Common reed

Phragmites australis

vegetable · root

Tender young shoots cooked like bamboo, and a sweet rhizome chewed or ground into flour.

Origin

Wetlands worldwide

Where to find it

In every reed bed, along ponds and estuaries; in Japan, its shoots are picked along rivers.

Season (United States)

April to May

Preparation

Only gathered from clean water.

Molecules

In small amounts, not counted Insoluble fibers

Did you know?

In China, the rhizome (lu gen) is drunk as a sweet decoction against summer heat.