Juneberries, note "crown" at the end of each berry

Amelanchier arborea: Busting Out All Over

Juneberries are as American as apple pie. In fact, they are more American than apples.

While Juneberries are native, cultivated apples are not. When the Europeans arrived in the New World there were only sour crab apples, but plenty of sweet Juneberries,  Amelanchier arborea (am-meh-LANG-kee-er ar-BORE-ee-uh.) Juneberries, however, are a close relative of the apple and have been under cultivation since 1746.

Juneberries in bloom

Juneberries were one of the famous traditional ingredients in pemmican, which was fat and powdered meat, or, fat, powdered meat and dried berries. Throughout the cooler areas of North America Indians made “pimekan.”  It was not only a staple for the northern Indians but became the main ration for European backwoodsmen and traders.  Interestingly the practice among the Indians of making pemmican did not go much farther south than Missouri or Nebraska, by Osage and the Omaha.  The Missourians also mixed their Juneberries with cornmeal to make cakes, which was more in keeping with what southern tribes did. Southern Indians also made more stews and used more plants in those stews than the northern Tribes.

Juneberry Tree in spring

Opinions vary whether the Juneberry is better fresh or dried or cooked. It is a matter of personal taste.  Some recipes are included below. Several species have been used for food including A. alnifolia, A. bartramiana, A. canadensis, A. intermedia, A. laevis, A. lamarckii,  A. pallida, A. sanguinea, A. spicata, and A. utahensis.  Species in Europe and Asia are also eaten though there is only one naturalized species of Juneberry in Europe, A. lamarckii. The Juneberry can be a multi-branched shrub or a tree to 50 feet. Like the Eastern Redbud it usually flowers in the spring before leaving out. A. arborea can be identified from the others by fuzzy emerging leaves, greenish-yellow buds, and pendulous fruit.

Amelanchier is a French corruption of the Gaulois’ word “amelanco,” thought to be their name for that plant or a similar one. Scholars guess that “amelanco” is a combination word that means little apple or downy apple.  Arborea means tree-like. Besides Juneberry and Serviceberry the plant is also called Sarvis and Sarvis Tree. “Service” and “Sarvis” have the same origin in the written word “service.” Why “service?” The tree was called that be cause in Appalachia it was the only tree blossoming when it came time to bury in the thawed ground of spring those who had died during in the winter. Farther north along the coast it was called Shadbush, Shadblow, Shadwood because it

Jean Baptiste Antoine Monet de Lamarck

blossomed when the shad (migrating fish) were running. Other names include Saskatoon (a shortened Cree name) Sugarplum, and Wild-plum. It was called Juneberry because in many places the fruit ripens in June, usually the first of the new year for those weary of winter fare. The European species honors Jean Baptiste Antoine Monet de Lamarck, an 18th century French naturalist.

Nutritionally berries contain higher levels of protein, fat, and fiber than most other fruit but are low in vitamin C. They do have pectin, however. Lastly, the Juneberry reminds us that all berries with a “crown” on one end (like a blueberry) are edible.

Juneberry Pie

Pastry for 2 crust pie

3-4 c. juneberries, washed

2 tbsp. flour

2 tbsp. lemon juice

1/2 c. sugar

1/4 tsp. nutmeg

Sugar for sprinkling

Mix all ingredients together. Spoon into pastry lined pie plate. Top with pastry cut into strips. Sprinkle top with sugar. Bake at 450 degrees for 15 t minutes then at 350 degrees for 25 minutes more.

Juneberry Jam

4 c. Juneberries, cleaned

4 c. cut up rhubarb

4 c. white sugar

Grind Juneberries and add to sugar and rhubarb. Bring to simmer. Stir and cook until thick. Burns easily. Pour into jars. Seal. I like to add 1 teaspoon cinnamon and 1 tablespoon lemon juice to my jam.

Juneberry Muffins

2 c. flour

1/4 c. sugar

3 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. salt

1/4 c. shortening

1 egg

1 c. milk

1 1/2 c. Juneberries

To dry ingredients add egg, shortening, salt and milk. When well blended stir in Juneberries. Fill muffin cups 2/3 full. Bake 20 minutes, 350 degrees.

Green Deane’s “Itemized” Plant Profile

IDENTIFICATION: A small tree or multi-stemmed large shrub, rounded crown with arching, spreading branches. Trees to 20 to 50 feet, short lived, rarely beyond 50 years, often an understory tree near stream banks. . Leaves resemble apple leaves, simple, alternate, oblong, one to three inches long, serrated, downy underneath, smoother above, silvery-gray and fuzzy when emerging, dark green in summer. Fall colors yellow to orange to red. Flowers blooms in clouds of white in early spring, five-petalled, dainty, like an apple blossom, in March and April, hang in elegant clusters. Fruit a small berry-like pome, ripens in June from green to red to purplish-black. Seeds, red teardrops.  An English cultivar has red berries (A. alnifolia, var. Ballerina.)

TIME OF YEAR: Usually in June in most of its range. Most of the berries ripen at the same time and can be harvested at the same time.

ENVIRONMENT: Grows best in full sun to light shade and moist, well-drained, acid soils. More common in northern areas.

METHOD OF PREPARATION: Many. Fresh berries or dried or cooked. Can be made into pies, jelly and jams; dried it can be made into cakes or used to make pemmican. Occasionally a tree will have foul-tasting berries. Find another. There are no toxic look-alikes.

Katuk in blossom

Edible Katuk: Sauropus androgynus

Katuk grows reluctantly in my yard. It likes truly tropical climes and I am on the subtropical/temperate line. But it’s still a favorite nibble and a staple vegetable in many parts of the world.

Katuk has a tasty leaf with a pea-like or nutty flavor. It’s also half protein, an amazing amount for a vegetable. More so, the leaves can be quickly stripped from the stem by pulling it between your fingers. Tender tips, leaves, flowers, small fruits and seeds of the Katuk are eaten raw or cooked, from soup to salad.

Also known as the Sweetleaf Bush, Katuk is native to lowland rain forests and prefers a hot, humid climate.  Hot and humid I’ve got, but not the lowland forest. I have not been able to get it above medium shrub stage here in central Florida, but from what I read it never gets much beyond a big shrub anyway. As mentioned I am exactly on the line between subtropical and temperate, which means an occasional freeze and one or two light frosts per winter. When a freeze threatens I take in clippings.

Katuk (ka-TOOK) will grow in shade or full sun, but it will not tolerate being dry. Under ideal conditions, it can grow up to a foot a week but it is never sturdy. Regular trimming assures optimal production of new tender shoots, prime food for Asian markets. One is supposed to keep it pruned to between 3-6 feet whereas mine has never exceeded four feet. The best way to propagate it is to take a cutting and put it in water, changing the water often. Another way is to take a stem and stick in the ground under some moist shade.

Katuk leaves

The leaves and the top four or five inches of a branch tip have a pleasant taste, similar to fresh garden peas, and slightly nutty. They are usually are eaten raw in salads, or steamed. You can add them to stir-fry, rice and egg dishes, soups or casseroles. The leaves retain their color and texture when cooking, which is fine for salads but you might want to chop them a little for soups or frying. They are often served in restaurants under the name “sayur manis.” The tiny flowers and fruit are also edible, though I have never noticed any fruit on my Katuk bushes.

Katuk is quite nutritious with the nutrient content is higher in more mature leaves. Though it is dwarfed by the Moringa trees in my yard, I eat the Katuk far more often than the Moringa just out of taste.  Raw the Katuk has an after taste that sits well on the palate, the Moringa can be sharp and bitter, if not peppery. More so, the Moringa easily grows 12 feet a season, where as the Katuk just gets a manageable bushy. (My Moringa article is here.)

As to Katuk’s scientific name, Sauropus androgynus. (SAW row-puss  an-DROG-ah-nus.)  What it means is known, as both words are Latinized Greek. Why the plant is called what it is called is a little harder. Androgynus, in the plant world, means having flowers that are either male or female. Sauropus means “lizard-foot.”  Why “lizard foot” is anyone’s guess. By the way: Change the ending of Sauropus to Saururus and you have Lizard Tail, a different plant species with medicinal qualities.

By now you should know Katuk is one of the most popular vegetable in the world, particularly in Borneo and my home in Florida. Now some information to keep the lawyers happy:

Every now and then some people get suckered and become human lab rats. This happened in Taiwan in the mid-1990’s involving Katuk. Although Katuk has been consumed for thousands of years without issue, and is consumed daily by millions without a problem, there is always someone around to do something excessive and stupid. The rest of us end up with a warning and worry.

Katuk’s tiny blossoms

Some vendors in Taiwan convinced people that an extract of raw Katuk was good for weight loss… yep, a fad diet.  The vendors sold extract of ground Katuk leaves mixed with fruit juice. Fifty-four people, 50 females, four males,  developed lung problems, most of which went away upon stopping the diet. Four middle-aged women, however, who drank 3.5 to 7 ounces (100g to 200g) a day of the extract for up to two months had to have lung transplants within a year and a half of consuming the extract. This is the human equivalent of over-dosing a lab rat to induce disease. More so, not only did these four take the extract they also ate a lot more raw Katuk while taking the extract. Only mother’s milk wouldn’t hurt you at that rate, and maybe even that would. Despite proven dangerous, this fad diet persisted and 9 cases were found in Japan in 2006 causing one death and one lung transplant.

The  poisonings are believed related to papaverine in the plant, which makes blood vessels open up and is not an uncommon treatment for high blood pressure. There is about 580 mg of papaverine per 100g of raw Katuk leaf, or about the same as four prescriptions capsules of papaverine to 3 ounces of raw leaf.  The theory is in high doses it permanently damaged the tiny blood vessels in the lung. Researchers have not been able to recreate the symptoms in lab rats which has led some to think the problem might have a genetic component.

A follow-up study of 278 people in Taiwan with non-fatal symptoms found the median consumption of Katuk was 5.3 ounces a day of raw leaf for 20 days. Their consumption was about seven times the average consumption of Katuk by symptom-free Malaysians, which is three to six ounces a week, not a day.  It was, it seems, too much of a good thing done wrongly. A 2006 study on rats showed that in a controlled experiment Katuk did help rats lose weight and reduce their triglycerides. Clearly it needs more research.

So, what does all this mean, beside don’t eat Katuk if you are taking something to open your blood vessels or lower your blood pressure? Enjoy Katuk as an addition to salads, a lawn-side nibble, and cooked in various dishes like you find in thousands of restaurants. Just don’t consume a half a pound of it a day raw for weeks or months and/or while taking an extract as well. I have been tossing a dozen leaves in my weekly salads for more than five years. I ain’t concerned.

Katuk’s nutritional content is outstanding: 49% protein, 18% fiber, vitamins A, B & C, potassium 2.77% (more than bananas at 1.48%); calcium 2.77% (dried skim milk is less than half that at 1.3%); phosphorus .61% (dried soybeans are at .55%); magnesium .55%; and even enough iron to mention.

Incidentally, in beast and woman, Katuk stimulates milk production. And no doubt out there somewhere in the world a man will eat a bushel a day and start lactating then we’ll have that to worry about, too.

Green Deane’s “Itemized” Plant Profile

IDENTIFICATION: Bush, upright with multiple stems, three to six feet high; dark-green, oval-shaped leaves 5-6 cm long. Flat, round, yellow to red flowers, small 1-2cm across, form in the leaf axils. In tropical climates, a purple capsule forms with small, black seeds. May need two different trees to fruit.

TIME OF YEAR: Here in central Florida it loses its leaves for a couple of months in our light winters, but has leave available for the rest of the year, blossoms in summer and fall. It is pest free.

ENVIRONMENT: Understory tree, likes some shade or full sun, prefers hot humid climate, can’t tolerate frost or freezing.

METHOD OF PREPARATION: Leaves, tips, flowers and fruits edible raw or cooked, raw in moderation

Butterfly on Lantana camara blossoms. Photo by Green Deane

Lantana camara: Much Maligned Nibble

Ask anyone who has heard of the Lantana camara and they will tell you it is poisonous.  And they are right. Unripe berries have killed children and the foliage has killed livestock. But listen to Professor Julia Morton who was the leading expert in Florida on toxic plants.

Lantana camara blossoms are multi-colored. Photo by Green Deane

In her book “Plants That Poison People in Florida” she states: “The ripe fruit are eaten by natives wherever the plant grows.” She wrote that in 1995. A 1996 study by Herzog said the same thing (Coppens d’Eeckenbrugge & Libreros Ferla 2000, TAMREC, 2000). On the other hand the University of Texas at Austin says the ripe berries are toxic and Delena Tull in her 1999 book about plants in Texas writes: “Though some previous publications assert that the ripe fruit is edible, experimental studies show that both ripe and unripe fruit are potentially lethal.”

So there you have it. Two views of the Lantana camara. I’ve eaten ripe berries as a trail-side nibble and I am still here. They are very sweet, crunchy and slightly aromatic. I have not made a pie nor have I consumed more than a handful at a time but they have posed no problem thus far. However, they can make you more light sensitive so it is a berry best tried one at a time until you know you are not effected by it.

Unripe and ripe Lantana camara berries. Blue is ripe. Photo by Green Deane

Just so there is no confusion. Ripe means deep blue or black berries. Not green or partially green. There is no doubt that green Lantana camara berries have killed children and sickened adults. Conversely, a mild tea made from the leaf is still used in the Caribbean Islands to ease cold symptoms. The ripe berries are used to make jam, jellies, pies and cordials in Ecuador.

Lantana camara (lan-TAY-na ca-MAR-ah)  has had a bit of linguistic history. Virgil (70-19 BC) called a plant lenta viburna, or flexible viburnum, now called V. lantana. It was used by Linnaeus for the genus name for these plants. Camara is a local South American name for the plant. Lantana grows from North Carolina west to California and points south.

A native of the West Indies or perhaps introduced from South American, it is listed as one of the worst weeds in the world. Butterflies, however, love it and it is a must-have bush in every butterfly garden. It’s the birds that spread the seeds around.  It is also a cousin to the American Beautyberry. 

Lantana camara leaves are also toxic to dog livers.

Green Deane’s “Itemized” Plant Profile

IDENTIFICATION: A persistent evergreen shrub to 6 ft (1.8 m) high,  8 feet in width. Leaves are 2-5 inches long by 1-2 inches wide with rounded tooth edges and a textured surface. Stems and leaves covered with rough hairs. When leaves are crushed they smell similar to cat urine.  Flowers, small, in clusters typically 1-2 inches across. Flowers year round, color range from white to yellow, orange to red, pink to rose in unlimited combinations. Not all one color. Flowers often change color as they age.

Note: L. camara has blossoms of different colors, yellow and orange, pink and red. L. depressa has yellow blossoms only, or, white blossom with a yellow throat: No red, pink or orange blossoms. I have not found any reference as to the edibility of ripe L. depressa berries. 

TIME OF YEAR: Fruits can ripen all year but are heavy in the early summer. Fruit when ripe is purple/black.

ENVIRONMENT: Waste places to landscaping to a potted plant. Prefers full sun.

METHOD OF PREPARATION:D ark ripe berries out of hand. They have a flavor similar to a cross between black currants and cherries.  They can be used to make jams, jellies, pies, and cordials.  The fruits can be used to produce a light purple dye. The leaves can be used to polish wood.

From an article by Roger Hammer: 

Various Lantana blossoms by species.

Knotted lemon grass with stem to make tea

Cymbopogon citratus: A Real Lemon

Technically Lemon Grass is naturalized in only one county in Florida, but you can find it in many yards and landscaping, and in several warm states and northern flower pots.

Lemon Grass

I’ve grown two lemon grasses. One I got from a Chinese grocery that had some roots on it — locally grown —  and one from a fru-fru farmers’ market in Winter Park. I called one Chinese and the other was supposedly from India. After watching them for about ten years I think they are the same species, and they have spread easily in my yard. In fact, if I don’t mow — and I hate to mow — the lemon grass will quickly sprout from underground roots, though it also seeds. The only place I take it out is where it threatens to overshadow my sassafras sapling.

Lemon grass, Cymbopogon citratus, has two culinary claims to fame. Its leaves are used to make a tea or flavor soups and the like. Yes, it tastes lemony.  Its lower stalks can be chopped and also used as flavoring, or ground up for some pastes.

Roots are used for flavoring

Cymbopogon means “boat beard” referring to its boat-shaped bracts. Citratus means lemony.  In 2006 researchers found that lemon grass causes cancer cells to kill themselves, at least in the test tube. Lemon Grass did not affect healthy cells. The amount used was one gram of lemon grass in a cup of hot water. I use a heck of a lot more than that when I make lemon grass tea so I should be super safe.  In fact, here’s how I make Lemon Grass tea.

I take a full blade (be careful, the edges can cut you.) I start at the bottom and begin tying the blade in knots. I keep tying until I have a big knot and enough left over for a dipping handle. Then I put it in hot water. It floats but that’s no problem. You can also use the handle to stir it with. Let it seep for a minute or two.

I have been told all native grass seed in North America is edible, and while I suspect that is true I do not know so totally for a fact. There are also imported grasses, among them Lemon Grass. I don’t know know if the seeds of that family (also called Andropogon) are edible but I doubt it.

Green Deane’s “Itemized” Plant Profile

IDENTIFICATION: Lemongrass is a clumping evergreen with narrow blades ranging blue-green to gold, edges are sharp, tiny flowers on stalk are white, cream, or green. Can grow from two to five feet high. Crushed blade has distinct aroma of lemons.

TIME OF YEAR: Year round in warm climates

ENVIRONMENT: Pprefers moist soil and full sun. Propagated by dividing the root clump. Search the bucket of lemon grass at your local Asian market for lemon grass with some roots. Take home and plant.

METHOD OF PREPARATION: Blades (leaves) soaked to make tea or flavor soups. Roots chopped up in stir fry for flavor or made into a paste. Lemongrass leaves can be dried or frozen. Dried leaves need rehydration before use.