7 Wild Herbs to Forage in the UK

Swift Summary

• Wild greens and herbs have long been part of human diets, with a resurgence of interest as the 2010s due to high-end chefs incorporating foraged ingredients.
• Foraging can be done without expertise, though caution is advised when identifying wild plants due to potential toxicity.
• Key herbs for foraging in the UK:

– Yarrow: Grows in meadows; used in potato salads or stews.Avoid if allergic to aspirin.
– Chickweed: Flavored like spinach and sweetcorn, but has a toxic lookalike called petty spurge.
– Alexanders (Horse Parsley): Introduced by Romans; flavour akin to celery; seeds likened to sichuan pepper.
– Sweet Cicely: Sweet-flavored herb resembling fennel, ofen used with rhubarb; avoid confusing it with hemlock by identifying its aniseed scent.
– Ground Ivy: mint family herb usable in tzatziki or drinks; considered invasive and eco-kind when lightly harvested.
– Sweet Woodruff: Almond-scented leaves added fresh or dried into food and drink. drying must be thorough for safety concerns tied to toxins forming otherwise.
– Meadowsweet: Sacred druids’ herb traditionally used for medicinal purposes or flavoring like elderflower. Not suitable for aspirin-allergic individuals.

• Popular UK locations offering guided forage tours include Cornwall’s Fat Hen cookery school,healing Weeds programs near Bristol,and Sharpham Trust workshops in Devon.

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