Old Ditch Lilies are Blooming

Facts:  

*By the 17th century ditchlilies  arrived in North America to serve as medicine, food and decoration for home gardens. 

*Early pioneers had no time to spend on delicate ornamentals. The ditchlily was strong and required little care, so it became quite popular among the rough homesteaders.  

*It is a plant that multiplies well and is seldom bothered by disease.

*The boiled water from cooking ditchlilies was saved and used as a tonic for pain relief by early herbalists.

*The juice from pounded roots can be added to a few drops of water and will act as a diuretic.

*The water from boiled roots is used as a tonic to reduce fever.

*The water from boiled ditchlily blooms produces a golden yellow dye and from the foliage and stems comes a delicate green dye.

*The buds of ditchlilies provide more vitamin C than either asparagus or string beans, while boasting a much higher percentage of protein than either.

*Ditchlilies are also used to help prevent erosion particularly on hillsides where trees have been harvested. 

Food:

*All parts of the ditchlily are edible, though the fleshy roots are considered medicinal.

*The long crunchy buds can be  added to a lettuce and green onion mix for a tasty salad.

*The stems and leaves can be boiled in water, added to kale or other cooked greens.

*Harvest ditchlilies the day that the flower-pods begin to open. They have a sweet flavor and crisp texture. 

*Ditchlily buds at any point in their growth can be dipped in a creamy flour batter and then quickly fried in very hot oil. This is a delicacy in some cultures. 

*The ditchlily bud tastes delicious in soups, salads, and stir-fries.

*And one more little known fact:  swaths of daylilies for mile after mile have been planted across some California hills as firebreaks. Daylilies consist mostly of water.