Fiddle head

[CP Dan]

I found these when I was out for a quick walk today. Not sure if it is what I think it is since I have never seen them before. Does this picture look right fo a flddle head? (after taking the picture I realized that they were not alone. They have a friend at the base)

[cisco]

Dan - Those are NOT ostrich fern fiddleheads!!! Don't eat them!

Do a google search on "ostrich fern fiddlehead photos", you'll get a lot of pics. Ostrich fern fiddleheads are smooth. They do not have all the little hairs. They also have a brown papery covering which tears and falls off in pieces as they grow. The smooth stem and the brown paper wrapper make them fairly easy to ID.

There are many different kinds of ferns in WI and nearly all grow through a "fiddlehead" stage as they come up in the spring. A lot of the old edible plant guides stated that many were edible, but more recent research has shown that some are either immediately toxic or carcinogenic over long terms (ie. bracken ferns). I think nearly all of the recent guides say that only the ostrich fern fiddlehead should be consumed.

[omth]

WOW, a second look this morning and CISCO is right, in my head there was only a bit of papery residue on them... in reality they are covered. Someone should smite me as I Exalt cisco!

[Earthmom]

A good way go know if you have an ostrich fern is to look for the old huge ferns still standing from last year. Plus they also have rather large bases from which the fern grows and when you find them, you'll find a bunch of them all together. It's hard to miss a grouping of these when you do find them.

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[deerslayer]

There are some nice fiddle heads coming up in my neighbor's perennial beds that I can reach from my driveway- think he'd notice.............?

[omth]

actual ostrich ferns are creeping out of their paper here in ashland county... tiny still but it is a good sign!

[blitzfish]

Saw a few of them today as well, never wanted to try them though... I've always just been sketchy about the whole possible carcinogen thing.

[CP Dan]

Yeah, I agree with Blitz. Not really that interested in trying them, just more interested in being able to identify stuff that is growing out there.

Went out yesterday looking for shrooms, found ramps and these. It seems like they fit your description a little better

[omth]

On the topic of carcinogens none have been found in Ostrich ferns, though here is a case study about food poisoning and ostrich ferns...

www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/00032588.htm

It appears that much like many other wild foods careful cooking is important, including pre-blanching or steaming them.

I have eaten them raw and gotten the "fern fury" in which I am raging to get to the bathroom first! I have also eaten them well cooked and have had no issue.

[cliffwalker]

Fiddle heads have a stem shaped like a celery stalk with a "U" cross section shape. They are best cooked and the stalks are better than the heads. Strong flavor kinda like asparagus crossed with spinach.

[foragist]

Dan, that last pic was not them either. I checked 3 or 4 patches around Chippewa & Eau Claire in the last few days, and the fiddleheads were all grown out into Ostrich fern fronds; no longer edible. Time to check my super secret deep woods late patch.

[cisco]

They're mostly past in Bayfield County too. I could still pick a few on the north side of the house.

[omth]

Bayfield county... that is where I live, and I found a good amount the other day along Fish Creek, down low, in the shade. But yeah, mostly passed.