Alligator Weed Aquatic Survival Food
If you live in the South then you probably have access to Alligator Weed (Alternanthera philoxeroides) an aquatic survival plant. It thrives in freshwater but can tolerate some brackish water. Alligator weed is native to South America but has spread all across the southern USA. Most people familiar with it probably don't even realize it is an exotic here because it is so widespread.
The leaves of Alligator Weed can be eaten raw in small amounts but in a survival situation when you need more than just a nibble it is best to cook it and eat it to fill out your diet whenever other foods are lacking.
Alligator weed is a perennial with hollow stems and small white flowers. The plant forms large mats in shallow waters and rings many ponds and slow flowing waterways.
The leaves of Alligator Weed can be eaten raw in small amounts but in a survival situation when you need more than just a nibble it is best to cook it and eat it to fill out your diet whenever other foods are lacking.
Alligator weed is a perennial with hollow stems and small white flowers. The plant forms large mats in shallow waters and rings many ponds and slow flowing waterways.
