Foraging in Central Park

Number	Thumbnail	Caption	Number	Thumbnail	Caption
1		Closeup of Star of Bethlehem flower. Poisonous. Scientific name: Ornithogalum arabicum	2		Wisteria. Named after a fellow named Wister who brought it from Asia. Only flowers edible.
3		American Elm. It is edible. Wildman learned about it from a tour participant. It is in the Kinsey book from the 40’s. Scientific name: Ulmus americana	4		American Elm. One does not eat the leaves, but the flowers. It has a very short season. Scientific name: Ulmus americana
5		American Elm. Closeup of flowers. The greener ones are best. Scientific name: Ulmus americana	6		American Black Cherry. Now out of season. A layer of the cambrium (under the bark) is used to make a cough syrup. Scientific name: Prunus serotina
7		Virginia knotweed. Not edible. Scientific name: Polygonum virginianum	8		Cattails. All the leaves grow from the bottom of the plant. Peel off outer leaves until tender portion. Tastes like cucumber. In June the flowers have many uses. Scientific name: Typha latifolia
9		Cattail. Wildman with a peeled down piece. Scientific name: Typha latifolia	10		Arrowroot. [Not on tour.] Scientific name: Maranta arundinaceae
11		Jewelweed. Not much here. Scientific name: Impatiens capensis	12		Red bud. Buds edible now. At end of season. Scientific name: Cercis canadensis
13		Red bud. Scientific name: Cercis canadensis	14		Red bud. Scientific name: Cercis canadensis
15		Sheep sorrel flowers. Scientific name: Rumex acetosella	16		Sheep sorrel leaves. Leaves are in shape of sheep’s head. Scientific name: Rumex acetosella
17		Blueberry flowers. Scientific name: Vaccinium Cyanococcus	18		A patch of may apples. Scientific name: Podophyllum peltatum
19		A may apple fruit hangs under the leaves. Can only eat the fruit when it is yellow. Scientific name: Podophyllum peltatum	20		A may apple flower closeup. Scientific name: Podophyllum peltatum
21		False solomon seal. Flower’s are on top. Now out of season. Only in April. The berries are edible, but bitter. It is called false as it has none of the medicinal properties of the eastern solomon seal. Scientific name: Smilacina racemosa	22		View of Central Park Lake. The buildings are along Central Park South.
23		Curly dock. Stem really good now. Also called yellow dock. Best if cooked 2-3 minutes Scientific name: Rumex crispus	24		Curly dock. A leaf closeup. Scientific name: Rumex crispus
25		Gill-over-the-ground, or ground ivy. Make tea with it. Member of the mint family.	26		Gill-over-the-ground, or ground ivy.
27		Chickweed. Leaves in twos. Scientific name: Stellaria media	28		Common plantain. Scientific name: Plantago major
29		Mulberry tree. In another month there will be berries. Scientific name: Morus	30		Jet berry. Poisonous. Scientific name: Ardisia humilis
31		Common Violet. Scientific name: Viola papilionacea	32		Spicebush. You don’t eat. Makes tea. Native Americans used it for fever. Scientific name: Lindera benzoin
33		Spicebush. Leaves closeup. Scientific name: Lindera benzoin	34		Northern wild raisin. Flowers closeup. Scientific name: Viburnum opulus or V. cassinoides
35		Northern wild raisin. Scientific name: Viburnum opulus or V. cassinoides	36		Witch hazel. Scientific name: Hamamelis
37		Cormorants. They swim under water.	38		Shepherd’s purse. Flowers closeup. Scientific name: Capsella bursa-pastoris
39		Shepherd’s purse. The bottom. Scientific name: Capsella bursa-pastoris	40		Shepherd’s purse. The whole thing. A bit hard to photograph. Scientific name: Capsella bursa-pastoris
41		Horse chestnut. Inedible. Can make tincture. Scientific name: Aesculus hippocastanum	42		Garlic mustard. Scientific name: Alliaria officinalis
43		Garlic mustard. Flower closeup. Flowers have four petals in shape of a cross. Scientific name: Alliaria officinalis	44		Virginia knotweed. We passed some again. Scientific name: Polygonum virginianum
45		Burdock. Scientific name: Arctium species	46		Burdock root closeup. Scientific name: Arctium species
47		Burdock. See white fuzziness on bottom of leaf. Scientific name: Arctium species	48		Two burdock roots someone dug up. Scientific name: Arctium species
49		A large patch of second year garlic mustard that we passed. Can return for seeds in the summer. Scientific name: Alliaria officinalis	50		Kentucky coffee tree. No leaves yet. Scientific name: Gymnocladus dioicus
51		Kentucky coffee tree seed pod that I opened. Scientific name: Gymnocladus dioicus	52		A young Kentucky coffee tree nearby. Scientific name: Gymnocladus dioicus
53		Ground ivy again.	54		Blackberry. Scientific name: Rubus laciniatus
55		Blackberry stem closeup. Stem has flat surfaces. Scientific name: Rubus laciniatus	56		Bitter dock. Not poisonous, but no good to eat. Scientific name: Rumex obtusifolius
57		Bitter dock leaf closeup. Note no white fuzzy on leaf underside. Scientific name: Rumex obtusifolius	58		Sweet cherry. A European commercial variety. A bird must have brought it here. Started close to a crab apple, so it didn’t get mowed.
59		Violets. Can eat flowers and leaves. Good now. Too bitter in June. Root inedible. It will make you vomit. Scientific name: Viola papilionacea	60		Field garlic. Scientific name: Allium vineale
61		Field garlic in situ. Scientific name: Allium vineale	62		Field garlic in situ. Scientific name: Allium vineale
63		Field garlic bulb closeup. Scientific name: Allium vineale	64		White violets. Tastes the same as blues, but not as common. Scientific name: Viola papilionacea
65		Pokeweed. Must not get root. Scientific name: Phytolacca americana	66		Pokeweed. Wildman explains that it is very good, but difficult to cook. Chop up and cook in boiling water and keep changing the water. Scientific name: Phytolacca americana
67		Pokeweed with some dead stalks from last year. Scientific name: Phytolacca americana	68		Poison ivy in amongst the violets. Scientific name: Toxicodendron radicans
69		Sassafras. Scientific name: Sassafras albidum	70		Sassafras. Scientific name: Sassafras albidum

Index for Album F-2005-05-08: Foraging in Central Park - May 08, 2005

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