Spring Edible Plants in Middle Tennessee!

We did some exploring this weekend.  Here are some of the great plants from Maury County, Tennessee, all blooming in mid April! 

Spiny annual sow thistle, Sonchus asper, edible like greens, better when young and trim the spines off.

Mayapple, Podophyllum peltatum, produces a tropical flavored fruit which can only be eaten when overripe, yellow and slightly wrinkled or will be toxic.  Do not eat the seeds.

Field Yarrow, Achillia millefolium, an amazing healing herb with along history of use. 
Dried yarrow is good at stopping blood flow from a wound especially mixed with powdered cayenne.

Ground Ivy, aka Creeping Charlie, Glechoma hederacea, is in the mint family.  It can be used as a seasoning.  It tastes like a cross between sage and rosemary.  It grows everywhere!

Trillium, leaves are edible like spinach.  Some say the leaves taste like raw sunflower seeds.  It takes a long time for this plant to grow, so if there are few of them, avoid eating.  Removing the leaves kills the plant.  Roots have medicinal value.

The young leaves of trillium are said to taste like raw sunflower seeds - See more at: http://www.adirondackalmanack.com/2013/12/dan-crane-edible-adirondacks.html#sthash.59zpJUCl.dpuf

The young leaves of trillium are said to taste like raw sunflower seeds - See more at: http://www.adirondackalmanack.com/2013/12/dan-crane-edible-adirondacks.html#sthash.59zpJUCl.dpuf

Curly Dock, Rumex crispus, leaves are edible like spinach and will produce many red seeds that can be dried and ground for a flour substitute or addition.  

Chickweed, Stellaria media, great in salads and pestos and can easily be dehydrated for winter use.  It has a crunchy, fresh green taste.