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Hi Jane & All, May 15, 2010
The comment that new shoots of Convallaria multiflora (aka Polygonatum multiflorum) can be eaten may be incorrect and an outcome of confused plant names.
According to Fernald, Robbins & Kinsey the young shoots of Solomon's Seal [Polygonatum (3 species) ] can be eaten. These would presumably have been the native species (P. pubescens, P. biflorum & P. canaliculatum). As an aside, we have only P. pubescens but it is quite rare and consequently should not be eaten (except by slugs who unfortunately don't care; they gradually decreased my 8 (?) seedlings in the garden to zero).
But Convallaria multiflora (aka Polygonatum multiflorum) is not Solomon's Seal, it is Giant Solomon's Seal.
Perhaps someone saw that shoots of Solomon's Seal (i.e. P. pubescens...) were edible. Saw elsewhere that Solomon's Seal was Convallaria multiflora and consequently concluded incorrectly that shoots of Convallaria multiflora were edible.
On the other hand-- They are closely related plants and C. multiflora (a garden ornamental I assume) is large and would likely have shoots of a significant size. If I had some nearby I would try it with caution.
Yt, Dave Webster, Kentville
----- Original Message -----
From: david&jane schlosberg
To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca
Sent: Saturday, May 15, 2010 11:30 AM
Subject: [NatureNS] fiddleheads as food
A friend of mine, who has been eating fiddleheads for years, recently bought some and tried a new recipe involving marinating--but NOT cooking--them. Both she and her husband were quite ill afterwards. Do any of you know anything about what might have contributed to their distress? Of course, it might simply have been contaminating bacteria that got on them from the handling, but could there be something in them that gets destroyed during cooking?
Also, do any of you know about the recent statement (Radio Noon-CBC) that Solomon's Seal (convallaria multiflora) is fine to eat when it first comes up as a new shoot? I have a book on edible wild plants that says it is reported to be edible but not corroborated. My old "The Herbalist" by Joseph Meyer says the root is emetic, tonic, and astringent, but doesn't mention the shoots.
Jane Schlosberg
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--Boundary_(ID_2pmiTr7Gr+fecf5l7erCdA)
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<DIV><FONT size=2>Hi Jane & All,
May 15,
2010</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2> The comment that new shoots of Convallaria
multiflora (aka Polygonatum multiflorum) can be eaten may be incorrect and an
outcome of confused plant names.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2> According to Fernald, Robbins & Kinsey
the young shoots of Solomon's Seal [Polygonatum (3 species) ] can be eaten.
These would presumably have been the native species (P. pubescens, P. biflorum
& P. canaliculatum). As an aside, we have only P. pubescens but it is quite
rare and consequently should not be eaten (except by slugs who unfortunately
don't care; they gradually decreased my 8 (?) seedlings in the
garden to zero).</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2> But Convallaria multiflora (aka Polygonatum
multiflorum) is not Solomon's Seal, it is Giant Solomon's Seal.
</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2> Perhaps someone saw that shoots of
Solomon's Seal (i.e. P. pubescens...) were edible. Saw elsewhere that Solomon's
Seal was Convallaria multiflora and consequently concluded incorrectly that
shoots of Convallaria multiflora were edible.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2> On the other hand-- They are closely
related plants and C. multiflora (a garden ornamental I assume) is large and
would likely have shoots of a significant size. If I had some nearby I would try
it with caution.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2>Yt, Dave Webster, Kentville</FONT></DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE
style="BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px">
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV>
<DIV
style="FONT: 10pt arial; BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; font-color: black"><B>From:</B>
<A title=dschlosb-g@ns.sympatico.ca
href="mailto:dschlosb-g@ns.sympatico.ca">david&jane schlosberg</A> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A title=naturens@chebucto.ns.ca
href="mailto:naturens@chebucto.ns.ca">naturens@chebucto.ns.ca</A> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Saturday, May 15, 2010 11:30
AM</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> [NatureNS] fiddleheads as
food</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=875171914-15052010><FONT color=#0000ff size=2 face=Arial>A
friend of mine, who has been eating fiddleheads for years, recently bought
some and tried a new recipe involving marinating--but NOT cooking--them.
Both she and her husband were quite ill afterwards. Do any of you know
anything about what might have contributed to their distress? Of course,
it might simply have been contaminating bacteria that got on them from the
handling, but could there be something in them that gets destroyed
during cooking?</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2><FONT face=Arial><FONT color=#0000ff><SPAN
class=875171914-15052010>Also, do any of you know about the recent statement
(Radio Noon-CBC) that Solomon's Seal (convallaria multiflora) is fine to eat
when it first comes up as a new shoot? I have a book on edible wild
plants that says it is reported to be edible but not corroborated.
</SPAN>M<SPAN class=875171914-15052010>y old "The Herbalist" by Joseph Meyer
says the root is emetic, tonic, and astringent, but doesn't mention the
shoots.</SPAN></FONT></FONT></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2><FONT face=Arial><FONT color=#0000ff><SPAN
class=875171914-15052010>Jane Schlosberg</SPAN></FONT></FONT></FONT></DIV>
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<P></P><BR>No virus found in this incoming message.<BR>Checked by AVG -
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Date: 05/15/10 03:26:00<BR></BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML>
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