Arctium minus / A. lappa

NL: Grote klit / F: Bardane

One more amazing plant, with both great nutritional value as well as a long history of use in traditional herbal medicine.

The young stalks and leaves are edible, raw or cooked, but the young roots are the most popular part of this plant. The roots should be harvested when they reach up to 60 cm, since they can get “woody” as they grow further. The seeds can be sprouted and used in raw salads or lightly stirred in olive oil.

It is a powerful cleansing herb and, similarly to curly dock, it has been traditionally used in the treatment of a wide range of skin illnesses, infections and even cancer. Its blood purifying properties are so effective as in helping the body to get rid of heavy metals and a wide range of toxins. The roots also have antibacterial and anti-fungal action and combining that with its depurative properties, makes it a great herb to help healing eczema, rheumatic conditions, acne, rashes, and several types of inflammatory illnesses.

More on burdock:

Survival Plants Memory Course: Arctium Minus

Burdock in Trational Chinese Medicine:

Niu Bang Zhi - Chinese Herbal Medicine

Here are two recipes with burdock roots to inspire your culinary talents:

Japanese style pickled burdock

Classic Kinpira Gobo

Rumex crispus

 NL: Zuring / F: Oseille

Most plants of the Rumex genus, docks and sorrels, are edible, rich in protein, vitamins A and C, bioflavonoids, iron and magnesium. But most of them also contain varying levels of tannins and oxalates. For that reason, in their raw form, they should be eaten moderately. They can be freely consumed when boiled 2 to 3 times, changing its cooking water. 

Curly dock or yellow dock (Rumex crispus) has an ancient history as a powerful purifying, cleansing herb, used to help healing a wide range of skin conditions and other chronic illnesses that can benefit from a depurative herb. All parts of the plant can be used but the strongest properties are found in the roots. For that, the root is harvested early in spring - or early autumn - and dried for further use. 

The cleansing actions from various Rumex species are partly explained by its stimulation of digestive secretions, which have a mild laxative effect and help to eliminate waste. Yellow dock also promotes the flow of bile from the liver and gallbladder, which improves the absorption of nutrients. The extensive list of conditions that have been reported to be treated using yellow dock roots include: rheumatism, fevers, liver problems, hemorrhoids, swollen lymph glands and constipation. Recently it has been studied as an auxiliary in the treatment of cancer and bacterial infections.

As a first aid herb, the powder of the dried root can be used in poultice, applied topically to heal wounds, skin inflammations, itching, eczema, etc. This powder has also been used traditionally to treat gingivitis and toothaches. 

It works well in cleansing formulas when combined with burdock roots.

Dock leaves are a traditional remedy for the sting of nettles. Curiously, curly dock and common nettle are often found growing in the same environment.

Dock is also used as compost enhancer, to speed up bacterial activity and thus shorten the time needed to get the compost ready.

More on the healing properties of Yellow Dock:

Herbal Treatment Remedies: Yellow Dock Root

And here's a complete course on this plant:

Survival Plants Memory Course: Rumex crispus

In the beginning of the following video you get some tips on identifying and using Curly Dock:

Sergei Boutenko: Wild Food Foraging

a.k.a. Cleavers or Bedstraw

Galium aparine

NL: Kleefkruid / F: Gaillet gratteron

Goosegrass is known in the herbalist’s world as a blood purifier, an essential ingredient of any good herbal detox mix, or spring cleanser formula. Due to its detoxifying as well as diuretic properties, it is employed to treat a series of ailments such as wounds, skin inflammations, ulcers, eczema and even psoriasis. 

The detoxifying work of goosegrass seems to be partly linked to its ability to the cleanse lymphatic system. In popular medicine it is said to help to heal various glandular disorders, including tonsillitis, hepatitis and even some thyroid disorders.

Its aerial parts are also astringent, tonic, depurative, vulnerary. It is also antiphlogistic and febrifuge, making it a helpful herb to include in conditions that involve fevers.

Some herbalists claim that goosegrass is more effective when its fresh juice is used.

In principle the plant is edible, preferably its young shoot tops, collected in spring time. Its seeds lightly roasted seem to make a good coffee substitute. 

Attention: The sap of the plant can cause severe skin irritation in sensitive people.

More on this herb:

Galium aparine - PFAF

Bedstraw / Cleavers - Maria Treben Herbs

Flora of the Netherlands: Cleavers - video to help you identify this plant

Sonchus oleraceus

NL: Melkdistel / F: Laiteron

This plant has powerful medicinal properties, with some toxicity, but at the same time it is also highly nutritious. It contains, per 100g, around 30mg of vitamin C, 1500 mg of Calcium and 45 mg of Iron. The dried leaves contain up to 28g of protein per 100g - a great nutritional supplement. Use only young leaves as edibles, raw, in salads or cooked, as spinach.

In the garden, they perform great function as a “sacrificial plants”, helping to control some fly, moths and aphids that attack some plants.

This strong plant grabs every little chance to grow.

Its applications in traditional folk medicine around the world are numerous: blood purifier, hepatic, sedative, febrifuge, tonic, pectoral, and there are even mentions of its use to treat cancer and to help people to quit opium addiction. Its white “milk” can be used to get rid of warts (like other milky plants).






Here is a video to help you to properly identify Sow Thistle:
Spiny-Leaved Sow Thistle, by the New Survivalist


More information on the medicinal properties of this plant:
Earth Medicine Institute: Sonchus oleraceus


Here you can get a thorough course on this plant:
Sonchus oleraceaus - Survival Plants Memory Course