Herb recognition ... is it edible

R

Roger Burton

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Hi chaps, I walked past (what I thought was) a sage bush, pulled off a leaf, crushed it and smelt it ... nothing no aroma at all ... are there plants that look like sage but that are non-culinary with no 'flavour'?

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Along the same lines we have what looks like a bay tree in our garden ... again are there varients of bay that are not good for cooking ?
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Roger Burton said:
Hi chaps, I walked past (what I thought was) a sage bush, pulled off a leaf, crushed it and smelt it ... nothing no aroma at all ... are there plants that look like sage but that are non-culinary with no 'flavour'View attachment 39536

Along the same lines we have what looks like a bay tree in our garden ... again are there varients of bay that are not good for cooking ?View attachment 39537
Click to expand...
Ciao Roger,
I have big Sage bush in pot an it no look like that with what appear flower head on. I think there many plant that look same as other but not, I be honest if no sure if is do not use in same way some fungi is edible some kill.

Sorry I no much help.
Sarana x
 
Roger Burton said:
Thank you Sarana, you have been a very good help, yes the flower is a give away ... it looks like a sage leaf but it's probably not, good of you to help.
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No problem Roger, they may be OK for eating, but trip to hospital is no good way for find out. As for bottom picture this may be kind of Laurel, also I think leaf is to blue green for it be Bay but Bay is species of Laurus. This picture may be Common Laurel an this is poison!!!
Truth you do right rub leaf, is very good way to see.
I have book on edible Fungi an in better time Ray an I go forests an other place to find Fungi, I learn very quick sometime most pretty is most dangerous!
Top picture is worth wait for flower to bloom that give better idea what is plant. Rule is if no sure stay away!

Sarana x
 
The bottom photo looks like edible bay to me. Common Laurel is indeed poisonous - its often used as a hedging plant. Its flowers look like this:
39540

Your plant looks exactly like my edible bay with small cluster of flowers but I can't be certain. Is it part of a hedge?

The first image is definitely not sage. If it was you would be able to smell it when crushed - and sage flowers look nothing like that.
 
No idea what the first one is. If it has no smell, then it's probably not much use for cooking anyway. The second looks like regular bay.
 
Top pic is defo sage, flowering like mine, I put a pic up on a garden post . Second is bay but I believe there are try types , going by the splines ????? Something I heard???

Russ
 
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