edible flowers Archives - The Cargo Cult Café

Golden Alexanders: Edible, Medicinal & Cautions

April 15, 2016 by Mike Leave a Comment

Golden Alexanders, Zizia aurea, is a golden flower of May and June. This plant is potentially toxic and eating the roots has caused vomiting and other adverse reactions. Be careful with members of the parsley family. Both the flowers and stalk are edible, the flowers can be prepared like broccoli. It has been used medicinally by both American Indians and in western herbal medicine. Golden Alexander or Zizia was used for headaches, fever, hysteria, epilepsy, chorea, leucorrhea, backaches and increasing sexual drive in men.

Keep your eyes and ears open and your powder dry.

Golden Alexanders Sources:

Audubon Guides Box Set – Birds, Tree, Wildflowers & Mammals. Computer Software.Green Mountain Digital. Version: 2.3. Web. Jul 10, 2014.

Boericke, William, Materia Medica, 1901.

Deane, Green. Edible Flowers: Part Sixteen. Eat the Weeds. Web

Foster, Steven and James A. Duke. The Peterson Field Guide Series; A Field Guide to Medicinal Plants and Herbs of Eastern and Central North America. 2nd. ed. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 2000. Print. pg. 125-126

Moerman Daniel E., Native American Ethnobotany, Portland: Timber Press. 1998. Print. pg. 614

Newcomb, Lawrence. Newcomb’s Wildflower Guide. Boston: Little, Brown and Company, 1977. Print. pg. 226-227

United States Department of Agriculture. Natural Resources Conservation Services. Web.

Common Winter Cress: Edible, Medicinal & Cautions

March 9, 2016 by Mike Leave a Comment

Common Winter Cress, Barbarea vulgaris, a plant that is in many wild edible field guides but your chances of finding it before it becomes too bitter is very slim, trust me it has a very strong taste. Medicinally, it was used as a blood medicine, cough medicine, stimulant, astringent and diuretic.

Keep your eyes and ears open and your powder dry

Common Winter Cress Sources:

Audubon Guides Box Set – Birds, Tree, Wildflowers & Mammals. Computer Software.Green Mountain Digital. Version: 2.3. Web. Jul 10, 2014.

Brill, Steve. Wild Edibles Plus. Computer Software. WinterRoot LLC. Version 1.5. 2012. Web. Feb. 15, 2014.

Felter, Harvey Wickes, M.D., and John Uri Lloyd, Phr. M., Ph. D. King’s American Dispensatory, Vol. 1. Cincinnati: The Ohio Valley Company, 1905. pg. 431-434

Fernald, Merritt Lyndon & Alfred Charles Kinsey. Edible Wild Plants of Eastern North America. New York: Dover Publications, Inc. 1996. Print. pg. 219

Hamel, Paul B. and Mary U. Chiltoskey. Cherokee Plants and Their Uses- A 400 Year History. North Carolina: Herald Publishing. 1975. Print. pg. 31

Moerman Daniel E., Native American Ethnobotany, Portland: Timber Press. 1998. Print. pg. 121

Newcomb, Lawrence. Newcomb’s Wildflower Guide. Boston: Little, Brown and Company, 1977. Print. pg. 144-145

Peterson, Lee Allen. The Peterson Field Guide Series; A Field Guide to Edible Wild Plants; Eastern and Central North America. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1977. Print. pg. 64-65

United States Department of Agriculture. Natural Resources Conservation Services. Web.

Purple Dead Nettle: Edible & Medicinal

February 3, 2016 by Mike Leave a Comment

Purple Dead Nettle, Lamium purpureum, this member of the mint family resembles a small nettle plant and has hairs but they do not sting like stinging or wood nettles thus the nettles are dead or inactive. Dead Nettles are edible and contain vitamins, iron and fiber. The leaves can be eaten raw in early spring, afterwards they can be boiled or cooked as potherb. Medicinally, it was used for any kind of hemorrhage.

Keep your eyes and ears open and your powder dry!

Purple Dead Nettle

Audubon Guides Box Set – Birds, Tree, Wildflowers & Mammals. Computer Software.Green Mountain Digital. Version: 2.3. Web. Jul 10, 2014.

Culpeper, M.D., Nicholas. Culpeper Color Herbal. Ed. David Potterton. New York: Sterling Publishing Co., Inc., 1983. Print. pg. 17

Fernald, Merritt Lyndon & Alfred Charles Kinsey. Edible Wild Plants of Eastern North America. New York: Dover Publications, Inc. 1996. Print. pg. 330

Newcomb, Lawrence. Newcomb’s Wildflower Guide. Boston: Little, Brown and Company, 1977. Print. pg. 86-87

United States Department of Agriculture. Natural Resources Conservation Services. Web.

Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia. Web.

Softstem Bulrush: Edible, Medicinal & Other Uses

June 24, 2015 by Mike Leave a Comment

Planning on building a primitive living structure in the woods while you’re hungry? Then you may want to know Softstem Bulrush, Scirpus validus or Schoenoplectus tabernaemontani, this ornamental grass could save your life!

Softstem Bulrush Sources:

Hamel, Paul B. and Mary U. Chiltoskey. Cherokee Plants and Their Uses- A 400 Year History. North Carolina: Herald Publishing. 1975. Print. pg. 27

Herrick, James William. Iroquois Medical Botany. Ph.D. Thesis, New York: State University of New York, Albany 1977. Print. pg. 93, 242

Moerman Daniel E., Native American Ethnobotany, Portland: Timber Press. 1998. Print. pg. 523-524

Peterson, Lee Allen. The Peterson Field Guide Series; A Field Guide to Edible Wild Plants; Eastern and Central North America. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1977. Print. pg. 230-231

United States Department of Agriculture. Natural Resources Conservation Services. Web.

Dame’s Rocket: Edible & Other Uses

May 29, 2015 by Mike Leave a Comment

Dame’s Rocket, Hesperis matronalis, is a beautiful and edible wild flower brought over from Europe and escaped from gardens and cultivated beds. You can nibble on the seeds and sprouts and use it as perfume.

Dame’s Rocket Sources:

Audubon Guides Box Set – Birds, Tree, Wildflowers & Mammals. Computer Software.Green Mountain Digital. Version: 2.3. Web. Jul 10, 2014.

Culpeper, M.D., Nicholas. Culpeper Color Herbal. Ed. David Potterton. New York: Sterling Publishing Co., Inc., 1983. Print. pg. 69

Hamel, Paul B. and Mary U. Chiltoskey. Cherokee Plants and Their Uses- A 400 Year History. North Carolina: Herald Publishing. 1975. Print. pg. 51

Newcomb, Lawrence. Newcomb’s Wildflower Guide. Boston: Little, Brown and Company, 1977. Print. pg. 138-139

United States Department of Agriculture. Natural Resources Conservation Services. Web.

Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia. Web.

Common Blue Violet: Edible, Medicinal, Cautions & Other Uses

April 27, 2015 by Mike Leave a Comment

Common Blue Violet, Viola papilionacea or V. sororia, is both edible and medicinal and has even been used as an insecticide. The flowers and leaves are both edible and rich in vitamin’s A and C. Medicinally, it has been used for dysentery, blood, colds, coughs, headaches and as a spring tonic.

Common Blue Violet Sources:

Audubon Guides Box Set – Birds, Tree, Wildflowers & Mammals. Computer Software.Green Mountain Digital. Version: 2.3. Web. Jul 10, 2014.

Brill, Steve. Wild Edibles Plus. Computer Software. WinterRoot LLC. Version 1.5. 2012. Web. Feb. 15, 2014.

Hamel, Paul B. and Mary U. Chiltoskey. Cherokee Plants and Their Uses- A 400 Year History. North Carolina: Herald Publishing. 1975. Print. pg. 60

Moerman Daniel E., Native American Ethnobotany, Portland: Timber Press. 1998. Print. pg. 597

Newcomb, Lawrence. Newcomb’s Wildflower Guide. Boston: Little, Brown and Company, 1977. Print. pg. 30-31

Peterson, Lee Allen. The Peterson Field Guide Series; A Field Guide to Edible Wild Plants; Eastern and Central North America. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1977. Print. pg. 132-133, pl. 2

United States Department of Agriculture. Natural Resources Conservation Services. Web.