www.urbanagriculture.org.au Fact Sheet 3.08    

Edible  weeds  

Many   of   the   plants   we   regard   as   weeds   are   actually   edible.   They   have  
interesting,   zesty   flavours   and   are   packed   with   essential   nutrients.   With   the  
right  knowledge,   you   can   safely  forage   for   food  in   your   own   neighbourhood.   It’s  
fun  and  it’s  free!  

What  are  weeds  and  why  would  you  eat  them?     contaminated   in   any   way.   The   safest   place   to  
To   a   gardener,   a   weed   is   any   plant   growing   wild   forage  is  in  your  own  or  a  friend’s  garden.  
and  unwanted.  Many  of  the  weeds  in  our  gardens   Once  you  have  positively  identified  the  plant  you  
and   on   our   roadsides   are   introduced   European   want   to   eat,   harvest   with   respect:   use   scissors  
species.   Some   have   a   long   tradition   in   their   and   take   small   amounts   from   each   plant   so   that  
countries  of  origin  as  food  or  medicine.     they  can  continue  to  grow.  Leave  enough  flowers  
Edible   weeds   tend   to   provide   more   essential   and   seeds   so   that   annual   plants   can   grow   again  
nutrients  and  trace  elements  than  do  many  of  our   next  season.  
cultivated   vegetables.   Dandelion,   for   example,   is   Some   weeds   picked   young   and   tender   are   good  
the  most  nutritious  vegetable  ever  tested  by  the   to  eat  raw  in  salads.  Others  benefit  from  cooking  
US  Department  of  Agriculture.     or  juicing.  For  example,  sticky  weed  has  a  rather  
Foraging   can   bring   a   wonderful   change   of   unpleasant  texture  if  you  eat  it  raw  but  it’s  great  
perspective  for  gardeners  –  once  you  start  eating   in   smoothies.   Nettles   have   a   characteristic   sting  
the   weeds,   your   only   concern   will   be   not   having   that  is  removed  by  cooking  or  juicing.  
enough!  

What  do  I  need  to  know  to  eat  edible  weeds?  

Some  edible  weeds  have  toxic  lookalikes.  Gather  
information   and   be   sure   about   identification  
before  you  eat  any  wild  plants.  Find  good  quality    
Eating   weeds   aligns   with   many   Permaculture  
photographs  or,  better  still,  ask  a  knowledgeable   Principles,   including   ‘observe   and   interact’,   ‘obtain   a  
friend  to  take  you  on  a  ‘weed  walk’.     yield’,  and  ‘use  and  value  diversity’.    
The   experience   of   foraging   helps   you   really   get   to  
Choose  your  site  carefully.  You  don’t  want  to  eat   know   places   and   plants.   You   will   benefit   from   the  
wild   plants   from   any   areas   that   may   have   been   nutrients   these   wild   foods   add   to   your   diet.   And   it’s  
sprayed   with   herbicide,   or   otherwise   fun   trying   new   tastes   and   textures  that   are   not   found  
in  the  supermarket!  

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 www.urbanagriculture.org.au

Some  common  edible  weeds    

Sweet  violet  (Viola  odorata)  

Both  the   leaves  and  flowers   of  violets  are  edible  
and   contain   high   levels   of   Vitamin   C.   Use   young  
leaves  in  a  mixed  leaf  salad,  and  decorate  it  with  
the  beautiful  flowers.  You  can  also  cook  with  the  
leaves   –   try   using   them   in   soups   where   they   have  
a  thickening  effect.    

 
Dandelion  

Chickweed  (Stellaria  media)  

Chickweed   has   fragile   stems   that   lie   along   the  
ground,   oval   leaves   and   tiny   white,   star-­‐like  
flowers.   It   has   twice   the   iron   content   of   spinach  
and   is   high   in   anti-­‐oxidants.   Harvest   by   snipping  
the   first   few   centimetres   from   thicker   strands.  
 
Add  fresh  leaves  to  salads  or  smoothies,  or  even  
Sweet  violet   use  them  to  make  pesto.  A  note  of  caution:  take  
  care   to   distinguish   chickweed   from   petty   spurge  
Dandelion  (Taraxacum  officinale)   (Euphorbia  peplus),  which  should  not  be  eaten.  

Beginners   may   confuse   dandelion   with   sow  

thistles  and  cat’s  ear  (both  also  edible)  –  look  for  
hairless  leaves  and  yellow  flowers,  one  per  stem.  
Dandelion   is   high   in   iron,   calcium   and   other  
minerals,   as   well   as   anti-­‐oxidants.   To   minimise  
bitterness,  harvest  young  leaves  from  plants  that  
are   not   flowering   or   seeding.   Leaves   can   be  
added   to   salads   or   smoothies,   or   cooked.   Roots  
can  be  dried  and  ground  as  a  coffee  substitute.  
 
 
Chickweed  

Suggested  further  reading    

The  Weed  Forager’s  Handbook,  by  Adam  Grubb  and  Annie  Raser-­‐Rowland  (Hyland  House  Publishing,  
2012).  See  also  the  accompanying  website  at  www.eatthatweed.com  for  lots  more  great  photos.  
Herbs  for  Australian  Gardens,  by  Penny  Woodward  (Hyland  House  Publishing,  2008)  
Food  for  Free,  by  Richard  Mabey  (Collins,  reprinted  2012)  
Healing  Wise,  by  Susun  S.  Weed  (Ash  Tree  Publishing,  1989)  
Sustainable  Table:  www.sustainabletable.org.au/TableTalk/tabid/53/EntryId/87/Edible-­‐Weeds-­‐Seasonal-­‐
Local-­‐Delicious-­‐Nutritious.aspx  
www.broadsheet.com.au/sydney/weekend/article/edible-­‐weeds    

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