Yes, indeed! Although I do not advocate for eating things you find in nature, there is one plant in particular that is both lovely to look at and to nosh on.

As you may have heard, we here at Tuleyome are beginning to schedule wildflower tours of our very own “deep home place”, the Berryessa Snow Mountain National Monument (Monument). One of the plants that is a reliable observation, easily identifiable and flowering right now as we speak is miner’s lettuce!

I must first say please do not harvest miner’s lettuce from the Monument as it is not only delightful for us to look at, it is an important food source for caterpillars and butterflies.

Miner’s lettuce (Claytonia perfoliata) belongs to the Purslane family - Montiaceae. Claytonia is one of 17 genera and 230 known species that range from small, herbaceous plants to woody shrubs. Many of the genera of Montiaceae are edible and that does include miner’s lettuce.

Miner’s lettuce is native to western North America from Mexico to as far north as British Columbia. Apparently European explorers liked it so much that they carried it back to Europe with them in the 18th century and cultivated it at the Kew Botanical Gardens in London, It has since naturalized throughout the natural landscape.

Utilized by Native Americans for generations, miner’s lettuce is a valuable source of vitamins and minerals. During the gold rush, settlers ate it to prevent scurvy, hence the clever common name. According to a study published in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association, a mere 100 grams of miner’s lettuce, about the size of a dinner plate, contains about 35% of your recommended daily amount of vitamin C, 22% of vitamin A and about ten percent of the iron required daily. It also contains protein and the entire plant, with the exception of the roots, is edible, even the itty bitty flowers. Young stems are tender and sweet while the succulent leaves have a bright, fresh taste and seem to melt in your mouth. Strangely enough, we found out last weekend that domestic goats do not care for it; apparently chewing on the rope holding the fence panels together was more tantalizing. It’s also been noted that deer tend to ignore it as well. Entire pages have been dedicated to the plant lauding it for its yumminess in salads, sandwiches and even sushi. Although it is delicious raw, personal experience speaking here, with a very light salad dressing or even just a splash of lemon juice; it can also be cooked as used as you would spinach. However, like spinach, the plant can contain toxic amounts of sodium oxalate which may potentially promote kidney stones among other terrible things.

Miner’s lettuce is common in the spring and can usually be found in a moist, shady environment. After a good rain it may pop up in sunny areas but the best stands are usually in well-shaded, cool areas. As the temperatures rise, the plants in the sunny areas begin to dry up and turn blush pink to a deep red. Plants in dryer locations have a bitter taste. It is easy to identify with its basal rosette, many long petioles and leaves that wrap completely around the stem looking like saucers or little lily pads. In young plants these leaves will be bright green and heart-shaped but as the plants mature, they become more rounded or cup-shaped. Mature plants may also have tiny, dainty white to light pink flowers dangling from the center of the saucer-shaped leaf. The plant usually flowers from February to May or even June if conditions are right.

While I most definitely do not promote harvesting plants in native or natural ecosystems, miner’s lettuce can easily be cultivated in your own backyard! The best flavor comes from a cool, shady, damp location so plan for an early crop. But, it can also tolerate full sun if the soil remains good and moist. Miner’s lettuce also seems to favor occasional minor ground disturbance and growing it as a seasonal ground cover can be pleasing to the eye and the tummy! Miner’s lettuce can be planted in late summer to early fall in mild climates and harvested all winter. It can also be sown in the spring and with apple water be harvested until the summer heat arrives. The plants can be cut and allowed to regrow several times a season as long as they are eventually allowed to finally flower and set seed as they are an annual species and reproduce by seed. Miner’s lettuce can be used in any recipe that calls for fresh, steamed or cooked greens. Eat your vegetables!

Next time you’re hiking in our favorite Monument (you know which one!) keep an eye out for miner’s lettuce and give it a nod. You might find it in several of the habitat types there including chaparral, oak woodlands, riparian and maybe even a parking lot!