Whether it’s the puffy white seed balls of the dandelion or the creeping succulent stems of purslane, weeds are a constant challenge to gardeners everywhere.
But it turns out, one person’s weed can be another’s prized greenery.
A great number of the plants we consider weeds are not only edible, but many are considered superfoods, according to Douglas G. Kent, a professor at the Center for Regenerative Studies at Cal Poly Pomona and author of the book “Foraging Southern California: 118 Nutritious, Tasty, and Abundant Foods.”
Cal Poly Pomona professor Doug Kent poses for a photograph following a foraging tutorial at the Santiago Nature Center in Santa Ana on Friday, January 27, 2023. (Photo by Drew A. Kelley, Contributing Photographer)
Cal Poly Pomona professor Doug Kent describes London Rocket (Sisymbrium) during a foraging tutorial at the Santiago Nature Center in Santa Ana on Friday, January 27, 2023. (Photo by Drew A. Kelley, Contributing Photographer)
Douglas Kent is the author of “Foraging Southern California.” (Courtesy of Adventure Publishers)
Cal Poly Pomona professor Doug Kent picks a Brazilian Pepper tree during a foraging tutorial at the Santiago Nature Center in Santa Ana on Friday, January 27, 2023. (Photo by Drew A. Kelley, Contributing Photographer)
Cal Poly Pomona professor Doug Kent describes Stinging Nettle (Urtica Urens) during a foraging tutorial at the Santiago Nature Center in Santa Ana on Friday, January 27, 2023. (Photo by Drew A. Kelley, Contributing Photographer)
Cal Poly Pomona professor Doug Kent poses for a photograph during a foraging tutorial at the Santiago Nature Center in Santa Ana on Friday, January 27, 2023. (Photo by Drew A. Kelley, Contributing Photographer)
Cal Poly Pomona professor Doug Kent gives a foraging tutorial at the Santiago Nature Center in Santa Ana on Friday, January 27, 2023. (Photo by Drew A. Kelley, Contributing Photographer)
Cal Poly Pomona professor Doug Kent describes Aloe Vera during a foraging tutorial at the Santiago Nature Center in Santa Ana on Friday, January 27, 2023. (Photo by Drew A. Kelley, Contributing Photographer)
Cal Poly Pomona professor Doug Kent describes Bitter Lettuce (Lactuca Virosa) during a foraging tutorial at the Santiago Nature Center in Santa Ana on Friday, January 27, 2023. (Photo by Drew A. Kelley, Contributing Photographer)
Cal Poly Pomona professor Doug Kent gives a foraging tutorial at the Santiago Nature Center in Santa Ana on Friday, January 27, 2023. (Photo by Drew A. Kelley, Contributing Photographer)
Cal Poly Pomona professor Doug Kent poses for a photograph during a foraging tutorial at the Santiago Nature Center in Santa Ana on Friday, January 27, 2023. (Photo by Drew A. Kelley, Contributing Photographer)
Cal Poly Pomona professor Doug Kent describes Nopal during a foraging tutorial at the Santiago Nature Center in Santa Ana on Friday, January 27, 2023. (Photo by Drew A. Kelley, Contributing Photographer)
Cal Poly Pomona professor Doug Kent gives a foraging tutorial at the Santiago Nature Center in Santa Ana on Friday, January 27, 2023. (Photo by Drew A. Kelley, Contributing Photographer)
Kent has been foraging and growing the plants that gardeners would just as soon pluck and throw away in their compost bin for decades, and he is an advocate for the ways those things can be cooked and used.
He gets excited as he discusses how weeds and humans have a long and shared history. Many of these plants were things that our early hominid ancestors adapted to eating, he said, and there’s also a reason you can find these plants all over the globe.
“It was a coevolution,” he said. “Our system was evolving to them; their system of seed distribution was evolving to us. And so we went together. We traveled the world.”
Ground rules
Before foraging for weeds, Kent recommends following some safety tips. He said would-be foragers should only consume those plants for which they can make a positive identification, and it’s best to wash foraged plants with water warmer than the leaves because warmer water expels potential toxins from the plant while cooler water can cause the toxins to be pulled in.
Kent also recommends starting in the place that’s most familiar to you – your own garden.
“And once you’ve nailed your own garden, then work on your neighbor’s garden and then go out into the wilderness,” he said.
In his book, Kent encourages would-be foragers to also consider the legal risk before they go out and collect weeds. He notes that it’s important to not enter private land without permission. There are also places such as commercial properties and state colleges that sometimes do not allow collection of plants. Kent recommends checking the restrictions for those places online before heading out.
On the hunt
Want to know what weeds Kent regularly finds in Southern California? From wild mustards to curly dock, here are some weeds that are commonplace.
Black mustard: This is a wild mustard that is very common in Southern California. Its leaves, flowers, fruits and seeds are edible, Kent said. He said the plants are high in fiber as well as vitamins A, C and K. The mustard can be eaten raw, added to salads or made into pesto, but because the leaves have a strong flavor they’re best added to flavors that will dull its own.
Cheeseweed: This weed prefers dry, disturbed soils and some of the locations it can be spotted include trailheads and the sunny sides of buildings. Kent said the leaves can be eaten raw or cooked. The flowers and immature green fruits can also be eaten. The plants are rich in pectin, which Kent said is good for the skin.
Curly Dock: The leaves of this weed can be eaten raw, boiled, steamed or roasted, but it’s best harvested midwinter to mid-spring. If harvested later in the summer or fall, the plant’s leaves may need to be seared to get rid of some of the bitterness and acids that it may have developed.
Dandelion: Kent called this common weed “the bell of the ball of herbology,” and noted the root, stalk, leaves, flour and seeds can all be eaten.
Goosefoot: This plant, a relative of modern spinach, can be found all over Southern California, but is more common within 125 miles of the coast. Leaves could be eaten raw or cooked, and the seeds are also edible. It’s high in vitamin D, A and C, according to Kent.
London Rocket: This plant is abundant across Southern California, from the coasts to the mountains. Up close, it looks similar to arugula and has flavors reminiscent both of that plant and of mustard – and it makes sense since it is a part of the family Brassicaceae that also includes mustards, arugula and broccoli. Leaves of this plant can be eaten raw or cooked. It’s best to pick the lower leaves of the plant and younger plants taste better than older ones.
Purslane: This weed is another example of a weed that follows people and it tends to be more common in more populated areas. It pops up in areas where the dirt has been disturbed and in areas of “incidental irrigation,” according to Kent’s book. This weed has a tart and lemony kick and is used in all sorts of recipes. Some of Kent’s recommendations include adding it to salads with other greens such as nasturtiums and mustard; putting it into juices and on top of eggs; and cooking it by itself.
Grow your own
Want to bring a piece of the wild weedy world home? It’s not only possible to forage many of the weeds common in Southern California but to grow them as well.
Kent grows his own weeds at his home and is excited about the purslane that has spread out over a section of gravel in his yard.
“Everybody that comes, I tell them to stay on the tracks,” he said, with a smile. “Don’t ruin my crop!”
Seed companies such as Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds sell some of these plants, according to Baker Creek horticulturalist Randel Agrella. They sell an improved version of purslane with slightly larger leaves and several different varieties of dandelion.
Agrella said that potential weed gardeners can also obtain seeds by collecting them as they forage but they should do their research before they start to grow seeds from those things.
He recommends not only reading up on the plants but also observing the kinds of conditions they’re growing in.
For example, a plant that is only growing at the edge of pavement could be growing there because of the water runoff that it gets, which may be a sign that it needs more water than what it would get out in the open.
Agrella suggests that gardeners pay attention to when things are sprouting. If a particular kind of plant sprouts in February, it’s a good idea to plant the seeds from it just before February instead of July.
“After they’ve identified some plants that they like and they know of an area where maybe the plants come back year after year, go there and just observe,” he said.
