Janice J. Schofield - Alaskas Wild Plants, Revised Edition: A Guide to Alaskas Edible and Healthful Harvest

REVISED EDITION

ALASKAS WILD PLANTS

A Guide to Alaskas Edible and Healthful Harvest

JANICE J. SCHOFIELD

Dedicated to the wild plants,

who are our greatest teachers,

and to all who love and cherish them.

A portion of the proceeds from the sale of this book benefits Kachemak Heritage Land Trust, a non-profit corporation dedicated to preservation of critical habitat in the Kachemak region. For additional information on KHLT, write 315 Klondike Avenue, Homer, AK 99603, or go to www.kachemaklandtrust.org.

DISCLAIMER: Though the plants described in this book have been traditionally used as food or medicine, positive species identification in the field is the readers responsibility. If identity is questionable, do not gather or ingest a plant. Neither the author nor the publisher is responsible for allergic or adverse reactions individuals may experience from wild foods, nor do they claim that the techniques described in this guide will cure any illness.

Text and photographs 2020 by Janice J. Schofield

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying or recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without written permission of Alaska Northwest Books.

Edited by Susan Sommer

Indexed by Sam Arnold-Boyd

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Names: Eaton, Janice Schofield, 1951- author.

Title: Alaskas wild plants : a guide to Alaskas edible and healthful harvest / Janice J. Schofield.

Description: Revised edition. | [Berkeley, Calif.] : Alaska Northwest Books, an imprint of West Margin Press, [2020] | Includes bibliographical references and index. | Summary: An introductory field guide to the most common edible plants in Alaska, including photographs and information on each plants botanical name, harvesting direction, food and medicinal use, and moreProvided by publisher.

Identifiers: LCCN 2019049578 (print) | LCCN 2019049579 (ebook) | ISBN 9781513262789 (paperback) | ISBN 9781513262796 (hardback) | ISBN 9781513262802 (ebook)

Subjects: LCSH: Wild plants, EdibleAlaskaIdentification. | Wild plants, EdibleTherapeutic useAlaska. | Cooking (Wild foods)Alaska.

Classification: LCC QK98.5.U6 E28 2020 (print) | LCC QK98.5.U6 (ebook) | DDC 581.6/3209798dc23

LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2019049578

LC ebook record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2019049579

Printed in China

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Proudly distributed by Ingram Publisher Services

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WESTMARGIN PRESS

Publishing Director: Jennifer Newens

Marketing Manager: Angela Zbornik

Editor: Olivia Ngai

Design & Production: Rachel Lopez Metzger

CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION

Over two and a half decades have passed since the original publication of Alaskas Wild Plants. During that time, interest in wild plants has soared. More enthusiasts than ever flock to plant classes, buy plant books, and head to the wild. The motivation for many is similar to what first stirred me to forage: supplementary and emergency food, and deeper connection to plants and the natural world.

Alaska is an extreme place to live with its short, intense growing season. In the endless summer light, plants gallop from sprout to seed. Though more and more tunnel houses have been erected in Alaskan towns and villages for extending the gardening season, the hardy wild remains a source of nutrient dense plants, combined with the fun of gathering.

Alaska is also where outdoor adventurers abound and there is higher risk of getting lost, stranded, or injured out in the wild. Knowing how to use the wild green helpers for first aid can be lifesaving. This revised updated edition expands knowledge of using herbs for health purposes. See for directions on preparing herbal poultices, ointments, infusions, decoctions, and tinctures.

Foraging requires developing observational skills like learning to recognize plants in varying stages of growth. Gatherers must differentiate between the herbal helpers and the inedible plants. This book is intended as one guide in your journey.

A book of this size, ideal for the backpack and replete with details of how to incorporate these plants into your life, cannot also be an exhaustive guide to identification. Its intended as an adjunct to heftier tomes like Discovering Wild Plants (with detailed line drawings by R.W. Tyler and photos of the plants throughout the growing season), Beverly Grays The Boreal Herbal, Verna Pratts many photographic guides, and academic plant keys. Countless online reference materials are also available. If you have any doubt of a plants identity, cross-check with other sources. See for my recommended reading.

How This Book is Organized

Plants, like people, live in communities. Plants that flourish together share affinity for certain soils, lighting conditions, moisture, salinity, or altitude. For this reason, this book is organized by habitat. Once you find one of the plants in a section, you are likely to meet many of the companions listed. Beach plants, for example, will be not be found anywhere except near ocean shores.

However, some plants, like blueberry, are highly adaptable. Blueberries range from bog to forest to alpine. Hence, a new category in this edition has been added: Free-Range Plants. This section is an excellent starting point for readers, as it also develops awareness of the floral patterns of plant families like mustard. Learn to recognize the characteristic structure of a mustard flower, and a vast friendly family of plants is at your service.

Within each section, plants are grouped by similar type. In Sea & Sandy Shores, the seaweeds sequentially follow each other, then the shore plants. Within Forests & Open Woods, all the trees are sequential, followed by the understory plants.

The habitat sections are explained in detail at the beginning of each new segment of the book. Each section is also coded with a color for easy reference.

Before You Begin

Review the Caution sections carefully. Some plants, such as cow parsnip, can cause dermatitis; others, like red elder, have both edible and toxic portions.

When eating any new food for the first time, consume a small amount only. Be sensitive to the effect on your body; discontinue use immediately and seek medical attention if you experience adverse reactions or allergies.

Just because something is good for you in moderation and seasonally available, it doesnt mean consuming gallons a day of that thing will be better. Be sensible.

If you are pregnant or on pharmaceuticals, and have questions regarding whether a particular herb is suitable for you, check with your health professional. Some online sources show cautions for virtually anything and everything and are not always accurate.

Start slowly and build confidence plant by plant. Included in this book are numerous recipe ideas to stimulate your creativity.

After the Harvest

Rinse your edibles in cool water to remove dust. If using roots, scrub them well with a brush.

For year-round use, bundle herbs and hang upside down in a warm, shady, well-ventilated space. (An exception are sea vegetables, which often mold unless quickly sun-dried.)