The Forager's Calendar

Sea Aster is another of the plants I have helped my friend, Danish forager Thomas Laursen, to collect, the other being Sea Sandwort. This time it was on the east coast Jutland. Again, the plant was destined for the posh restaurants in Copenhagen, where such peripherally edible wild food is found to be desirable. It is the leaves which are eaten – they are succulent and quite sweet, but not really worth paying for.

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It is a common shoreline species, often growing in or near the muddy bits of maritime grasslands, on sand dunes or alongside the boat-shed. The flowers are daisy-like, with a yellow centre and radiating, purple petals. Try a leaf or two and if you like it, take some home and steam it for a few minutes.