Oemleria Cerasiformis, Indian Plum

Day 181: Commonly known as Indian Plum or Osoberry, Oemleria cerasiformis is unique in that it is the only member of its genus. Moving up the scale, we can see that it is a member of the Rosaceae, a botanical Family with such widely diverse "cousins" as roses, rowan trees and raspberries, almonds, apricots and apples. It is a dioecious shrub, which is to say that male and female flowers are borne on separate plants, and its fruits are considered edible, if bitter. The fruit is yellowish-red when immature, darkening to a reddish-purple when ripe. Its leaves and bark may also be used to make tea, although I can't speak to its desirability as such. As I have said repeatedly, many plants which are considered "edible" do not necessarily fall into the narrower category of "desirable as food," which is to say that you could assuage a burning hunger by eating them without poisoning yourself, although you wouldn't consider serving them up to guests. I think I'll give Oemleria tea a miss, thank you.

Pettable Thistle

Day 276: While we're on the subject of weeds, it might surprise you to learn that although most thistles in the area are introduced species, there are some natives and not all are as prickly as they appear to be: case in point (forgive the pun), Cirsium edule, the Pacific Northwest's unique "pettable" edible.

As its common name suggests, the stems of the plant are edible, but must first be peeled of their tough outer layer. You'll find that Edible Thistle's thorny leaves are remarkably soft for all of its spiky appearance. Although I wouldn't suggest grabbing them with any amount of force, you can easily stroke them from base to tip or roll them in your fingers without fear of getting poked. Likewise, if you'd like to pat Cirsium edule on its head, you'll only detect stiffness in those purple spines, not a penetrating sharpness. This friendly native thistle is all bluster and bluff until it dries out in the fall (but then, we all get a little crabbier as we get older).

Hericium Abietis

Day 16: One of four Hericium species to occur in the continental US, Hericium abietis (Bear's-head) is the most commonly found in the Pacific Northwest. Unlike its relatives, it grows almost exclusively on conifer wood, particularly that of Douglas Fir and Western Hemlock. Unmistakable in form for anything other than a closely related species, Hericium coralloides, it is considered edible and choice (as is H. coralloides), however a rare individual (your narrator, for example) will react badly to it, experiencing a variety of gastric side-effects sufficient to put the collector off further harvesting. Besides, who would want to destroy such a beautiful specimen just for the sake of a meal?

Chicory, Cichorium Intybus

Day 300: Chicory (Cichorium intybus) is an introduced species in North America and is considered invasive in some areas, it has not achieved a strong hold in western Washington and therefore has avoided being placed on the "hit list" of undesirable aliens. That means I can enjoy the cheer of its sky-blue flowers without any pangs of conscience, although I probably won't invite it into my yard. It can grow to four feet in height and prefers the disturbed, generally poor soils of playgrounds and vacant lots. The root can be roasted and used as a substitute for coffee, although taken straight, it is rather bitter.