Most people dread pulling weeds from out their gardens and yards. Weeds have been seen as a total nuisance that ruin other thriving plants. They really can get out of control. But what if you knew there are uses for those pesky weeds?

These are 10 species of weeds that you can munch on.

Yep, that’s right you can literally eat the weeds in your garden!

1. Chickweed (Stellaria media)

Chickweed can bloom tiny white flowers and is an excellent addition to your next meal! It has a nutty like flavor which is described to very mild. Chickweed is a great eaten raw and a perfect addition to a wrap or sandwich. You can also cook Chickweed making it a wonderful substitution for spinach and great with seared seafood. YUM!

2. Burdock (Arctium lappa)

Burdock can be recognized for its burs but the most edible part is going to be its roots! After one year the root is ready to boil and a perfect addition to your stir-fry. The taste is compared to that of an artichoke and has tons of nutritional value.

3. Field Garlic (Allium vineale)

This field garlic actually has an acute scent of onion. It’s known for being extremely sustainable and is even sold in bundles at New York City farmer’s markets. You want to make sure they have hollow leaves that look similar to a chive. They are a great addition to an omelet or used as a substitution for garlic or onion.

4. Autumn Olives (Elaeagnus umbellata)

Autumn olives are much more like a berry than an olive and taste similar to a red currant. You’ll want to make sure these berries are fully ripened before eaten raw they’ll be a speckled red color when ripened. They are great to add to sweet or savory sauces and can be used to make fruit leathers and preserves. Delicious!

5. Dandelions (Taraxacum officinale)

Oh, the beloved dandelion, known for its bright yellow flowers are a delicious addition to your diet. Every part of the dandelion weed is edible, you can eat the younger leaves and put them in a salad or use the flowers to make honey.

6. Garlic Mustard (Alliaria petiolata)

This very flavorful weed is entirely edible but only has a short window of readiness. Garlic mustard helps with lowering cholesterol and restoring heart health. Its leaves are a perfect addition to any salad and the roots have a horseradish like taste.

7. Pokeweed (Phytolacca americana)

This pesky weed must never be eaten raw due to its toxic qualities. The berries that grow from it are extremely poisonous, but once the pokeweed is blanched it’s a delectable spring vegetable.

8. Japanese Knotweed (Reynoutria japonica)

The Japanese Knotweed shoots resemble asparagus and are a great addition to any dish that needs a sour boost. They are edible raw and cooked and the young shoots are known to have a rhubarb like taste.

9. Wintercress (Barbarea verna & B. vulgaris)

The Wintercress is also known as the Yellow Rocket because of its yellow flowers. Wintercress has a tangy like flavor that can be used in stews or soups and you can also dry the leaves to make tea out of them!

10. Mugwort (Artemisia vulgaris)

Mugwort has a sage-like scent and feathery leaves which you can also dry to make tears. Mugwort was also used to flavor beer until hops became popular. How cool is that!?

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Source: Pop Science, Wild Edible, Edible Wild Food, Tactical Intelligence,