5 things to forage in Autumn
While all of the plants mentioned below are healing and health promoting, the act of foraging is medicine in itself. Taking time out of your day to walk alongside the plants, to slow down and become mindful of your surroundings, is a tonic for the mind. There is no other time when my mind is more focused and more calm than when out foraging for medicine. It brings an awareness to the seasons and a deep appreciation for the rewards each plant offers. Autumn’s gifts are some of the sweetest, literally, but this makes them a favourite with the birds too and so don’t leave it too late or there might be none left! Keeping a watchful eye on the ripening berries at the turn of Autumn is a deeply rewarding practice. Nature's timing is perfect, the autumnal berries are all high in vitamins and antioxidants like vitamin C, so this is the season to collect and consume them to boost your immunity ready for winter.
Today I cycled along some English hedgerows and thanks to my trusty Bric bike bag I was able to forage on the go. The hedges were covered in dark jewels and so I think this is our moment! Here is what to look for:
Sambucus nigra - Elderberries
I have started with the elderberries as they are the ones to look for first, before the birds steal them all! If you have a ladder handy then you may have even greater luck as the elder tree can grow up to 8m in height. These dark purple almost black clusters of berries are a nutritional powerhouse, packed with vitamins and antioxidants, especially Vitamin A and C. Studies have shown they are an effective antiviral and immune boosting medicine making them useful for preventing cold and flu viruses from replicating and generally keeping the immune system optimised. My favourite way to preserve these berries is in a syrup to be taken by the tablespoon in a hot water infusion at the first sight of a cold.
Prunus Spinosa - Sloe berries
Sloe berries are the very bitter and astringent fruit of the blackthorn bush and so best not eaten raw, add a little sugar and their tartness is transformed. Their astringent nature makes them good at drying up excess phlegm during a cough or cold. Not just a medicine, sloe berries are also the main ingredient in sloe gin, the making of which is a true act of delayed gratification. Simply add some pricked sloe berries to an empty container and top with gin and a small amount of sugar. This is then left for 3 months, making it the perfect christmas present.
Rosa spp. - Rosehips
Rosehips are the beautiful produce of the rose plant and contain the highest amount of Vitamin C per weight of any fruits you can forage. Careful with the seeds of the rosehips, they have tiny little hairs that are very irritating to us humans (rumour has it they were used by school boys to make itching powder!) and so it is best to sieve the seeds out and just use the flesh of the fruit. These can then be consumed raw or made into syrups, jellies or dried to make a rosehip powder to sprinkle on food.
Crataegus monogyna- Hawthorn
Hawthorns are also known as fairy apples as they really do look like a mini apple. The difference being you will find quite a disproportionately large seed in the centre. These can be eaten raw or cooked and contain high levels of flavonoids making them an excellent circulatory tonic, improving our ability to deliver nutrients and oxygen all over the body as well as protecting the heart itself. Hawthorn is perhaps most famous for being one half of the autumnal Hip and Haw ketchup which is a blend of rosehips and hawthorns along with apple cider vinegar, sugar, onions, garlic and some spices which I highly recommend trying this year.
Rubus fruticosus- Blackberries
Last but not least the delight of the blackberry, synonymous with autumn, an incredibly generous plant that allows you to fill your baskets for creating pies, crumbles, jams, jellies and more. These berries are also high in vitamin C and have the benefit of being just as delicious raw as when cooked and so you can use them as fuel for the forage too, but they do tend to leave a tell tale sign around your mouth (you have been warned!).
Please forage safely and sustainably by following these guidelines:
Avoid picking anywhere where the plants may have been sprayed with pesticides, or next to very busy roads
Unless you are certain in your plant ID, don’t eat it. Cross reference a few tools like plant ID books and apps like PlantNet
Never damage or pick an endangered or protected species. A list of these can be found here.
Take no more than you plan to consume and try not to pick so many leaves that the plant can’t survive or so many fruits or nuts that there isn't any left for other animals. The plant needs those seeds to disperse in order to keep a healthy population.
This article does not provide medical advice. It is intended for informational purposes only. It is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. If you have a medical condition or are taking pharmaceutical drugs, please check with your health professional before consuming any plant medicines.
