Invaded : If You Can't Beat it - Eat It!

Many native and non-native invasive plants have begun to bloom in Delaware County.  These plants have the ability to cause strife between neighbors. What some see as pests, others see as a gift - and sometimes even as food.
Japanese knotweed (Fallopia japonica) is probably among one of the most recognizable non-native invasive plants in the area.

The clustered plants are visible along stream banks and roadways throughout the region.  Stream bank management personnel loathe this plant with a fierceness rivaled only by a political battle.
The shallow root system, they say, causes instability of the stream bank and contributes to worsened conditions during a flood.
Plant lovers, myself included, instead look at the plant's attributes.
What was once thought to be a plant that hampered motorist visibility on roadways or merely provided the necessary bamboo swords and forts of childhood folly, has found a new status as an edible.
The young shoots of Japanese knotweed can be eaten, under certain conditions. They must be prepared in a certain manner to remove digestive irritants. I have eaten knotweed baked into poundcake that had a cooked rhubard taste and consistency.
The late summer flowering seed-head also provides food-stuff for honey bees. The plant is in the buckwheat family and the raw honey and honeycomb that are created with the plant are particularly tasty.

The young shoots of Japanese knotweed are edible.

Botanists and others who study plants may have heard of the Doctrine of Signatures - which, in part, says that a plant will grow where it is needed and what it is needed for.

Perhaps coincidentally, Japanese knotweed began sprouting up on the heels of what the media was touting as a honey bee crisis, one in which honey bees were said to be disappearing. Plants, in may cases are dependent upon bees for pollination and propagation. The disappearance of the honey bee would be impactful for many reasons. But Mother Nature seems to have at least partially addressed that concern by providing a helpful natural food source for them.

Another tasty invader, Garlic Mustard (Alliaria petiolata) can be found neighboring with knotweed. This plant is delicious. It can be eaten raw, in small amounts, in salads and used in place of spinach in many dishes. 

Garlic Mustard is also edible, raw or cooked.

As the name suggests, it has a distinct garlic flavor, is a member of the onion family and a cousin to another native invasive - wild leeks or ramps (Allium tricoccum.) Ramps can also be eaten raw or cooked and used in place of spinach or other greens.
There is an abundance of information available on the health benefits of eating plants in the onion and garlic family. 
And let us not not forget spring's ever-present dandelion. The common lawn weed/flower is often the first food source for honey bees, but equally important is the plant's tremendous health benefits. The leaves and roots are both edible and chock full of vitamins. It can, likewise, be eaten, raw or cooked. And the flowers, as the great-grandparents of the northeast knew, are the base and source for dandelion wine.
The next time a plant makes it's presence known outside your doorstep - ask why.  How can the plant help you or its environment? Plants only show up where conditions are perfect for them to exist and there is a purpose for them to fulfill.

Happy foraging!

* Lillian Browne works as a newspaper and travel magazine editor to fund her adventure habit - which she indulges every chance she gets. She is exploring the world around her, one step at a time, with her dog - Charlie. Follow her on Instagram or on Twitter @browneinwalton