre-purchase home inspection.  As I recall, I asked the seller about it and he commented something to the effect that it'd done so well there, he'd planted more.  The first thing I did in the garden once we moved in twelve years ago was to go to work removing the mint, or trying to anyway.  I worked on it off and on for a good month.  Over the years, it popped up now and then in the bed but I haven't seen it show up there for two to three years; however, I think it must be embedded in the wood of the raised planter itself or directly underneath its base because it's continued to appear around the planter's base on one side.

The wood of the raised planter is almost completely hidden behind the mint growing up its side.  I pulled most of it up in June but it's made a comeback.  Although (if you ignore the unusual tropical storm we experienced last weekend) this is our dry season, the raised planters are well watered to support the dahlias and zinnias growing there, which of course keeps the mint growing.

The mint isn't growing just along the raised planter but also within the small succulent bed at its base and between the gravel.  Thankfully, to date it hasn't managed to crawl under the concrete brick pathway to the bed on the other side.

 

The second edible weed may be less widely known, although ornamental varieties are often found in garden centers.  It's botanical name is Portulaca oleracea, commonly known as purslane.  Other names for it are pigweed and little hogweed.  It's said to be a good source of minerals and Omega-3 fatty acids, which can protect people from cardiovascular disease and cancer, among other things.

Portulaca is an annual, popping up in the summer months.  After I pulled several Aeoniums scorched by intense sun and heat exposure, I noticed it in this spot earlier this month.  I'd already pulled out tiny plantlets spread throughout one of my raised planters but, with nothing I wanted to plant in the bare spot here at summer's height, I decided to leave it alone for the time being.

Here it is 3 weeks later

The closeup on the left suggests it's preparing to bloom.  The photo on the right shows that it's seeded itself in the gravel too.  Luckily, it's one of the easiest weeds to pull out.  I tasted it.  It has a slightly crunchy consistency.  Sources online suggest using it as you would use spinach or watercress.

 

The last plant is Helichrysum petiolare, commonly known as licorice plant because the foliage smells faintly of licorice.  It has soft felt-like grayish leaves and, like Portulaca, it's often sold in local garden centers, albeit most frequently in the form of one of its fancier cultivars.  It's classified as a weed in the San Francisco Bay area but it's not generally regarded as such by the State of California.  In my own garden, it shows up periodically in the driest areas, sometimes inconveniently wedged between succulents.  It's useful as a low, trailing groundcover in dry areas.  It shouldn't be confused with the plant used to make licorice candy.  It's considered toxic to humans and animals, although it's reportedly been used for medicinal purposes in some cultures.

The patch shown here is situated at the rear of my back border next to the dirt path used only by the gardeners, coyotes and me.  I occasionally use the foliage in flower arrangements

 

For more wild plants - and weeds - visit Cathy at Words and Herbs.



All material © 2012-2023 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party

16 comments:

  1. Purslane is a nuisance in my garden, try as I might, I cannot eradicate it. I have mint in our field, far from the garden, but maybe in 50 years, it'll get there. However, I won't be around to worry about it. ;) Eliza

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    1. As the saying goes, time heals all wounds, Eliza! Purslane is persistent here too but, by comparison to my nemesis, spotted spurge, at least it's easier to pull up.

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  2. The line between "weed" and "useful" is often blurry. The Helichrysum is very pretty and it looks like you control it well.

    The heat and the rain are bringing out spotted spurge (Euphorbia maculata). A small price to pay for rain!

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    1. I'd been slowly working on the spotted spurge before the storm, almost eradicating it from the cutting garden area if not elsewhere, prior to the storm. Now it's back everywhere - ugh!

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  3. I quite like the silvery Helichrysum Kris. Although I probably would not like the smell I would certainly give this some space. Portulac is a winter type of salad leaf here and I think it may be related to yours. And the first 'weed' is a nerb I know well! Mine is in my Herb Bed which is extremely hot and dry in summer, and exposed in winter and that - along with a bit of weeding - is what keeps it from spreading. Hope you can keep yours in check!
    Thanks for linking in to my post today!

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    1. It's widely recommended to plant mint in pots here rather than putting it into the ground as our mild winters do nothing whatsoever to control its rampant growth, Cathy. Apparently, the prior owner had never received that advice! The Portulaca is manageable and I think I currently have that Helichrysum under control but we'll see if it mounts a comeback in other areas after our unexpected summer rainfall.

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  4. I feel your pain. Purslane is hard to get rid of here. I've been afraid to plant mint although I keep seeing butterflies like it.

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    1. Mint is best planted in pots here, where it's less likely to get out of control. Our winter weather is too mild to set back its growth.

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  5. Yum. Now you have me hungry, and I just ate supper. ;-) I love all of these plants. We have them here, too, in gardens in the area. The Helichrysum is used as an annual, since it's not hardy through our winter. Fun plants. :)

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    1. The Helichrysum is most abundant in the summer here but it hangs in year-round if not deliberately pulled up, only to seed itself again if it is. Our winter temperatures do little to nothing in controlling weeds.

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  6. Mint is so lovely to have available to pick but such a dreadful thug. I knew from my former garden not to plant any in this garden except for a pot each summer.

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    1. I regret to this day that the prior owner of this property never received that advice about mint, Linda ;)

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  7. Portulaca shows up here and there, mint intentionally planted (and carefully managed) in my garden. At the time of the apocalypse I'll be able to make a salad and survive :-D
    Helichrysum petiolare is quite lovely; if it grows in the driest areas and isn't too invasive, does it get to stay?
    Chavli

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    1. I've left the Helichrysum where it is at the back of the border, although I try to weed it out when it shows up crammed between the succulents. Nothing should try to upstage my agaves!

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  8. Ah mint, a love hate relationship type of plant. I grow lots of it but not all of them are hardy here. However, ginger mint (listed as zone 5) apparently didn't read it's tag and is now spreading all through our front garden and beneath an apple tree. It does provide a lovely scent when picking apples though.

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    1. I'm guessing that your colder winters help to keep mint (other than ginger mint I gather) from spreading all over the place, Elaine. Our winter temperatures provide no assistance whatsoever in that regard, which is why it's generally recommended to plant it in pots. I do love the fresh scent of mint and would plant more of it were it better behaved ;)

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