Tuesday, June 15, 2010

Wild Fruits (And Drugs) In Manhattan


Take a walk down West 44th Street, btw 10th and 11th, and you will find a wild blackberry bush growing on a fenced off hillside overlooking Amtrack tracks. The fruit from the healthy and strong bush is somewhat challenging to access, but determined folk should have no problem. Here is a blackberry picking guide.

Related, and maybe more important to many of you who do the pot: independent of each other, City Room and Gothamist have both recently discovered marijuana growing in the wild as well. 

Though urban foraging is an occasional topic of conversation in other other communities, there is not much to be found online as it relates to Manhattan. The New York Times' (now in conjunction with CUNY) "Urban Forager” blogger for the Fort Green/Clinton Hill Local (who found the ganja noted above) only focuses on Brooklyn in her hunts, which of course—the Brobos there must be picking wild pears and harvesting ginger root every Sunday on leisurely strolls.

But wait, there's more. According to Neighborhoodfruit.com, where members identify and map fruit trees on public lands in cities across the nation, there are more than a few wild berry and fruit trees in Manhattan. Berries such as mulberry, juneberry; peach trees (yes, peach trees) and more can be found all over Manhattan on public lands. Since the map only focuses on fruit, you won't find any pot plants mapped out.

Do you know of any other fruit trees and bushes on public lands?

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