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The fern is considered one of the oldest herbaceous plants. In total, there are more than 10000 species of terrestrial and aquatic fern crops in the world. About 100 varieties of them grow on the territory of the former USSR, among which there is an edible fern. Despite the large number of useful properties, this plant is used very little in the modern world.
Is fern edible
Fern is a herbaceous perennial culture, one of the brightest representatives of the Osmund family. Outwardly, it looks like a green stem with pinnately dissected leaves. The homeland of the plant is the Far East, North China, Korea. Most often, ferns can be found in the forests of Central Asia, Our Country and Ukraine, Mexico and Asia. But they also grow in deserts and swamps.
Some types of ferns are poisonous, but there are quite edible specimens among them. In general, edible plants are somewhat smaller than non-edible ones. Ferns that are eaten are fully herbaceous and bright light green in color, while poisonous ferns have dark green foliage with red dots.
Types of edible ferns
Ferns suitable for human consumption include the following varieties:
- Orlyak ordinary (Pteridium aquiline). A distinctive feature of the variety is that the leaves of the plant are located singly (at a distance of about 1 m from each other), without forming bushes. They are connected underground by a long common root. Bracken grows in Siberia, the Far East, the Urals, and in the Moscow region.
- Common ostrich (Matteuccia struthiopteris). It differs from other ferns in the shape of the bush – the leaves are located on top of the root (resembling an onion) in a circular manner. This variety is widely distributed in central Our Country, in Altai, in the Krasnoyarsk and Trans-Baikal Territories, in the Tyumen and Irkutsk regions.
- Asian Osmunda (Osmunda asiatica). The characteristic features of this species are straight short stems, which are in a cover of fallen leaves and petioles. It is the most common type of edible fern in Primorsky Krai.
Where does the edible fern grow?
Such an edible fern as the common bracken prefers the low-mountain relief of the European part of Our Country. You can meet him in the Moscow region, and in Siberia, and in the Far East and the Urals. Most often it grows in light coniferous (pine) forests, in clearings and edges of deciduous (birch forests) and mixed forests. Often, beams, clearings, clearings and burnt areas are completely overgrown with it. Very quickly, ferns settle on abandoned agricultural lands and pastures.
Asian Osmunda and Common Ostrich are often found in dark coniferous plantations, while Bracken practically does not grow there. Osmunda grows massively in floodplain deciduous and mountain coniferous-broad-leaved forests of Primorsky Krai, Sakhalin and Kamchatka. The ostrich is distributed on the territory of the European part of Our Country, in the North Caucasus and Altai, in the Amur region, Irkutsk and Tyumen regions. Its habitat is forest floodplains, damp places at the bottom of ravines and the banks of forest reservoirs.
In what month can ferns be harvested
The collection of edible fern begins mainly in early May, when young shoots appear in areas well warmed by the sun. They are called rachis, at first there are not very many of them. A sprout breaking out of the ground has a twisted shape and looks like a snail. Rakhis are filled with juice and stretch up very quickly. Gradually, the young stem straightens, the curl unfolds, leaves appear on the top of the head. This happens in about 5-6 days.
During growth, an edible fern goes through 5 successive stages:
- Emergence of shoots. The shoot is twisted like a snail shell.
- Growing up. The petiole lengthens, the top rises above the ground.
- Curve elimination. The sprout is pulled up and leveled. The top is still slightly rounded.
- Schilze. Completely straight petiole, no rounding.
- Tee. Leaves are unfolding.
The best period for collecting and harvesting edible fern is when it is in stages 3-5. It is during this period that the cuttings are as juicy as possible. Later, they will become fibrous and tough.
By mid-May, mass collection and harvesting of petioles may already begin. It is important that the bulk of the young petioles are in stages 3-4. Otherwise, you can accidentally trample down the sprouts that have not yet risen, which will harm the future crop.
How to collect fern for food
Young unblown rachis with a petiole length of no more than 20-30 cm are harvested for food. The shoots are not cut with a knife, but simply broken off at a distance of 5 cm from the ground. All petioles should be the same color and size. With noticeable external differences, all harvested rachis must be sorted and grouped.
All sprouts after collection should be collected in bunches, leveled at the tops and tied up from below (not tight). The ends of the petioles are aligned by cutting. You can also cut them a little just before use. Harvested bunches can be laid out under the crowns of trees. Do not stack them in a heap, as they can start to deteriorate from overheating. You can sprinkle a little bunches of cool water. It is recommended to transport harvested rachis as soon as possible, since edible fern is not subject to long-term storage.
Fern, like mushrooms, absorbs various toxic substances from the soil. Accumulating in the shoots, they can negatively affect the body, so the collection must be carried out in environmentally friendly places located far from waste dumps, highways and industrial enterprises. Six-day petioles are considered the safest. Later, the concentration of toxins and other harmful substances in them increases significantly.
Conclusion
Edible fern is a very useful plant, the taste of which, if properly prepared, will surprise and delight even the most fastidious gourmet. Its taste qualities directly depend on how well the shoots were harvested. Subject to all the rules and recommendations, the collection of edible ferns will not cause any troubles and troubles.
