As far as being edible, sweet william can be eaten raw or added to nearly any dish, such as soups, stews, salads, and vegetable dishes. Similar to bachelor’s button it can be used as a garnish for deserts to add both color and a touch of whimsy. It could perhaps even add some color and interest to jams, jellies, gelatin desserts, and fruits salads. Moreover, due to their small size, they can even be put in an ice cube tray to create wild, herbal ice cubes to put in teas, lemonades, and other beverages.
Medicinally, dianthus is mainly used in Traditional Chinese Medicine. The most notable of this species are Dianthus superbus and Dianthus chinensis, which are known as ‘Qu Mai’ in Mandarin Chinese. Notable taxonomist Linnaeus must have prized this plant because the name ‘dianthus’ literally translates from Latin as ‘the flower of God.’ The Chinese use dianthus species plants for a range of health concerns, though particularly problems of the urinary system. It is also used to treat esophageal cancer, colon cancer, stomach cancer, and a variety of other illnesses. The plants in general contain flavonoids such as anthocyanins, which are powerful antioxidants. More specifically, dianthus shows diuretic effects by removing water from the body, cardiovascular effects by inhibiting the heart rate through hypotensive effects, intestinal effects by increasing intestinal motility, uterus effects through its excitatory effect on the uterus by increasing frequency of rhythmic contractions, bacteriostatic effects by inhibiting the growth of organisms such as fungi, staph, pneumoniae bacteria, E. coli, Proteus vulgaris, tuberculosis bacteria, and more. Furthermore, decoctions of dianthus were shown to kill parasites in eight to twelve minutes. To use dianthus medicinally, the recommended dosage is from 3 to 10 grams in a decoction or tea or it can be purchased commercially in the form of pills or powders.
So, remember to try and eat one wild food every day! If you have any questions or comments or ideas for wild food articles or recipes, please email [email protected]