John Myers
Many wild herbs that taste wonderful grow in the forest, in meadows, on the edge of fields, and even in the city. We show which ones you can collect and eat. There are also preparation tips.
The term herb stands for plants that do not become woody. Wild herbs specifically mean plants that have not been modified by breeding.
Wild herbs often contain more minerals and vitamins than the types of lettuce and vegetables commonly found in supermarkets.
We show the ten most important wild herbs and explain how to recognize them, where they grow – and how to prepare them.
Wild herbs are fascinating: they grow by the wayside or in the forest without any further action. If you are not out and about in the nature reserve, you can simply help yourself and enjoy the wide variety of flavors and aromas at home.
Wild herbs have a lot to offer in culinary terms – from sweet to nutty to bitter and tart, everything is there in terms of taste. Some of the plants that we list here are certainly known to you as so-called “weeds”. Among them are dandelion, groundweed, nettle, and sorrel. They are true miracle plants with many healthy ingredients. Incidentally, most wild herbs are not “just” herbs, but are also considered medicinal herbs.
Important tips for collecting wild herbs
Only harvest plants that you are 100% sure are edible plants. Wild garlic, for example, resembles the poisonous lily of the valley.
You should not pick herbs that grow near the road, on fertilized meadows or on dog walk routes.
No plants may be taken into nature reserves.
Only pick small amounts at a time so that the plant can continue to grow and multiply undamaged. So it will be available for you to collect at the same place next year.
The best time to harvest wild herbs is spring and summer, when the leaves are still very tender. But there are also herbs that taste good all year round.
Identify wild herbs
It’s fun to practice identifying wild herbs, especially since some herbs are very easy to spot. Here we present the most important wild herbs with a picture and a short portrait.
If you enjoy identifying, collecting and experimenting and would like to delve deeper, we recommend the free “Flora Incognita” app from the Technical University of Ilmenau (Google Play Store, Apple Store), which you can use to identify wild herbs and other plants using your smartphone Camera can determine automatically. In bookstores you will also find numerous guides with tips for identifying wild plants.
Wild garlic
- Where does wild garlic grow? In moist, shady deciduous forests
- what is edible leaves and flowers
- Flavor: intense garlic and onion
- Tips for preparation: wild garlic tastes great in pesto, soups, salads, dips, and herb butter
- Harvest time: spring
- Effect as a medicinal plant: Wild garlic strengthens the immune system, stimulates digestion and can be beneficial for high blood fat levels and high blood pressure
Nettle
- Where does the nettle grow? Almost everywhere, like on the edges of forests, in gardens and on banks
- what is edible The young leaf shoots
- Flavor: Spicy and slightly bitter, a little like spinach
- Tips for preparation: Young nettle leaves are delicious in salads, soups, spinach or pesto. Nettle tea is considered a wonderful pick-me-up
- Harvest time: from spring to autumn
- Effect as a medicinal plant: Nettle contains a lot of vitamin C and is therefore good for the immune system. Nettle tea has a draining effect
Daisy
- Where does the daisy grow? Almost everywhere on meadows, pastures and in parks
- what is edible Young leaves and flowers
- Taste: delicately spicy and nutty
- Tips for the preparation: Leaves taste good raw in salads and herbal quark, and also steamed in soups. Young, half-open flowers make a beautiful and edible decoration
- Harvest time: all year round
- Effect as a medicinal plant: daisy tea is said to help with respiratory and skin diseases
Giersch (Goatfoot)
- Where does ground elder grow? At the edge of the forest, in sparse forests, under hedges and also in the home garden
- what is edible Young leaves and buds
- Taste: fresh and sharp, reminiscent of spinach
- Tips for the preparation: ground elder is a great seasoning for potato dishes and salads. The young shoots taste good raw in salads and herb quark, the older leaves and stalks finely chopped as steamed vegetables (10 to 20 minutes cooking time, collapses a lot like spinach), also in soups or pancakes
- Harvest time: spring (leaves), summer (flowers)
- Effect as a medicinal plant: Giersch can be helpful for urinary tract infections and rheumatic diseases
Dandelion
- Where do dandelions grow? Almost everywhere, mainly on sunny meadows
what is edible Young leaves and flower buds. Do not consume the sticky, white milk that comes out - Taste: The leaves taste slightly bitter and nutty, the taste of the buds is reminiscent of Brussels sprouts
- Tips for preparation: The leaves taste great in a salad, spinach or green smoothie. The smaller and younger the leaves, the better! The flowers are suitable as a decoration for salads or desserts. You can fry the flower buds in hot oil for a few minutes and then salt them
- Harvest time: spring and summer
- Effect as a medicinal plant: Dandelion is said to have a blood-cleansing and diuretic effect.
- Dandelion stimulates digestion and is suitable for detoxification
Sorrel
- Where does sorrel grow? On wet meadows
- what is edible Young leaves and shoot tips
- Taste: sour, lemony
- Tips for preparation: It is best to use the very young leaves, they taste great in soups and salads
- Harvest time: summer and autumn
- Effect as a medicinal plant: Sorrel contains a lot of iron. In folk medicine, it is considered helpful for respiratory diseases. Studies also confirm that sorrel has an antioxidant effect
Buckhorn
- Where does plantain grow? In meadows and along the way
- what is edible Young leaves and flowers
- Flavor: reminiscent of mushrooms
- Tips for preparation: The leaves are delicious in salads or dips, the flowers have a mushroom-
- like taste
- Harvest time: spring
- Effect as a medicinal plant: The crushed leaves are said to help with stings and swelling
Wood sorrel
- Where does wood sorrel grow? In mixed forests
- what is edible leaves
- Taste: fruity-sour
- Tips for the preparation: as a spice in the salad
- Harvest time: autumn
- Effect as a medicinal plant: Wood sorrel is said to have a blood-cleansing and antipyretic effect
Wild carrot
- Where does the wild carrot grow? On roadsides and roadsides, in meadows
what is edible Leaves of the basal rosette, roots, flowers - Flavor: reminiscent of parsley
- Tips for the preparation: The young leaves taste great as a spice for salads and soups, in a smoothie or as a pesto. The roots are delicious raw or cooked. You can bake the flowers in
- pancake batter
- Harvest time: spring
- Effect as a medicinal plant: Like the carrot, the wild carrot contains many B vitamins. It can protect against high blood pressure and strengthen the immune system
Preparation of wild herbs
Many wild herbs taste good in a mixed salad – decorated with daisies it becomes a wonderful eye-catcher. Colorfully mixed wild herbs also spice up dips made from sour cream or cream cheese, taste great in herb butter, sprinkled over fried or scrambled eggs, as tea or in green smoothies.
Spicy wild plants such as stinging nettles or wild garlic are also ideal for making your own wild herb salt. To do this, thoroughly crush and mix around 20 grams of dried herbs with 80 g of salt in a mortar.
Fresh wild herbs and blossoms, on the other hand, are often not suitable for freezing. However, you can stock up on dried plants to use later as a tea or spice. Important: Do not chop the herbs before drying, as this will cause them to lose their aroma. Instead, gently dry leaves, blossoms or fruit, either on a drying frame in the shade or in a dehydrator at a setting below 40 degrees Celsius.
