Smilax species, or Greenbrier, also known as catbrier or bullbrier, is one of the most abundant and easily identified wild plants. This is so because it is the only vine with both tendrils and thorns. Furthermore, this plant is an important survival food because it can be found in large quantities nearly year round. Mark Vorderbruggen notes that not only does greenbrier taste good, it is very nutritious, and the tubers are also a source of calories. More specifically, the tubers are high in minerals and starch and the stems and leaves are high in assorted minerals and vitamins. Most of this plant is edible, excluding the aged vines with their thorns. The new growth on these vines is edible and quite tasty, just snap off the new sprouts where they are still soft, as it has no thorns; it has a taste and appearance similar to asparagus. All soft portions of the plant are edible, the new sprouts, the tendrils, and the leaves, which can be eaten raw, or the leaves and tendrils can be cooked like spinach. Furthermore, the tubers of the vines are also edible, and to find the largest tubers, trace large vines back to their source. Given the right conditions, some tubers will even form masses up to seventy-five pounds or more. Admittedly, the starch that can be extracted from the tuber has a somewhat bitter, astringent taste, but it rich in important calories. Furthermore, this starch can thicken stews and soups and will thicken water to a jello-like consistency. Vorderbruggen also states that Native Americans would roast these tubers under fire for several days and then chew the cooked starch from them and spit out any leftover fibers. Of course, the youngest tubers are the tastiest and are the lightest colored, usually very close to where the vine enters the soil. The berries of greenbrier are also edible either raw or made into jams and jellies, just make sure to remove its inedible seeds.
Other common edible plants include the wisteria species, including both native and non-native varieties. With a sweet, floral flavor, most owners don’t realize that wisteria is edible. Take note that only the flowers are edible, every other part of the plant is toxic to humans. The flavorful flower can be used in salads or as a raw snack or even as a beautiful garnish to desserts and other dishes. Wild food expert, Sunny Savage, suggests using it to make wisteria cheesecake, simply adding half a cup of flowers to regular cheesecake mix. Then add another half-cup on top as a garnish. To add interest in the form of flavor and color, add blueberry extract to the mix.
Our last vine many may be familiar with, but they may not be certain that it is edible. Passiflora incarnata is also known as maypop, passion vine, or passionflower, and is most notable for its intricate and exotic purple blooms that emerge in late summer through the fall. The ripe fruits, juice, and leaves are all edible and contain both vitamin A and niacin. There is strong evidence to suggest the use of niacin in the treatment of cholesterol. Several studies have shown that it can boost levels of good HDL cholesterol and lower triglycerides as well or better than some prescription drugs. Niacin also modestly lowers bad LDL cholesterol. Maypop fruit is ripe when it turns from vibrant green to somewhat yellow-orange in color and the skin will begin to wrinkle. The edible part of the fruit is the clear goo that covers the seeds, simply suck off this goo similarly to eating a pomegranate. Furthermore, one can use the dried leaves and stem of Maypop to make a tea containing alkaloids that have a sedative effect on the body. As with any medicinal tea, don’t drink more than 2-3 cups per week.
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