Order Apiales

Parsleys

This very important culinary family grows the world around, mainly in temperate climates but some into the subtropics.

Alexanders

Alexanders is native to the Mediterranean region and has been used as a culinary and medicinal herb from the times of ancient Greece through the Medieval period. It has since fallen almost entirely out of use, displaced by celery. This plant still grows wild through much of Europe, and as far north as the British Isles, having been carried far and wide by the Roman Legions. Its flavor is between celery and parsley, with leaves, stems, roots and flower buds all edible. The small black seeds are also edible and were used as a substitute for pepper.   Photo by tato grassso distributed under license Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported.

Angelica

Angelica is native to the subarctic regions of the northern hemisphere and grows as far north as Lapland. While there are many angelica species, only the two listed above are of culinary interest. To have it on hand you must grow it yourself - it likes damp soil, growing leaves the first year and going to seed the second year.

Angelica grows wild in Scandinavia where it is quite popular and is cultivated in one region of France, mostly for flavoring liqueurs and medicinal properties. It is also used to flavor omelets, some fish dishes and jams. Angelica is more gently "perfumy" than other members of the parsley tribe. Wild angelica has been used mainly as an emergency food.

Anise

Native to the Eastern Mediterranean region, the dried fruits are an important flavoring there. The vegetable sold as "Anise" in grocery stores is actually Fennel. Anise is not sold as a fresh herb or vegetable.

Ajwain

Originating in Egypt or the Middle East, the dried fruits of this plant are now used mainly in India but also in Afghanistan, Egypt, Eritrea and Ethiopia. It is said to reduce flatulence from beans if cooked with them. Ajwain contains thymol and raw it smells and tastes like thyme but stronger, harsher and with some bitterness. Raw ajwain can overwhelm a dish if not used with discretion. In India it is always dry roasted or fried before using, which tempers the flavor. Some sources say ajwain is lovage seed but that is incorrect.

The leaves are also edible, but this plant is not cultivated in North America. Ajwain seeds should be stored in a tightly sealed container away from heat and sunlight, but still should be used within 6 months or so because the flavorful oils evaporate fairly quickly. This spice has an affinity for breads and starchy foods, including potatoes, beans and lentils. It is also used in Takdas (Tempering), oil fried spices used as a finishing touch in many Indian dishes, particularly in the south. It is considered a digestive aid and to reduce flatulence from beans.

Arracacha

This parsley root, native to the Andes region of South America is a major crop in Brazil but popular all over South America and the Caribbean region. The flesh may be white, yellow or purple. It is put to uses similar to potatoes but has a more distinctive flavor and in some cultivars intense color. Leaves are used as a flavoring herb and young stems are cooked as a vegetable similarly to celery. Roots sold in Puerto Rico are quite different from those in the photo - see   Deatils and Cooking.   Photo by Germarquezm licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike v3.0 Unported.

Caraway

Native to western Asia and Europe the dried fruits of this plant are used mostly in the cuisines of Central and Northern Europe to flavor bread, sauerkraut, cheeses, liquors, casseroles and other foods. They also have a long history of medicinal use. The roots may be cooked as a root vegetable but are not grown commercially for that purpose.

Carrot

The carrot probably originated in Afghanistan which is still the center of diversity for wild carrots.

Domestic carrots

Celery

Stalk Celery [A. graveolens var dulce] Celery grown in North America is almost entirely the Pascal cultivar, which produces very large, mild flavored stems that are less fibrous than earlier varieties were. California is far and away the largest producer, but a fair amount is grown in Florida. The photo specimen was 27 inches long and weighed 1-3/4 pounds, but heads over 3 pounds are common. There are also red varieties but these are considered less desirable. In Europe a "self blanching" variety is favored.   Details and Cooking. Chinese / Cutting Celery [Kinchay (Philippines); Khan Choy (China); Keun Chai (Thai); Cutting Celery, Soup Celery Celeri à Couper (French); Celero (Italy); Selinon (Latin); A. graveolens var. secalinum] Probably much like celery grown in Europe before 1600, this plant has relatively thin stems, is stronger in flavor and is more fibrous than Pascal celery. It is now grown in California and available in the many Asian markets here. If your recipe calls for it and you can't get it, buy the leafiest head of regular celery you can find, and use the part above the first joint where the flavor is stronger. The specimens were 30 inches long with stems about 1/2 inch wide 5 inches above the leaf base. Both stems and leaves are used in recipes from China and Southeast Asia.   Details and Cooking. Root Celery [Celeriac, Knob celery, Turnip rooted celery, A. graveolens var rapaceum] Developed in Europe during the Renaissance, this form is particularly popular in France, Germany, Poland, Russia and Turkey. Once little known in North America, celeriac has lately become more widely available, with California a major producer. The part eaten is not actually a root, but a swollen stem, from which the leaves sprout. These "roots" range in size from 7 ounces to over 2 pounds. The larger of the photo specimens was 6-1/2 inches long, 4-1/4 inches diameter and weighed 2 pounds.   Details and Cooking. Wild Celery [Smallage; A. graveolens var graveolens]   This ancestor of the domesticated celeries looks pretty much like Chinese / Cutting Celery, which is also sometimes called "Smallage". It is grown for production of celery seed, putting more of its energy into seeds rather than stems and leaves. Celery Seed [A. graveolens var graveolens] Celery seed (actually very tiny fruits) is produced from "Wild Celery" rather than the Pascal variety. Much of what is sold as "celery seed" is mixed with, or even entirely Lovage seed. Apparently lovage is a better seed producer, but is very closely related to and very similar to wild celery. Celery seed has been used for thousands of years, both as a flavoring spice and for its medicinal properties.   Details and Cooking.

Chervil

This plant, native to the Caucasus, was spread through Europe during the Roman Empire and today is used there mostly in France. The leaves have a more delicate flavor than parsley and with a hint of liquorice. Today it is commonly called for in gourmet magazine recipes to help you feel inadequate because you can't get it. I imagine it can be had at the Santa Monica Farmer's Market, but nothing's going to get me to drive to Santa Monica at dawn on Saturday to do battle with desperate chefs from all those fancy West Side restaurants.

On the other hand, it can almost always be found put up in 26 oz jars of brine at markets serving an Armenian or Turkish community (see Details and Cooking).

There is another variety which, as with parsley, is grown for its roots rather than leaves. This is commonly used in France to flavor soups and pretty much nowhere else.   Photo by Derzsi Elekes Andor distributed under license Creative Commons Attribution ShareAlike v4.0 International.

Cicely

Native to Central Europe, leaves of this plant are used as an herb in the cuisines of Scandinavia and Germany, and to flavor alcoholic beverages. It has a strong scent and flavor similar to anise. Roots and seeds are also edible and used in that region, and it has medicinal uses.   Photo by H. Zell distributed under license Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike v3.0 Unported.

Coriander - Cilantro

Cilantro [Coriander Leaf; Won Soy, Wonsoy (Philippines); Ngo, Mui (Viet); Coriandolo (Italy); Xiang cai, Heung choy (China)] This herb was once in common use all over Europe, but has been almost completely supplanted by parsley. In Europe, only traditional recipes in southern Portugal and Spain's Canary Islands still call for it. On the other hand, it is greatly used in most non-European cuisines worldwide. There is a strong "I hate Cilantro" movement on the Internet, but the condition has proven curable by exposure. The roots are also edible but are used only in the cuisine of Thailand, and to a lesser extent in some of its neighbors. Used as a component of curry pastes and in some soups, they are still hard to get even here in Southern California.   Details and Cooking. Coriander Seed These "seeds" are actually dried fruits containing the seeds. While not now used in Europe to anywhere near the extent they were in Medieval times, coriander seeds are still used in pickling and sausage making. In India they are used in vast quantity for all manner of curries and spice mixtures, almost always with Cumin at a ratio of about 1 T Coriander to 1 t cumin. This combination was also popular in Imperial Rome and is used in Africa and the Middle East.   Details and Cooking.

Culantro

This herb is native to Mexico, Central and South America, but is now grown worldwide. As a culinary herb it is most important in Southeast Asia, the far northeast of India, and the Caribbean. It is sometimes described as tasting like Cilantro, but stronger. I find the resemblance detectable, but not close. Unlike Cilantro, it takes well to drying, holding both color and flavor.   Details and Cooking.

Cumin

Probably originating in southwestern Asia, this plant has been native to the region from the eastern Mediterranean to eastern India since prehistoric times. This is one of the most important spices in Indian cuisine, generally combined 1 teaspoon to 1 Tablespoon coriander seed.   Details and Cooking.

Cumin - Black

Fruits of this plant are used in the cuisines of northern India, Afghanistan, Tajikistan and Persia - and are all but unknown outside that region, though the plant grows wild as far as southeastern Europe. The leaves can be used as is parsley and the roots cooked, said to taste like sweet chestnuts, but only the fruits are available in North America.   Caution:   This spice is not to be confused with Nigella, often also called "Black Cumin". This is not an English translation error, nigella is actually called "black cumin" in Bengal, where many of the early Indian immigrants came from (most of Bengal is now Bangladesh). Visually, they are easy to tell apart - nigella seeds are tiny and not elongated.   Details and Cooking.

Dill

Dill [Dill Weed] A favorite herb in Eastern Europe, Scandinavia, the Caucasus and into Persia and "the Stans", fresh dill is widely available in Los Angeles where those eths abound, but many Americans know it only as something that goes into dill pickles. Dill is also used through India and Southeast Asia, particularly Vietnam.   Details and Cooking. Dill Seed Dill seed is surprisingly hard to find in major supermarkets here in Southern California, and can be in tiny quantity for an outrageous price when they are found there. It can, however, be easily found at reasonable prices in Indian and many other ethnic markets.   Details and Cooking.

Fennels

Asafoetida [Ferula assafoetida] This giant fennel, native to Iran and Afghanistan, provides a resin that is widely used in Indian cuisine and in ayurvedic medicine. This resin is sold in three forms: resin droplets or nuggets, pure powdered asafoetida, and most commonly "hing powder", asafoetida cut to 30% with rice flour and gum arabic. The photo is of pure powdered asafoetida. Today asafoetida is widely used in the cuisines of India, particularly by those sects and castes to whom onions, garlic and all their relatives are forbidden by religious decree. It does not taste the same but lends a similar sophistication of flavor to dishes it is used in. Like onions, it is high in sulfur.   Details and Cooking. Fennel (Seed) [Saunf (Hindi); Mouri (Bengali); Foeniculum vulgare] This plant is native to the Mediterranean coast and from there was carried to India by the Greeks and Romans and is now a common invasive in North America, Asia and Australia. It is now grown worldwide for its aromatic seeds which are used to flavor liqueurs and other beverages as well as a component of spice mixes and curries. In Italy it is much used as a flavoring ingredient in sausages. The photo shows two forms, common fennel seeds and Luknow fennel, a special variety from northern India which has a more intensely licorice flavor.   Details and Cooking. Florence Fennel [Finocchio (Italy), Anise (US Supermarkets - in error), Foeniculum vulgare var. azoricum] This variety of F. vulgare is milder than other cultivars and grown for its swollen leaf bases which form a bulb-like structure. It is most used in Italy where the bulbs are prepared and consumed in many forms and the fronds are also used in salads and recipes. Unfortunately, many markets in North America trim this fennel much too close to the bulb.   Details and Cooking. Horse Fennel [Bokhi (Armenia); Hippomarathrum siculum alt H. libanotis var. siculum] Native to Anatolia and Caucasus, this plant is technically not a fennel, but is commonly called "horse fennel", so I'm placing it here. Its stems are used in Armenia to make a pickle (as shown in the photo) commonly used as an appetizer. It makes a mild pickle with a pleasant and interesting fennel-like flavor. The stems are crunchy and occasionally a bit fibrous. Stems in the specimen jar, packed in Armenia, were 4-1/2 inches long and up to 0.45 inches diameter. The plant grows to about 3 feet in height. The genus name Hippomarathrum roughly translates to "makes horses crazy".   Details and Cooking. Silphium [Laser (Rome), Silphium (Greece), Ferula ?????] This plant, apparently a giant fennel, provided several of the most important sauces and condiments of ancient Greece and Rome. Juice from the stems and roots, the stems themselves and most important the resin exuded from cuts just above the root were used. So important was this plant to the ancient cuisines they cannot be accurately reproduced without it. Unfortunately it is not currently available due to presumed extinction (some still hope it can be found somewhere in the wilds of Libya).   Details and Cooking.   Photo of coin from Cyrene believed in public domain .

Hemlock

Do not eat - this is one of the most toxic plants known to man, just a few leaves are enough to kill an adult. The powerful neurotoxin can also be absorbed through the skin from handling the plant. Death is from asphyxiation when the respiratory muscles become paralyzed. I describe it here as a warning not to eat just any herb that looks like a carrot - and there are others similarly toxic

While native to Europe it has been introduced to North America and is now widespread, particularly in the Mountain West where it is easily confused with wild carrot and other plants valued by Native Americans for food and medicine. It has also been introduced to Australia. This plant grows only in places where the soil is permanently moist. Identify it by crushing leaves which will have a rank and musty smell, not spicy. Wash your hands after crushing to avoid absorbing the toxin.   Photo by US Department of Agriculture = public domain.

Heracleum

Common Hogweed [Cow Parsnip; Heracleum sphondylium ] This plant is native all through Europe and east to Central Asia. It has been introduced to Canada and the United States, growing well in rich, moist soils. It grows to an average of just under 4 feet tall, and a maximum of a little over 6 feet. The sap can cause phytophotodermatitis (burns and rashes) when contaminated skin is exposed to sunlight. It is not nearly as dangerous as Giant Hogweed (H. mantegazzianum) but caution is advised, and it can also be confused with some very toxic plants, like various Hemlocks. The live plant looks just like the American Cow Parsnip below. Pickled stems of this plant (just like those shown in the photo) were the original ingredient in the famous sour soup, Borscht, long before beets were used. These pickled stems are now used on herbal appetizer spreads in Armenia. It is suspected it was the plant once used on the Kamchatka Peninsula to ferment and distill into an alcoholic beverage called "raka". The photo specimens, from Armenia, were packed in a 25 ounce jar (13 ounces dry weight) selling for 2020 US $5.99 ($7.37 / pound dry weight). The largest stem (in front) was triangular and 3/4 inch across. The rest were around 1/2 inch diameter and up 4-3/4 inches long. The flavor was vaguely like celery, but much stronger and more aromatic. Golpar [Golpar (Persia); Angelica (English, Spanish, French (misnamed)); Persian Hogweed (English); Tromsø palm (Norway); Heracleum persicum] This plant is native to Iran and close surrounding regions, but is now naturalized in Norway and Sweden, and also in Finland where it is considered an invasive. The sap can cause phytophotodermatitis (burns and rashes) when contaminated skin is exposed to sunlight, though it is thought to be less dangerous than Giant Hogweed (H. mantegazzianum). The ground fruits are much used in Persian (Iranian) cuisine, as a sprinkle, sometimes mixed with salt, and as an ingredient in many recipes. Stems, leaves and flower petals are also used, but to a lesser extent.   See Details and Cooking Cow Parsnip [Indian Celery, American Cow Parsnip, Pushki; Heracleum maximum syn. H. lanatum] This is the only species of Heracleum native to North America and it is closely related to the European, described above. It grows to as high as 7 feet. The sap can cause phytophotodermatitis (burns and rashes) when contaminated skin is exposed to sunlight, but it is not nearly as dangerous as the invasive Giant Hogweed (H. mantegazzianum), which can easily be identified by the red spots on its stems. Cow Parsnip does, however, resemble some very toxic plants, like various Hemlocks. Native Americans strongly favored this plant, but were careful to peel the stems to prevent burns and rashes. It was usually eaten raw. The photo specimen was photographed in the Berkeley Hills of California.   Photo by Stephen Lea distributed under license Creative Commons Attribution Share-Alike v3.0 unported..

Lovage

This perennial plant is native to southern Eruope and southwestern Asia, but its exact place of origin is unknown, because it has been in cultivation so long. Lovage was a very important flavoring herb during the Roman Empire and is still used in parts of Southern and Eastern Europe, and especially in Georgia, but has fallen out of general culinary use in other regions. The closest substitute we have is Celery Leaves, particularly from Chinese / Cutting Celery, but it's far from perfect. Lovage flavor is similar to a combination of celery and parsley, and quite a bit stronger than celery leaves. The seeds are used as a seasoning and the roots are cooked as a vegetable. All parts of the plant have been used medicinally.   Details and Cooking.   Photo by Microlit distributed under Free Art License v1.3.

Mitsuba

Native to East Asia and eastern North America these plants are used as an herbal seasoning and garnish. Sprouts are used in salads, and the roots are also edible. It is a "problem herb" in North America due to unavailability in most markets.   Details and Cooking.   Photo by Mbc licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike v3.0 Unported.

Parsley

Parsley Leaves Two forms are available, flat leaf (Italian) and curly leaf. Flat leaf parsley has a leafy texture, stronger, more complex flavor, and is used in cooking. Curly leaf is used as a decorative garnish, having a texture similar to plastic and flavor to match. Like plastic it is very resistant to wilting, which enhances its decorative usefulness. Dried parsley has little flavor so fresh parsley, now available year-round, should always be used, unless you are trying to accurately reconstruct recipes from the Eisenhower era, but who would want to do that?   Details and Cooking. Parsley Seeds   Actually a tiny fruit containing seeds, tey are little used for culinary purposes except to grow parsley from. Getting it to sprout is not easy because its outer coating contains a substance that suppresses sprouting. If grown in pots they should be deep to accommodate the tap root. The seed does find some use in the herbal supplement industry. Parsley Roots Varieties have been developed that produce large tap roots which are popular in cuisines of Central and Eastern Europe. The flavor is more delicate and aromatic, and far less sweet than that of parsnips, so they are not at all interchangeable.   Details and Cooking.

Parsnip

Native to Eurasia, parsnips have been eaten since ancient times and were carried north by the Romans who found they grew much larger in colder climates. They are harvested after the first sharp frost as their flavor improves from this exposure. They are not grown in frost free climates for this reason. In recent times parsnips have been overshadowed by the potato but are still featured in some European traditional meals. Today they are often used to flavor soups and stews. Parsnips are less crisp, sweeter and milder but more aromatic in flavor than carrots. The center photo specimen was 8-3/4 inches long, 2-1/4 inches diameter and weighed 7-1/2 ounces.   Details and Cooking.

Wild Parsnips should be avoided as their foliage contain a chemical that sensitize the skin to sunlight, resulting in severe burns. They are also easy to confuse with Hemlock, an extremely deadly relative.

Pepper-Saxifrage

The photo specimens were from a jar of "Marinated Meadow Saxifrage" packed in Armenia. The importer further identified it as "Badan". The contents of the jar was neither "Meadow Saxifrage" (Saxifraga granulata) nor "Badan" (Bergenia crassifolia), both in the Order Saxifragales, nor did the picture on the label resemble these.

The product was clearly more related to Fennel (Order Apiales). Based on all evidence available to me, I have identified it as Pepper-Saxifrage, which does prefer to grow in open meadows. The "pepper" part of its name is because the root tastes peppery. The photo specimens were purchased from a large multi-ethnic market in Los Angeles (Sunland), packed in brine in a 720 ml jar for 2017 US $4.99. The contents of the jar was a nice mild herbal pickle such as are popular as appetizers in Armenia.

Radhuni

This plant is grown widely in South and Southeast Asia, including Indonesia. It's highly aromatic seeds are use in curries, and in some parts of West Bengal and Bangladesh replace mustard seed in the Bengali spice mix Panch Phoron. It smells similar to parsley seed, but must be used with considerable discretion as it is very strong and can overpower a dish. The seeds are generally fried in oil until aromatic and crackling before adding other ingredients. The herb can also be used fresh and is reported to be so used in Thailand.   Photo by Badagnani distributed under license Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported.

Rock Samphire

A salt tolerant plant that grows on cliffs and rocky shorelines of the British Isles, rock samphire has long been gathered and eaten England, appreciated for it's spicy, aromatic flavor. Gathering it is now illegal in England, though it can be grown from seed in gardens, if you can get seeds. This is the samphire mentioned by Shakespeare and not to be confused with Marsh Samphire (Salicornia europaea) - while used similarly that one's an amaranth, not a parsley.   Photo by Jymm, contributed to the public domain.

Tarhana Herb

This herb is used in Turkey to flavor Tarhana and some pickles. It is thought to improve the fermentation of Tarhana. It is pretty much unknown elsewhere, or for any other use.   Photo by Despina Tsafetopoulou used under fair use doctrine (small, non-competative, educational only, not otherwise available).

Water Dropwort

Most Water Dropworts (Genus Oenanthe) are toxic to extremely toxic, but this one, native to East Asia, is edible. Its thin hollow stems are topped with celery-like leaves. This plant is sometimes called "Chinese celery" and "Japanese parsley", but those names properly belong to completely different plants (both found on our Parsley page). This plant is also grown in Italy as spring greens, and is an invasive in some parts of North America, but not an aggressive one.

Many recipes, calling this plant "Korean Watercress", and say Watercress is a suitable substitute, but it really isn't. The flavor and texture are very different. This plant tastes more like a mix of carrot tops and celery, with a hint of resin. The specimen bundle, purchased at a local Korean market in Los Angeles, was about 15 inches long.   Details and Cooking.

Yampa

Native to Western North America, this parsley looks like grass until it blooms and prefers to grow in grassy meadows. The peanut size roots were a staple for American Indians but were harvested to extinction in some areas. They were baked or steamed and provided excellent nutrition. The seeds were used as a flavoring similar to caraway seed. Raw, the root acts as a mild laxative.   Photo by U.S. National Parks Service = public domain.

Aralias

Ginseng

Of the two major species of Ginseng, the American, farm grown in Wisconsin and Canada, is considered the best. Siberian Ginseng (Eleutherococcus senticosus) belongs to a different genus and has a different makeup of active ingredients. While considered inferior, it's put to much the same uses as the Panax species and is often deceptively sold as Panax. The photo specimens were 6-3/4 inches long and weighed 1-3/8 ounce (left) and 2 ounces (right).   Details and Cooking.

Ivy

Ivy, mostly noted for covering buildings on expensive college campuses, is not actually edible (the seeds are toxic to people but not to birds), nor is it of much use as a medicinal. It's included here just to add perspective to the Aralia family.   Photo © i0076.

Pennywort

Pennyworts grow worldwide in wet and moist tropical and temperate areas but the varieties of most culinary interest are native to Southeast Asia, Sri Lanka and Australia. Botanists variously place them in family Apiaceae with carrots and parsley or in family Araliaceae with ginseng or in family Mackinlayaceae with a few Australian plants of little note. The largest photo specimen (H. javanica) is 3-1/2 inches across the leaf.

Non-Asian species have fully round leaves with the stem attached near the middle of the underside. Water Pennywort (Hydrocotyle ranunculoides) is native to North and South America and grows in water with the leaves floating on the surface. Hydrocotyle vulgaris looks like ranunculoides but grows out of water, is native to North Africa, Europe and Florida, and the variety noted in English and European herbals. All common species are edible.   Details and Cooking

Devil's Walking Stick

This aralia is native from eastern Texas to the Atlantic and from Pennsylvania down to northern Florida. It is usually planted as a decorative, but young leaves can be chopped fine and used as a potherb. Older leaves are too prickly to be eaten.   Photo by Richard Chambers distributed under license Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported.

Japanese Angelica Tree

This aralia is native to northeastern Asia, and is very similar to the American Aralia spinosa and is now an invasive species in northeastern United States. In Japan, Young shoots, called taranomeare, are deep fried with tempura batter. In Korea, young shoots, called dureup, are prepared for various dishes, usually pan fried with a light coating, but can also be simply blanched.   Photo distributed under license Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported.

Japanese Spiknard

This aralia is native to Japan, Korea and eastern China. In the Spring it sends up tender young shoots, which are blanched and eaten as a vegetable. They are often thinly sliced and added to miso soup. They need to be blanched in boiling water a couple of times to remove a resin coating that tastes much like pine resin. Stems do not become woody and can be cooked like asparagus.   Photo distributed under license Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported.

Pittosporums

Apple Berry

Fruits of this shrub which grows over most of Australia were enjoyed by Australian Aborigines, either ripe or roasted unripe. They are variously described as tasting like stewed apple or kiwi fruit. The fruits are a little over 1-1/8 inch long, green with a red blush, and do not ripen until they drop from the shrub.

This shrub is now grown far from it's Australian homeland, but mainly as a decorative that can tolerate part shade from eucalyptus. Few gardeners may even realize the fruits are edible.   Photo by Cas Liber contributed to the public domain.