Christmas Cheer With Amaranth

Amaranthus viridis – Green Amaranth or Amaranthus lividus -Purple Amaranth cultivated in Mexico since 4000BC – making it the oldest known food crop summer growing annuals found in disturbed, impoverished places the flowers are densely clustered small and green grow at the terminal or tip of the stem or in the axils of the leaves […] Read more

Speedwell – pretty blue flowers

Speedwell – Veronica persica 
 Description: The Latin name of this pretty little blue flowered plant comes from a story of a woman, later canonized as St. Veronica who is said to have wiped the blood from the face of Jesus on his journey to Calvery. “Ever afterwards,” writes Julia W. Henshaw in Mountain Wildflowers of […] Read more

Onion Weed

Description other names three-cornered leek light green, grass like leaves and flower stalks are triangular in a cross section (photo below) it is a perennial that grows from small bulbs 1cm in diameter a garden escape being brought here by settlers from Europe even I considered it a terrible weed because it is impossible to […] Read more

All About Plantain

Broad-leaved Plantago major, Narrow-leaved Plantago lanceolata Plantago Star of the Earth or Buck’s Horn Plantain Plantago coronopus The Māori name for plantain is kopakopa or parerarera Description esteemed healers since ancient times Anglo-Saxon names Waybroad’ or ‘Waybread’ meaning a broad-leafed herb which grows by the wayside will grow anywhere, even in the middle of pathways […] Read more

Chickweed – abundant in winter

Chickweed  – stellaria media is a delightful plant and my favourite edible weed, growing lushly in the colder months.  It is one of the most common weeds, growing all over the world in gardens, cultivated land and waste places. It is an annual preferring cooler, rich, moist conditions and doesn’t survive dry summers. It’s Latin name ‘Stellaria’ […] Read more

Violet

Violet – Viola odorata The delicate, sweet scent of violet flowers wafts in the air as I go near the heart shaped leaves of this plant. The meaning of Violet is modesty, she calms tempers and has a cooling effect. This is because the leaves are mucilaginous (or a slippery/slimy sensation in your mouth if […] Read more

Dandelion – including how to make Dandelion Coffee

Dandelion – Taraxacum officinale Description Dandelions are one of the most health giving, nutritious and abundant wild edibles that I have come across.  To identify a true dandelion from the three look a-like plants of Catsear, Hawkbit and Hawkesbeard (all of which are edible, yet non are as beneficial), dandelions have a single golden yellow […] Read more

Purslane – hugely nutritious

Purslane – Portulaca oleracea Purslane has to be the one of the least appreciated edible weeds in New Zealand with huge hidden benefits. The greatest benefit being high levels of Omega-3 fatty acids  (known to help prevent heart disease and improve the immune system), a whopping 4mg per gram, compared to .89mg in spinach. Purslane […] Read more

Magenta Spreen

Magenta Spreen – Chenopodium giganteum  This is a beautiful plant to grow with it’s soft green goosefoot shaped leaves that have a splash of magenta-pink on the newest leaves of each stem. It is an annual, meaning it grows for one season, and then dies down.  Looking at the photo on the left one would […] Read more

All About Amaranth

  Amaranth, Green Amaranthus viridis or  Purple Amaranthus lividus Description These are summer growing annuals found in disturbed, impoverished places and cultivated nutrient rich places like our vegetable gardens or animal pens.  They have densely clustered small green flowers that grow at the terminal or tip of the stem or in the axils of the […] Read more