Sedges are a wonderfully plentiful wild food. The tubers and seeds are the most used part of the plant and can be eaten either raw or cooked. The seeds are a great source of protein and carbohydrates and the tubers contain a good amount of starch. The best way to remember how to identify sedges is the phrase, “Sedges have edges,” meaning they have triangular stalks with the leaves coming out at the top, giving these plants a resemblance to small palm trees.
Now a weed commonly seen coming up in sidewalk cracks, sedges were cultivated in ancient times as a source of food. Besides the small, abundant seeds, there are peanut sized tubers along the roots which can be carefully dug out of the soil. Looser, sandier soils will contain a large crop of these ‘root nuts’ whereas heavier soils will have very few. The tubers can be eaten raw, but are quite tasty when toasted. The best variety for harvesting nuts is the Chufa nutsedge, or Cyperus esculentus, which is an African native that has spread throughout North America. These Chufa nuts can be cleaned and then soaked in water to make a beverage similar to almond milk called ‘Horchata de Chufa’. Their rapid spread has been made in part by turkeys and deer, who love to forage for the underground nuts. So, deer hunters, plant a few of these tubers near your favorite deer stand in fall or early spring to grow a crop for the coming year.
So remember, try and eat one wild food every day, just add it to something you are already eating! If you have ideas for wild food articles or have any questions or comments, please email [email protected].