Continuing my Northern California Bushcraft series, we’re going to talk about a common wild edible – curly dock. This plant is found throughout most of the United States, with several variations being found in different regions. They are all edible, however the quality of taste varies from one to the next.
Curly Dock is found in areas where moisture is prevalent, at least to some degree. Where I am near Redding up in Shasta County this excludes a large part of our wilderness. Looking close to streams, lakes, marshes, and rivers is your best bet.
The video goes into detail about how to use this plant and how to identify it. Overall, the leaves and stems are the most edible parts. Some folks will talk about eating the seeds, but there is a lot of work involved in processing them. The roots are edible but tend to be very fibrous.
To learn more, check out the book Nature’s Garden: A Guide to Identifying, Harvesting, and Preparing Edible Wild Plants
Enjoy the video!