Shaun Simmons

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since May 19, 2013
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Recent posts by Shaun Simmons

The petiole glands definitely place this plant firmly in the genus Prunus, but it can be very difficult to get further than that without using an identification key (which I would recommend at this point). It's likely a seedling form of the sweet cherry.
11 years ago
Pretty sure that's Amaranthus ganceticus, or a similar species, or even a hybrid--an Amaranth for sure, though. That's one of the species that's commonly grown as a garden vegetable due to it's large size and late blooming habit. Steam the young leaves and tops, cook the older leaves longer (in soup, for instance).
11 years ago
I've been 'shrooming for over 10 years now. I started with the "Foolproof Five" (the "foolproof four"--puffball, sulfur shelf, chantrelle and morell--plus shaggy mane, which is also pretty foolproof), and slowly spread out to others. Even more than with plants, never ever eat a mushroom you can't identify. Even the universal edibility test can fail you if you get into one of the poisonous mushrooms. The Amanitas, for instance, kill you by killing your liver; by the time you feel that anything is wrong there's nothing that can be done to save your liver. As the saying goes, "there are old mushroom hunters and there are bold mushroom hunters, but there are no old, bold mushroom hunters."

I highly recommend getting a guide book that includes a key-based identification system as this will be the best way to keep you from mis-identifying something. David Aurora's books are very good for those in the western states (particularly Washington, Oregon & California), and if you live elsewhere I'm sure that your local mushroom club can suggest the best book for your area.
11 years ago
The third picture actually looks more like goldenrod.
11 years ago
After looking at the picture of the hawthorn again, I noticed another plant at the bottom left which looks a bit like burdock. If it is then I hope you get a chance to enjoy that edible as well!
11 years ago
I agree with the general IDs already provided. Furthermore, the dock is probably Rumex sanguineum, Bloody Dock (or a hybrid thereof), and the vetch looks quite a bit like Vicia sativa, which is said to be edible (http://www.arthurleej.com/a-vetch.html). I seem to recall reading about some vetches having varying amounts of not-so-good-for-you chemicals, particularly cardiac glycosides and chemicals that can cause lathyrism, so even if it is common vetch you might still limit your intake just to be safe. You'll have to check back in the late summer or fall to see if the hawthorn fruit is worth eating.
11 years ago