Salmon Berry bushes and W. Skunk Cabbage Leaves?

[chadk]

Are these edible? While I have a large amount of nummy dandilions (some leaves up to 2 feet!), I also have tons of Salmon Berry bushes and some skunk cabbage (up to 3 ft leaves). My goats love the salmon berry leaves.

I let my torts try the salmon berry leaves and the RT loved it and the Sulcata not so much...

 

[jlyoncc1]

I have never heard of these. Can I see a pic if possible?

 

[chadk]

Here you go:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salmonberry

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_skunk_cabbage


Skunk cabbage is very common here in Western WA. It is found in wetland type areas. Salmon Berry bushes are also very common here. Any creek or river will have them lining the banks. The berries they produce are pretty tasty. My goats love all the new growth leaves. My backyard is like goat heaven for these 2 baby goats.

 

[Crazy1]

Chad, Learn something everyday. I too had never heard of the salmonberry but I have heard of skunk cabbage. I did a little research and found little or nothing about salmonberries with the exception that they are similar to raspberries and a favorite staple of the Native american People.
However W. Skunk Cabbage is high in Calcium Oxalate. This is what I discovered about it.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_skunk_cabbage
Contains calcium oxalate crystals;
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calcium_oxalate
Large quantities of calcium oxalate are found in the poisonous plant dumb cane (Dieffenbachia). It is also found in rhubarb leaves, various species of Oxalis, Araceae, taro, kiwifruit, and agaves, and (in smaller amounts) spinach. Nonsoluble calcium oxalate crystals are found in plant stems, roots, and leaves.
http://www.tortoisetrust.org/articles/houseplants.htm states; Oxalates—plants which contain oxalate salts produce mucous membrane irritation and pain
and/or swelling of mouth, lips, tongue, esophagus and stomach.
Oxalates bind and make calcium unusable. This also may cause kidney and bladder stones.
Additional sites:
http://www.carecentre.org.za/medicinal.htm

Hope this is somewhat helpful. I think I would keep my torts away from the Skunk Cabbage.

 

[chadk]

Thanks. That was my thought too. There may be a difference between the leaves of the skunk cabbage and the stem\root\flower. Seems there is some use for this stuff, but I need to dig in further...

 

[Crazy1]

Well it did say they use it to wrap meat and fish in order to cook it. I wonder what meat cooked in it might taste like. I know things are often cooked in banana leaves and grape leaves, I've had those and they are pretty good. Let me know if you try it. Also stated it was good for medicinal purposes like lung spasms, but then I think they are talking about people, who might be able to tell you what is happening to them.