Bidens Pilosa Eat The Weeds

Although bidens pilosa is primarily considered a weed in many parts of the world it is also a source of food and medicine.

Bidens pilosa eat the weeds. Fermented with rice to make sake range. It s a tangy if not vigorous addition to salads. Commonly known as spanish needle or beggar s ticks bidens pilosa is a common crop weed and wasteland plant widespread on every continent except antarctica. One thing that s come up on the edible weeds wild plants foraging in australia facebook group is that the plant is considered phototoxic.

There are 60 native species of bidens in hawai i and 19 of those are endemic. We walked past these for years in our area unaware of their edible benefits. Bidens pilosa is eaten in africa as a vegetable. C an irritate the bladder and kidney in high doses.

It s a tangy if not vigorous addition to salads. Bidens young leaves a few at a time are suitable for the salad. Alba aka bidens pilosa bye denz al bah pil oh suh also has an edible flower. But i prefer to think of them as the superheroes of the natural world.

Bidens pilosa is a problematic species for many reasons throughout its range. Alba aka bidens pilosa bye denz al bah pil oh suh also has an edible flower. A troublesome weed to at least 30 crops in over 40 countries it is known to significantly reduce crop yields by almost 50 in some cases. Across china the plant can be found growing on roadsides and in fields and villages at elevations below 2500 m.

It is especially important in eastern africa where it is known as michicha. Bidens pilosa is native to south america the caribbean africa and the philippines. Bidens young leaves a few at a time are suitable for the salad. One of the edible weeds we do a short profile on in the weed forager s handbook is cobbler s pegs bidens pilosa.

The bidens alba and its nearly identical brother the bidens pilosa are some of the hardiest naturally occurring forbs yes weeds to some. Some constituents may be weak esophageal carcinogens mirvish 1979. Shoots tips and young leaves are good potherbs. Easily recognizable by the sharp aggravating seed pods that embed themselves into hair and clothing bidens pilosa is used in both traditional chinese medicine and western herbalism as well as in folk medical traditions around the world.

The leaves have a resinous flavor and are eaten raw in stews or dried for storage.