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NAME: Woodland Sunflower

SPECIES / FAMILY:  Helianthus Strumosus / Asteraceae or Compositae

OTHER COMMON NAME(S): 

CONDITIONS:
 

PARTS:

EDIBLE cid:image001.jpg@01D3EC3E.A305A520

TASTE

RAW/COOK

SEASON

All

  

 

 

 

Shoots

 

 

 

 

Leaves

        

Stalk/Stem

 

 

 

 

Buds

        

Flowers

 

BOIL

Summer

Fruits

 

 

 

 

Pods

  

 

    

Seeds

 

RAW/COOK

Summer

Nuts

 

 

 

 

Roots

cid:image001.jpg@01D3EC3E.A305A520

 

SOAK/COOK

Fall

Bark

 

 

 

 

 

PORTION: small-medium

 

COMMENT: No more details but root is probably used raw or cooked like the Jerusalem artichoke.(1) “seeds can be eaten raw, ground into flour, roasted, or crushed for sunflower oil, the shells can be roasted then used as a coffee substitute; young flowers are boiled.” (4) “Rich in fats, the seed can be ground into a powder and mixed with cereal flours to make nutritious bread. Seeds can be used for spouting and eaten as soon as they sprout. Young flower buds can be steamed and served like globe artichokes. The leaf petioles can be boiled and mixed in with other vegetables. Flower petals, leaves and roots can be used to make tea. ” (5)

 

CAUTION: sunflower seeds, hulled or not, can irritate colon and cause diverticulitis. Also, inulin in root vegetables can cause flatulence, therefore soak 24 hours and throw off the water at least once before boiling or baking.

 

NUTRITION/MEDICINAL:  “Anthelmintic;  Pectoral. A decoction of the roots has been used to get rid of worms in both adults and children. An infusion of the roots has been used in the treatment of lung problems.” (1)

o   https://www.webmd.com/vitamins/ai/ingredientmono-40/sunflower-oil

o   https://draxe.com/sunflower-seeds

 

LOOK-A-LIKES:  Many different species.

 

POISONOUS LOOK-A-LIKES: 

 

OTHER USES:

 

SOURCE LINKS (may include nutritional and medicinal info, plus other uses):

  1. https://www.pfaf.org/user/Plant.aspx?LatinName=Helianthus+strumosus
  2. http://www.eattheweeds.com/sunflowers-seeds-and-more
  3. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Helianthus & https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Helianthus_hirsutus
  4. http://www.foragingtexas.com/2009/06/sunflower-wild.html  (good photos)
  5. http://www.ediblewildfood.com/sunflower.aspx (good photos)
  6. https://plighttofreedom.com/?s=sunflower
  7. https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?search=Helianthus+Strumosus&title=Special%3ASearch&go=Go (good photos)