ID Guides

Common names: Marsh marigolds, kingcups

Latin: Caltha palustris

Appearance: Large golden flowers that look like the cup of kings, hence their nickname ‘Kingcup’.

Where: Damp spots, like ponds, meadows, marshes, ditches, towns and gardens and wet woodlands.

How to forage: It is very easy to pick – simply cut a few stems from each plant.

When:  May to August

How to use: Marsh marigolds flowers and leaves should be submerged in boiling water until tender. Do not eat raw. Instead, add them to soups, stews, pasta, or enjoy as they are with a little butter, salt and vinegar.

Common names: Hairy bittercress, lamb’s cress, land cress, spring cress, hoary bittercress, shot weed, flick weed

Latin: Cardamine Hirsuta

Appearance: Has a dense collection of leaves at its base, that are often referred to as a rosette. A stalk that grows vertically and bears a small cluster of white flower is what makes it most noticeable. Living up to its name, the leaves are covered in tiny hairs creating a hairy texture.

Where: Any area with disturbed soil such as gardens, fields, flower beds and even in flower boxes.

How to forage: It is very easy to pick – simply cut a few stems from each plant.

When: Most of the year, it picks up growth in early spring and dies when it’s too hot in the summer.

How to use: Flavour profiles similar to rocket and watercress, adding a peppery taste, makes it great to pair with roast beef in a sandwich, with a thin layer of horseradish, or a crab and mayo roll.

Common names: Jelly ear, wood ear, cloud ear

Latin: Auricularia auricula-judae

Appearance: Most notably, this fungus is remarkably similar in appearance to an ear. It is roughly semicircular, cupped, and textured with ridges. It can be anything from a light orange to a dark, chocolatey brown colour. It is wobbly and gelatinous.

Where: The fungus usually grows on trees in wooded areas. It is most common on elder trees, but will also grow on other hard woods such as beech, ash and sycamore. 

How to forage: It is very easy to pick – simply pull the whole mushroom head off the tree with your fingers.

When: All year round!

How to use: Jelly ear goes very well in Chinese cooking. Some Chinese recipes even call for this mushroom specifically. It is not very flavoursome, so make sure the recipe includes some good seasoning!

Common names: Wild strawberry, alpine strawberry, woodland strawberry

Latin: Fragaria vesca

Appearance: The leaves are glossy and tooth-edged, with long stems that hold small white flowers with five petals. These flowers will lose their petals and turn into the strawberry fruit, which is easily recognisable.

Where: Open grassland, woodland or forest edges.

How to forage: Make sure the fruit looks uniformly red in colour and is firm, then pick it from the stem.

When: They ripen in June and July.

How to use: Wild strawberries are mainly just eaten as they are as a sweet fruit snack. They can of course be used like you would other fruits; in jams and baked goods.

Common names: Fat hen, white goosefoot, lambs quarters

Latin: Chenopodium album

Appearance: Fat hen has large, green leaves that are a rounded triangular shape. A good distinguishing feature is the silvery sheen on the leaves, created by thousands of tiny water-repellent crystals. From June onwards there will be tiny spirals of green and white flowers on spikes coming from the bases of the leaves.

Where: Fat hen grows in lots of environments, particularly those recently disturbed like waste grounds or the edges of gardens (hence it is commonly considered a weed).

How to forage: All parts of the plant are edible, but the stem is not desirable. Pluck off whichever part of the plant you want to use with your fingers.

When: April to October

How to use: The fat hen leaves have a cabbage-like taste and can be used fresh in salads or cooked like spinach. When bloomed, the flowers go well as salad toppings.

Common names: Sorrel, spinach dock, narrow-leaved dock

Latin: Rumex acetosa

Appearance: Sorrel grows as a rosette with pointed green leaves that resemble spinach. It flowers in summer with distinctive red petals.

Where: Any UK open grassland or meadow.

How to forage: Pick directly from the rock, taking the head of the plant leaving the root. 

When: From the end of spring right through summer and autumn until the frost comes in winter.

How to use: It can be used like you would spinach – such as cooked with garlic as a side dish. It does have a very lemony/citrus taste so is often used mixed with sour cream or yoghurt as a lemon herb dip.

Common names: Rock samphire, sea-fennel, crest marine

Latin: Crithmum maritimum

Appearance: The long, thin leaves are fleshy like a succulent and blue/green in colour. The leaves are thinly pronged and in small clusters, and the bush grows to around 20-60cm. Rock samphire does produce flowers (although they are not eaten) which have small white petals.

Where: As can be presumed by its name, rock samphire grows on the rock of cliffs next to the sea in coastal areas. 

How to forage: Pick directly from the rock, taking the head of the plant leaving the root. 

When: The best time is the end of spring and through the summer months.

How to use: As rock samphire grows along the coast near the sea it is best paired with seafood. It is mainly used as a side dish alongside fish. It can be fried or steamed with herbs and spices like garlic and chilli for some extra flavour.