Last time on Backyard Botanist, we pondered plantain and questioned our life choices. Huh? Nevermind. Anyway, in this edition we're going back to the prairies and roadsides of the midwestern United States.

Okay. So, you may be asking yourself if fleabane actually repels fleas. Unfortunately, the answer is no. This is another one of those cases where whoever named this plant had a job from which they should've been fired. Commonly known as daisy fleabane, this plant is neither a daisy nor the bane of fleas. Erigeron annuus (formerly Aster annuus) is a North American native daisy-like wildflower found in fields, along roadsides, and against fences. Fleabanes range in height between 1 and 3 ft. (0.3-1 m).

Flowers: Flowers can range in color from white and yellow to shades of pink and purple. They are composite, meaning there are tiny flowers on a central disk, surrounded by short, petal-like rays. The central disk ranges in size from ½ to ¾ inch (1.2-3 cm).

Leaves: Basal leaves are long, oval, and measure up to 6 inches (15 cm). Upper leaves are toothed and clasp to the stem. All leaves are hairy.

Edible parts: young leaves and seedlings

Key medicinal uses: This plant can be used as a diuretic.

How to harvest and eat: Choose healthy young plants in their basal rosette stage early in the spring before the plant begins to flower. Pinch undamaged leaves off close to the plants’ center to collect. You may wish to use in moderation, pairing with leaves of smoother texture or chopping well to increase palatability. Leaves need to be cooked and are good sauteed or boiled.

Fleabane Green Rice 

Ingredients:

½ cup fleabane leaves
a small handful of wild onion greens
a few sprigs of wild parsley
1 cup rice
add any other herbs you choose to suit your taste

Collect fresh fleabane leaves, some wild parsley, and also a good handful of wild onion greens. Trim, and wash well. Chop the greens as finely as possible. In a small to medium sized saucepan bring two cups of water to a boil and make your rice. At the final stages of cooking, when is rice is done but still steaming, stir in finely chopped greens, replace the lid, and let it stand an additional 5 min. Enjoy the green flavor and additional nutrition.

I hope you've enjoyed this weeks edition. I'm Melissa, and this is Backyard Botanist.