The latest ‘gourmet green’ — Japanese Knotweed??

[Mike Nolan]

The WSJ has another fun story, this one about how chefs in Pittsburgh are using a plant that started out as an imported ornamental but has become an invasive weed - Japanese Knotweed, in the kitchen.

See http://on.wsj.com/1WcJX0H

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[BakerAunt]

There is no way people will be able to eat this stuff fast enough to make a dent.

In northern Indiana, and some other states, the invasive plants are reed canary grass that overruns wetlands and is often seen growing by the side of the road, non-native cat tails, garlic mustard, honeysuckle, and bittersweet. I've also seen the wrongly named "Tree of Heaven" (which comes from the other place).

[Mike Nolan]

Very little of the Japanese Knotweed in the Pittsburgh area will be suitable for eating, the article even says the people harvesting it for restaurants go way outside of town to get it.

Tree of Heaven is a nasty smelling invasive plant, that and mulberry are things we fight constantly. Mint is another, the first year we were in this house we put in several types of mint, 19 years later we're still trying to get rid of it. Musk thistle is a big problem locally, especially in ditches along county roads, and one the weed control board will cite you for in a hurry.

I've heard it referred to as the gardener's dilemma: Anything prolific enough to make a good ground cover has the potential of taking over your entire yard.

• This reply was modified 8 years, 7 months ago by Mike Nolan.

[skeptic7]

I had spearmint, peppermint, chocolate mint and pineapple mint growing next to each other. I only planted these four years ago. They all grew nicely the first year. The second year I found it hard to tell chocolate mint and peppermint apart, but I assumed some of each still survived. Last year the pineapple mint was so swamped by the spearmint that I could only find one little plant. I rescued it and grew it in a pot all summer and then planted it in its own spot. The main mint bed consisted of peppermint and spearmint warring on each other last year. This year the spearmint came up but I can't find any peppermint/chocolate mint. Either it was swallowed by the spearmint or its just late sprouting.
So I am the only person who has killed or nearly killed mint. Does anyone have a recipe for lemon balm? That is flourishing mightily.

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