Rewilding Gospel Swamp + Chrysanthemum

Today, I collaborated with Jim Meyer of Trails4All, high school students, NFY volunteers and the Heritage Museum of OC in Santa Ana to restore wildlife habitat to a slope in the Gospel Swamp Natural Area.  We increased the plant diversity by introducing sage scrub species in an area that was dominated by garland chrysanthemum.

A visitor from the local monastery and a veteran volunteer named Denny commented that chrysanthemum is an edible vegetable.  I only new of its ornamental value, so I had Nikki, NFY volunteer, look up the edible details on her phone.  She found out that it is not only a tasty edible vegetable either raw or cooked, but it is also prized for its medicinal value!  Nikki announced the exciting details to the entire group of volunteers.  Almost everyone ate raw shoots and leaves during the day.  

Since we removed quite bit of chrysanthemum to accommodate other plant species, we had quite a bit of the vegetable to take home.  I filled up a 5-gallon bucket with the vegetable and brought it home.  

I sautéed some for dinner.  I plan to sauté some more with eggs and tomatoes in the morning for breakfast.  I will eat it whole plants raw or chopped in salad as well.  I am so excited to learn about this delicious and abundant food!!!!!