May 12: Wild Strawberry and Black Raspberry

I am so glad I found these flowers, because I know that good things are coming later on! ...Doesn't "Wild Strawberry" sound like the name of a 60's band?

Here's Wild Strawberry.

Wild Strawberry

Obviously, you can eat the fruit of Wild Strawberry, which ripens any time from June to August, depending upon how much sun the plant gets. They are much smaller than commercial strawberries but it's said that they taste much better. I can't wait to find out!

You can also use the leaves to make tea, which has a mild and fruity flavor. According to this website, to make tea, only "sane," "immaculate" leaves should be picked (of course!) and the best time to pick for the finest flavor is during blossoming. You can make tea from very fresh leaves or completely dry leaves. Do not crush the leaves...simply pour boiling water over them and steep for 5 minutes. A NOTE OF WARNING: Strawberry leaves experience a toxic chemical change while drying that makes them poisonous when partially dry or wilted.

The health claims made for eating wild strawberries are truly amazing -- it's supposed to cure anything from acne to psoriasis. These claims remind me a little of snake oil ads. But, true or not, I appreciate the Internet for the inventiveness and wonder it inspires!

Near our house we also have Black Raspberry plants.

Black Raspberry

The flowers are underwhelming. I almost wasn't sure they were done blooming. But I guess this is indeed what the blooms look like. Doesn't matter -- the fruit is what counts and it's one of my favorites. Last year I was able to make a some jam from the berries, which tastes just like regular red raspberry jam -- delicious!

According to this website, drinking tea made from the leaves of black raspberry can retard the effects of aging, prevent cancer, control diabetes, and improve your vision! Not to mention balance your checkbook and fix your car.