Savoring Summer

Rose of Sharon (Hibiscus syriacus)

 

Sweet summer, if only you could last forever. My days have been deliciously long, providing me time to run the woods with Amos in the morning, wander the property during the day, picking this and that, my imagination filled with all the wild foods yet to harvest, some for the first time, and medicines to prepare, and in the early evenings, when it's quiet and cool, I can revel in a late day woods wander. With all that has been happening in our society lately, I know I'm blessed to be able to detach from that the turmoil and remain connected to that which sustains. I don't spend much time reading or watching the news these days - perhaps I'm irresponsible - but I think it's important we remain attuned to that which connects us all and nature's perpetual equilibrium. I think in doing so, the rest may follow. So, by chance you're in need of some of that connection right now, here's a little highlight of some of the plants that have been illuminating my days. I'm sure some of these grace your property or your favorite walking routes too.

Blue vervain (Verbena hastata)

Blue vervain, Verbena hastata, has been showing off her crowns of violet-blue flowers for roughly the last month in my neck of the woods. Vervain prefers the damp places, clustering on the edges of bogs and ponds. If you aren't on the lookout, she could be an easy one to pass by, but once you take note and let your eyes adjust, it's likely you'll see her elegant spikes punctuating the landscape before you. The leaves and flowers of blue vervain may be steeped in hot water for a nervine tonic infusion and is especially good for those who tend towards obsessive thought and anxiety. It is not one that I've had much experience with personally, but recently I harvested a small bundle that I put up to dry. I'm looking forward to exploring the energy of this plant some more. I have a feeling it could become a go-to.

Motherwort (Leonarus cardiaca)

Speaking of nervine tonics, here's Motherwort, Leonarus cardiaca. Take a stroll around the edges of your yard, where perhaps the thicket grows, weedy and forgotten, safe from the blade of the mower...this is a common dwelling for motherwort. Motherwort also likes horse pastures, farm fields, and roadsides. This non-native naturalized member of the mint family is a bitter herb that's just what your heart needs should you be experiencing stress-induced palpitations, high-blood pressure, or simply in need of a little comfort. The leaves and flowers can be steeped in hot water for an infusion or tinctured as well. Partake of motherwort daily for the best results. This common weed can also be helpful in regulating sleep cycles.

Goosefoot (Chenopodium albidum)

Here's another pasture plant. I've been grazing for greens these days alongside my parents' horse. Thankfully we have different tastes. She leaves all the hearty greens to me, but after I've done my picking I make sure to give her thanks by cutting her a big handful of tall grass from my overgrown lawn. Goosefoot, Chenopodium albidum, is one of my favorite wild greens, but not one that I've always had available. Years ago when I worked on a lil' organic farm in Western North Carolina, this five-foot weed lined the fallow beds and I'd happily take home a bundle at the end of the week. What a thrill to have access to it yet again! This wild plant is relative to quinoa and does provide similar seeds, but its leaves I appreciate most. 

Goosefoot leaves, upper and undersides

Leaves are glaucous, especially on undersides, which have a powdery appearance and texture. Because of this quality, I always cook the leaves, although reportedly, they are edible raw. We've been having sautéed goosefoot lately with pasta and curry, wilted and folded into scrambled eggs and veggie quesadillas. When cooked, it's similar to spinach, also a relative, and is packed full of nutrition, rich in vitamins A, C, B, protein and iron.

Seeds of wild amaranth (Amaranthus) - notice the heart-shaped cluster that happened all on its own - expect a picture of the green leafy plant here soon!

A relative to goosefoot is wild amaranth, scientifically called Amaranthus. There are numerous species of amaranth, aka pigweed, but all are edible. This is a plant of which I have only recently become aware. I don't know if its a newcomer or if the weeds finally got tall enough on the property that I finally took notice. Maybe I just didn't have my awareness tuned to it - it's amazing how we can live alongside plants for years, maybe a lifetime, and never really notice them until one day, you simply stop to wonder at that weed. I found notes I'd written about amaranth back in herb school a decade ago...this one never stuck. But it will now. I have harvested bundles of its seed heads and plan to harvest the amaranth seeds - that's right, the same thing you buy in the health food store - in the next week or two. Although as you can see, the heads are already eagerly offering them up. I'll let you know how it goes! The leaves of young plants are tasty raw too. 

Cauliflower mushroom (Sparassis spathulata)

Check out this wild and crazy fungus! Meet the cauliflower mushroom, Sparassis spathulata. I stumbled upon this cauliflower-shaped mushroom the other day when I ventured down a trail that I typically consider hum-drum. It bloomed, along with about four others, at the base of an old decaying stump and just down the way from an eastern hemlock snag, housing plates of burgundy reishi. This trail will be a new favorite from here on out. Some research told me cauliflower mushrooms were edible and no poisonous look-a-likes...what a thrill! I don't know why more foragers don't talk about this mushroom. It was deelish! I cleaned up its rubbery ribbon-like parts, washing them free of forest debris, and sautéed them with butter and salt. Sparassis made a terrific addition to black beans as well as a fried egg.

 

Boneset (Eupatorium perfoliatum)

Boneset, Eupatorium perfoliatum, is always a special find. I was pleased to wander into this patch beside a large pond I regularly visit on my morning runs. It grew beside a stout patch of cattails at the pond's outflow. Boneset always strikes me as quite stout as well, in stature and presence, that is. It's perfoliate leaves are so rough they're almost sticky, its stalk sturdy, and its flat-topped clusters of white flowers bristly. It's a strong plant and a strong medicine at that. Its primary properties are immuno-stimulating, diaphoretic, and bitter. For many it was a common herb to reach for in fighting colds and flus. However, it's recently been discovered that boneset contains pyrrolizidine alkaloids, which over time are damaging to the liver. This is not a reason for us to nix it from our apothecaries, but we should be mindful to use it only for short periods and never in those who may be liver-impaired.

Mullein (Verbascum thapsus)

Every morning the yellow blossoms of Mullein, Verbascum thapsus, radiate, petals spread wide to greet the sun. I can see this particular plant, as well as some of those other mulleins you may notice in the background, from my kitchen table and every morning they make me smile along with the blue faces of chicory. Morning is a time of high activity for these flowers as they are a favorite of the birds it seems. Hummingbirds visit the blossoms daily and I've even seen a pileated woodpecker pecking at its seed capsules. I'm sure the bees take pleasure in mullein as well. By noon...the blossoms have closed. And everyday I wonder if that will be the last I see of their brightness, perhaps they will close and go to seed...yet every morning, at least for now, they reopen. The flowers have traditionally been used in ear oil for wax build-up and the velvety leaves are highly mucilaginous, perfect for moistening the sinuses and as a gentle expectorant, when ingested as an infusion.

Rose of Sharon (Hibiscus syriacus)

I'll close up this post with a special flower, commonly appreciated as an ornamental, Rose of Sharon. However, deceiving as common names often can be, this is not a rose at all, rather it's a hibiscus, in the genus Hibiscus and therefore a member of the mallow family, malvaceae. The shrubs from which I am harvesting were planted by my grandparents decades ago and continue to produce. Honestly, despite their beauty, for sometime I had never really acknowledged them. They fell into the "average non-native landscape shrub" category in my head. However, one day, just like that amaranth, I decided I'd look them up. Low and behold - medicinal and edible. Like other members of the mallow family, the leaves and especially the flowers, are demulcent. I peeled apart one of the flowers, took a nibble of its petals, and was delighted to notice this slimy quality immediately, as it pretty much dissolved in my mouth. A tea of both leaves and flowers is rather neutral tasting, I found, but still confers moistening anti-inflammatory properties. I have some further plans for this flower that I'll be sure to feature in an upcoming post. For now, I must say it feels pretty special to be making medicine of a plant that my grandparents - both plant people - treasured.

Until next time, remember the magic is all around, of which each and every one of us is a part. We need only take the time to notice.                                                                                                                         

Reishi: Mushroom of Immortality

Young reishi (Ganoderma tsugae) growing on an eastern hemlock log

The half-moons of reishi, scientifically called Ganoderma, illuminate our shaded, densely green, forests here in northeastern Pennsylvania. June is this fungi's preferred month for fruiting, bearing mushrooms rich with spores. Reishi has a long history of use and has earned itself such titles as "The Mushroom of Immortality" and "The Great Protector." In this post I'll share with you how to identify and prepare these alluring woodland inhabitants, but first let's talk about this mushroom's multitude of medicinal attributes.

Maturing reishi (Ganoderma tsugae), however still in its growth stage, on eastern hemlock. Notice varnished looking cap, rippled and bumpy near stout stem, these are not uncommon features.

Reishi is primarily considered an immune-modulator. In the herbal world, this means a plant or fungi that works to balance the immune response. If the immune system is under-performing, evidenced by frequent infections, it will strengthen the immune response. However if the immune system is overzealous, illustrated by chronic allergies or autoimmune disorders, reishi will quell overreaction. Although I am sure reishi has an innate intelligence it employs for its own purposes, this modulating action occurs rather scientifically. In the most general terms, our immune system has two modes: clean-up, which uses antibodies to capture and dispose of harmful pathogens, and immune facilitation, which uses antibodies to stimulate histamine and in turn allows for easier transport of white blood cells to an infected site. Reishi encourages clean-up rather than histamine response, activating the immune system to recognize and rid the body of that which doesn't belong.

But reishi works on far more than just the immune system. Reishi contains a wide spectrum of antioxidants (polysaccharides, terpenes, and triterpenes) that nourish and support the body as a whole. In fact, it has been discovered that fifty of these chemicals have not been recognized in other fungi and are unique to reishi. Their effects are anti-inflammatory, hypoglycemic (reduce blood sugar), anti-ulcer, anti-mutagenic, and hypolipidemic (reduce lipids in blood). To top it off, reishi has also been shown to decrease the body's reaction to stress (cortisol production), protect the liver, and assist the body in more efficiently utilizing oxygen, therefore benefitting the heart and lungs. Reishi inhibits viral reproduction. I have used reishi for not only fighting lyme disease but reducing severity of symptoms, in rebounding after surgery and prolonged disease, as a heart tonic, as well as a tonic for general health. Reishi has been used by the Chinese for thousands of years to support both health and mental clarity. Chinese monks even used it in preparation for sitting in meditation for long periods. Today in China, it is used in healing countless maladies, and as a common adjunct to chemotherapy to improve the immune system.

Young reishi growing on eastern hemlock stump

So just how do we find this miraculous reishi in the wild and make a certain identification? Firstly, lets clarify just how dangerous a misidentification of any mushroom can be. Mushrooms are loaded with chemicals of all kinds and many more mushrooms will harm rather than help. Consuming mushrooms from the wild is inherently dangerous, some mishaps may cause irreparable damage to the liver and others are deadly. However, reishi is a good beginning forager's mushroom because there is not all that much with which it could be confused and true look-a-likes are not poisonous.

Reishi grows shelf-like on stumps, fallen logs, or living trees. The two species which we may find in the northeast are Ganoderma tsugae and Ganoderma lucidum. Both can be used interchangeably. Ganoderma tsugae will be found growing on eastern hemlock trees (Tsugae canadensis), whereas Ganoderma lucidum is found on hardwoods. Besides their chosen host, species are indistinguishable.

Plate-like or half-moons of reishi on eastern hemlock - notice the burgundy, yellow, and white coloring

Reishi is a polypore, meaning that the cap's underside bears pores rather than gills. Undersides of reishi mushrooms are white, easily bruising brown, with pores are so tiny that they are nearly imperceptible. With age, undersides brown. The topmost portion of reishi's cap has a varnished appearance. When young, it is burgundy in color, brightening to yellow and finally white at the outermost edge. As reishi matures, yellow and white will darken to burgundy as well. The mature mushroom's general form is stemless and looks like half of a plate protruding from a tree trunk. When very young, some mushrooms may have short stout stems attached to bulbous caps. Reishi is tough and feels more like wood rather than the soft, squishy mushroom we would purchase in a grocery store. For this reason, we would not eat reishi as a food, but it is perfect for using in tea and tincture.

White undersides of reishi, a polypore mushroom, which bears pores rather gills.

As far as look-a-likes, there aren't many. The only mushroom I have encountered in our neck of the woods that even resembles it is Ischnoderma resinosum. It too is a polypore and grows shelf-like on hardwoods and conifers, but it has a velvety cap that is mostly brown in color, gradually bleeding to a muted yellow and finally, white ring. Also, its new growth appears in the fall rather than late spring and early summer. The good news is, if you still make an error, it is edible and safe for consumption.

Harvested reishi, ready to be prepared

Harvest your reishi with a sharp knife, where the cap or stem meet the trunk of the tree - do nut cut into the tree - and carry home to the kitchen. Using a damp cloth, wipe the mushrooms clean of any dirt, bark shavings, or bugs. Then slice thinly, 1/8 to 1/4 inch thick. I put mine in an oven at 150 to 180 degrees and "bake" for roughly two hours, checking and turning them over periodically. Your reishi may take more or less time depending on moisture content. Bear in mind reishi will harden as they cool. You may dry reishi in  a well ventilated room free of humidity as well, by spreading on a screen or hanging slices on strings, but be careful not to let them mold. If you have a dehydrator, even better.

Reishi slices in process of being dehydrated in oven

Once reishi slices are thoroughly dried, crisp and mostly inflexible, they may be stored until needed, remaining potent up to roughly one year. To prepare reishi as tea, simmer slices in hot water, strain and sip. To prepare reishi as a tincture requires an extra step than the typical tincture - a double extraction - so that your medicine contains both reishi's water and alcohol soluble constituents. Infuse slices in alcohol for 4-6 weeks, then strain, be sure to retain mushrooms as well as your alcohol extract. Then simmer mushrooms in water (using 1/2 gal of water to 2 c mushrooms) until water is reduced to roughly 1/3 of alcohol extract. Combine water and alcohol - voila! A reishi mushroom tincture at your ready!

So keep your eyes peeled for this luminous medicinal mushroom, reishi. It's presence is sure to brighten your spirit, and its medicine, your body. You will inherit the strength and resolve to persist through many a season, as does reishi, long after its fresh growth has matured. This find is surely a woodland treasure.

Enchantment in Delaware State Forest

Amos looking down the trail in Delaware State Forest

Delaware State Forest is an under-appreciated gem. It is comprised of a patchwork of protected lands, encompassing over 83,000 acres in northeast Pennsylvania. A small, but seemingly vast, portion of it has been my stomping grounds providing exploration, inspiration, botanical study and serenity for many years. Just two roads are my only access points by car, neither of which are paved by the time you reach the forest. Mind you, not only are they not paved, but riddled with potholes and ruts. There are few amenities for visitors, but I believe this lack of development has preserved the magic for those of us who enter wilderness for wilderness' sake. When I hike this land, I rarely encounter another person, even during our covid pandemic, and I admit I like it that way. Therefore, although I encourage you to visit this special patch of forest, I will leave it to you to do the homework to learn how to access it by trail. May you have the joy of discovery I have in uncovering its little-visited treasures.

Marsh with beaver dam 

Recently Scott and I explored Yellow Pine Trail, a trail I have tried numerous times to follow to its end, but maintenance is so poor, that much of the trail has overgrown with lowbush blueberry, blackberry brambles and high grasses. However, sunlight streaming through the trees at a sharp bend, beckoned us through woods rife with black birch, witch hazel, and highbush blueberry to see what laid beyond. We soon reached land's end at a marsh. From looking at a map, we decided this was likely Pinchot Brook. The beavers here have flooded the neighboring woods, dramatically widening the creek and making a luxurious home for themselves. An impressive dam retained its waters that reflected the blue sky above. We could see clearly where the materials for construction had been obtained given the gnawed through tree trunks surrounding us.

Evidence of beavers

Grassy hummocks made for good stepping stones and moss-covered fallen logs made homes for northern white violets, while the sucking mud on the shore provided just the right stuff for fuzzy cinnamon fern fiddleheads. Birds flitted to and froe and salamanders glided through shallow water near the shore.

Cinnamon fern fiddlehead

Northern white violet (Viola pallens) 

Inspired by this bushwhack, we decided we'd finally venture beyond another marshy area at the end of Craft Farm Road. We'd walked this gravel and grass forest road many a time before, but always stopped when we reached the crumbling remains of the old Craft Farm and what looked like a pond encircled with white pines. However, the woods whispered to us, err at least me, from the other side. Having spent so much time swamp-walkin' in Florida, I suggested to Scott we just put on our swamp sandals and walk across the thing. But, Scott wisely suggested the mud might be deeper than we think and perhaps we should walk around the edge of it, see if there wasn't an easier place to get across.

Craft Brook

And we sure did! Instead of mucking through mud and algae and swamp water up to our knees, we waded across the slithering Craft Brook, although I did sink in up to my shins when I mistook a hunk of black sodden soil for hard earth. We lunched on the other side beneath a thick leafy canopy on a slab of lichen-blanketed rock and let Amos off the leash when he started protesting.

Amos cooling off in Craft Brook

And with that - lunch was abruptly over. Amos sniffed around the leaf litter for a moment, darting this way and that and then took off like a shot from a cannon headed downstream. We packed up and scurried on after him. Turns out Amos was leading us to the most intriguing aspects of this forgotten place.

Stonewall with passage for creek

While he waded in the creek we enjoyed a stroll across a wide stone wall fashioned with a passage for the creek. Once on the other side, he leapt through the woods like a fox and we tromped over downed trees and beneath the low-hanging boughs of pines, side-stepping many a sun-bathing snake and glimpsing the wildflowers growing along the moist embankment.

Windflower (Anemone quinquefolia)

Meet windflower, one of the very first medicinal plants introduced to me by my mentor, Juliet Blankespoor. It is considered an anxiolytic, nervine, and hypnotic - slightly psychoactive. She promoted its moderate use in trauma, depression, and panic attacks. I have personally never partaken of its medicine, but can remember well sitting in a circle with my peers somewhere deep in the Appalachian mountains admiring its finely cut leaves that have a sort of shimmer and it expansive flower face.

Dwarf ginseng (Panax trifolius)

Here's another beauty - dwarf ginseng - a much smaller version of the wild ginseng that is far more difficult to find in our Pennsylvania woods. Dwarf ginseng, although related, is not considered to have the same medicinal properties as ginseng, which is adaptogenic, but is instead an edible. The tubers may be unearthed and eaten as a trailside nibble.

Amos traverses a downed tree trunk

It took us a solid forty minutes to wrangle that Amos up, who had frolicked his way downstream, back to the trail and all the way to the truck before turning tail and returning to us. So when only Amos and I set out for our most recent excursion, he stayed leashed. Still, together we managed to discover some more beauty unexpected and delve into the mysteries that these woods behold.

Buckhorn Ridge fire tower

Here in Delaware State Forest stands Buckhorn Ridge fire tower, a relic from a bygone era in which men used to staff these towers to keep watch over the forest. Up until fairly recently, one could climb up into the cabin at the top and gaze out over the treetops in all directions. The door in the floor that provided access has now been nailed shut - likely due to vandalism - but that didn't prevent another creature from keeping vigil just below it. Likely this nest of twigs, branches, bark and duff was persistently crafted by a hawk or perhaps even an eagle. Any of my birding people have an idea?

Bird nest just below cabin to fire tower

At the base of this fire tower, upon a mossy bed atop the earth, sprung forth woodland plants. These plants persisted along a long carpet of soft green moss that led from the tower deeper into the woods along the Buckhorn Ridge Trail.

Wild Sarsaparilla (Aralia nudicaulis)

Wild sarsaparilla is a common sight in out northeastern woods, although easily overlooked due to its indistinct divided green leaves. When the plant produces its flowering stalk which arises from its base and also branches three ways terminally, supporting three round umbels of white flowers, it is easier to identify. But it is the root of wild sarsaparilla that is the prize. The root possesses some of the same adaptogenic qualities as ginseng, supporting the body's energy through enhancing the function of the entire glandular system. When unearthed, the root is fragrant and when simmered in hot water for an infusion, delicious. It also provides warmth throughout the body and is useful in combatting chest congestion.

Indian cucumber (Medeola virginiana)

This special plant, Indian cucumber, cannot be found just anywhere, however where you find one, you will often find many. I find it indicative of healthy woods or woods on the rebound, steadily making their way back to balance. Its common name speaks to its tuber which grows laterally under the soil. It is small and slender and white in color and when washed up, makes a for an crisp edible morsel. The flavor is surprisingly close to cucumber but with a touch of heat at finish.

A watery botanical wonderland

Our runway of moss carried us gradually downhill and soon transitioned to rocky trail. At a depression in the forest, we stumbled into the most magical wallow. False hellebore stood tall above the shallow water with roots deep in mud, marsh marigold and ragwort camped on grassy island hummocks, and faces of marsh blue violet poised on long slender stems arose from grass and moss beside fallen logs. Fiddleheads clustered here and there just on the outskirts and sensitive fern, fully unfurled, dappled throughout like footprints through the muck. Amos collapsed belly down in these spring waters, as enchanted as myself.

Marsh marigold (Caltha palustris)

Marsh marigold, a member of the Buttercup family, is indeed edible but not one that I have personally ventured to sample. Reportedly, young leaves and flower buds are edible, after boiled in numerous changes of water to leach toxic glycoside protoanemonin which can cause intoxication and gastric upset. There are other cautionary edibles I do from time to time enjoy, such as common milkweed blossoms and shoots, but this beauty is always one that I've felt more compelled to admire than ingest.

Marsh blue violet (Viola cuculatta)

Any violet in the Appalachians that is blue or white in color, or a combination of, is edible. Leaves are highly mucilaginous as well as astringent - a unique combo - reducing inflammation and irritation throughout the gastro-intestinal tract. Besides all that they are deliciously green in flavor, perfect raw in salads or cooked in any meal. Flowers are edible as well and may be sweet, spicy, or even minty. Use them to enhance any dish with a touch of the wild.

Sensitive fern (Onoclea sensibilis)

A fern guide I regularly reference from 1956 (one of the simple truths of plants - in form they remain the same even over three-quarters of a century) accurately describes sensitive fern's appearance as an "unfernlike fern". Compared to our many lacy- or feather-leaved ferns, it does have a dramatically different appearance. Leaves are short and stout, triangular in shape and backward bending so that they face the sky.

Trail in Delaware State Forest

Making our way down the trail, the forest seemed to spread out all around us. The trail grew increasingly rocky and we moved more slowly watching our steps carefully. Given that the trees had not yet leafed out, we were bathed in sunlight. At our feet, some very special plants made an appearance.

Downy yellow violet (Viola pubescens)

Yellow violets, a sight I always regard as unique as we have so many blue and white violets, but so many fewer species that are yellow. Here we have the downy yellow violet, appropriately scientifically called Viola pubescents. It you look closely you can see its fine hairs adorning leaves and stem. These are not violets that we would eat, but those that offer simply their sunny faces to brighten our path.

Pink lady slipper (Cypripedium acaule)

These broad green leaves with deep parallel veins harken the soon-to-arrive showy pink blossoms of the pink lady slipper. Pink lady slipper is an eye-catching orchid, distinct from all other flowers in our forest. To me, it almost seems out of place in our northeastern woods, perhaps better suited to an alien plant with a kaleidoscope of vibrantly colored vegetation. Sometimes you'll find just one or two of these in a patch, other times you are lucky enough to spot one and then notice them scattered all about your feet.

Moss with rusty-colored reproductive stalks called seta and capsules atop. Inside these capsules are spores that when conditions are dry, will be released to generate more moss 

Slime mold (Hemitrichia) - slime molds were initially included in the Fungi kingdom but are now considered part of the kingdom Protista. The orange cap atop this stalk is a sporangia, containing spores. 

It seemed all around us, new life was awakening, our eyes adjusting to the finer details of the forest the longer we attuned to our surroundings. At another mucky wet area in the forest, dead trees laid across pools of water gathered about the snaking tree roots of yellow birch and provided substrate for mosses now reproducing. Speaking of alien, slime mold probed the gelatinous surface of still water, their orange caps like tentacles reaching upward. In a gnarled tree stump, long decaying, gradually morphing from stump to soil, a community of marsh blue violet flourished.

Decaying stump housing wildflowers

But we could not stay here in Delaware State Forest forever. The light had shifted, it was now late in the afternoon and time to pick up the pace and head for home. So as Amos and I made our way from forest to field, arriving in an old shooting range, the grass about our calves thick with goldenrod shoots and the unfurling leaves of sweet fern, we swiftly made our way to Range Road. Crossing over the gas pipeline, that is an eyesore but at the same time affords views of the trees in flower, I was grateful to have had the time once again in these woods, a place where nature reigns in all her all at once, subtle and magnificent beauty.

Range Road with view of flowering trees bordering pipeline

Ramps, aka Wild Leeks

Ramps, aka wild leeks (Allium tricoccum)

Down south, we call 'em ramps, up north we call em' wild leeks. Scientifically speaking, they are called Allium tricoccum. Call 'em what you want, there's no denying they are one of the tastiest members of the onion family. However they are also over-harvested. For this reason, I do not often feature them in my writings. So many articles have been written about the infamous ramp, hence their popularity. They top many a foodie's list and speckle the menus of upscale restaurants. But perhaps this is all the more reason to share how we can sustainably harvest them or simply leave them be. Also, we cannot hide our treasured edible and medicinal plants. To learn about our wild plants, especially our human's history of use, is to foster relationship with these plants for years to come. And nurturing our human-plant relationships is more important than ever.

Ramps in a typical mixed hardwood forest, enjoying moist soil and the company of other native woodland plants. Fellow plants are: Virginia waterleaf (Hydrophyllum virginianum), liver leaf (Hepatica), wild ginger (Asarumcanadense), Dutchman's breeches (Dicentra cucullaria), and violets (Viola).

Look for ramps in moist soil in mixed hardwood forests. They particularly enjoy sloping areas alongside lakes, ponds, streams, and rivers. When first leafing out they require a sunny open canopy, but by flowering time need dappled sunlight filtered through leafy treetops. It is unlikely you will find ramps growing in heavily disturbed areas, although I have found them on lightly traveled trails. Look for them amidst our other precious native plants. The photo above highlights a preferred habitat. Notice the Virginia waterleaf, Dutchman's breeches, and wild ginger. They also delight in the company of spring beauty, trout lily, wood nettle, and jewelweed.

Ramps with mottled leaves of trout lily (Erythronium americanum)

Ramps are most easily distinguished by a pair of floppy basal leaves, 1- 2 1/2 inches wide and 6 - 12 inches long. Leaves are parallel veined with a sometimes strong center vein and smooth margins. The petioles (leaf stems) may or may not be reddish.

Ramp leaves, highlighting strong midrib, parallel veins, and smooth margins

Underground ramps bear a slender white bulb a crown of white roots. Think of the white part as a scallion and you'll have the idea. This is the part of the ramp that we do not want to harvest. I'll come back to that in a little bit.

Ramps on washed and ready for use on cutting board

All parts of the ramp will have a garlicy/oniony aroma when crushed or broken. Here in the northeast, ramps will begin to appear in early to mid April and their green leaves will persist until late May. Come June, these leaves will quickly wither away and by July, plants will begin to send up flowering stalks. Each mature plant will bear just one smooth reddish-green stalk with a tight papery sheath terminally. This sheath will unfold its crinkly bracts revealing an umbel of small white to cream-colored flowers, each with 6 petal-like parts. Finally, in late summer, flowers give way to round shiny seeds that resemble tiny black pearls.

Ramps in seed stage

Ramps are in danger because we humans are overzealous when it comes to this wild edible. Folks will pay big money for ramps at farmer's markets and chefs are always eager to craft the next creative dish. However, we should only be wild harvesting ramps for our own use - that means yourself and your family. Secondly, we should only harvest ramps from those places that are abundant in ramps and from where others are not harvesting as well. Find your ramp spot and keep it secret! 

So just how do we sustainably harvest our moderate amount of ramps for personal use?
Ramps take seven years to reach reproductive maturity and are more likely to reproduce by bulbs than by seeds. Therefore it is imperative that we leave a portion of the bulb in place when we dig for ramps. Use a digging knife to dig the soil around a ramp, exposing its bulb, then be certain to cut well above the rounded bulb, leaving the bulb and roots in place in the earth. Distinguish ramps by their seed stalks and you can harvest the bulbs late in the season after the plant has dropped its seeds. That is, if you must dig for bulbs at all. The leaves are equally flavorful and may be sliced just above the soil. Take just one from each plant and you are doubly likely to ensure a plants survival.

Ramps with peppers and onions to be sautéed 

So, now what do we do with these ramps once we have carefully procured them? They are incredibly versatile and accent most any savory dish with a unique garlicy flavor and aroma. I leave leaves whole or dice and use in veggie sautes, scramble with eggs, use as a pizza topping, and simmer in soups. Don't use them in combination with too many other stronger tasting veggies or they may get lost in the mix. Use them in a recipe where they can shine. Recently I sautéed ramps with mushrooms and baked them in a quiche, topped with purple dead nettle flowers.

Quiche with ramps, mushrooms, and purple dead nettle flowers (Lamium purpureum)

Ramps also make an vibrantly green, tastebud-tingling pesto. And this pesto requires no garlic! Coarsely chop ramps leaves, then combine in a food processor with olive oil.

Ramps coarsely chopped

Add grated parmesan and/or nuts if you like, then puree until mixture is creamy. I am not big on exact measurements. But I suggest going light on the olive oil to start and gradually adding until you reach your desired consistency. Brighten and preserve your pesto with a squeeze of lemon and put on the finishing touches with a bit of salt.

Ramp pesto

Just a dab will do of this pesto. Blend a half teaspoon with a cup of ricotta cheese to top pasta or pizza. Smear sparingly on crusty bread or cheese sandwiches. Since just a little goes a long way, freeze the remainder of your pesto in small containers until needed. 

A couple more important notes on ramps.

Firstly, be careful not to confuse ramps with Lily of the Valley or False Hellebore. Both of these plants are toxic and when first sprouting, they strongly resemble the leaves of ramps. False hellebore, in particular, will often share the same habitat with ramps as well. Get to know these plants before harvesting ramps. Here are a couple of helpful links.

Lily of the valley - https://pfaf.org/user/plant.aspx?latinname=Convallaria+majalis
False hellebore - https://pfaf.org/User/Plant.aspx?LatinName=Veratrum+viride

Lastly and not least importantly, there are many other, less threatened plants we can harvest that have a garlicy/oniony flavor. My very favorite is garlic mustard, a non-native invasive that we would be doing good to eat. Check out my blog post about how to identify garlic mustard and puree into a pesto here:  https://thebotanicalhiker.blogspot.com/2015/04/presto-garlic-mustard-pesto.html Wild onions or onion grass is yet another. You'll be able to locate this one when mowing your lawn. Smell onion? It's right beneath your feet and looks just like grass but with hollow leaf blades and an oniony smell.

Ramps are delicious but precious native inhabitants of our remaining wild places. Please consider and handle them with reverence.