Foraging for pineapple weed

Monek Marie

I have a lot of Pineapple weed (wild chamomile) but its in bad locations, so I have been moving it. I have also been harvesting it. This link has some great information.

https://www.growforagecookferment.com/foraging-pineapple-weed/

Torey

Pineapple weed (Matricaria discoidea) is a great starter plant when learning to forage; not much else to confuse it with. Its an easy medicine to prepare and can be used interchangeably with regular Chamomiles (German - Matricaria recutita and Roman - Anthemis nobilis).

There is another species referred to as Yellow Chamomile or Dyer's Chamomile that was called Anthemis tinctoria, but now is in its own genus Cota tinctoria. It doesn't have the same medicinal properties but makes a good dye plant from what I understand. I have never used it for dye. It is considered an invasive weed in my province. I have had it in my garden and although I have tried to weed it out, I still have some that pops up every year. There is another plant called Scentless Mayweed (Tripleurospermum inodorum) but it looks more like domestic chamomile, not pineappple weed.

LaurieLovesLearning

I have fond memories of pineapple weed. I had no idea when I was little that it was medicinal, nor would I have cared as a young kid!

I was overjoyed to find it growing at our place when we moved here as it has a special place in my heart.

It was all over in front of my grandparents' house where the vehicles parked. The weed made my huge trees (think massive cottonwoods), and I created whole towns & parks in it. I had roads & parking lots. I drove the hotwheels vehicles many miles and had many fantastic visits with the imaginary others whom I drove to visit with. Sometimes I could play with cousins too, so it wasn't as imaginary...or maybe it was moreso with more creativity available.

Those were good & innocent days. Some days it would be a very welcome thing to be in those very moments once again...play, cookies & grandma's. 🥰 I would invite you guys to come play there with me too. It would be so fun!

Monek Marie

@LaurieLovesLearning What a great memory and special moment in time.

This plant and plantain always stood out when I was a child. Like you, I had not idea what it could be used for.

vickeym

I had a large patch of it growing in my parking area and in the high foot traffic areas in my yard before I knew what it was and how to use it. Plantain seems to like those areas best as well. Hoping it comes back in some area this year and I can collect seed to plant in better areas.

blevinandwomba

You know, I just saw some of this in my church parking lot the other day, and realized I'd been interested in it since I was a kid, but never really researched it. I'm excited to try this as a tea.

naomi.kohlmeier

https://community.thegrownetwork.com/discussion/comment/898966#Comment_898966

I have fond memories of pineapple weed, as well. While I don't have any growing where I live, there is some along a trail that I walk along, and I am delighted when I find it.

naomi.kohlmeier

@blevinandwomba pineapple weed tea is delicious!

Monek Marie

@naomi.kohlmeier Since pineapple weed is so abundant around here I am going to have to give it a try. Do you add anything else?

Jaylene

https://community.thegrownetwork.com/discussion/846981/foraging-for-pineapple-weed

Have you had any luck moving it? Whenever I find it it is in a location that I would not harvest from😯

Monek Marie

@Jaylene Yes, I have had luck moving it. I try to move it in the early spring but have moved it later too.

It is not picky about soil and tends to like disturbed soil so I put in places I know ther soil is not as lush. Here, it likes to grow by the edge of the old drive way, more of a path now and by the one building. These are places I woudl mow or walk a lot so I move it.

marjstratton

I had been told that pineapple weed isn't as strong as chamomile but have been told otherwise too. Anyway, it grows all over my driveway. I have been meaning to try transplanting it or seeding it to a pot or somewhere in my garden. Haven't gotten to it yet. Wish it were one of those more aggressive weeds like shot weed and thistles which I have in abundance all over the place.

Torey

One thing that hasn't been mentioned is Pineapple Weed as a bitter. We don't often think of any of the Chamomile species being bitter but they are a mild bitter; good introductory herb for those who aren't accustomed to the taste of bitters. It has just started flowering here. I should be out harvesting this morning before it gets any hotter.

Linda Bittle

Pineapple weed and shepherd's purse were plants I picked even as a kid! We ate the peppery "purses" of the shepherd's purse, and nibbled on the sweet smelling pineapple weed. Oh, and sucked the minute amounts of sugar out of the tiny purple flowers on the henbit.

I guess I gravitated towards herbalism even before I knew there was such a thing!

LaurieLovesLearning

The kids asked if the leaves were also edible. I didn't know, so went looking. This site says yes.

https://www.growforagecookferment.com/foraging-pineapple-weed/

So...how do you use the leaves?

I also thought the comments below were interesting. How do you make the "popular" jelly that they talked about? It sounds like it was quite helpful for gut issues.

Drying the flowers for winter too was a new thought to me, but of course, why wouldn't you?