Many of my students want to know how to identify the early spring plants that first appear. It is hard when you are new to identifying plants to decide what is before you. However, in the spring when they are first appearing it can be even harder. I thought I would show you some of the earliest ones poking their heads up on 1/26/14 in Pleasant Hill, Oregon. Below are their photos with their names and brief data regarding if they are used as food or medicine. I will tell you more details about some of them later this week. I will also add more of the wild edibles/herb photos through-out the rest of the spring.
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| Chickweed - Stellaria media A spring edible and used as a medicine. |
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| Greater Celandine - Chelidonium majus Used as a medicinal herb. |
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Evening Primrose - Oenothera biennis
Used as food and herbal medicine.
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| Artichoke - Cynara scolymus Chokes used as food and leaves used as medicine. |
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| Dandelion - Taraxacum officinalis Leaves and root used as food and medicine. |
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| False Dandelion - Shown here so you can compare it with the real Dandelion above. This plant has hairy leaves. (Dandelion does not.) This plant has multiple flowers on solid stalk. (Dandelion has one flower on a hollow stalk.) |
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| Peppergrass - Cardamine spp. Spicy food similar to watercress. |
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| Valerian - Valeriana officinalis Root used as medicine and flowers used as perfume, and in biodynamic prep. |
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| Mullein - Verbascum thapsus Leaves and flowers used as medicine.  |
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| Chamomile - Matricaria recutita Flowers used as herbal medicine. |
