Wood sorrel
A tangy wild food that gives us a rare flavour to add to our food!
Common in deciduous woodland, usually growing on old tree stumps. Very easy to identify due to its heart shaped leaves, coming in groups of three. Other features that enable you to identify this plant are, it's reddish stalk and white flowers with pink 'veins'. Found between April-May
Common in deciduous woodland, usually growing on old tree stumps. Very easy to identify due to its heart shaped leaves, coming in groups of three. Other features that enable you to identify this plant are, it's reddish stalk and white flowers with pink 'veins'. Found between April-May
Velvet shank
Flammulina velutipes or velvet shank is a mushroom that can be eaten.
common on dead wood in deciduous woodland and found in clusters, this mushroom can be identified by its sticky orange cap that gets paler towards the rim, white or pale cream gills and a pale cream or yellow stem getting darker towards the bottom. Found between September-January
common on dead wood in deciduous woodland and found in clusters, this mushroom can be identified by its sticky orange cap that gets paler towards the rim, white or pale cream gills and a pale cream or yellow stem getting darker towards the bottom. Found between September-January
Elderberries
The ease of gathering makes this fruit a must when your foraging.
Common in woods and hedgerows, this shrub grows up to 10 metres tall with a corky bark, leaves in groups of five and bows of drooping black berries. Found between August-october
Used on its own as a fruit or to make preserves or add to a pie!
Common in woods and hedgerows, this shrub grows up to 10 metres tall with a corky bark, leaves in groups of five and bows of drooping black berries. Found between August-october
Used on its own as a fruit or to make preserves or add to a pie!
Blackberries
Lets face it if you dont know this one, you need to brush up on your wild foods to say the least!
Widespread abundant in woodlands and hedges a prickly shrub with white or pinkish petals, fruiting between August-October
You can use blackberries in fruit salads, to make jams and even use as a filling for a delicious pie. whats not to like?
Widespread abundant in woodlands and hedges a prickly shrub with white or pinkish petals, fruiting between August-October
You can use blackberries in fruit salads, to make jams and even use as a filling for a delicious pie. whats not to like?
Rosehips
A strange looking yet, great tasting fruit!
Found in hedgerows, rough grassy areas with thorny stems and toothed leaves and pink or white flowers. Found between June-July
It can be used in fruit salads, to make syrup and a very nice tea. However, be sure to remove the seeds inside the fruit, as the hairs irritate your gut.
Found in hedgerows, rough grassy areas with thorny stems and toothed leaves and pink or white flowers. Found between June-July
It can be used in fruit salads, to make syrup and a very nice tea. However, be sure to remove the seeds inside the fruit, as the hairs irritate your gut.
Dead nettles
There are three different types of dead nettles White, Red and Henbit but they are all very similar so i will just go over the plant in general.
Looking incredibly like a stinging nettle with a square hairy stem and triangular/heart shaped toothed leaves this plant is also a valuable edible, flowers vary from white to pink and purple. Found from March-october
A good addition to salads but best used when cooking fish with a bit of butter!
Looking incredibly like a stinging nettle with a square hairy stem and triangular/heart shaped toothed leaves this plant is also a valuable edible, flowers vary from white to pink and purple. Found from March-october
A good addition to salads but best used when cooking fish with a bit of butter!
Ground ivy
A great substitute for mint with numerous medicinal benefits also.
A ground creeping plant with distinctive heart shaped toothed leaves attached to a square stem. Found between March-June
A great ingredient for meat dishes and in use as salads. cook with any meat especially lamb to add nice flavour to your dish.
A ground creeping plant with distinctive heart shaped toothed leaves attached to a square stem. Found between March-June
A great ingredient for meat dishes and in use as salads. cook with any meat especially lamb to add nice flavour to your dish.
The common stinging nettle
Often known for its nasty stings this plant is actually incredibly useful and a great wild edible.
Found in woodland, waste ground and towns this abundant plant is identified by its green ,heart shaped, toothed leaves and its stem covered in fine stinging hairs. Full of vitamins and one of the only plants to have 40% protein. Found between March-september
Great used in salads or made into a nice warming soup!
Found in woodland, waste ground and towns this abundant plant is identified by its green ,heart shaped, toothed leaves and its stem covered in fine stinging hairs. Full of vitamins and one of the only plants to have 40% protein. Found between March-september
Great used in salads or made into a nice warming soup!
Hawthorn leaves and flowers
In early spring the young leaves and flowers of the hawthorn tree make a nice little trail snack.
Found in woodlands and hedges and and very common across europe. the main features of this plant are the glossy green deeply lobed leaves and white flowers not to mention the aggressive spines, Found between April-June.
Great as a trail snack or a nice addition to a salad!
Found in woodlands and hedges and and very common across europe. the main features of this plant are the glossy green deeply lobed leaves and white flowers not to mention the aggressive spines, Found between April-June.
Great as a trail snack or a nice addition to a salad!
Garlic mustard
This plant tastes exactly as its name suggests, more of a subtle garlic flavour than Ramsons but still enough to add a great flavour to any dish.
commonly found in hedgerows and woodlands this very common plant has fresh, green slightly toothed leaves and small white flowers. Found between April-June
Perfect for use in salads and to accompany a meat dish!
commonly found in hedgerows and woodlands this very common plant has fresh, green slightly toothed leaves and small white flowers. Found between April-June
Perfect for use in salads and to accompany a meat dish!
Pignut
A rare form of carbohydrates in the woods this plant is a must in the search for staple foods.
Found on well drained soils, grassland and woodland a delicate plant 20 to 80 cm high with whispy, narrow leaves and a white head of flowers. Found between May-July.
Eaten raw or added to a good old woodland stew.
Found on well drained soils, grassland and woodland a delicate plant 20 to 80 cm high with whispy, narrow leaves and a white head of flowers. Found between May-July.
Eaten raw or added to a good old woodland stew.
Wild garlic
Also known as ramsons these are one of the most easily identifiable wild foods in the uk however, they pack a seriously garlicy punch.
Found in damp woodland and hedgerows, they are common throughout most of europe growing up to 50cm high, often carpeting large areas, large, spear shaped leaves with white flowers and the obvious smell of garlic. Found between the months of April-June.
Great in salads or made into sauces such as garlic mayonnaise.
Found in damp woodland and hedgerows, they are common throughout most of europe growing up to 50cm high, often carpeting large areas, large, spear shaped leaves with white flowers and the obvious smell of garlic. Found between the months of April-June.
Great in salads or made into sauces such as garlic mayonnaise.
Wild cherry
Either sweet or bitter depending on the tree the wild cherry is a great food if you can find a good tree!
Widespread and very frequent in woodland you can find these fruit between May and April, although you may end up climbing a tree to get to them as they can grow to 30m high. Reddish brown bark with oval shaped, toothed alternate leaves. Distinctive flowers with five petals!
They can also be used to make a nice little woodland spirit, cherry brandy!
Widespread and very frequent in woodland you can find these fruit between May and April, although you may end up climbing a tree to get to them as they can grow to 30m high. Reddish brown bark with oval shaped, toothed alternate leaves. Distinctive flowers with five petals!
They can also be used to make a nice little woodland spirit, cherry brandy!
Wild strawberrys
These tasty little treats are far smaller than the strawberrys you buy from the shops however they are far sweeter and tastier.
They are identified by their five petaled white flower and leaves in groups of three shiny on top and silky grey on bottom and obviously when in fruit their berry, they are found on heathland and open woodland between June and September
They can be made into jam or put in fruit pies and so on!
They are identified by their five petaled white flower and leaves in groups of three shiny on top and silky grey on bottom and obviously when in fruit their berry, they are found on heathland and open woodland between June and September
They can be made into jam or put in fruit pies and so on!
When the sap flows!
During early spring an incredible event takes place for just a few weeks in March.
The sap in the tree of the silver brich starts to rise from the roots and gives the leaves the final burst of energy they need to spring to life however, this is a very useful resource that we cn make full use of.
All it takes is a bottle, your knife and a small twig shaped into a tap for the sap to flow down. Take your blade at an angle with the point touchiing the bark and hit the butt of the blade with your hand cutting into the tree. Drive the small tap you created into this slit and place your bottle underneath then leave for the sap to collect.
There are many uses for the sap, to drink as a boost of vitamins and sugars and clean fresh water or boiled down into syrup or even made into wine!
The sap in the tree of the silver brich starts to rise from the roots and gives the leaves the final burst of energy they need to spring to life however, this is a very useful resource that we cn make full use of.
All it takes is a bottle, your knife and a small twig shaped into a tap for the sap to flow down. Take your blade at an angle with the point touchiing the bark and hit the butt of the blade with your hand cutting into the tree. Drive the small tap you created into this slit and place your bottle underneath then leave for the sap to collect.
There are many uses for the sap, to drink as a boost of vitamins and sugars and clean fresh water or boiled down into syrup or even made into wine!