Trifoliate orange has many uses all stemming from its mature fruit, which turns from a vibrant green to a yellowish orange in fall. It was once grown in Northern Europe where the rind was traditionally dried and then candied. The inner fruit, minus seeds, is edible and the taste resembles something between a lemon and a grapefruit, explaining how this plant is also called bitter orange. Early colonists grew the fruits because they are rich in pectin, which is necessary to make proper jams and jellies. Furthermore, the blooms are also edible and can be used as garnishes to salads and desserts or in teas. One can use the fruits for their juice or for zest and as lemonade/lemon juice replacements. To produce the most juice, about 20%, from the fruit, let them sit for about two weeks after picking. This juice can then be diluted as desired for drinking.
The plant has also been widely used in Oriental medicine. Besides being used as a remedy for allergic inflammation, the fruit contains the compounds neohesperidin and poncirin which may be useful for the treatment of, and protection from, gastritis. Furthermore, trifoliate orange extracts have been shown to possess anti-allergic, anti-inflammatory, antitumor, and antiviral properties.
Beefsteak weed, or wild basil, is known in Asia as Shiso. Because it is invasive in the United States, this plant offers foragers an opportunity to both harvest wild foods and also help control an invasive species which displaces and outcompetes native plants. Not only is this member of the mint family edible, but it is in itself quite beautiful. In fact, the plant is called beefsteak weed because some varieties are as red as raw meat. The variety I have found around here has rounded, serrated green leaves that are red underneath with reddish, square stems and spikes of light purple flowers, reaching approximately two to six feet tall, though only that tall in optimal conditions. Shiso performs best in shady, moist areas.
Shiso leaves, flowers, and seeds are all edible and can be eaten raw, cooked, or as a tea. The leaves have calcium, riboflavin, fiber, potassium, iron, and vitamins A and C and the seeds are rich in omega-3 fatty acids. Traditionally, shiso was used as both a seasoning herb and medicine as the leaves have a sweet flavor and are great in salads or cooked into rice or other dishes. The seeds can also be roasted and mixed into dishes, pressed for their oil, or dried and ground into a seasoning.
An oil can be distilled from the leaves of shiso and was once commonly used as a flavoring agent to toothpastes and candies. Medicinally, the entire plant can be dried and then reconstituted as a tea. This plant is stated to be antibacterial, antiasthmatic, antispasmodic, diaphoretic, emollient, and useable as a general antiseptic and tonic. It has also been said to have strong anti-cancer properties.
As is common in members of the mint family, shiso has a strong minty smell which to me resembles something like a mix between licorice and anise. Even brushing the plants as one walks will waft the fragrant aroma up into the air, making this plant easier to identify. Furthermore, the dry stalks persist into the winter, which can also help foragers find this garden escapee.
So remember, try and eat one wild food every day!