Can you identify any of these plants?
The seedlings on the left were found under some leaves growing in the spring in a vacant lot.
The plant in the middle is common in most of our yards and gardens.
The noxious weed at the far right with the little yellow flowers is also a weed that many may see often. That last is the type of picture I usually saw in the books telling me that I could eat the plant when it was younger than pictured.
All three of these images are different stages of life for the prickly leaf lettuce. The seedlings at the left are palatable when added to a spring salad or sandwich. The stage in the center might be palatable based on water, how fast it grew, how you prepare it and what kind of soil it grows in and the one on the right is not real palatable but offers some medicinal uses. Notice how different each looks? It bugs me to no end that a published book on edible plants would show me the inedible stage of the plant for identification. I hope I will not do this to you as I update my site. |