Edible & Medicinal Herbs and Plants
These pages are a work in progress, we're inserting photos that will be helpful for plant identification ~ check back for pictures, recipes, and more information every now and then.
by Pamela Kristan, local naturalist and FPC member
There's a supermarket and drugstore right in Franklin Park. You can find ingredients for today's breakfast or next winter's cold cure. Although the park has suffered from benign neglect over the decades, that's good news for gleaners and pickers. There's little pesticide residue and a wide variety of goodies to discover.
Every season brings new edibles and medicinals. Early spring means fresh greens and knotweed shoots. In the summertime you can find raspberries and an occasional blueberry. Fall brings acorns, chicory root for coffee, and all year round, winter included, you can harvest pine needles for tea.
Chicory in flower
See what you can find in the park every season!
Whenever you pick in Franklin Park - or anywhere - you should pay attention to a few guidelines:
- Only pick a few plants in a place where there are a lot of them so you don't decimate the supply.
- Be careful of animal leavings, especially dogs. Around the base of trees can be suspect, if you see droppings in an area there are probably others.
- When you're harvesting from other areas, be careful about toxic residue from pesticides, motor oil, batteries, and other refuse. In Franklin Park you'll always see a sign if herbicides have been used.
Many of the invasives growing in the park are edible! If you've been to a Franklin Park volunteer day you've probably cut catbrier, cleared knotweed, or pulled garlic mustard - all make tasty treats. Check out what's available in every season in Franklin Park - you'll find photos of herbs and edibles, how to use them, and recipes.
Don't miss upcoming Weeds As Feed walks and talks
Meet at the Glen Road Entrance to the park, bring a trowel and bag to harvest samples.
Saturday, May 10th at 4:00 pm
Saturday, July 19th at 4:00 pm - CANCELLED, not enough berries this year!
Saturday, September 20th at 4:00 pm
See Calendar of Events.
If you want to "dig" further - here's a bibliography of wild food guides.