Delicious Japanese Knotweed
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- Опубліковано 22 чер 2018
- Japanese knotweed is a much maligned plant. While some of that is well deserved, it is a tough survivor and an abundant producer. At all stages of its life, it is useful, whether providing an asparagus alternative, a better than rhubarb replacement, or a useful medicinal, Japanese knotweed is a prized forager’s friend.
Viewers should note that while it is a good idea to eradicate knotweed, this video is not about eradication, but simply about how to make good use out of a problem plant.
Knotweed can be eaten quite safely, but viewers should note it contains oxalic acid. Oxalic acid can be a problem but usually isn't. For example, it is found in many household foods, including spinach and rhubarb. Cooking and/or blanching remove most of the water soluble oxalic acid, which is what the body would absorb, rendering the plant safe. There are conflicting reports as to whether heat destroys oxalic acid--reputable sources both argue that it does and does not.
Oxalic acid mainly presents problems for persons suffering mineral deficiencies. You can further mitigate its effects by consuming dairy products as the calcium will bind with the oxalic acid, causing it to pass through the body.
As always, anyone trying a wild food for the first time should try it with caution til they confirm they won’t react, and persons suffering mineral deficiencies should avoid it, same as they should avoid rhubarb and spinach.
Also, as always, I do not recommend any wild foods that I myself do not eat. My family has used Japanese knotweed for years without ill effect. My research and personal experience indicate the plant can be used safely by healthy individuals.
Love and look forward to these every year. I am japanese and love this wild vegetable
Great video. We always ate this when we were young
One of the best videos I've seen on knotweed
Have tons of this on our land here in Nova Scotia, Canada. As I have contracted Lyme disease, I'm going to be harvesting the roots to make tea with. I know you can also make tinctures, but am not too well versed in that yet!
Good information Cliff. I have also recently learned that the roots can be processed and used in the treatment of Lyme disease
This herbalist lady mentions how she cured someone from Lyme Disease: ua-cam.com/video/J1YnVEcZCzs/v-deo.html
Sadly the UK promotes toxic pesticides over health and planet. Follow the money. Here is my research:
butterflylullaby.blogspot.com/2018/02/resveratrol-ban-japanese-knotweed-anti.html
When I was able to forage down my back garden for Japanese Knotweed, before my new neighbours chemical invasion, I was really fit and healthy. Asthma free.
Yeah Stephen Harrod Buhner has a book on ridding or mitigating the bad effects of Lyme Disease and recommends Japanese Knotweed along with some other plants and uses the root system to make a tincture.
I’ve made pies too three years ago and gathered some today here in Maine. Glad to see you use the whole shoot minus leaves up from 18” - 4’ . I was unaware of that detail. Leda Merideth in her book recommends the shoots being 2’ or less in height. I might have overlooked something but it will be a cinch cutting down the rhubarb pie size stalks. I used strawberries and then used my cousins frozen blackberries was insanely good.
As far as pie crust used one with Amish Butter / Almonds / Eggs and the other with coconut oil instead of butter. Damn delicious..
I kid you not in Pennsylvania found a MASSIVE patch about 20 acres in size !!! Unbelievable and will be videoing a youtube video about it hopefully next year.
Great information about obtaining replenishing nutrient drink between the segments of the larger sized knotweed.!!
Man I didn't know you can eat them. I have a project that I was hired to do to get rid a big patch of Knotweed. Man it is hard to do. They say if you cut them down, dig them out then put a black peace of plastic down for 2 years then they won't grow back. But like you said they may sit dormant for 20 years then start back up again. Amazing plant indeed.
Green Acres It’s a survivor.
Thanks Cliff! I love all your videos they are so informative! Mostly because they are all relevant to where i live and it is so exciting to have a resource like your videos!! Thank you!
Japanese knotweed grows prolifically in the shade in Southeastern Pennsylvania, so don't cast off pieces in the woods in this or similar areas. Thanks for the information about how to prepare and eat it!
Great video. We live on a river in the Cascade Mountains and the whole river valley has been infiltrated by knotweed which is eroding the river bank. Terrible stuff but we are going to start utilizing for food and your video has some very helpful information. We didn't know about drinking the liquid. Have to try that.
Don't over use it as a food or liquid. Like kale and potatoes, it has a lot of oxalate.
How cool is that
Very informative and interesting, thanks for sharing!
thanks from scotland
I used to rather this as a kid, I’d just pull it out of the ground, shape a bit off and start munching. It gets a bad rep, but I think it’s gonna be a future major sustainable food source..
Possibly. It would have to be hybridized to make it not so aggressive first. It escapes easily and any part that touches the ground (except the leaves) will sprout new roots and create a new plant. But it does have all kinds of uses.
If it grows that fast and aggressively, why aren’t they using it to help reduce climate change, if correctly controlled just think how much it could help the planet, we are thinking too narrowly..
Fantastic video!🙏
Thanks for the video! Here in Corner Brook, I recently found a patch of knotweed with feral hops growing, seemingly, in harmony using it as a trellis. I want to try to propagate the hops, but I'm scared to transfer soil that could later start sprouting knotweed.
I suggest collecting seed at the end of the season, then destroying the knotweed so it doesn't spread. You can replant the hops seed at home. Knotweed will grow from any little bit of root in the soil. It can also regrow from the live canes if they touch the ground. So, yes, don't try to dig and transfer the hops.
good video, thank you. I hadn't ever hear about the plant liquid. does your wife share her JKpie recipe?
I'll see if we can make a recipe video of it when they start to come up.
I didn't know about the liquid inside the knotweed. I've done a bit of reading up on it, no one has mentioned it so far. Very neat! I have some in my yard where I'm renting, and I'm debating whether to use it or kill it. Once you start to poision it, I understand that it is no longer safe to eat. There is a forest on one side but there are houses on the other... I do feel worried about the houses.
If it is in your hard, you should kill it. It will spread very aggressively anywhere it can get sunlight. It needs direct sunlight so anywhere in the shade of trees is safe. But it is very powerful. If it reaches the houses, it can actually break right through their concrete foundations.
Hi
Steve from Yorkshire, England. I've heard recently that the leafs can be used along with orange juice and water to make a smoothie, is that right. Ps, great video.
Possibly, but the leaves are quite high in oxalic acid, so you may prefer to avoid them.
These plants are like the Jerusalem artichokes
If you're referring to invasiveness, they are much more destructive than J chokes.
So it can maybe be wiped out with a Tarp .... where not wanted.
Theoretically, but you'd have to watch for where it regrows as it will attempt to send shoots up all around the area. If the plant determines growing conditions are hostile, it can go into dormancy for up to 20 years and try again later, too. It is very hard to kill. The best response, I find, is goats. They will eat it down to the ground and keep eating it till it dies away.
Can you steam this
I'm kind of old fashioned. I have no cell phone, never sent a text message in my life, and am not sure what streaming is.
Cliff Seruntine ‘STEAM’ as in cooking.
funny...i saw stream as well when i was reading this from a distance. mmmhhhhh
@@jdrano2215 I did too. Interesting. :)