| As always, if you're new to foraging and want to give it a try, please read the first diary in the FFF series for some important information.
Today's first plant is greenbrier, also known as catbrier. This perennial vine (and all related vines in the Smilex genus) has round to heart shaped, shiny, bright green, alternate leaves with smooth edges and parallel veins. Larger specimens are somewhat woody and climb via two tendrils that grow from each leaf  stem. These tendrils vaguely resemble cat whiskers, giving rise to one of this plant's common names. Greenbrier is closely related to sarsaparilla, another member of the Smilax genus, and distantly related to lilies and loves partially shaded woods throughout the Eastern 2/3rds of the U.S. and Southern Canadian provinces, plus California and Oregon. Similar vines also grow in Europe and Asia. (Right: Greenbrier Sprawled Over Some Shrubs by wide eyed lib)
In Spring, small clusters of inconspicuous green or white 6 petaled flowers resembling their lily cousins grow from where the tendrils meet the stem, with male and female flowers growing on separate vines. In Summer, the flower ovaries, if pollinated, develop into round, dark blue to black berries. In the northern parts of its range, greenbrier dies back to the woody stem every year after repeated frosts, but in the South it is often an evergreen.
All vines in the genus Smilax are edible, and no vines have toxic parts. There are also no poisonous lookalikes in the United States, so this is a good plant for beginners. Most books say the best parts of this plant are younger parts: the just opening leaves, tender tendrils and young parts of the stem. Surprisingly, although the young stems have thorns, these thorns have not yet hardened and thus pose  no threat to tender mouths. To harvest greenbrier, I simply look for an end that still looks tender and give it a tug to the side. The tender part simply snaps off. Young shoots have a pleasant crispness with a slight sweet and sour flavor. As the leaves get older, the sourness increases, but so does the toughness. To balance the mildness of the shoots, I like to mix in a few of the leaves from a little further up the vine, and its these leaves that are my personal favorites. Taste a few from different distances from the end to find your personal ideal balance of tender and sour. Ants are also very fond of greenbrier, so be sure to inspect your harvest carefully for unwanted hitchhikers. Greenbrier greens are delicious in salads and can be lightly sautéed or steamed, as well as used in soups. I myself mostly use them as a delicious and convenient trail snack. (Left: Greenbrier Mature Leaf Closeup by wide eyed lib. Something nibbled off the pointed tip of this leaf. Note the brown, hardened thorn on the vine behind the leaf.)
The berries are edible but essentially tasteless with a rubbery texture and too many seeds for pleasant eating. The root is also edible and some sources say it has a thickening ability when dried and ground, but the roots tend to be quite slender, and I haven't found any thick enough to  be worth the effort. However, the roots do have many medicinal uses. The dried root of S. regelii or S. officinalis, both Central and South American vines, were brewed into a bitter drink in the 19th and early 20th centuries and used as a tonic and to treat all sorts of ailments. Over time, the bitter brew was sweetened and diluted with seltzer, giving rise to the soda known as sasparilla. Related Asian species are used medicinally and known as tu fu ling. I wasn't able to find much reliable info online about the medicinal uses, but wikipedia says this:
As a medicinal product, sarsaparilla is supposedly a "blood purifier", aid to detox, and a general "pep agent" that is traditionally used in cordials and tonics to invigorate and cleanse the body, although there is no evidence to support its uses. Nevertheless, in many countries Sarsaparilla cordials or extracts can sometimes be purchased from health food stores. Research articles listed at the National Library of Medicine indicate Sarsaparilla is an immunomodulator via cytokine expression, and is useful in some dermatitis via its anti inflammatory properties, has estrogenic effects useful in treating menopause, has antiviral glycoproteins, is neuroprotective by inhibiting amyloid beta protein formation, and has an anti-proliferative effect on the human hepatoma cell lines.
(Above Right: Tender Greenbrier Shoots by wide eyed lib. Note the pairs of tendrils eminating from under each leaf.)
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The mint family of herbs is quite varied and far-flung. There are many similar species in several genera, some of which readily cross-pollinate, and scientists are still sorting out all the details. For foragers, there are really only 2 things to keep in mind:
1. All mints have square stems and opposite leaves, but not all plants with square stems and opposite leaves are mints; and
2. All plants with square stems and opposite leaves that smell like mint are edible.
 I've already covered one member of the mint family, ground ivy (here), and will probably cover a few others as I run into them. (Left: Catmint by wide eyed lib)
When I first encountered catmint, I misidentified it as pennyroyal because it had purple flowers. However, I should have realized my mistake the minute I walked into my house; 2 of my cats were absurdly interested in my backpack. I know all about catnip because I've grown it and given it to my cats, so I knew what I'd collected was something different. But it wasn't until I went online to refresh my memory of what pennyroyal looks like that I properly identified it. In the same way that all squares are rectangles but not all rectangles are squares, all catnips are catmints but not all catmints are catnips.
Confused and/or tongue-tied yet? You're not alone. The mint family is like that, and the Nepeta genus is no exception. There are more  than 250 species and counting in the genus, and I've yet to find a plant guide that does more than identify a few of the more common mints and then (metaphorically) throw up its hands. Just remember rule 2 above and you'll be fine. (Right: Catmint Flowers by wide eyed lib)
The catmint I found has deep-green, toothed, opposite leaves with deep veins. The flowers are lavender, trumpet-shaped and borne on terminal flower stalks (whereas pennyroyal's appear in the leaf axils). When flowering, the plants reach almost 3 feet high. Catmint tastes minty, with subtle differences from other kinds of mints that are difficult to pin down but might be described as more delicate and more floral. It can be used in the same ways you might use any more common mint such as peppermint or spearmint. In other words, in just about anything. I've sprinkled catmint over Indian food and vanilla ice cream. I'm sure it would make a terrific jelly or accompaniment for lamb. I've also made a delicious tea and used a couple of leaves to drive 2 of my cats into a frenzy. (2/3rds of cats are said to react to catmints, so my 3 are right on target.)
Catmints, like other mints, are also useful medicinally. DailyKos' Purple Priestess was kind enough to drop by my diary there a couple of weeks ago and said this about catmint:
Catmint is really great for cramps (yes, ladies, those cramps). Also a calmative and muscle relaxant. It is said to relieve the symptoms of colic in children, and can be used as a digestive aid for adults.
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 Today's final new plant is goutweed, also known as ground-elder and bishop's weed. This non-native member of the carrot family has palmate compound leaves with 3 leaflets and grows about 6 inches high in partially sunny areas with rich soil. The sides of forest paths are a favorite habitat. The leaflets themselves are toothed and lobed, although often the lobes are fused instead of separate. This gives the plant a distinctive asymmetry. One source mentions that this partially divided, partially fused leaf pattern may represent an intermediate stage in the plant's evolution and goutweed may be eventually have twice-compounded leaves. If it's true, it's certainly interesting. (Left: Field of Goutweed by wide eyed lib)
Goutweed can be found in most of the Eastern U.S., as far south as Georgia, and as far east as Minnesota. It then skips over the Dakotas, all of the southwest and California before reappearing in Montana and the northwest. It also grows in all southern Canadian provinces except Alberta. In mid-Spring, goutweed experiences a growth spurt and develops a branched flower stalk that can reach 2 feet in height. Atop each branch sits an umbel of tiny white flowers. Come fall, the plant goes to seed in tiny, brown cylinders. In addition to propagation by reseeding, goutweed also spreads and forms dense colonies via underground rhizomes. It's rare you'll find a small clump.
All above-ground parts of goutweed are edible. It is most often compared to flat-leaved parsley in taste, but there's something of the bitterness  of celery in there as well. In any case, the leaves can certainly be used anywhere you might use parsley. A tabouli salad or pesto would be a particularly good and seasonal use for them, and they would certainly be delicious in a gazpacho. The stems are very celery-like in texture and taste, and I actually prefer the stems to the leaves. The flowers and seeds have a similar taste and a bit more spice. (Right: Goutweed Leaf by wide eyed lib)
In Asia, goutweed is well-known for its medicinal properties, and in fact I originally became aware of this plant a few weeks ago when I saw a group of Chinese women gathering it by the bagful. They wouldn't tell me anything about it, and I couldn't locate it in any of my books, either. I recognized that the flowers were similar to carrot and the leaves were similar to honewort (aka wild chervil), but that's as far as I got until I posted the photos as a comment to a recent DK diary, and the ever-helpful Halcyon identified it. Since then I've collected and eaten it several times with great enjoyment.
 Back to those medicinal properties, Nicholas Culpeper, the 17th Century herbalist, wrote:
It is not to be supposed that Goutweed hath its name for nothing; but upon experiment to heal the gout, and sciatica; as also joint aches, and other cold griefs; the very bearing it about one easeth the pains of the gout, and defends him that bears it from disease.
However, I've read elsewhere that the belief that it's good for gout is a fallacy based on a corruption of the original pronunciation. The original name in English was "goatweed" (a literal translation of the Latin name is "goat's foot") which eventually became goutweed. Elsewhere I've read that the root and fresh buds of the leaves have been used in poultices to alleviate pain, and the leaves have been applied to the hip area to help with sciatica. I asked a Chinese friend of mine to try to identify its Chinese name so that could I look up how the herb is used in Chinese medicine, but she didn't recognize it and couldn't find it in her Chinese herbals. If anyone knows what it's called in China, please let me know and I'll update. (Above Left: Goutweed in Flower by wide eyed lib)
 UPDATE: A couple of people in the comments at DKos expressed concern that water hemlock and goutweed might be confused. It didn't occur to me that the 2 plants might be considered lookalikes, but I spend a lot of time looking at plant characteristics and things that look very different to me might appear similar to a beginning forager. So here is a full explanation of the most obvious differences (and see also the botanical chart of water hemlock on the right):
1. Extreme height difference at the time of flowering. Goutweed's flower stalk grows only to 1.5 to 2 feet tall while water hemlock's is 5 feet to 7 feet tall.
2. Different growing conditions. Water hemlock only grows in wet meadows and swampy areas whereas goutweed can't tolerate conditions that wet.
3. Different stems. Water hemlock's stem is round and smooth in cross-section while goutweed's is ridged and grooved like celery.
4. Multiple leaf differences. Water hemlock's leaves are thrice compound with considerably deeper teeth and a lot of separation between leaflets vs. goutweed's twice compounded or once compounded and lobed leaves with shallower teeth and not as much, if any, separation between leaflets. All of water hemlock's leaves are fully divided into leaflets and have no lobes. Goutweed's leaves, as mentioned above, appear to be in an intermediate stage between single compounding and double compounding, with lobes on the singly compounded leaves that might eventually become doubly compound. Finally, water hemlock's leaves are always laterally symmetrical, whereas with goutweed symmetrical leaves are the exception rather than the rule.
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Now for a couple of updates and a sneak peak at a new plant I'll cover soon.
 
Because the long flowerstalks with their tiny, rusty yellow flowers stand out against the green background, now's the perfect time to locate sheep sorrel (originally covered in this diary). The leaves continue to be tasty until they dry up in the Fall. The flowers and seeds won't hurt you, but they're too papery to be enjoyable. (Above Left and Right, Sheep Sorrel in Flower by Peter Coughlin)
 
Common mallow (originally covered here) has begun to fruit and flower. Apologies that the pictures are blurry, but it was growing dark and I had to hurry. (Above, both by wide eyed lib)
  Blueberries are busily ripening in one of my favorite haunts. Highbush blueberries are above, while the aptly named lowbush blueberries are on the right. (Note the lowbush's lance-shaped leaves compared to the highbush's oval leaves.) There are many different species in the Vaccinum genus called by the common names blueberry, huckleberry and bilberry, among others. Enthusiasts claim to prefer some more than others and botanists are still sorting out the details of what's what scientifically, but I like 'em all. (Above: Highbush Blueberry; Left: Lowbush Blueberry, both by wide eyed lib)
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If you're interested in foraging and missed the earlier diaries in the series, you can click here for the previous 11 installments. As always, please feel free to post photos in the comments and I'll do my best to help identify what you've found. (And if you find any errors, let me know.)
Here are some helpful foraging resources:
"Wildman" Steve Brill's site covers many edibles and includes nice drawings.
"Green" Deane Jordan's site is quite comprehensive and has color photos and stories about many plants.
Green Deane's foraging how-to clips on youtube each cover a single plant in reassuring detail.
Linda Runyon's site features only a few plants but has great deals on her dvd, wild cards and books (check out the package deals in particular).
Steve Brill's book, Identifying and Harvesting Edible and Medicinal Plants in Wild (and Not So Wild) Places is my primary foraging guide. (Read reviews here, but if you're feeling generous, please buy from Steve's website.)
Linda Runyon's book The Essential Wild Food Survival Guide contains especially detailed information about nutritional content and how to store and preserve wild foods.
Samuel Thayer's book The Forager's Harvest is perhaps the finest resource out there for the 32 plants covered. The color photos and detailed harvest and preparation information are top-notch.
Steve Brill also offers guided foraging tours in NYC-area parks. Details and contact info are on his website.
Finally, the USDA plants database is a great place to look up info on all sorts of plants.
See you next week!
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