{"id":341,"date":"2026-01-22T19:40:34","date_gmt":"2026-01-22T19:40:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/foraging-courses.co.uk\/?page_id=341"},"modified":"2026-01-22T19:40:35","modified_gmt":"2026-01-22T19:40:35","slug":"alexanders","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/foraging-courses.co.uk\/?page_id=341","title":{"rendered":"ALEXANDERS"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Smyrnium olusatrum<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Also known as:<\/strong> Black Lovage, Horse Parsley<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Habitat:<\/strong>
Coastal paths, hedgerows, waste ground, roadsides \u2014 often near the sea<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Season:<\/strong>
February \u2013 June<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Identification:<\/strong>
Tall plant with glossy, bright green leaves divided into three leaflets. Thick, hollow stems and yellow-green umbels of flowers later in the season. Strong, aromatic scent when crushed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Edible Parts:<\/strong>
Young shoots, leaves, flower buds, seeds<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Uses:<\/strong>
Steamed shoots, soups, stir-fries, pickled buds, seeds used as a spice<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lookalikes & Cautions:<\/strong>
Member of the carrot family (Apiaceae). Must be confidently identified and not confused with toxic relatives. Best learned with guidance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ethical Notes:<\/strong>
Harvest young growth lightly; avoid stripping entire plants.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Smyrnium olusatrum Also known as: Black Lovage, Horse Parsley Habitat:Coastal paths, hedgerows, waste ground, roadsides \u2014 often near the sea Season:February \u2013 June Identification:Tall plant with glossy, bright green leaves divided into three leaflets. Thick, hollow stems and yellow-green umbels of flowers later in the season. Strong, aromatic scent when crushed. Edible Parts:Young shoots, leaves, … Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-341","page","type-page","status-publish"],"yoast_head":"\nALEXANDERS -<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"noindex, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_GB\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"ALEXANDERS -\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Smyrnium olusatrum Also known as: Black Lovage, Horse Parsley Habitat:Coastal paths, hedgerows, waste ground, roadsides \u2014 often near the sea Season:February \u2013 June Identification:Tall plant with glossy, bright green leaves divided into three leaflets. Thick, hollow stems and yellow-green umbels of flowers later in the season. 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