Most of the time we vilify them. Curse them, stomp up and down on them, kill them with an almost gleeful spring in our step.

Well, in an RPG where the characters are in a post-civilization, apocalyptic, or urban landscape, you might want to consider that these little evil monsters could be the saving grace of humans as we know it.

Weeds.

Think about it. As long as there’s some type of moisture you can get vegetation, and weeds are some of the most adaptable living things on our planet. It’ll be them, us, and the cockroaches duking it out.

The question is how useful can they be? The plants, not the cockroaches.

So this is a discussion of the most common weeds you will find in cityscapes or your backyard, very useful whether living in a wasteland 200 years in the future, or desperate for food after a recent zombie apocalypse.

As always, many of these plants have poisonous cousins or have long-term effects that wouldn’t matter to a radioactive mutant from the future. You, however, may want to consider these hazards before using this information in real-life events. In any event, don’t take MY word that you should be going out and eating plants out of your backyard. ‘Cause you shouldn’t unless you really know what you are doing.

If you know of any other weeds, as usual, add them into the column discussion forum and I’ll look them up to see what their uses are. Oh, and if I use a medical term you don’t know? Please type it into your browser and have a ball.

DANDELIONS
Found pretty much everywhere north of the equator, from Europe and Asia Minor to the Americas. Young greens used in salads, older roots cooked as vegetables, dried roots as herbal tea of coffee, flowers make dandelion wine, and whole plant makes a dandelion beer. Infusion of plant useful for urinary tract problems and cleanser of the body (diuretic), juice used against warts and malignant growths. Flower heads make excellent wool dye and whole plant produces a magenta coloring.

YARROW
Dried flowers make yellow or olive-colored dye. Finely chop leaf in salads, soft cheese dips, and garnishes. Leaves with flowers flavor liqueurs. Proven to reduce blood-clotting time, reduce pain, and be anti-inflammatory. May be potential mild sedative, diaphoretic, antipyretic, carminative, astringent, antispasmodic, and stomachic. Standard remedy for aiding body to deal w/fevers. Stimulates and aids digestion. Cleanses system, aids colds. As urinary antiseptic, helps w/infections like cystitis. Decoction applied for chapped skin and rashes. Chew fresh leaf to aid toothache, mouthwash for inflamed gums. Considered specific for thrombotic conditions associated with high blood pressure.

SHEPHERD’S PURSE
Leaves used as salad herb. Hemostatic, anti-hemorrhagic, diuretic, urinary antiseptic, antipyretic. Used for cystitis, diarrhea; stimulating circulation, constricting blood vessels, and treating varicose veins and excess bleeding. Herb produce transient drop in blood pressure. Once used as quinine substitute for malaria. Used as uterine stimulant, prevents duodenal ulcers, anti-inflammatory; and anti-tumor.

BURDOCK
Use root fresh in salads or soups, or steam or sauté roots or young leaves. Shoots and roots are simmered, then stir-fried to absorb flavors. Infused for strengthening aphrodisiac tonic. Root blood-purifying preventative for colds and flu, clears toxins that cause skin disorders and rheumatism, treats cystitis and kidney stones. Alternative, bitter, laxative, tonic, vulnerary. Promotes sweating and may be antibiotic. Seeds reduce blood sugar. In tests it is mild cancer inhibitor, prevents fever, anti-inflammatory. Estrogenic activity; used for digestive complaints; skin complaints. Leaves mild laxative, diuretic. Other research appears to confirm the antibacterial, antifungal; diuretic, hypoglycemic, anti-tumor effects. Known as smooth muscle relaxant. Rarely used on its own.

BLACK MUSTARD
Seeds mainly used in India. West uses it in pickling spice. Brown seeds used in wide range of Indian, Sri Lankan, and Malaysian dishes. Raw seed flavors pickles and chutneys; combined with other spices in the Bengali panchphoran mixture. Makes mustard sauce. White mustard preservative used in pickles and to emulsify mayonnaise. Sprinkle flowers on sandwiches or toss into salads. Mix young leaves in salads. Seed strongest flavor, difficult to harvest, so replaced by Brown Mustard. Mustard only becomes pungent when crushed seeds are mixed with cold water to activate certain enzymes. Boiling water applied to dormant enzymes kills them, vinegar inhibits, both create weak aroma but bitter taste. To clean odorous pots: put few bruised seeds in, swish with water, rinse. Rub pulverized seed onto hands as a deodorizer; rinse off after 2 minutes. Seeds stimulate circulation. Treats bronchitis, gives warming footbath, poultice, reduces inflammation in chilblains, rheumatism. Oil is a lubricant. China: Brown Mustard seed treat cold, stomach problem, abscess, rheumatism, lumbago, ulcers. Leaves treat bladder inflammation. Promote appetite, laxative.

CHICORY
Flowers in salads, buds pickled. Seedlings as lettuce or braised as vegetable. Young root steamed veggie, or roasted and mixed with ground coffee to stretch supply. Flowers yield blue dye. Leaves rich in iron, calcium, copper, applied as poultice for inflammation. Jaundice, liver ailments, stomach acidity, leaves bruised, softened, soaked in boiled water used for skin lacerations, swellings. Tonic, laxative, diuretic. Coffee quite bitter, but cleanses liver.

QUEEN ANNE’S LACE/WILD CARROT
Coffee substitute and makes syrup. Root make orange dye; essence used in liqueurs and perfumery. Diuretic, anti-lithic, carminative, Seeds remedy for "morning after" treatment. Roots lower blood pressure. Herb tea acts antiseptic. Carrot soup helpful in childhood diarrhea. Nutritional, restorative, diuretic, vermifuge; also for sore throats.

SUMAC
Dye, tanning acid. Souring agent. In its extracted juice form is used extensively as dressing for salads and as marinade for meat, poultry and fish, especially grilled or barbecued. Sumac powder flavors meat, fish, vegetable stews, chicken dishes, kebabs. Tastes well with yogurt and is part of sour, aromatic Middle Eastern spice mixture known as zathar. Romans in Britain used Staghorn sumac flowers to color rice. Astringent.

PLANTAIN
Use fresh leaves in salad. Used seeds as bird food. Use with rest of plant to make gold or camel-colored dye. Leaf poultice speeds wound healing. Latin American folk remedy for cancer. Mucilage may lower cholesterol. Use for treating stings and bites. Chew root to relieve toothache. Aerial parts expectorant, demulcent, astringent, diuretic, emollient, vulnerary; relaxing, reduce phlegm, anti-spasmodic, Seeds: Demulcent, laxative. Effective in weight loss; leaves counter poison ivy.

PURSLANE
Leaves and stems blend well with spicier salad herbs. Succulent pickles, cooked as vegetable, added to soups. Dried seed ground and added to flour. With sorrel, is ingredient in French dish soupe bonne femme. Eaten raw for diuretic properties. In China, whole plant used for diarrhea, urinary infections, and to reduce fevers. In Indonesia it is used for cardiac weakness, and seed and fruit for breathing difficulties. Juice treats skin diseases.

CLEAVERS/GOOSE GRASS
Cleavers are a close relation to sweet woodruff. Use in potpourris, herbal wreaths, or to make tan-colored dye. Aromatic snuff. Dried leaves deter insects, fixative in potpourri, scent linens; All Galium rhizomes yield red dye. Leaves used to make sweet woodruff wine and flavors sorbets and fruit salads. Leaf tea diuretic liver-tonic, antispasmodic; for stomach pain, gentle sedative for kids or elderly people. Bruised fresh leaf anticoagulant for wounds. Alterative, tonic, lymphatic cleanser, mild astringent; laxative, vulnerary.

GROUND IVY
Young leaves eaten in salads. Leaves once used to clarify and preserve ale. Anti-catarrhal, astringent, and stimulant. Brewed into aromatic "gill" tea; traditional blood cleanser, tonic, diuretic for gastritis, kidney stones, cystitis, tinnitus, expectorant for phlegm; leaves reduce bruises and inflammations.

CHICKWEED/CHICKENWEED
Stems popular salad and vegetable herb, now debated about safety of saponin content. Demulcent, emollient, expectorant, anti-tussive, antipyretic, alterative, vulnerary. Once used to fade freckles. Poultice or ointment of aerial parts treats inflamed skin, eczema, psoriasis, surface veins. Soothes rheumatic joints, draws out splinters, heals wounds. Decoction drunk as tonic relieving constipation, cystitis, general weakness. Aids weight loss. Bronchitis, pleurisy, coughs, colds, hoarseness, weakness of bowels/stomach, internal inflammation, externally—boils, scalds, burns, sore eyes, erysipelas, tumors, piles, cancer, swollen testes, ulcerated throat/mouth, deafness, burning/itching genitals, scurvy. In China: aerial parts of S. alsine cool and detoxify for fever, acne, snake bite.

HORSETAIL
Heads eaten boiled, pickled. Yields yellow dye. Homeostatic, astringent stems stanch bleeding, aids genitourinary disorders, bedwetting. Enrich blood, strengthen hair, nails. Promotes re-growth, strength, elasticity of connective tissue. Arthritis, eczema. Silica promotes bone growth, collagen formation; vulnerary, diuretic, anti-inflammatory.

SORREL/DOCK
Vitamin-rich leaf bland in spring, later offers zest to salad, soup, sauce, omelet, meat, fish, poultry; cook like spinach with one change of water. Leaves best eaten fresh, may also be blanched and frozen. Leaf juice will bleach rust, mold, ink stains from wicker, linen, and silver. Leaves quench thirst, reduce fever, made as diuretic tea for some kidney, liver problems, Leaf poultice treats acne, mouth ulcers, boils, infected wounds, root mild laxative. Oxalate ingestion (high amounts) may cause kidney damage and therefore considered toxic.

WOOD SORREL/OXALIS
Leaves have sharp, acidic flavor, giving zest to salads and sauces. Astringent, diuretic infusion treats fever, urinary problem. External wash for rashes, boils. Native Americans removed cancerous growths from lips, fed root to horses to increase speed. Dangerous in large quantities, not to be used in cases of gastritis, rheumatism, gout.

STINGING NETTLES
Young leaves and shoots cooked as greens, brewed for beer, or vegetable or soup. Leaves are valuable fertilizer. Used in hair shampoos and rinses. Rub dock leaves on stings to soothe. Diuretic, digestive, astringent, tonic, hemostatic, galactagogue, expectorant. Tea for anemia, asthma, chronic/acute urinary problems, stones, nephritis, cystitis, diarrhea, dysentery, hemorrhoids, chronic arthritis, rheumatism. Plant stimulates circulation, clears uric acid, relieves gout. Poultice treats eczema, burns, cuts, hemorrhoids. Seeds given for TB, treats lung after bronchitis. Heating or drying removes leaves' sting. Alterative, rubefacient. Lowers blood sugar. Clinical study found roots highly effective for treating enlarged prostate. Root stimulates production of white blood cells that counteract infections and inflammations. Research into nettle root in US, Germany, and Japan has established its value as medicine for benign prostate hypertrophy.

MULLIEN
Flowers flavor liqueurs. Woolly leaf wraps preserve figs. Flower pollen and nectar attract bees. Can be placed in shoes when soles become thin or used as insulation for mittens and coats. Down from leaf used as tinder, emergency bandages. Stems dipped in suet or tallow make long-lasting torches. Crushed capsules and tiny seeds used to stun fish. Skin-softening mucilage. Soothing, spasm-sedating properties of leaf, flower used to treat raspy coughs, added to herbal tobacco. Research confirms antitubercular activaty in plant extracts. Leaf smoke used by Native Americans to revive unconscious. Flowers reduce eczema inflammation, help heal wounds; seed oil eases chilblains, chapped skin; root diuretic; homeopathic leaf tincture treats migraine, earache. Expectorant, demulcent, vulnerary, anti-catarrhal, emollient, pectoral; allays pain. Take in small doses, as all verbascum parts except flowers are mildy toxic.

SENECIO/DUSTY MILLER
Juice should not be used internally. Sold as homeopathic eyedrops. Juice from fresh plant squeezed and strained through fine cloth; add equal amount vegetable glycerine and 20% boric acid. Clears eyes, brightens vision, said to remove cataracts.

SENECIO/GROUNDSEL
Stimulates menstruation; menstrual cramps; speed childbirth; diaphoretic, diuretic, and tonic; used for bleeding gums

SENECIO/RAGWORT
Rubefacient for muscles. Never take internally, poisonous to liver. Leaves can be used to obtain good green dye, as yellow dye is obtained from the flowers, as can be done for brown and orange.

SENECIOS IN GENERAL
Toxicity associated primarily with use in herbal teas. Chronic consumption of tea may cause veno-occlusive disease of liver (Budd-Chiari syndrome) with formation of hepatic vein thrombosis leading to cirrhosis. Deaths have been reported recently in U.S. from such use. Symptoms are abdominal pain with ascites, hepatomegaly and splenomegaly, anorexia with nausea, vomiting, diarrhea.

MORNING GLORIES/BINDWEED
Root purgative, hydrogogue, cathartic, diuretic. Used to reduce inflammation of mucous membranes. Fresh juice causes constipation. The stem is used as a twine for tying up plants. It is fairly flexible and strong but not long-lasting. A green dye is obtained from the whole plant. A tea made from the flowers is laxative and is also used in the treatment of fevers and wounds. A cold tea made from the leaves is laxative and is also used as a wash for spider bites or taken internally to reduce excessive menstrual flow

RED POPPIES
Sprinkle seed on bread, cake, biscuits; add to curry powder for texture, flavor and as thickener. Gives culinary oil from first cold pressing. Feed seeds to birds; artist's oil made from second pressing. Flowers used to color wines and medicines. Mild sedative, Expectorant.

COUCHGRASS/ELYTRIGIA
Also known as witch grass, rhizome is unearthed in spring or early fall and has diuretic mucilaginous effect. Strongly depresses the central nervous system and is antibiotic against bacterium and molds; good for urinary tract functions.

COGON GRASS (IMPERATA CYLINDRICA)
Also called woolly grass and Japanese Blood grass. In China, antiviral root, flower, stem all have cooling effect together or singly. Rhizome used for fevers, stops bleeding, coughs with phlegm, diuretic for urinary infections; flu, internal bleeding, jaundice, kidney problems. Flower used to staunch nosebleeds, lung problems, fever thirst. Said to also have hypertensive, anticancer properties.

BUFEL GRASS
This highly nutritious grass is considered excellent for pasture in hot, dry areas and is valued for its production of palatable forage and intermittent grazing during drought in the tropics. Yield of some strains makes it good for forage during the wet season also. The grass, fed green, turned into silage, or made into hay is said to increase flow of milk in cattle and impart a sleek and glossy appearance. C. ciliaris is reported to be galactagogue. Related species are recorded as being anodyne, diuretic, and emollient, and are folk remedies for kidney pain, tumors, sores, and wounds

GAMBA GRASS
Considered one of the best grazing grasses in northern Nigeria and northern Ghana. Makes valuable hay and green fodder grass in central and northeastern Brazil. In Africa, this grass grows in large tufts up to 2 m tall. Young shoots are preferred, but cattle will eat it up to time of flowering. Stems, flattened, are used for coarse matting (weaving grass mats and thatching). Plants are useful for planting on banks for erosion control.

PENNISETUM/MISSION GRASS/KIKUYU
Seed raw or cooked. It can be used like rice in sweet or savory dishes, or can be ground into a powder and used as flour for making bread, porridge. The grain is often fermented to make various foods. The sweet-tasting grains are eaten raw by children. Very nutritious. Appetizer, skin tonic, useful in the treatment of heart diseases. The fruits have been rubbed on open facial pimples in order to get rid of them.

SNAKEWEED/BROOMWEED
The twigs are used as brooms. A yellow dye can be made from the plant tops. An infusion of the leaves has been used as a pleasant and refreshing bath. The chewed leaf juice has an intoxication effect on bees and can kill them. Broomweed widely employed medicinally by several native North American Indian tribes who used it to treat a variety of complaints. A decoction of the roots has been used in the treatment of painful urination, diarrhea and stomach aches. The roots have been placed in boiling water and the steam inhaled in the treatment of respiratory complaints. The flowers are laxative. A decoction of the fresh flowers has been used in the treatment of diarrhea. The leaves are cathartic, febrifuge and sedative. An infusion has been used in the treatment of coughs and colds. It has also been used as a bath to treat fevers and sores, including those caused by venereal diseases. A poultice of the moistened leaves has been used to treat bruises, wounds, sprains, nose bleeds and insect stings. A strong, black infusion of the plant has been used as a rub on rheumatic joints.

MIMOSA PIGRA
It is used for firewood, bean-poles, temporary fences, and tested as a medium for growing mushrooms. Mimosa also has high protein content, and studies have been conducted in Thailand to evaluate its use as a substitute for Leucaena leucocephala in animal feed. It is heavily grazed by native animals in Nigeria and was observed to be browsed by horses, buffalo, cattle, and goats elsewhere. Mimosa has been used to treat colds, fever, toothaches, eye irritations, snakebites, heart ailments, diarrhea, and has antimicrobial properties. In Australia, it has been proposed to extract vegetable tannins from mimosa plants and to provide biomass to generate electricity under controlled conditions.

MILKWEED
Tender shoot, root, and young seed pod cooked as veggies, flower a sweetener. Silk down was pillow stuffing. Diaphoretic, anti-spasmodic, carminative, pectoral. Root increases bronchial dilation and lymphatic drainage, specific treatment for pleurisy and bronchitis. Given for some uterine problems; tests confirm estrogenic activity. Sap helps remove warts. A. syraca root used to cause temporary sterility. A. speciosa helps chronically weak kidneys. Milkweeds potentially dangerous. Many Native Americans used Pleurisy Root; one of most important herbs of Menomini tribe.

CRABGRASS
The seeds, most notably those of fonio, can be toasted and ground into flour, which can be used to make porridge or fermented to make beer. Fonio has been widely used as a staple crop in parts of Africa. It also has decent nutrient qualities as forage for cattle. A decoction of the plant is used in the treatment of gonorrhea. A folk remedy for cataracts and debility, it is also said to be emetic. A fiber obtained from the plant is used in making paper

YUCCA
Food and resource plant of Native Americans; flower stalks eaten when fully grown but before buds open. Flower buds and petals cooked and fruit eaten raw. Leaves woven into baskets; leaf fibers used for rope. Yucca and soapweed (Y. glauca) used in soaps, cosmetics, shampoo. Anti-inflammatory, anti-rheumatic, laxative, alterative. Root poultice or salve treats skin sores or sprains. Strengthens natural flora of intestines, provides healthy alkalinity to purify system. Accelerates breakdown and cleansing of waste from body, helps to lower high cholesterol levels.

ERIGERON
Astringent, diuretic, tonic; Oil of Erigeron resembles Oil of Turpentine, but is less irritating. It can arrest hemorrhage from lungs or alimentary tract. Said to be valuable for inflamed tonsils, ulceration and inflammation of throat.

CARDAMINE/LADY’S SMOCK
Leaf rich in minerals, vitamins, taste of watercress. Cooked as veggie, mix in salad, steak garnish, added to soups. Flower with bitter calyx removed used in salad or as garnish. Fresh leaves and flowering tops stimulate appetite, ease indigestion, and have expectorant properties useful in cough remedies.

EUPHORBIA PEPLUS
Milky sap is toxic but may be used to remove warts. May help with superficial basal cell carcinomas.

SONCHUS
The plant has been use as a fodder, particularly for rabbits, hence the other common names of "hare thistle" or "hare lettuce". The plant is also edible by humans as a leaf vegetable; old leaves and stalks can be bitter, but young leaves have a flavor similar to lettuce. Going by the name puha it is frequently eaten in New Zealand as a vegetable by the native Māori. When cooked it tastes similar to chard.

PTERIDIUM/BRACKEN
Known carcinogen; causes cancer in places where it is used as a vegetable. Bracken fiddleheads (the immature, tightly curled emerging fronds) have been considered edible by many cultures throughout history and are still commonly used today as a foodstuff. Bracken fiddleheads are consumed fresh (and cooked) or preserved by salting, pickling, or sun drying. In Korea, where they are called gosari namul, they are a typical ingredient in the mixed rice dish called bibimbap. Both fronds and rhizomes have been used to brew beer, and the rhizome starch has been used as a substitute for arrowroot. Bread can be made out of dried and powered rhizomes alone or with other flour. American Indians cooked the rhizomes, then peeled and ate them or pounded the starchy fiber into flour. In Japan, starch from the rhizomes used to be used to make confections. The Māori of New Zealand used the rhizomes of P. esculentum (aruhe) as a staple food, especially for exploring or hunting groups away from permanent settlements. For consumption, they are briefly heated and then softened with a patu aruhe (rhizome pounder); the starch is then sucked from the fibers by each diner, or collected if it were to be prepared for a larger feast. Bracken has also been used as a form of herbal remedy. Powdered rhizome has been considered particularly effective against parasitic worms. American Indians ate raw rhizomes as a remedy for bronchitis.

BUTTERCUPS
Juice of leaves of R. acris remove warts, bruised together w/roots will act caustic. In violent headaches where pain is assigned to only one part, plaster may help. Used in gout successfully. Beggars of Europe used R. bulbosus to keep open sores to excite sympathy; possesses property of inflaming and blistering skin, particularly roots. Tincture made w/spirits of wine cure shingles, 6-8 drops given 3-4x/daily. Sap toxic. Poisoning occurred in children who ate roots of R. bulbosus; has direct irritant and vesicant action on skin and mucous membranes. Intense pain and inflammation of mouth with blistering and ulceration and profuse salivation occur. Bloody emesis and diarrhea develop in association with severe abdominal cramps. The Menomini made a red dye by boiling the entire plant in water with bur oak and soaking fabric in the bath to set the color. The Potawatomi made a yellow dye for baskets and mats by boiling the plant and setting the color with clay.

CHELIDONIUM
Remedy for jaundice and liver ailments. The juice also employed to remove warts and soften calluses. The name tetterwort comes from the use of the juice to treat skin problems such as pimples and blisters, disorders that were formerly called tetters.

CAT’S EYES/SPINY EMEX
Young leaves can be cooked and large quantities are laxative due to oxalates.

ACACIA
In part of its range small livestock consume the pods and leaves, but elsewhere it is also very popular with cattle. Pods are used as a supplement to poultry rations in India. Dried pods are particularly sought out by animals on rangelands. In India, branches are commonly lopped for fodder. Pods are best fed dry as a supplement, not as a green fodder. Prickly Acacia’s thorns make the plant usable as a protective hedge. According to Hartwell, African Zulu take bark for cough. It acts astringent and it is used to treat diarrhea, dysentery, and leprosy. In West Africa, the bark or gum is used to treat cancers and/or tumors (of ear, eye, or testicles) and indurations of liver and spleen, condylomas, and excess flesh. Sap or bark, leaves, and young pods are strongly astringent due to tannin, and are chewed in Senegal as an antiscorbutic. The bruised leaves are used as a poultice to treat ulcers. In Lebanon, the resin is mixed with orange-flower infusion for typhoid convalescence. The Chipi use the root for tuberculosis. In Tonga, the root is used to treat tuberculosis. Egyptian Nubians believe that diabetics may eat unlimited carbohydrates as long as they also consume powdered pods. In Italian Africa, the wood is used to treat smallpox. In Ethiopia, certain parts of the tree are used as a lactogogue. The tree's wood is "very durable if water-seasoned" and its uses include tool handles and lumber for boats.

OLEANDER
Whole plant is toxic, include smoke from burning, and water in which flowers have been placed. Bees using oleander pollen can make honey poisonous. Used as rat poison. Called “Horse Killer” in Sanskrit, “Ass Killer” in Italian; but goats are immune.

KUDZU
Root mild with sweet taste. Antipyretic, refrigerant, diaphoretic, antispasmotic, demulcent. Commonly used to treat cold, flu, gastrointestinal problems. For colds and flu, excellent to take mixed with small amount licorice, cinnamon, ginger, tamari-soya sauce. Neutralizes acidity in body, relieves minor aches and pains. Mild-acting substance high in starch. Starch extracted, dried into chunks, used as sauce-thickening substitute for arrowroot.

VIRGINIA CREEPER
Aerial portions poisonous to humans but loved by birds. Native Americans used the plant as an herbal remedy for diarrhea, difficult urination, swelling, and lockjaw. Skin contact with the leaves in autumn can cause dermatitis in some people. A pink dye is obtained from the fruit. The root and stalks can be boiled like vegetables.

HEATHERS
Rural farmers use for fuel, thatch, fodder, tea, dye. Leaf flavors beer. Astringent, diuretic, antiseptic, sedative, general tonic. Kidneys, urinary tract infections, acne. Water bath for rheumatic pains.

SALVATION JANE/PATTERSON’S CURSE/PURPLE VIPER'S BUGLOSS
Echium oil is a vegetable oil rich in omega-6 and omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids. Echium oil is obtained by refining oil extracted from the seeds of Echium plantagineum. Members of the genus Echium from Macaronesia have a very high amount of gamma-linolenic acid. Echium seed extract has shown its considerable ability to treat eczema, acne and other skin disorders. It has also been found to help protect skin against sun and wrinkle damage. The roots contain the healing agent allantoin.

DAISIES
Tender young leaves and white petals tossed in salads. Add to linen bags to repel insects. Infuse to make "sweet water" and use as final rinse in linen. Popular medieval strewing herb. Florets attract bees and butterflies. In spring, stem sap applied to spots. Flower infusion skin wash for eczema. Expectorant, astringent, vulnerary. Research shows it slows growth of breast tumors. In Europe, flower tea given to listless children. Can provoke allergy. Flowers used in homeopathy as “bellide oil,” and the leaves are used on wounds and bruises.

BRAMBLES
Brambles can include everything in the Rubus genus, like blackberries, raspberries, treasure berries, cloudberries, salmonberries, etc. Most have thorns. The fruit is edible and can be used in many ways. Some make herbal teas from the leaves and young canes are eaten like vegetables. The leaves and roots are anti-inflammatory, astringent, oxytocic, and stimulating. A purple to dull blue dye is made from the fruit. The fiber in the stems can make paper.

IVY
Poisonous in large doses, causes allergic reaction in some. Leaves are said to be diaphoretic, cathartic, and stimulant. A decoction of plant was used to treat skin diseases. A yellow and a brown dye are obtained from the twigs. A decoction of the leaves is used to restore black fabrics and also as a hair rinse to darken the hair. If the leaves are boiled with soda they are a soap substitute for washing clothes. Plants have been grown indoors in pots in order to help remove toxins from the atmosphere. It is especially good at removing chemical vapors, especially formaldehyde. The wood is very hard and can be used as a substitute for Buxus sempervirens (Box), used in engraving. Another report says that the wood is very soft and porous and is used as a strop for sharpening knives.

SCOTCH BROOM
Seed used as substitute for coffee. Young green tops add bitterness to beer, broom buds thought as a delicacy, often pickled to resemble capers. Tough, flexible branches made into brooms. Tannin in bark used to tan leather. Cardioactive, diuretic, Hypertensive, Peripheral vasoconstrictor, astringent. Do not use in pregnancy or Hypertension.

PASPALUM
Some varieties used to treat wounds and sores.

LANTANA
Used w/care for bronchial trouble, sore eyes, fevers. Detoxifying root is taken for stomachaches, colic, fever. Poisoning causes weakness, lethargy, vomiting, diarrhea, The onset of poisoning may be delayed for two to six hours after ingestion.

OLD MAN’S BEARD
Young shoots once eaten. Analgesic leaves diuretic, toxic if taken internally, externally can cause inflammation. Leaves in some ointments for pain relief, homeopathy to treat blisters, sores, inflammation, Bach Flower Remedies to combat indifference and absent-mindedness. Chinese use painkilling roots of C. chinensis, rheumatism, lumbago, irregular menstruation, antidote to alcohol poisoning.

BARLEY GRASS
Barley is widely cultivated grain used as a food and in the brewing process. It is an additive for human and animal cereal foods. It also makes flavorful flour for use in baking breads and muffins. The roasted (unsprouted) seed is used as a coffee and a salt substitute. The shoots are diuretic. The seed sprouts are demulcent, expectorant, lenitive and stomachic. They are sometimes abortifacient. They are used in the treatment of dyspepsia caused by cereals, infantile lacto-dyspepsia, regurgitation of milk, and breast distension. They are best not given to a nursing mother since this can reduce milk flow. The seed is digestive, emollient, nutritive, febrifuge and stomachic. Barley is also used as a poultice for burns and wounds. The plant has a folk history of anti-tumor activity. The germinating seed has a hypoglycemic effect. Modern research has shown that barley may be of aid in the treatment of hepatitis, whilst other trials have shown that it may help to control diabetes. Barley bran may have the effect of lowering blood cholesterol levels and preventing bowel cancer. The stems, after the seed has been harvested, have many uses. They are a source of fibers for making paper, a biomass for fuel etc, and they can be shredded and used as mulch.

CAT’S EAR
All parts of the cat’s ear are edible; however, the leaves and roots are those most often harvested. The leaves are bland in taste but can be eaten raw in salads, steamed, or in stir-fries. Older leaves can become tough and fibrous, but younger leaves make for good eating. Some bitterness in the leaves may be apparent but is rare. The root can be roasted and ground to form a coffee substitute. Seem to have substance that reduces coughing.

CLOVERS
Flowers once made into bread. Flowers yield sweet honey. Alterative, antispasmodic, expectorant, anti-tumor. Anti-inflammatory cleansing treatment for skin complaints and arthritis. Research suggests it is anticoagulant, helpful in coronary thrombosis, confirms presence of compounds that inhibit some lab tumors. Flower tea drunk daily for breast cancer, whole plant included in experimental treatments for diverse cancers; isoflavone biochanin A is carcinogenic inhibitor. Tea said to purify blood, relieve irritating coughs and be mild sedative. Nervine and tonic. Extract Uzarin paralyzes smooth muscle musculature, antidote for diarrhea.

SICKLE POD (CASSIA)
According to Ayurveda the leaves and seeds are acrid, laxative, anti-periodic, anthelminthic, ophthalmic, liver tonic, cardiotonic, and expectorant. The leaves and seeds are useful in leprosy, ringworm, flatulence, colic, dyspepsia, constipation, cough, bronchitis, cardiac disorders. Used as green manure crop in acidic soils. Dried seed given as a protein-rich feed for livestock and birds. Roasted seeds substituted for coffee. Seeds yield tannins and dyes (yellow, blue, and red). Gum good agent for suspending and binding. Seeds used in preparation of sweet dishes. Leaves are popular potherb. In organic farms of India, Cassia tora is used as natural pesticide with fungicidal activity.

COTTONESTA/COTONEASTER
Yields a manna-like substance called shir-khist rich in sugars. No details of which part of the plant yields the manna, it is most likely to be the stem. The plant is aperient, expectorant, and stomachic. A rose-tan dye is obtained from the fruit. The wood is used in basketmaking.

GORSE
Gorse flowers are edible and can be used in salads, tea, and to make a non-grape based wine. Flower buds pickled in vinegar then used like capers. Tea made from shoot tips. A beautiful yellow dye is obtained from the flowers, although may be orange according to another report. Gorse is very tolerant of maritime exposure; it can be used as a windbreak hedge in the most exposed positions, making an impenetrable barrier with its vicious thorns. Planted for soil stabilization on sandy substrates, it is very good for stabilizing banks on poor soils. The plant has an old reputation as a pesticide, the soaked seed being used against fleas. The wood burns very well, it was much used in the past for kindling, heating bakers ovens etc. The ashes from the burnt wood are rich in potassium and can be used in making soap. This soap can be made by mixing the ashes with a vegetable oil, or mixing them with clay and forming them into balls. The ashes are an excellent fertilizer.

PAMPAS GRASS
A fiber obtained from the leaves is used for making paper. The leaves are harvested in the autumn, cut into usable pieces, and soaked for 24 hours in clear water. They are then cooked for 2 hours with lye and then beaten. The fiber makes a yellow paper. There are four species of Cortaderia native to New Zealand. The leaves were used by Maori for making mats, kites, baskets, and containers for steeping and boiling food in water. The flower heads were used for sieves or strainers. The heads were also used to stop the flow of blood. The base of the leaf was chewed for diarrhea and kidney problems.

FIREWEED
Astringent, tonic, cathartic, emetic. Antispasmodic in coughs, spasms, hiccups. The young shoots were often collected in the spring by Native American people and mixed with other greens. They are best when young and tender; as the plant matures the leaves become tough and somewhat bitter. The southeast Native Americans use the stems peeled and eaten raw. The Dena'ina add fireweed to their dogs' food. Fireweed is also a medicine of the Upper Inlet Dena'ina, who treat pus-filled boils or cuts by placing a piece of the raw stem on the afflicted area. This is said to draw the pus out of the cut or boil and prevents a cut with pus in it from healing over too quickly. The root can be roasted after scraping off the outside, but often tastes bitter. To mitigate this, collect the root before the plant flowers and remove the brown thread in the middle. In Alaska, candies, syrups, jellies, and even ice cream are made from fireweed. Honey made primarily from exclusively fireweed nectar is distinctive with a spiced flavor.

PENNYROYAL
Foliage just before blooming is picked and hung in bunches to dry. Reported to repel insects in gardens. Crush leaves and rub on skin to repel insects. Stimulant, aromatic, carminative, stomachic; volatile oil promotes menstrual flow. Large doses cause nausea, vomiting. Essential oil has caused death.

BUDDLEIA
The dried and powdered root is used in the preparation of a fermented liquor. Known abortifacient, treats skin as external wash. The wood is tough, moderately hard. It could be used for making walking sticks.

BITTERSWEET NIGHTSHADE
Diuretic, Alterative, Anti-rheumatic, expectorant, mild sedative. Berries contain much higher level alkaloids, poisonous, must be avoided.

BLACK NIGHTSHADE
Solanine content in berries gradually decreases as fruit ripens; boiling destroys toxic principle; ripe berries in preserves, pies. Leaf poultice for burns, analgesic for hemorrhoids, itching and arthritis.

POKEWEED/INKWEED
Shoots eaten after repeated boilings. Research found component of Pokeweed useful to immune system, and proteins that inhibit flu, herpes, and help with leukemia. Stimulant, alterative, antirheumatic, emetic, tonic, antiparasitic, antiinflammatory, cathartic. Mild analgesic. Avoid in pregnancy. Mature berries relatively nontoxic. Intoxications generally arise from eating uncooked leaves in salads or mistaking the roots for parsnips or horseradish. After delay of 2 to 3 hours, nausea and gastroenteric cramps, profuse sweating, persistent vomiting develop, later accompanied by diarrhea. Difficult breathing, weakness, spasms, severe convulsions, and death. The intoxication may continue for up to 48 hours.

PERIWINKLE
Astringent, sedative. Leaf tonic reduce internal/menstrual bleeding; ulcers, sore throats; reduce B/P, hemorrhoids, nosebleeds, small wounds. Research isolated alkaloid, vincamine, benefits cerebral blood flow; lesser periwinkle provides medicinal wine, homeopathic tincture.

WILD ONION
Bulb raw or cooked can be used as a vegetable or as a flavoring in soups and stews, and can also be pickled. Used as a leek substitute or garlic substitute Leaves raw or cooked have delicious mild flavor and are available from early spring until the autumn. They make a very acceptable salad and can also be used as a greens or as a flavoring in cooked foods. Flowers raw are a bit stronger than the leaves, especially as the seeds begin to form; they can be used as a flavoring and garnish on salads. Some forms of this species produce bulbils. These top-setting bulbils make a fine onion-flavored pickle. They are said to have a superior flavor to other pickled onions. The plant is anti-asthmatic, carminative, cathartic, diuretic, expectorant and stimulant. A tincture is used to prevent worms and colic in children, and also as a remedy for croup. When added to the diet on a regular basis they help reduce blood cholesterol levels, act as a tonic to the digestive system. The juice of the plant is used as a moth repellent. The whole plant is said to repel insects and moles. The plant can be rubbed on exposed parts of the body to protect them from insect bites and the bites of scorpions, lizards, etc.

ONIONWEED
Root cooked. The plant is eaten as a vegetable. The seed is diuretic. It is also applied externally to ulcers and inflamed parts of the body. The seed contains oils rich in linoleic acid and are of value in preventing atherosclerosis.

SPIDERWORT/WANDERING JEW
Leaves raw or cooked. The very young shoots and leaves can be chopped and added to salads or cooked as a potherb. Flowers raw make an attractive edible garnish. The roots are laxative. They are used as a tea in the treatment of kidney and stomach ailments and women's complaints. A poultice of leaves is applied to stings, insect bites, and cancers. FARMER’S FRIENDS/BEGGARTICKS/BIDENS PILOSA
The fresh or dried tender shoots and young leaves are used as a leaf vegetable. It is an ingredient of sauces accompanying the staple food. The leaves are, fresh or after parboiling, dried in the sun and stored as powder for the dry season. In Uganda, the leaves are boiled in sour milk. Old leaves are not suitable for consumption because they have a bitter astringent taste. Used as a medicinal plant in many regions. Roots, leaves and seed have been reported to possess antibacterial, anti-dysenteric, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, anti-malarial, diuretic, hepato-protective, and hypotensive activities. Some tribes use a mixture of the dried and ground leaves with soap and hot pepper as an insecticide for the control of leaf miners and other insects. Collected for the extraction of natural dyes. The root is washed and dried, then used as a painting brush. Livestock browses on the plants and used as a fodder for pigs. However, dairy cattle are discouraged from browsing on it because the aromatic oil present in the plant has an objectionable smell that can taint milk. Chicken feed on the seed. In Uganda and in Mexico, the leaves are used as an invigorating or stimulant substitute for tea; while in the Philippines the flowers are used in the preparation of a kind of wine. The flowers are a good source of nectar for honeybees.

SCOTCH THISTLE
Oil in cooking, lamps; Down of leaves, stems once collected as pillow stuffing. Large flowers heads boiled, steamed and served w/butter, after removing outer bracts. Young stems blanched, peeled, eaten raw w/oil, vinegar; steamed, eaten hot. Leaf juice taken as cancer treatment, and applied to ulcers. Root decoction used to reduce mucus discharges.

MILK THISTLES
Flowerheads boiled and eaten like artichokes. Hepato-protective, bitter tonic, demulcent, antidepressant. Whole plant edible, aids digestion. Seeds and leaves given for low milk flow, coughs, depression (melancholia), digestive, liver, GB, spleen problems. Seeds antioxidant, protect liver from many toxins, including death-cap mushrooms. Extracts have been used to reduce damage from alcohol, drugs; protects against side effect of acetaminophen; chronic hepatitis, jaundice, cirrhosis, cadmium poisoning. It is taken to prevent travel sickness, heart disease.

PRICKLY PEARS
The fruit of prickly pears, called "tuna," is edible, although it has to be peeled carefully to remove the small spines on the outer skin before consumption. It is often used to make candies and jelly and a refreshing drink. The fruit is a favorite in Sicilian cuisine, where it is called "ficurinnia" which is literally translated as "Indian fig." The young stem segments, called nopales, are also edible in all species of Opuntia. The gel-like liquid of a prickly pear cactus can be used like a conditioner. The stem of Opuntia spp. can be used to treat type II diabetes, diarrhea, and stomachache. Another study raised concern about toxic effects on the kidney. Opuntia ficus indica may have a reducing effect on alcohol hangover by inhibiting the production of inflammatory mediators. Studies have yielded differing results, with some studies witnessing significant reductions in nausea, dry mouth, and loss of appetite as well as the risk of a severe hangover while others witnessing no compelling evidence suggesting effects on alcohol hangover.

WILD OATS
Fine oatmeal soothing wash for dry skin and eczema. Rolled oats make oatmeal. Food tonic for heart, nerves, thymus gland. Oat bran reduces cholesterol. Decoction of ripe plant treats depression, menopausal estrogen deficiency, persistent colds, debility of shingles, and multiple sclerosis. Reduces risk of colorectal cancer. Dried stem is used medicinally, promotes sweating.

YELLOW TOADFLAX
Acts mainly on the liver and was once widely employed as a diuretic in the treatment of edema. The whole plant is astringent, cathartic, detergent, depurative, diuretic, hepatic, ophthalmic, and purgative. The plant is especially valued for its strongly laxative activity, employed internally in the treatment of edema, jaundice, liver diseases, gall bladder complaints, and skin problems. Externally applied to hemorrhoids, skin eruptions, sores, and malignant ulcers. The plant should be used with caution and should not be given to pregnant women. Dosage is critical, the plant might be slightly toxic. The fresh plant, or an ointment made from the flowers, is applied to piles, skin eruptions, etc. The juice of the plant, or the distilled water, is a good remedy for inflamed eyes and cleaning ulcerous sores. A homeopathic remedy is used in the treatment of diarrhea and cystitis. A yellow dye is obtained from the flowers. A tea made from the plant is an insecticide.

ROCKET (BITTERCRESS)
Young leaves refreshing tangy spiciness, maturity and hot sun produce strong bitter flavor. Young leaves used in sauces or steamed as veggie. Garnish salads. In India, seed oil (Jamba oil) used as lubricant or for pickling, or stored to remove acrid taste and used for cooking. Leaves diuretic, stomach upsets; rubbed on skin as rouge, they cause reddening.

BISHOP’S WEED
The tender leaves have been used as a spring leaf vegetable much like spinach. It has also been used to treat gout and arthritis.

AGAPANTHUS
Cardiac, stomachic

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