January: Bracken
White Grey Beauty
Pteridium aquilinium
Order: Dennstaedtiales
Family: Dennstaedtiaceae
Genus: Pteridium
habitat: open areas
distribution: throughout British Isles
Pteridium aquilinium
Order: Dennstaedtiales
Family: Dennstaedtiaceae
Genus: Pteridium
habitat: open areas
distribution: throughout British Isles
Order: Dennstaedtiales
Family: Dennstaedtiaceae
Genus: Pteridium
habitat: open areas
distribution: throughout British Isles
After the festive Christmas, the new year came into my life just like the previous year.
January is usually wet and damp followed by December, but this winter has been especially much more rain. Lets hope less rain as the sun light is getting slightly longer and brighter day by day.
On a cloudy rather chilly afternoon in January last year, we went for a walk to our favourite woodland.
A bunch of bracken created a beautifully misty coloured sight at the fringe of a woodland. The chilly air made the shiny green leaves gradually discoloured, misty white grey with a tough of yellow-ochre. These white grey leaves were contrast to the bright green grass. (Here in south Wales, grass keeps green throughout the year.)
It was simply beautiful. Just like very delicate shells, the dried-up last-year's green leaves were hanging down from the brown stems. The each one of the mini Christmas-tree-like small leaves were stretched out left and right, up and down.
Bracken is in the class of Pteridopsida. Many of the class grow in shady places, but bracken grows in the sunny open places, like around woodlands, at hedgerows, on grasslands, or in heathlands.
In the spring, usually late April, the light olive green fat bracken sprouts appear from the ground. They look like asparagus sprouts here and there. And they are edible as well. Pick the thick sprout 15-30cm from the head. When the leaves start spreading, leave them not to eat because they are already hard and stringy.
They have to be carefully processed before eating as they are toxic if eaten raw. Usually I use a Japanese method to detox; place the sprouts in a big pot with a lid, and add bicarbonate soda, then pour the boiling water to cover the sprout thoroughly, leave them overnight. Next day the water is changed a couple of times until the colour becomes clear from red brown. The spouts can be eaten so with favourite sauce like hollandaise sause, or cooked like asparagus. But don't eat them too much for the next year's growth and for your stomach!
January is usually wet and damp followed by December, but this winter has been especially much more rain. Lets hope less rain as the sun light is getting slightly longer and brighter day by day.
On a cloudy rather chilly afternoon in January last year, we went for a walk to our favourite woodland.
A bunch of bracken created a beautifully misty coloured sight at the fringe of a woodland. The chilly air made the shiny green leaves gradually discoloured, misty white grey with a tough of yellow-ochre. These white grey leaves were contrast to the bright green grass. (Here in south Wales, grass keeps green throughout the year.)
It was simply beautiful. Just like very delicate shells, the dried-up last-year's green leaves were hanging down from the brown stems. The each one of the mini Christmas-tree-like small leaves were stretched out left and right, up and down.
Bracken is in the class of Pteridopsida. Many of the class grow in shady places, but bracken grows in the sunny open places, like around woodlands, at hedgerows, on grasslands, or in heathlands.
In the spring, usually late April, the light olive green fat bracken sprouts appear from the ground. They look like asparagus sprouts here and there. And they are edible as well. Pick the thick sprout 15-30cm from the head. When the leaves start spreading, leave them not to eat because they are already hard and stringy.
They have to be carefully processed before eating as they are toxic if eaten raw. Usually I use a Japanese method to detox; place the sprouts in a big pot with a lid, and add bicarbonate soda, then pour the boiling water to cover the sprout thoroughly, leave them overnight. Next day the water is changed a couple of times until the colour becomes clear from red brown. The spouts can be eaten so with favourite sauce like hollandaise sause, or cooked like asparagus. But don't eat them too much for the next year's growth and for your stomach!
