Alvaro Docio 
Common name: Yarrow, millefoil, thousand leaf, carpenter’s weed, staunchweed, herbe militaris, Soldier’s Woundwort Botanical name: Achillea millefolium Family: Asteraceae (Daisy) Worldwide distribution: Native to Europe and western Asia. Widely naturalised in North America, New Zealand and Australia. Local distribution: Very common throughout the UK and Ireland. Habitat: Grassy banks, meadows, pastures and grassland. Foraging season: … Read more
Common name: Lemon balm, common balm, balm mint, melissa Botanical name: Melissa officinalis Family: Lamiaceae (Mint) Worldwide distribution: Native to southern Europe and western Asia. Naturalised elsewhere. Local distribution: Britain and Ireland. Habitat: Park, gardens and urban areas. Foraging season: Leaves in spring. This member of the mint family with subtle and pleasant citrus scent … Read more
Common name: Wild strawberry, alpine strawberry, fraise des bois Botanical name: Fragaria vesca Family: Rosaceae (Rose) Worldwide distribution: Most of Europe, temperate Asia and North America. Local distribution: Very common throughout Britain and Ireland. Habitat: Woodland clearings, grassy places, hedge banks, hillsides and scrubland. Foraging season: Leaves early to mid-spring and fruit late spring to … Read more
Common name: Elder, black elder, European elder, bour tree Botanical name: Sambucus nigra Family: Adoxaceae Worldwide distribution: Native to most of Europe and North America. Local distribution: Very common everywhere in the UK and Ireland. Habitat: Hedgerow, woodland, scrub and wasteland. Foraging season: Flowers early to mid-summer and berries early to mid-autumn. The superstitions associated … Read more
Common name: Dandelion, dent-de-lion, lion’s tooth, piss-en-lit, piss-a-bed Botanical name: Taraxacum officinale agg. Family: Asteraceae (Daisy) Subfamily: Cichorioideae (Chicory) Worldwide distribution: Native to Eurasia and found in the northern temperate zones. Local distribution: Extremely common all over the UK and Ireland. Habitat: Grassland, meadow, wasteland, lawns and gardens. Foraging season: Leaves and flowers in early … Read more
Common name: Garlic mustard, hedge garlic, jack in the edge, jack in the bush, poor man’s mustard, hedge garlic, sauce alone Botanical name: Alliaria petiolata Family: Brassicaceae (Cabbage) Worldwide distribution: Native throughout Europe, North Africa, western and central Asia. Introduced in North America, where it’s considered invasive. Local distribution: Very common throughout England, Wales, south … Read more
Common name: Stinging nettle, common nettle, nettle leaf Botanical name: Urtica dioica Family: Urticaceae (Nettle) Worldwide distribution: Native to Europe, Asia, northern Africa and North America. Introduced elsewhere. Local distribution: Widespread in the UK and Ireland. Habitat: Woodland edges, wasteland and hedgerow banks. Foraging season: Young leaves early to late spring and second growth early … Read more