A Journey into Foraging and Identifying Wild Herbs

This Saturday, I embarked on a unique adventure by attending a wild herb foraging and identification course. Organized by the Arcobaleno 96 association, I had the pleasure of meeting Laura Grandinetti, an exceptional and highly professional instructor.

Our day began with a morning walk through the countryside, where we immersed ourselves in nature's bounty. We successfully identified and collected over 30 different wild herbs, each with its own unique characteristics and potential uses.

I am excited to share my notes and insights on the edible wild herbs we encountered. Stay tuned for detailed information on each plant, including identification tips, culinary uses, and any fascinating tidbits I discovered along the way.

Galium aparine (goose grass / sticky willy)

Urtica dioica (nettle)

Borago officinalis (borage)

Anchusa azurea (bugloss)

Hypochaeris radicata (flatweed)

Crepis (dandelion hawk's-beard)

Veronica (bird's eyes)

Lamium purpureum (purple dead-nettle)

Stellaria media (chickweed)

Erigeron canadensis (canadian horseweed)

Bellis Perennis (daisy)

Rumex (dock)

Silene alba (white campion)

Silene vulgaris (bladder campion)

Daucus carota (wild carrot)

Sonchus (sow thistles)

Caledula officinalis (marigold)

Silybum marianum (milk thistle)

Plantago lanceolata (narrowleaf plantain / waybread)

Plantago major (Greater plantain / waybread)

Malva sylvestris (mallow)

Calamintha nepeta (calamint)

Salvia Pratensis (wild sage)

Taraxacum officinale (dendelion)

Raphanus sativus (wild radish)

Capsella bursa-pastoris (shepherd's purse)

Pimpinella anisum (salad burnet)

Umbilicus rupestris (penny-pies)

Cichorium intybus (cicory)