What are all the greens (leafs) that exist?

[Goldsplinter]

Kale
Swiss Chard
Collards
Spinach
Mustard Greens
Arugula
Beet Greens
Chicory
Endive
Butter Leaf Lettuce
Red Leaf Lettuce
Green Leaf Lettuce
Dandelion Greens
Turnip Greens
Rapini
gai lan (Chinese broccoli - actually a variety of kale)
yu choy (of which canola is a variety)
xue li hong (Chinese mustard greens)
verdolaga (already mentioned, but the store here doesn't call it purslane)
epazote
cilantro
Romaine lettuce
watercress
Curly parsley
mache
purslane
chickory
lambsquarters
dock
plantain
cress

(Edited list)

What else? Gonna increase my greens.

[mongomango]

mache
purslane
chickory
lambsquarters
dock
plantain
cress

There's an amazing number of greens, not all can be found in the stores, some have to be wildcrafted or grown.

[luckitri]

mongomango, I would like to learn about the greens you posted. How can I learn what they look like - how to recognize them? Here in the desert if it does not have prickers it is often poisonous but some times of year there are greens good for eating if one forages. (Actually I would have to drive a long way to forage anymore because even the empty lots here in town could well have pesticides sprayed on the weeds and I am concerned about animal waste now with the spinach scare.) Do you know of a website that has pictures and identifying characteristics of these items?

[luckitri]

OK, my bad, I looked up a couple of them - I knew that they were edible but I no longer had names for them - I learned it more than a quarter century ago and the names that I had are not the ones you listed.....I'm getting ready to go foraging!

[mongomango]

Hi luckitri..

Here is a site that has some pics..

http://www.wildmanstevebrill.com/

It's a good site to go through. The guys a trip. He was once arrested for defacing public property or something like that in Central Park for...get this...eating a dandelion!!!! lololololol Great publicity for him. He holds twice weekly foraging of wild edibles in the NYC area except in the winter...great resource, but he tells the same stories each time you go cuz there's usually all new people, so it can get pretty old, heh.

But you are in the desert! Very different plants there.

I do not recommend using pictures to learn wild plants. Many look very much like one another and one is ok, another is toxic. Of course, most are not toxic, just not palatable, but there are enough toxic ones that look like edible ones that I'd recommend finding a foraging group in your area, or a teacher.

You can look here:

http://www.edibleplants.com/

and this is their forum:
http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/ForageAhead/

And they should be able to direct you to someone in your area..or help you out with the plants in your area.

Wild greens are MUCH more nutritious than cultivated ones, and imo, it's more than worthwhile to learn about them. And one never knows...in times of trouble it's good to know. There is an old.. I think French saying.. that says a peasant isn't starving when he's out of bread..he's starving when the chickweed (VERY awesome wild green) is gone.

[JennaBoBenna]

Don't forget my fave!


Curly parsley!! mmmm

[luckitri]

Thank you for the most impressive links! Yes you are right on all counts - I like the taste of something wild once in a while but it would be nice to have verification that I am eating the thing that is safe that I learned so long ago and that I will not make my son an orphan by eating the wrong thing.

[Pierre]

gai lan (Chinese broccoli - actually a variety of kale)
yu choy (of which canola is a variety)
xue li hong (Chinese mustard greens)
verdolaga (already mentioned, but the store here doesn't call it purslane)
epazote
cilantro
Romaine lettuce

[LisaDS88]

watercress

[Spectatrix]

Shepherd's purse! It's more of a seasoning than a green to be eaten by itself (it has a peppery flavor), but I see it all over the place. Its heart-shaped leaves make it pretty easy to recognize.

http://www.birdmom.net/WildflowersWhite/Shepherd'sPurseCU.jpg