Eatweeds wild food foraging guide to Britain and Northern Europe

Eatweeds foraging guide

Garlic mustard

Garlic mustard is a common wild herb in Britain and Ireland. Its leaves exude a garlicky smell when bruised or chopped, although the plant … Continue

Cleavers (goosegrass)

Introduction Cleavers earned its name thanks to the sticky plant’s tendency to ‘cleave’ to human clothing or animal fur. However, this common weed is … Continue

Rosehip (Dog Rose)

Dog Rose (also known as Rosehip), is a climbing wild rose with white-pink flowers and a soft subtle scent. Its deep orange-red fruit, the … Continue

Stinging Nettle

Stinging Nettle is a surprisingly helpful plant in food and medicine despite its stinging hairs, as seen below. Scientific Name Urtica dioica Family Urticaceae … Continue

Elder

Elder is a valuable wild edible tree or shrub. Its berries have a cornucopia of uses. Scientific name Sambucus nigra Family Adoxaceae Botanical description … Continue

Chickweed

Introduction Chickweed is a familiar garden weed recognisable by its tiny white flowers. The seeds were once fed to birds, which is how the … Continue

Sloe (Blackthorn)

Sloe also known as Blackthorn (Prunus spinosa) is a thorny hedgerow plant with dark purple berries often sought after in autumn to make warming … Continue

Dulse seaweed as food and medicine

Traditionally dulse was harvested after it had been washed three times in the May floods. In folk medicine, dulse was used to treat parasitical infections, relieve constipation and treat scurvy.

EP19: The future of farming is foraging

Food pioneers Martin Godfrey and Sara Melendro from Hilltown Organics are revolutionising how we farm. Incorporating wild edible plants into their polyculture farming systems, … Continue

Traditional use of hottentot fig

Carpobrotus edulis has a good, balanced nutritional profile. The succulent leaves are a strong antioxidant. They can be pickled but can be astringent if … Continue

Yarrow as a traditional herbal remedy

Yarrow (Achillea millefolium) grows everywhere, in the grass, in meadows, pastures, and by the roadside. The whole plant, stems, leaves and flowers, collected in the … Continue