If you are a forager for food, Cathy Isom lets you know about some trees that have leaves that you can eat. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours.
There are many trees with leaves that you can actually eat. For example, Linden trees. Commonly used to line streets and act as windbreaks. Their leaves are said to be tasty and can be enjoyed throughout the spring, summer, and fall.
The Moringa tree, also known as the drumstick tree (due to its shape), it is native to India but is now being used around the world to combat malnutrition. Almost every part of the tree is edible, but most people stick to the leaves. Moringa leaves are packed with high levels of iron, protein, calcium, potassium, vitamin A and vitamin C. Eaten fresh, the leaves have a nutty spice and can be tossed into salads or soups.
Mulberry leaves, when young, are also edible. However, older leaves have a bit of toxicity that can cause a stomachache. So, look for unrolled leaves. It’s recommended that they should be boiled before eaten. Once dried, add them to salads or stuffed as if a grape leaf.
Hawthorn trees, are well-regarded for their medicinal value, particularly with cardiovascular issues. As for the leaves, they are edible and reputed to hold many of the same health-promoting powers of the berries and flowers. Hawthorn leaves are referred to as “pepper and salt” and commonly tossed into salads. As with most leaves, the young, new leaves — found in spring — are the more agreeable.
I’m Cathy Isom…