superfood

One of my favorite permaculture shrubs is Goumi, Elaeagnus multiflora. This multifunctional plant is easy to grow! The fragrant tiny yellow flowers bloom in April, followed by astringent and sweet fruit by the end of June. In 2018 I ordered plants from One Green World and they recommend planting two varieties, so I planted two Sweet Scarlet and two Red Gem. The former is more robust with dense foliage that hides the fruit from the birds whereas Red Gem has a more open framework, with less foliage and is more productive. If you have limited space and prefer to cook the fruit with a sweetener, then Red Gem is a winner. I mostly eat the fruit raw and share the crop with birds. For the sweetest flavor wait until the fruit is a deeper red.

The genus Elaeagnus is recognized for having a symbiotic bacteria, Frankia that grows in the soil and fixes nitrogen from the air, making it available to the plant. I prune Sweet Scarlet several times a season and use the leafing branches as compost.

Goumi, an Asian native has been cultivated here for at least one hundred years. In Japan it is known as natsugumi. The fruits of this shrub are high in lycopene I wrote a more thorough account here

Nori cell walls lack cellulose, but are protein-rich—humans are able to digest it, unlike most kelp.

This seaweed is only 1-cell thick! That’s why it is pliable and perfect for making sushi rolls. Gently tug on the raw plant.

Harvest at low tide in April and May. Always use scissors or sharp knife to harvest. Leave the holdfast so the nori will regrow and produce reproductive structures.

A great travel and backpack food because it is so nutrient-dense: high in protein, Vitamin A, B-6 and C, along with many minerals.

Japanese have been cultivating it for 300 years. Nori does not naturally dry into flat sheets! Traditional techniques are similar to paper-making.

Toasting nori makes it taste better and improves the texture: Hold store-bought sheets over a kitchen burner until edges start to curl and the sheet feels stiff.

Wildcrafted Nori: Harvest, dry, store until ready, then lightly toss with olive oil, place on sheet pan and bake for a few minutes until crisp and shiny.

Natural history: Technically a red algae, although the color varies widely.

Life Cycle: Porphyra undergoes 3 life forms to complete the reproductive cycle.

Intertidal Zone Habitat: Mid to high intertidal zone. Note the black band.

Goumi in my garden

Seaweed Fun Facts: Nori (Porphyra)