by Robyn Graygor
Seasoned foragers from far and wide seek out nature’s treats within the Ward Pound Ridge Reservation, and it’s about time we give back to this oasis of plentiful goodies. If you hike the winding trails within our reservation, you may have come across people walking with baskets picking ramps, chicken of the woods, and even puffball mushrooms to eat. Yummy, right? Wrong! These plants and fungi are native to New York, and are essential elements in our local environment. In fact, in New York State, harvesting ramps to eat on state land is illegal. This is because picking our native vegetation is actually harmful to the ecology of our forests. It decreases biodiversity, and leaves bald patches that invasive species later happily fill.
But why pick the helpful plants when we can pick the harmful ones? Yes, I’m talking about those nasty inva-sives. Now, I know the idea of sitting down after a long day to munch on prickly Japanese Barberry isn’t very convincing, but invasives can actually be delicious. You just have to get creative. Let’s talk Garlic Mustard. This invasive herb from Europe has blanketed enormous patches of the forest floor, shading out other native plants and saplings that are trying to grow. The genus of this sneaky invader is Alliaria, rightly named after the Allium (or garlic) scent that floats off of the leaves when squished. Some defining characteristics include a tall slim green stem, broad, pointed, jagged leaves, and a S-shaped curve in the roots. You can also spot them in the early spring blooming with little white flowers. Once you find a nice patch (which shouldn’t be very hard, they’re everywhere) start the harvest. Garlic Mustard is actually a popular herb in Asia used in a variety of recipes, so the possibilities are endless. The seeds found in little pods found near the flowers and leaves are the jackpot. They can be harvested and mixed in with any dish to add a spicy flare.
Another pesky plant we can knock out with our stomachs is Phragmites. This Middle Eastern plant made its way to the U.S. and has wreaked havoc to say the least. Dense growths of the reed outline many swamps (or wet-lands) and slightly resemble Cattails. Even after they die, the stalks often dry up and remain in place taking up space where natives could grow. To correctly identify your future meal use the following tips: The long narrow leaves grow close to the stalk, and have a grey, or blue tint. The tanish stem is strong and tall, and becomes woody when dried. The native Phragmites have leaves that are more yellow-green, and the stems have a more reddish coloring. Invasive Phragmite shoots can be boiled and seasoned with butter and salt to make a quick and easy snack.
Even Japanese Knotweed can be made into a scrumptious morsel. This invasive from Japan resembles bam-boo, and grows in dense patches almost anywhere. It has broad rounded leaves, and a wide hollow stem. Shoots, which sprout in the spring, can be harvested and eaten pickled, roasted, raw, and even in a pie. Knotweed is often used in place of rhubarb due to its similar flavor.
These are only a few examples of invasive plants we can eat, but there are plenty more. If cooking isn’t your forte, there are also different medicinal uses for invasives. For instance if you’re not interested in Knotweed pie, some studies show Knotweed’s high resveratrol concentration can be used as an antioxidant, or even to fight the bacteria which causes Lyme disease. Instead of feeling distressed when seeing invasives on hikes, now you can feel hungry! As we all know humans can eat a lot, and now we can use our eating habits for good. Maybe even start a new cooking hobby to combat invasives. So, next time you’re out hitting the trails and forget your granola bar, you can handle your hunger and fix your local environment at the same time!