By PETE EYHERALDE MCCB Naturalist
The Oskaloosa Herald
OSKALOOSA
April 11, 2008 04:38 pm
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Spring for many Iowans means heading to the woods in search of nature’s bounty. Morel mushrooms and wild turkeys are welcome additions to the dinner table, while countless new wildflowers provide a feast for the eyes. Hepatica, trillium, and bloodroot should all be making an appearance this week, followed shortly by Dutchman’s breeches and rue anemones.
Of course spring wildflowers can provide a lot of good food in themselves. While some of Iowa’s wildflowers contain toxins that can kill you if ingested, there are several out there that are quite tasty and nutritious. Early pioneers eagerly anticipated the warmth and new growth of springtime for all fresh greens that could be found in the forests. They made a welcome change from the half rotten potatoes and turnips that were left in the root cellars by March.
One of my favorite spring greens to collect are the leaves of trout lily. Trout lily gets its common name not from the showy white flowers that bloom in April, but from the leaves, with their brown blotched patterns that resemble the markings of a brook trout. When fresh and small, the leaves taste a lot like snow peas. Also known as dogtooth violet, these small mottled green leaves have been a tasty snack on many a woodland walk. One spring scouting trip for turkey season a couple of years back comes to mind. My daughters were growing hungry on our hike and complaining that there were no snacks to eat “out here”. I told them to look on the ground — that they were walking on tons of food. The new leaves of trout lily literally covered acres of the forest floor. Once they figured out how good they tasted, the kids were extremely happy to sit down and munch on their “wild salad.” If you do find the white blossoms of trout lily, you’ll know you’re in a fairly old patch of growth. One small trout lily plant has to grow for seven years before it will flower.
Another easy to find spring edible is the wild violet. You don’t necessarily have to go out in the woods to find this one, it may be popping up on your lawn soon. Both the blossoms and the leaves of violets are edible. Purple or yellow, it doesn’t matter, they’re all good. The flowers make a great springtime dessert when drizzled with sugar water. I know several people that use them to make jelly each year. If you’re looking for something a little healthier in your diet, the leaves are a great source of vitamin C. Add some to your next spring salad. One cup of violet leaves is equal to the amount of vitamin C found in five oranges.
This month should also see the flowering of spring beauties in Iowa’s forests. As the name suggests, these tiny white flowers with pink-striped petals are quite beautiful, but to eat them you’ll have to dig them up. It’s not the blossoms or the leaves you want, it’s the spring beauty’s roots. The plant grows from corms beneath the ground. You’ll usually find three or four of these pea-sized, round tubers on each plant. They look and taste just like tiny potatoes. Although the spring beauty’s flower appears delicate, the plant is one of our toughest spring ephemerals. It grows well in both its natural environment and in some disturbed areas. It’s usually found in open oak woodlands, but can grow abundantly in mowed picnic areas, and carpets lawns in some older neighborhoods.
Spring only comes once a year, so get out there and enjoy it while you can. Iowa’s woodland wildflowers offer a multitude of bright colors to find while you’re hiking, and if you forget your lunch you can find that too.
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The Oskaloosa Herald