RE: Walk With Me: Plant Walk in Pacific Northwest
Wonderful tour! Some totally new species for European me.
But I recognise the Mahonia aquifolium, and are you sure it is called Oregon grapeFRUIT in your neck of the woods? We call it Oregon Grape (without the fruit). But hey, what's in a fruit!? As long as they are both edible (Oregon grape berries are NOT, I don't think! - but the flowers make a good flower remedy essence - for the tension/mistrust in urban environments - so you won't be needing any of that anymore!)
Never knew purslane was called Miner's Lettuce (but it is! amongst other things.) And that first wild plant sure looks a lot like other wild plants. Hope you weren't planning on eating it. Hate for anything to happen like in the amazing and (sadly) the true to life film "Into The Wild" .....
Good eye! Thanks for calling this out.. I am editing now. This walk was my first introduction with the Oregon Grape. I think they said Oregon Grape Root and I wrote "Fruit" LOL! Since then I have really appreciated this plant for its pervasive abundance around our Pacific Northwest. Last year I made quarts and quarts of jam from the Oregon Grape... it is so easy to harvest and as sour as it tastes raw it is one of my favorite jams, funny enough!
Likewise and viceversa :)
HAHA nope, especially not with that blurry photo.. maybe I shouldn't have included that one. Anyway good point and that's why I had to include my disclaimer that this is not a definitive guide, nor usages.. I don't want others getting the wrong idea!
Ah! So Oregon grape IS edible. But isn't life ironic (or blessedly polar) not as sweet as its dreamy, heady flowers. Can't wait for a (tiny) company to release a taster of this jam on the market. Not advocating exploitation of this bush! (Or do you know if there is already any commercially available?)
Yes it is edible! I don't know the answer to your question but maybe there are some selling it somewhere. I'd be happy to send you some if you don't find someplace to buy it before it's in season here.
What a lovely, sweet and delicious offer! but I wouldn't like to put us through the import taxes this wil emport! I am going to make it my mission to find this jam closer to home. I even live near a bunch of bushes... (but they belong to the park...) Or else I'm just going to have to come over and get some myself! (Compiling a world-tour shopping list here on Steemit!)
No problem! Well I wish you luck with your harvest! If you want to try to cultivate some I can try to save some seeds for you :) World shopping list... haha sounds great!