Edible Native Mixers (Fragaria virginiana + Allium cernuum + Mentha arvensis+ Trifollium wormskioldii)

Plant Description: A charming collection of edible natives. Great for adding to a vegetable garden, food forest, or native habitat. All on the Portland Plant List and all entirely edible.  *CONSULT A PROFESSIONAL FOR MEDICAL USE. NEVER CONSUME PLANTS WITHOUT PROPER ID*

Fragaria virginiana: Virginia strawberry or wild strawberry is a ground-hugging plant rising from a fibrous, perennial root system. Hairy leaf petioles, up to 6 in. long.

Allium cernuum: This plant is distinguished from most other native alliums by the fact that its flower stems crook sharply downward at the top just below the flower causing the flower umbel to nod. The droplet-shaped flowers are light lavender to pink, sometimes white, and appear June to July. The flowers turn upright and become papery as the capsules ripen. The bluish green grass-like leaves are shorter than the flower stem. Nodding onion is in leaf from February into October. The root system consists of elongated bulbs that often form clusters. Both the bulb and foliage have a typical onion-like scent. Plants will naturalize by self-seeding and bulb offsets in optimum growing conditions.

Mentha arvensis: Wild mint is a herbaceous perennial plant that can grow up to 40 inches tall. It has a creeping rootstock that grows erect square shaped stems. The leaves are in opposite pairs with broad, hairy, and coarsely serrated margins. The flowers are pale purple (occasionally white or pink) in clusters on the stem at the bases of the leaves. Each flower is 3 to 4 mm long and has a five-lobed hairy calyx, a four-lobed corolla with the uppermost lobe larger than the others .The fruit is a two-chambered carpel. The leaves have been made into tea to treat colds or aid digestion. Mint extracts and menthol-related chemicals are used in food, drinks, cough medicines, creams and cigarettes.

Trifollium wormskioldii: Springbank Clover is an evergreen mat forming native perennial clover with upright magenta flowers. Springbank clover is fasting growing and a nitrogen fixer. It's rhizomes have also been historically eaten and have a taste similar to green beans.