Pineapple Weed: Plant profile
Common names
Pineapple Weed, Pineappleweed, Wild Chamomile, Disc Mayweed, May Weed, False Chamomile, Rayless Chamomile, Lus na Hiothlann
Botanical name
Matricaria discoidea (syn Matricaria matricarioides)
Plant family
Asteraceae (Daisy)
Distribution
Native to Northeast Asia and North America. Common and widespread throughout the UK and Ireland. Less common in some parts of Scotland.
Where to find Pineapple Weed
You can find it in fields, parks, wasteland and roadsides, very often in poor, compacted soil alongside paths.
When to find Pineapple Weed
Flowers are best in spring to late summer.
How to identify Pineapple Weed
Low growing, compact plant with fine and feathery leaves. The flower is dome-shaped and similar to chamomile in appearance, but it has no visible petals and it’s a bit more greenish. The plant is aromatic and gives off a slight pineapple smell when crushed.
Pineapple Weed lookalikes
Pineapple Weed is quite similar to other members of the Daisy family, such as Wild Chamomile (Chamaemelum nobile), Field Chamomile (Anthemis arvensis) and Scented Mayweed (Matricaria chamomilla). Pineapple Weed has a distinctive smell and it’s the only one with no visible petals. All of these are edible regardless.
All about Pineapple Weed
This non-native species, originally from Asia, was introduced as a garden plant in the UK in the 18th century. Apparently, it escaped from Kew Gardens and became one of the fastest spreading plants in the British Isles ever since..
Despite its abundance, Pineapple Weed is often overlooked. Nobody would expect to find such a delicate aromatic plant around pathways, yet that is the kind of places where it prefers to grow.
A weed is a plant growing in a place you don’t want to, but some of these plants are indeed useful in the kitchen.
Medicinal properties of Pineapple Weed
Pineapple Weed has many of the same benefits as Chamomile. For instance, it’s good for diggestion and helps to reduce stress, but it has also been used to treat sores and fevers.
This plant is also considered an effective insect repellent.
Culinary uses and recipes with Pineapple Weed
Pineapple Weed is, as its name suggests, a ‘weed’ that slightly smells and tastes of pineapple, a flavour and aroma you wouldn’t find in the wild in the British Isles otherwise.
The leaves can be added raw to salads and the flower heads are best infused to make refreshing drinks such as iced tea or cordial. Pineapple weed tea can also be used as a base for sorbet or granita.
Additionally, syrup works as flavouring for delicious puddings and desserts, such as panna cotta or ice cream.
Safe foraging of Pineapple Weed
Some caution is advised since some people experience allergies to pineapple weed. Consume only a small amount on your first time until you’re sure it agrees your body.
Ecological importance of Pineapple Weed
The smell of Pineapple Weed usually repels insects.
6 thoughts on “Pineapple weed”
Hi, just found your site, and love it. I found pineapple weed a few years back,but never knew about it actually being edible,so I will certainly have to try it. I did try to grow it myself from some I’d foraged, but no luck. Good to know it’s an insect repellent too, as I’m going to see again if I can plant some in greenhouse. Off to find out more. X
I love pineapple weed. I usually dehydrate it so I have pineapple weed tea for the winter.
Thanks for the recipe ideas! I never would have thought of making a syrup from it.
Hi Kathy
I like pineapple weed too..just picked some infact..I made jelly from it last year which was really good. You might like to try that if you are not veggie! ( Make a strong tea..leave overnight..add honey. Mix 2.5tbsps gelatine powder and 13 tbsps water. Leave half an hour to bloom. Heat over pan of water in the bowl. Add the pineapple weed mix. Refrigerate overnight. Lasts about 5 days in fridge).
Hi Alvaro,
Thank you for sharing this information about the pineapple weed. I recently found out about pineapple weed too but even when I read things are safe to use in books I am still cautious. I would really like to try drying some to make a tea. Since the lockdowns I have also been spending a lot of time in hedges photographing plants and researching them! Yesterday I got a load of hazelnuts but they are still green so I’m hoping to ripen them. If I don’t pick them now all the squirrels get them! I hope I haven’t picked them too soon. Thanks for sharing your foraging knowledge, Rachel.
Hi Rachel,
Thanks for your feedback.The best way to learn how to forage new plants and gain confidence is to just look at them closely until you get familiarised with the species. Take your time, use all your senses and do not feel the rush to eat it until you feel 100% sure you have identified the plant. Though there are not many plants you can confuse pineapple weed with (lookalikes in the daisy family are all edible anyway). Just try a bit for first time and see how it agrees your body.
PS. A bit too early for hazelnuts! You’ll need to wait until they start to go brown.