Foraging Fey

05/07/2023

https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/63371-Rumex-obtusifolius
Standard warning that I am always learning, & may (accidentally) provide faulty information. Use this as a starting point, & do your own supplemental research. Fact check. Verify. Do not blindly trust, even in self-proclaimed experts.
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I think I'm confident enough in identifying Broad-leaved Dock (Rumex obtusifolius).
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It is the most common dock observed in Washington, with over 1,000 observations on iNat, about 300 more than the runner up.
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The leaves & stems, fruits & seeds are edible.
The leaves are high in Vitamin A, more than carrots typically have, & young leaves & stems can be gathered in Spring. They can be eaten raw (in small amounts) but cooking is recommended.
Fruits can be gathered in Summer. They can be eaten raw.
Seeds can be gathered in Autumn. They can be eaten raw but are sometimes ground into flour, though it may take substantial effort to gather enough for this; more likely they will make a good additive to multi-ingredient flour.
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The leaves, & possibly other parts of the plant, contain oxalic acid, so foraging in small amounts may be recommended if you are not cooking them. Oxalic acid poisoning can cause vomiting, stomach pain, mouth & throat pain, collapse, and seizures when severe enough. It is reported that brief boiling of the plant, dumping of the water, & boiling of the plant again (perhaps a couple times) helps breaks down oxalic acid. Cutting the plant material before boiling may assist in this process.
As the plant contains oxalic acid, it may increase problems in those predisposed to kidney stones.
The plant sap can also cause contact dermatitis (rashes), so take care when harvesting.
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This plant is considered by many to be an unwanted w**d, so you may be praised for it's removal. It is an introduced species, so heavy harvesting may make room for native plants.
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The roots have historically been used to make yellow dye.

Rumex obtusifolius, commonly known as bitter dock, broad-leaved dock, bluntleaf dock, dock leaf or butter dock, is a perennial w**d in the family Polygonaceae. It is native to Europe but can now be found in the United States and many other countries around the world such as Australia and New Zealand...

05/03/2023

It's official. I'm starting up a foraging club. Behold my rudimentary poster-making skills. This is v3 of the poster based on feedback from library staff. The plan is to start this ~2 weeks from now, on the 20th.

04/30/2023

I think I need some specific goals for foraging. I'll start with ones I'm pretty sure I've seen in person, then gradually add plants more unknown to me.
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Current list of targets:
1) Saskatoon Serviceberry , Amelanchier alnifolia
2) Oregon Grape , Berberis (formerly Mahonia) aquifolium
3) Cascade Oregon Grape , Berberis (formerly Mahonia) nervosa
4) Chicory , Cichorium species
5) Giant Horsetail , Equisetum telmateia
6) Common Juniper , Juniperus communis
7) Skunk Cabbage , Lysichiton americanus
8 ) Devil's Club , Oplopanax horridus
9) Sitka Spruce , Picea sitchensis
10) Lodgepole Pine , Pinus contorta
11) Common Plantain , Plantago major
12) Licorice Fern , Polypodium glycyrrhiza
13) Sword Fern , Polystichum munitum
14) Oregon Oak , Quercus garryana
15) Nootka Rose , Rosa nootkana
16) Armenian Blackberry , Rubus armeniacus
17) Thimbleberry , Rubus parviflorus
18) Salmonberry , Rubus spectabilis
19) Trailing Blackberry , Rubus ursinus
✔️20) Broad-leaved Dock (Rumex obtusifolius)
21) Stonecrop , Sedum species
22) Dandelion , Taraxacum species
23) Cattail , Typha latifolia
24) Stinging Nettle , Urtica dioica
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These two dozen plants are all at least somewhat familiar to me. I'm surprised I've laid eyes on so many edible plants in my area. Hopefully it won't be too difficult locating all of them again.
I think I will do a poll to see how many of these edible plants other people recognize. More detail on each specific plant will be given in future relevant posts as I find those plants.