A list of 10 common #yyj backyard winter medicinal and edible plants called and treated as unwanted weeds. These are usually the first plants up in abundance before spring starting in January through to March. These are not being foraged therefore labelled as invasive. Some of these can be considered super-foods with high amounts of Vitamin C, minerals, antioxidants and more. Many of them act as a spring tonic that stimulate the body to detox and cleanse and many of them support colds, the flu and allergies that go with the season.
Keep in mind that they are only consumable if grown naturally and without chemical fertilizers and pesticides.
What’s growing in your backyard?
Black Medic (medicago lupulina)
Black Medic Weed
Flowers & Leaves: Early March
Flowers & Leaves: Culinary, Herb, Laxative
Seeds: Ground into flour
Taste: Alfalfa like
Butterbur (Petasites hybridus)
Flowers: February, March
Flowers & Leaves: Culinary, Medicinal, Tincture, Infused Oil, Flower Essence
Roots: Medicinal – Tea
Taste: Flowers unique earthy taste, stalks celery like, bitter
Chickweed (Stellaria media)
Flowers: December through Spring
Flowers, Seeds & Leaves: Culinary, Medicinal, Tea, Tincture, Infused Vinegar, Infused Oil, Flower Essence, Bath Infusions, Soap Making
Taste: Grassy, like corn silk
Cleavers/Clivers (Galium aparine)
Flowers: March
Flowers, Seeds & Leaves: Culinary, Medicinal, Infused Vinegar, Infused Oil, Flower Essence, Coffee Substitute, Topic Skin Remedies
Taste: Young leaves in February taste Fresh
Lesser Celandine (Ranunculus ficaria)
Flowers: March
Leaves & Roots: Medicinal, Culinary – cooked only before flowering – DO NOT EAT RAW, Infused Oil, Flower Essence, Vinegar
Taste: Spinach like
Daisy – English (Bellis perennis)
English Daisy
Flowers: February
Flowers & Leaves: Culinary, Fresh in salads or as garnish, Infused Vinegar, Infused Oil, Tincture, Flower Essence, Tea, Medicinal
Taste: Mildly sour
Buy Canadian English Daisy Seeds
Dandelion (taraxacum)
Dandelion
Flowers: March, Leaves: Before Flowering, Roots: Fall
Flowers, Leaves & Roots: Culinary – Flowers & Leaves: Fresh in salads, Jelly, Medicinal, Infused Vinegar, Infused Oil, Tinctures, Teas, Flower essence
Taste: Earthy, nutty & bitter
Hairy Bittercress (Cardamine hirsuta)
Flowers: February
Flowers & Leaves: Culinary, Fresh in Salads, Soups, Stews, Salsa, Pesto, Infused Vinegar, Infused Oil, Flower Essence
Taste: Peppery
Purple Dead Nettle
Leaves: March
Leaves: Culinary, Fresh in Salads, Soups, Stews, Medicinal, Flower Essence, Tincture, Infused Oil, Infused Vinegar
Taste: Mild Kale Flavour
Wild Violets
Flowers: March
Flowers & Leaves: Culinary, Fresh in Salads, Garnish, Decoration, Medicinal, Tea
Taste: Fresh, Green, Peppery
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