tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2481706068105246695.post3139936539967711048..comments2024-03-27T07:35:21.832-07:00Comments on Plants are the Strangest People: List: Houseplants Which Could, In Theory, One Day Produce Something Edible, Perhapsmr_subjunctivehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14113199755474482747noreply@blogger.comBlogger21125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2481706068105246695.post-57752291585328684992010-10-06T02:52:57.495-07:002010-10-06T02:52:57.495-07:00Just so we're on the same page, I am Charlton ...Just so we're on the same page, I am Charlton Heston/Vincent Price/Bruce Campbell barricaded in a supermarket subsisting on canned goods and other aseptically package foods, spicing up my diet with fresh edibles from the floral department. And Big Bird wants to eat my brains. Close?<br /><br />I understand the berries from grape ivy (Cissus rhombifolia) are edible.Thomashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16157968454131571365noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2481706068105246695.post-50401442839759272242010-10-05T20:22:22.779-07:002010-10-05T20:22:22.779-07:00Ginger (and its relatives) need surprisingly littl...Ginger (and its relatives) need surprisingly little light. Most of them grow in jungles. Humidity and warmth may be more important.Patnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2481706068105246695.post-3013923056814901462010-10-05T18:39:01.610-07:002010-10-05T18:39:01.610-07:00Yeah! Oxalis stricta!! Love that sumbitch. Mine di...Yeah! <i>Oxalis stricta</i>!! Love that sumbitch. Mine died of drought back during the summer when I was gone during one of my being-gone phases, but I did intentionally grow it indoors. I wouldn't call it "cultivated," but I tried keeping it alive while I was home.<br /><br />Also, I wish tomato weren't so uncommon. They don't yield a hell of a lot, but they're fun to Kenneth Moorehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11619410362453458358noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2481706068105246695.post-82075635919329807172010-10-05T14:43:28.527-07:002010-10-05T14:43:28.527-07:00I had some very nice Death Trumpets from a superma...I had some very nice Death Trumpets from a supermarket a few years ago but they didn't catch on, even though they were in French. They were a black version of a chanterelle.<br /><br />The Yucca flower is used as decoration at funerals, there are some very nice edible lilies as well.Patnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2481706068105246695.post-91948597587369705232010-10-05T13:54:32.851-07:002010-10-05T13:54:32.851-07:00Pat:
"Ivynettele, could it be a confusion wit...Pat:<br />"<i>Ivynettele, could it be a confusion with another "iceplant" of the same family, Mesembryanthemum crystallinum, which does have edible leaves?</i>"<br /><br />I wouldn't rule it out - that family seems to be a taxonomic mess! And I haven't bothered to find other confirmation than a couple of online references - which, for all I know, might be quoting one Ivynettlehttp://ivynettle.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2481706068105246695.post-13504244167373039132010-10-05T13:39:37.980-07:002010-10-05T13:39:37.980-07:00Thank you for calling the edible portion of the Op...Thank you for calling the edible portion of the Opuntia (prickly pear) the stems. Our grocery stores here in California carry them in the produce section and call them cactus "leaves". Then I go into an Asperger's like fit: "They're not leaves!!! They're stems! The spines are the modified leaves!"<br /><br />And regarding your comment of dropping to zero pounds Maehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07340875552393770649noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2481706068105246695.post-31602031598860170352010-10-05T13:13:47.385-07:002010-10-05T13:13:47.385-07:00Well, if "Flower of Death" isn't a r...Well, if "Flower of Death" isn't a recommendation for edibility, I don't know what is. :^P<br /><br />But okay. Fine. I'll change the post.mr_subjunctivehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14113199755474482747noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2481706068105246695.post-62490812312265108782010-10-05T12:47:34.100-07:002010-10-05T12:47:34.100-07:00Can't resist a challenge, three Spanish langua...Can't resist a challenge, three Spanish language references saying Yucca guatemalensis (Y. elephantipes) is edible.<br /><br />http://elmundoysusplantas.blogspot.com/2010/06/yucca-elephantipes-sinonimo-de-yucca.html<br /><br />"The petals and soft, young shoots are eaten as vegetables/greens"<br /><br />"It is edible, its petals are eaten with egg and tomato or with lemon and Patnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2481706068105246695.post-38517693600771799022010-10-05T12:42:02.577-07:002010-10-05T12:42:02.577-07:00Pat:
My only exposure so far to Celosia has been ...Pat:<br /><br />My only exposure so far to <i>Celosia</i> has been at work; we sold them as outdoor annuals. I'm pretty sure I've never seen them in houseplant books, though that doesn't mean people don't grow them inside.<br /><br />W/r/t <i>Ficus</i>: I ran into a list semi-recently that listed four edible <i>Ficus</i> sp. figs, though the only one I remember was <i>F. carica</imr_subjunctivehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14113199755474482747noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2481706068105246695.post-73899109168345763432010-10-05T12:07:23.505-07:002010-10-05T12:07:23.505-07:00Ivynettele, could it be a confusion with another &...Ivynettele, could it be a confusion with another "iceplant" of the same family, Mesembryanthemum crystallinum, which does have edible leaves?<br /><br />The Caralluma is the stems, but I haven't found out how they are cooked. My C. burchardii is not big enough yet.<br /><br />Celosia was a very popular houseplant a few decades ago. I haven't seen it in nurseries for a while, Patnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2481706068105246695.post-542947737237754342010-10-05T11:20:28.130-07:002010-10-05T11:20:28.130-07:00I would be careful with Aptenia cordifolia, Ivynet...I would be careful with Aptenia cordifolia, Ivynettle. It contains mesembrine alkaloids, probably with similar effects to Sceletium. It may not be directly toxic (not known) but would probably interact with some pharmacy medications giving serious problems. That would be why it tasted bad, alkaloids are usually bitter. It probably has oxalic acid as well, like the Oxalis spp.Patnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2481706068105246695.post-9678849440862676962010-10-05T11:12:48.715-07:002010-10-05T11:12:48.715-07:00Don:
Considering the speed at which most indoor ...Don: <br /><br />Considering the speed at which most indoor plants grow, I imagine it wouldn't take long to drop <i>all</i> your pounds. Even with as many plants as I have, I think I'd run out of edibles more or less immediately. I might have a day, day and a half's worth of <i>Saxifraga</i>, <i>Abutilon</i>, <i>Salvia</i>, <i>Musa</i>, and <i>Cordyline</i>. <br /><br />Diana:<br /><mr_subjunctivehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14113199755474482747noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2481706068105246695.post-64570636671697048972010-10-05T09:19:01.562-07:002010-10-05T09:19:01.562-07:00If it weren't cold and wet, I'd be heading...If it weren't cold and wet, I'd be heading right outside to nibble on some Abutilon flowers. ;)<br /><br />We've grown <i>Aptenia cordifolia</i> as a houseplant for a couple of years, also supposedly edible. I've tried a few leaves - didn't much care for the taste.<br /><br /><br />Also, it's a sad world when talking about edible plants needs such a long list of caveats. Ivynettlehttp://ivynettle.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2481706068105246695.post-69721839667123834952010-10-05T07:54:47.036-07:002010-10-05T07:54:47.036-07:00If you're stuck in an aquarium store, Hydrocot...If you're stuck in an aquarium store, <i>Hydrocotyle leucocephala</i> is edible.<br /><br />I have no idea what it tastes like, but it always makes my mouth water to prune it: it smells exactly like green apples.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2481706068105246695.post-34666689412078347482010-10-05T07:04:18.453-07:002010-10-05T07:04:18.453-07:00Back from the conservatory and I can add, err... t...Back from the conservatory and I can add, err... tomatoes?Patnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2481706068105246695.post-30091061827530396072010-10-05T06:42:14.412-07:002010-10-05T06:42:14.412-07:00Funny about coffee. I thought the same thing and ...Funny about coffee. I thought the same thing and avoided it completely. Then my bf came back from shopping one day this spring with a half-dead baby one. I went ahead and gave it the rehab treatment and repotted. The sucker tripled in size since then. Beginners luck, I guess. I hope it actually blooms next year, but I'm not counting on it.<br /><br />I'd add the amaranth cultivar Paulhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17083803851861243093noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2481706068105246695.post-17622444947013135142010-10-05T06:36:18.940-07:002010-10-05T06:36:18.940-07:00My favourite subject. The caveats alone should be ...My favourite subject. The caveats alone should be on the school syllabus.<br /><br />Musa ensete, or Ensete ventricosum is grown for its starchy rhizome.<br /><br />I have just acquired a Portulacaria afra and its leaves taste ... just like Portulaca, the purslane. I suppose I should be happy that it doesn't taste of pork fat (Spekboom means pork fat tree).<br /><br />A couple of species of Patnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2481706068105246695.post-58256599406817961912010-10-05T06:21:20.237-07:002010-10-05T06:21:20.237-07:00You slay me, mr_s!You slay me, mr_s!Lizahttp://goodtogrow.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2481706068105246695.post-79183528103345449812010-10-05T06:01:17.229-07:002010-10-05T06:01:17.229-07:00Hi,
You can add Epiphyllum anguligar to your list....Hi,<br />You can add Epiphyllum anguligar to your list. It is one of the day-blooming cereus.Mine usually has between 30-50 flowers. I don't have ideal growing conditions, but I usually get 1 or 2 fruits. I have eaten it; it reminded me of a kiwi.<br /><br />ElsieAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2481706068105246695.post-27137379240058082022010-10-05T05:53:42.953-07:002010-10-05T05:53:42.953-07:00You might eat better and survive better in the gro...You might eat better and survive better in the grocery store but the greenhouse might be more pleasant.<br /><br />Unless your grocery store carries live (overpriced) houseplants. In that case you could move them in front of the windows and have your cake and eat it, too!<br /><br />Hmmm... I guess I'll join you in your grocery store during the Zombie Big Bird Apocalypse.Dianahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16328488668540053999noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2481706068105246695.post-43170807545375918372010-10-05T03:41:15.611-07:002010-10-05T03:41:15.611-07:00"The Tropical Houseplant Diet". Perhaps..."The Tropical Houseplant Diet". Perhaps not a potential best-seller, but it sounds like a likely way to drop a few pounds.<br /><br />DonAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com