Galium aparine carries tiny bristles along its leaves — a plant not meant for eating, but valued for its gentle medicinal qualities. It supports lymph drainage, works as a mild diuretic, and finds its place in simple herbal teas.
Lamium amplexicaule, on the other hand, is entirely edible. Its small flowers make delicate decorations for dishes, while the leaves, stems, and blossoms share a light sweetness with a hint of something savory, almost like a wild echo of celery. You can enjoy the young shoots raw or cook them for a softer, mellow flavor.
A walk through the fields with Mr. Barak Sagi in Kfar Yehoshua turns into a quiet masterclass in wild gathering. Our first stop was Iris Ben-Zvi’s organic farm, where the soil itself feels like a guide. Sorrel, Galium aparine, Lamium amplexicaule, wild beet, green arum, Chenopodium murale, and bright, lemony Oxalis — each plant adding its own note to the early-season palette, and all of them reminding how alive the landscape becomes when you know where to look.
