# Winter greens ??



## motdaugrnds (Jul 3, 2002)

I found this plant just this month growing abundantly in a partial shady, moist, fertil soil around our Asian Pear trees and a Comfrey plant. We have had frosty nights that does not affect it negatively. The plants are only about 3 inches tall, yet still a taproot can be found. Can anyone identify this? (The "Edible Wild Plants" book I have rules out wild mustard and sorrels.)


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## Danaus29 (Sep 12, 2005)

The leaves look a bit like dandelion. Does it smell like dandelion?


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## motdaugrnds (Jul 3, 2002)

I really don't know what dandelion smells like as we have had so few around here this year. Do dandelions sprout and grow during late fall/winter months?


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## TnTnTn (Dec 23, 2004)

Looks like some sort of brassica to me. The turnip green, rape, kale and other brassicas appear similar. TTT


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## annie.oaktree (Nov 15, 2011)

One way to see if its a dandelion would be to snap off a fresh leaf and see if any milky substance is in the stalk which is a telltale sign.

My first instinct was a young chard or a brassica like TnTnTn said.


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## motdaugrnds (Jul 3, 2002)

If there is milky substance in the stalk, does that mean it is or it isn't a dandelion?

We have no planted any turnips, rape, kale or any brassica in our garden. I have no idea where these came from.

We did have a lot of Dock, Plantain and Redroot Pigweed come up wild in the garden; but this doesn't look anything like those. We also had smartweed come up abundantly; but this is not that either.


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## TnTnTn (Dec 23, 2004)

There are a lot of 'wild' or volunteer brassica types around cultivated areas that persist for years. TTT


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## motdaugrnds (Jul 3, 2002)

ROFL Yep, TnTnTn, I'm learning that alright.


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## jwal10 (Jun 5, 2010)

Have you ever seen a lot of yellow flowers around there in the spring? Could it be wild mustard. It will come up for years from seed....James

http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl...a=X&ei=h43VTuzeIYWViQKP3uyMDg&ved=0CDYQ9QEwAQ

http://www.pennilessparenting.com/2011/03/wild-mustard-foraged-food.html

.


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## motdaugrnds (Jul 3, 2002)

Thanks James. I'll go over and look at those urls.


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## Vickie44 (Jul 27, 2010)

Maybe watercress ?


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## Danaus29 (Sep 12, 2005)

Yes, dandelion sprouts and grows in the fall. And they don't always have milky sap.


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## naturelover (Jun 6, 2006)

My vote is for dandelion. I have dandelion seedlings growing here now that look just like that. They won't develop the lobes until the leaves mature more.

Just pinch off a bit and taste it. If it's dandelion it should have a mildly bitter taste.

.


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## motdaugrnds (Jul 3, 2002)

I took some of the leaves and chewed them up. They had a mildy bitter taste and reminded me of turnips.

If this is indeed dandelions, I am truly blessed. I take a tablet for high blood pressure that depetes my potassium; and dandelion greens contain this mineral.


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## J.T.M. (Mar 2, 2008)

It looks like it may be dock...


http://www.gardenorganic.org.uk/organicweeds/weed_information/weed.php?id=1


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## motdaugrnds (Jul 3, 2002)

I'm not ruling out dock as we have plenty of that on the place; however, these are not growing like our dock do.


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## J.T.M. (Mar 2, 2008)

Wait................... does'nt dock have a tap root...mmmmmmmmmm .


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## jwal10 (Jun 5, 2010)

Mustard greens have a bitter taste but less than turnip greens, sort of peppery....James


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## jwal10 (Jun 5, 2010)

Danelions have more cut leaf....James

http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl...3jncTv2gMorWiAKx-oS8CQ&ved=0CDoQ9QEwAQ&dur=90


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## motdaugrnds (Jul 3, 2002)

I picked some yesterday, just pulled entire plant out of ground and cut off the root system. I washed them and added some tiny fresh tomatoes (cut in half). Then I mixed up some poppy seeds, black pepper, powdered mustard and a little sea salt with some Olive Oil and tossed the fresh greens/tomatoes in this. Spread some shreaded mixed cheese and some thinly chopped/sliced ham with some slices of purple onion. These greens gave this chef's salad one of the best tastes I've had in a salad. The slight tang was perfect!


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## Tiempo (May 22, 2008)

Looks like arugula to me, but I'm not sure as only grow the rustic variety that has deeper cut leaves.

Is it peppery and kind of vaguely peanutty?


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## motdaugrnds (Jul 3, 2002)

Tiempo, I would not describe the taste as "peanutty". It is slightly bitter with a sweet-like turnip taste to it.


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## City Bound (Jan 24, 2009)

it looks like chard to me. One year my chard went to seed and then I little chards popping up all around that looked lik ethe plant you found. Did you ever grow chard in your garden in the past?


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