Managing the population of an invasive plant is already a win — but doing that and getting a delicious meal out of it? It doesn't get much better.
A foraging chef, Alan Bergo (@foragerchef), posted a video on Instagram detailing how to harvest and consume creeping bellflower. "Creeping bellflower is a common weed that can be a pain to remove if you don't want it," he writes. "The good news is the whole plant is edible and tastes good."
First, he demonstrates how the tender leaves can be harvested, washed, and sauteed with some garlic, chili, and lemon for a healthy, savory vegetable dish.
"The flowers are mild, pleasant, and abundant," he writes, showing photos of dishes garnished with the small purple bell-shaped flowers that give the plant its name. "I use them on sweet and savory dishes from pies to stir fries, but especially with wild blueberries and fruit."
"The most interesting for me has been the roots," he continues. "After scrubbing and a quick boil they have an interesting taste, like a root vegetable reminiscent of artichokes."
Commenters were thrilled. "Oh, we have these where I come from (the Czech Republic) where they are native and look absolutely gorgeous covering meadows with splashes of color, together with other wild flowers," one person wrote. "I had no idea they were edible, that's so awesome!!!"
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"Wow, I have a lot of this in my backyard!" another enthused. "I could've eaten so much of this already."
"I'm starting to realize that nine out of 10 weeds that grow on my acre are edible," another echoed.
This approach to tackling invasive plants is effective with a number of species, many of which people are surprised to learn are completely edible. For example, dandelions make for a great quesadilla, and daylily tubers are dead ringers for small potatoes. The raspberryesque wineberry makes for a tasty snack (or delicious jam).
"It may be an invasive weed, but they're a tasty one," Bergo concludes.
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Not only does consuming invasives protect the native species and pollinators of the area but they're often packed with more nutrients and vitamins than certain store-bought produce, considering all produce loses nutritional value the longer it's in transit.
"Prolific, free food," one person celebrated. "Who woulda thunk!"
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