Ground elder

[Barbara]

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24 Jun 2021



FORAGING IN JUNE: EDIBLE FLOWERS, PLANTS AND HERBS



Helen Keating



Content manager



Midsummer is a magical time for collecting edible wild plants. You can spend warm days and long, light evenings foraging for surprising edible ingredients.



From garden weeds to crisp seeds, here are my June top tips on what to forage, where to find it and what to do.



Please follow our sustainable foraging guidelines.



Collect fragrant honeysuckle flowers on a warm summer evening to make a sweetly-scented tea.



Credit: WTML



Ash (Fraxinus excelsior)

Ash is one of our most common trees and together with privet they are the only UK representatives of the olive family (Oleaceae). The young, green, immature seeds of ash, known as keys, are edible and have also been used in herbal medicine. They often hang in generous bunches at this time of year.



Ash keys



Credit: Ben Lee / WTML



How to use it: you’ll need to pick the seeds early to guarantee success. The process involves boiling the keys to extract their bitterness and then pickling with vinegar, sugar and spices. There are several recipes online.



What to look for: pick the seeds when they are very young and green before they develop stringy fibres. To test the tenderness, snap through an ash key to ensure it is crisp and not fibrous.



Elder (Sambucus nigra)

For many people, fragrant elderflowers are synonymous with summer and they’re at their best late May to June depending on where you are in the UK. The flowers and berries are the only edible part of the elder tree and require cooking to remove the small amounts of toxic chemicals.



Elderflower cordial



Credit: istock.com / knape



How to use it: pick the flowers, give them a shake to remove any insects and rinse briefly in cold water before using. They can be used fresh as flavouring for cordial, wine, tea, liqueur, syrup, jelly and desserts. You can also dip the flowers into a light batter and fry them to make elderflower fritters. Alternatively dry the flowers and use them as a substitute for fresh flowers in most recipes.



What to look for: look for elder trees in woodland, scrub, hedgerows and on wasteland. Their creamy-white flowers hang in flat-topped clusters. Pick when the buds are freshly open on a warm, dry, sunny day, well away from traffic fumes.



Ground elder (Aegopodium podagraria)

This perennial herb is so-called because its leaves resemble those of the elder tree (Sambucus nigra). But it's also known by a host of other names that reflect its history as a medicinal plant and more recently, its reputation as a weed. They include goutweed, dog elder, herb Gerard and Devil's guts.



Ground elder isn't native to the UK and was first introduced from continental Europe, probably by the Romans, as a potherb and remedy against gout. It was once a cultivated and valued plant and although its traditional uses have dwindled, the plant hasn't. It's now classed as an invasive weed and is an irritation to many gardeners who fight a continuous battle with its persistent roots. Why not, then, embrace it as a food plant?



Ground elder



Credit: Nigel Cattlin / Alamy Stock Photo



How to use it: very versatile with a similar flavour to parsley that goes well with fish. Eat the young leaves and shoots raw or add to salads and sandwiches. You can cook the leaves in a similar way to spinach by steaming or softening in butter. Or add them to anything you're making like soups, stews, bubble and squeak and pasta dishes.



What to look for: it's widespread and common in shady places under hedgerows, in gardens, woodlands, hedgerows and along lanes. Look for its luxuriant green leaves that often form thick carpets. It's around for much of the year, but in June the leaves are particularly lush and tender. It's not difficult to identify but it is in the same family (Apiaceae) as some poisonous plants. When identifying ground elder look for serrated, oval leaves which are in groups of three on a grooved stalk. The plant grows close to the ground.



Ground elder is an invasive plant and can be easily and unwittingly spread. Avoid putting any roots or root fragments in your compost bin.

[Jasmine]

When we moved here 21 years ago parts of the garden were riddled with ground elder and I dug every bit out over time - never knew you could eat it Barbara!

[Barbara]

It seems everyday is a school day Jasmine, I've dug loads out the day before I read this article, I'm going to see if it's right before I dig out the next lot.

[Rosefriend]

Years ago when Olaf and I were doing the Entente Florale a woman made Ground Elder schnaps....gawd it was revolting...then a smoothy type thing - that was even worse - you should only take the very young leaves we were told, the older ones can be very bitter.
As far as I am concerned I do not need to ever eat or drink it again hahahahahaha!!