Claytonia Sibirica

Day 184: It used to be Montia, and it used to be Miner's Lettuce, but as has occurred with so many other things in the world, our perception of this little plant has changed thanks to scientific advances, and now it's Claytonia sibirica or Western Spring Beauty. Honestly, I'm having a hard time keeping up! It is fairly abundant here in the Pacific Northwest, and if you're a hunter-gatherer type, the foliage makes a tangy addition to a garden salad, but caution should be exercised when consuming it because of the presence of oxalic acid in its tissues. Accumulations of oxalic acid can lead to kidney stones. That said, I occasionally nibble a leaf or two, finding them a bit tart and lemony.

Siberian Miner's Lettuce, Claytonia Sibirica

Day 206: Siberian Miner's Lettuce (Claytonia sibirica) is native to the Pacific Northwest and can be found in the moist lowlands to the mid-elevations west of the Cascade crest. The leaf is fleshy and edible, and was consumed by early settlers as a tangy salad green, hence the common name. The term "edible" comes with a caution: consumption of large quantities over time can lead to development of kidney stones, owing to the presence of oxalic acid in the leaves, but browsing a few while hiking is not likely to cause future issues. In fact, the tart, puckery taste can be a good thirst-quencher or an unusual garnish laid atop a green salad. Miner's Lettuce (both C. sibirica and C. perfoliata) are present in abundance in western Washington.