The yacón is traditionally grown in the northern and central Andes from Colombia to northern Argentina for its crisp, sweet-tasting, tuberous roots. It is closely related to the sunflower and Jerusalem artichoke. The root can be eaten raw or cooked. When first harvested, the root can taste somewhat starchy, but it soon becomes sweet, crisp […]
Silver fir has edible, medicinal and many other uses. It is used as a Christmas tree and featured in Hans Christian Anderson’s famous fairy tale, The Little Fir Tree. Silver fir is now less common in our homes, replaced with the more economically cultivated Norway spruce (Picea abies) or Nordmann fir, (A. nordmanniana), with denser, […]
Holly, Ilex aquifolium, is often shown on Christmas cards and wreaths. It has a number edible, medicinal and other uses including a tea and a coffee substitute. Edible Uses: Tea. The leaves have been used as a tea substitute. The roasted fruit has been used as a coffee substitute. Some caution is advised here, since […]
Dioscorea polystachya (Dioscorea batatas – Decne.) is a species of flowering plant in the yam family known by the common names Chinese yam and cinnamon vine. The tubers are edible and usually cooked. They have a floury texture with a very pleasant flavour that is rather like a potato. The tubers can be boiled, baked, […]
Plants For A Future (PFAF) is a charitable company established nearly 30 years ago to support the work of Ken Fern on his experimental site in Cornwall. Ten years ago a group of new trustees took over its management and since then PFAF has focussed on maintaining and further developing the online plants database originally […]