Prunus avium - Wild Cherry
This tree is often used as an ornamental feature in gardens, it has green, toothed, oval leaves with pointed tips.
White flowers appear in early spring which ripen into red fruits in summer. These are loved by birds and other mammals, these cherries can also be used to make cherry brandy.
The most common species is wild or sweet cherry (Prunus avium), but some of these can be sour (Prunus cerasus)
All of these cherries are edible but they have different flavour profiles. The fruits are favoured by birds so you’ll have to be quick to harvest them.
Hazel - Corylus
Hawthorn - Crataegus
Hazel trees are deciduous trees native to the northern hemisphere, the fruit of a hazel are hazelnuts which are capsulated in a husk that fully encloses the nut. In late summer to early autumn these become ripe and ready to harvest.
Hawthorn - Crataegus
Hawthorn - Crataegus
Hawthorn is native to the UK and can be found commonly in hedge rows but can be found in heaths, woodland, rocky and open areas.
The flowers which blossom around may are generally white with five petals and are slightly fragrant. Those flowers will turn into small red berries in the autumn which are edible once cooked, although it is not a
Hawthorn is native to the UK and can be found commonly in hedge rows but can be found in heaths, woodland, rocky and open areas.
The flowers which blossom around may are generally white with five petals and are slightly fragrant. Those flowers will turn into small red berries in the autumn which are edible once cooked, although it is not advised to eat large amounts of this if you are on blood thinning medication. The leaves, flowers, and berries contain proanthocyanin which can help lower blood pressure.
The flowers can be used to make tea and the berries can be used in a variety of recipes from jams, juices, ketchup, alcoholic beverages, and other drinks.
Pine - Pinus
Pine - Pinus
Pine trees are common throughout England and favoured by squirrels. In the spring young buds start to form which can be used to make a pine honey or jam a very unusual and unique taste. They then form harder pinecones later in the year, depending on the variety of pine they can produce pine nuts which are edible kernels hidden within the cone.
Apple - Malus
Apples grow everywhere up and down the countryside, in rural, suburban, and urban areas. There are many different varieties of apple such as crab apple, cooking apple, cider apple and eating apple.
Crab apples are not edible in their raw state but can be used in chutney, cordial, and syrups. Cooking apples are quite bitter in taste and generally grow into larger green fruits which can be used to make the traditional apple pie.
Elder - Sambucus
Elder (Sambucus) is known as a healing tree and has been used for centuries for medicinal purposes to treat illness such as cold and flu. This wonder tree promotes good health, and the fruiting parts can greatly boost your immune system. There are many different varieties of Elder the most found one in the UK display white flowers in late spring and reddish-purple berries in autumn.
Elderflower
In late spring elderflower blossoms tiny white flowers grouped together in a bunch, they have distinctive characteristics such as the petals consisting of five petals, the flowers have a wonderful scent, and they are filled with yellow pollen which are great pollinators for bees.
Elderberry
These berries start developing after the flower season starting off green, then in the early autumn they begin to ripen into small, round, glossy dark purple berries on a red stem.
Elderberries are highly toxic; they contain traces of cyanide which can cause serious stomach upset and even death if consumed in their raw state.
They are great as an addition to a berry jam, or in wine.
Dog Rose - Rosa canina/rugosa (Rosehip)
This is a deciduous shrub growing from 1 - 5 metres tall. This plant has many woody stems with thorns and prickles all over which allows to plant to climb and hold onto its surroundings. The flowers range from white to pink and even light red with bright yellow stamens.
This plant has many medicinal uses as well as being a good source of vitamin C as the hips contain a high dose much greater than an orange.
The leaves can be used for a herbal tea, this plant has properties that can be beneficial as it is an astringent, diuretic and a laxative.
The hips are ripe when they turn a deep red orange colour, the preparation of these takes time as they contain many seeds that have many hairs which can cause irritation of the skin, It is important they are not consumed as it can lead to discomfort and irritation in the digestive system.
Hips that are prepared properly have many uses from flavouring cordials, making juice, soup, in syrups and in jams.
Blackthorn - Prunus spinosa
Blackthorn or sloe is a species in the rose family Rosaceae, it is a large deciduous shrub or small tree with stiff, spiny branches. This flowers in early spring with creamy-white petals which are insect pollinated.
The fruit, called sloe is black with a purple-blue waxy bloom, ripening in autumn and traditionally harvested to make sloe gin.
The fruit is like a small damson, suitable for preserves, but rather tart and astringent for eating. it is not advisable to eat this raw as it can be quite unpleasant. The juice of the fruits can be used to dye linen a reddish colour and the leaves can be used in tea.
Gorse - Ulex europaeus
Gorse can be found on open plains and are adapted to growing in dry conditions. Their leaves mature to small spines allowing this plant to functionally photosynthesise during the warm season, they produce showy yellow flowers with a very long flowering time.
Gorse is very beneficial for animals as it contains high amounts of protein essential in winter months.
The small yellow flowers of this plant have been used in preparation of natural remedies and alternative medicines. These also have uses in the kitchen such as teas, salads, alcohol and cordials. Gorse flowers have a distinctive
coconut-like scent, I conjured a cordial consisting of gorse flowers, yellow raspberries and apple which was delicious, it had an autumnal taste sensation.