Dublin artist Luke Casserly is looking to give the public a new perspective on invasive plants by collaborating on an illustrated cookbook that showcases the uses of these troublesome species, the Dublin Inquirer reported.

For example, he included recipes for Japanese knotweed, a plant he keeps in his own garden. While he has to be careful harvesting it — knotweed can spread from even a tiny fragment of the plant, and it's very disruptive to natural ecosystems in the area — it was initially introduced because it makes for such a delicious ingredient as a member of the rhubarb family. 

"You can make crumble, jam, chutneys," said Casserly, per the Dublin Inquirer.

Ordinarily, we only consider the damage caused by invasive species. They are, after all, a major force of change in new ecosystems. With few natural predators or competitors, they can outcompete native species and significantly reduce biodiversity in an area if left unchecked.

However, this cookbook highlights how they can prove useful — and also serves as a reminder that one of the best ways to eliminate these disruptive plants is by consuming those that are edible. Indeed, the reason many of them were introduced in the first place is that they are good food crops. 

One of the species featured in the cookbook may surprise some readers: the common potato. While it is often associated with Ireland today, it is not native to the country or the continent.

Knotweed, too, is a food crop in Asia. It only gained its negative reputation after moving west, and Casserly is quick to remind us that this is all a matter of perspective and framing.

"I was really intrigued by this universal loathing of a species," he said. "When we talk about 'invasive' and 'nonnative' as inherently negative things, that's sort of colonial language. The ecosystem is kind of … it's everything."

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