John's cabbage, Shawanese salad, Bluntleaf waterleaf
Hydrophyllum canadense
Family: Boraginaceae
What it is like
A her. It has a long rhizome. The stems are 30-50 cm long. The lower leaves on the stem are 10-20 cm long and wide. They are heart shaped at the base. They have 5-9 lobes like fingers on a hand. The flowers are in clusters and are white or purplish.
Also put in the family Hydrophyllaceae.
Where it is found
It is a temperate plant.
Countries/locations it is found in
North America, USA
How it is used for food
The root is eaten in times of famine. The young leaves and tips are sometimes eaten raw. They are mostly cooked.
It is a famine food.
Edible parts
Leaves, root, shoots