By Amber Testa, Supplements Buyer & Urban Foraging Enthusiast
Note: It's important to be 100% sure of a plant's identity before consuming it. Never consume plants that have been treated with chemicals, take care when foraging in city environments (as soil may be contaminated with pollutants), and always be mindful about foraging on what may be private land.
I've always thought, personally, that the concept of a 'weed' is a rather arbitrary designation. I am a lifelong drinker of chicory coffee and a muncher of dandelion leaves. I delight in the sour little shamrocks of woodsorrel leaves and slap plantain on my mosquito bites. I find joy as a city dweller in seeing the same plants I remember from my rural childhood in my daily life in Boston. And though I may be more cautious now about the potential for environmental pollutants, the sight of a familiar species still causes the corner of my mouth to quirk up in a grin. Here's a quick lowdown on five of the most common local weeds that you're just as likely to find on the streets of Boston as well as on the shelves of Cambridge Naturals.
Mullein (verbascum thapsus): Mullein is instantly recognizable by its slender vertical spikes of yellow flowers, which often exceed four feet in height. The flower spikes develop during its second year of growth; during its first year, the plant appears as a rosette of fluffy grey-green leaves growing close to the ground. It prefers disturbed soils, especially in urban environments; I've even found it growing in construction sites in my long-term neighborhood of Allston.
Mullein, though not native to North America, has a storied history of use by the Indigenous and Black communities. It has been utilized primarily as a respiratory tonic; the leaves can also be smoked (either on their own or as part of a blend) for both medicinal and recreational purposes. And if you find yourself in a hygienic pickle while out hiking, you should also know that one of mullein's many nicknames is 'cowboy toilet-paper' (!).
Dandelion (taraxacum officinale): The scourge of suburban lawns everywhere, dandelion is able to grow in a wide range of environments, from pavement-locked schoolyards to rural pastures. You'll catch the vivid yellow flowers poking up from cracks in the sidewalk, dotting the grass at city parks, and finding their way onto sports fields. But dandelion is more than just the archnemesis of lawn-loving suburban dads--it's also a nutrient-packed treat!
All parts of the plant can be eaten. The leaves and stems are rich in minerals such as potassium, iron, and calcium, and make a pleasant addition to green salads. The roots can be eaten when young as a vegetable, or roasted and dried as a coffee substitute. In traditional herbal medicine, they're valued for their diuretic properties (indeed, their French name pissenlit means 'pee-the-bed'), as well as their ability to cleanse the liver and promote healthy digestion.
Broadleaf plantain (plantago species): Plantain (no relation to the similarly-named member of the banana [Musa] family) is definitely one of those plants you always notice but don't know the name of. In my mind, it evokes images of itself around picnic tables, on playgrounds, on well-trodden woodland footpaths. It's the plant you fiddle with while sitting on your blanket waiting for a fireworks show to start, or scuff under your sneakers at a summer concert in the park. But this humble plant, with its shiny leaves and elongated, corncob-like spikes, possesses surprising healing abilities.
Plantain makes a useful spit poultice for bug bites and bee stings incurred while outdoors; simply chew the fresh leaves into a mash and apply them to the irritation. Sure, it seems a bit weird at first, but the relief it provides is impressive. Plantain is also the source of psyllium husk, a fluffy substance mostly known for its use as a supplemental dietary fiber -- although it's also increasingly popular as an ingredient in gluten-free baked goods!
Chicory (cichorium intybus): Related closely to dandelion and salad endive, chicory is considered both an unpleasant weed as well as a cultivated crop. It grows along roadsides, among construction sites, and in unmown yards, but does not exist in undisturbed natural environments. Its pale blue flowers on their scraggly stalks may not seem particularly impressive, but chicory's real glory is underground. The deep taproot, which can grow to several feet long, was historically used to stretch coffee supplies during wars; when dried and roasted, it has a pleasantly bitter flavor without adding any caffeine. As a person of Louisiana Cajun descent, I first encountered chicory as a coffee addition, and still enjoy it as such. Chicory is also a rich source of a prebiotic fiber called inulin, which helps the beneficial bacteria in your gut microbiome to thrive. Despite not being the showiest of plants, chicory boasts a wide spectrum of uses and strong cultural connections.
Red Clover (trifolium pratense): While not a native species to North America, red clover has become naturalized here. And while its binomial name may come from the Latin word prātum, meaning 'meadow', you're just as likely to find it growing in urban backyards or along roadside ditches. There it often attracts bumblebees and Eastern Cottontail rabbits, who delight in its large pink flowers! Outside of New England, red clover is a popular cultivated crop used for both livestock feed as well as its powerful soil-enriching properties due to its ability to fix nitrogen in the soil.
In traditional herbal medicine, red clover is valued for its phytoestrogenic compounds, which mimic the effects of estrogen in the human body. For that reason you'll often see it incorporated into remedies aimed at menopausal people. Its leaves and flowers have a pleasantly sweet flavor that make a lovely addition to teas, and you can even eat the leaves raw as a salad green!
There's so much to be learned from our friendly local weeds. The next time you're walking along the street in Boston, cast an eye to the side of the road and see if you can find any of these underappreciated botanical specimens!
Sources: https://hort.extension.wisc.edu/articles/dandelion-taraxacum-officinale/
https://www.neworleansroast.com/history-of-using-chicory/
https://www.growforagecookferment.com/foraging-for-mullein/
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/red-clover#benefits
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/plantain-weed