Very sticky, very stinky weed I found.

I have been really getting into identifying medicinal and edible plants, as you know that knowledge is power(thanks GI Joe) and could become useful in the future.

So I was just out in my yard today and I found some very strange, very stinky, very sticky weed growing. I was instantly intrigued by this little plant.

First off when I say sticky I mean sticky, like getting honey on your fingers.

Then the smell is awful, something is just so wrong with this pungent aroma. Its like a mixture of the smell they put in propane, skunk, little stink bug, with some cat feces all mixed together. It made me want to gag and stunk up my house with a few little cuttings.

So I really want to find out what this little poop-plant is exactly. My problem is that when ever I type in anything that describes this plant all the results I get are cannabis related.

I also noticed it seemed to be growing in some lichen, but I am not sure if its part of the lichen or just growing through it. Also I live in Northern California if that helps.

I took a pic with my crappy web cam, so the quality is crap and I am sorry for that but its all I got right now.

I've never actually seen it before myself, but I've heard of a horribly smelly weed called California Stinkweed or California Skunkweed. I did a quick google and it says the botanical name is Navarretia squarrosa. You can google using that to see if the plant matches photos of it.

a reply to: bananashooter

looks kinda like bull-nettle

a reply to: bananashooter

That looks like pot without any leaves. You got kids or flatmates? Or could be some sort of weird thistle. Seems strange no leaves.

a reply to: Nyiah

Wow that was awesome, you won a star that's it! I have to say I am impressed!

a reply to: ZeussusZ

That's kinda what I thought too, until I smelled it, blagh.

It looks like someone's been tending right to a lady, if ya know what I mean.

a reply to: pl3bscheese

It's seriously not what you think I swear.

a reply to: ManBehindTheMask

Does it have a milky ooze when cut? It might be milk weed.

It does actually look like some free growing sativa mj though....if that's the case enjoy and order some dominos.

a reply to: sirChill

Nyiah got it in the first comment, must be psychic or something. I thought it was going to be a little harder then that.

a reply to: pl3bscheese

Ya it looks nothing like what you are getting at.

originally posted by: bananashooter
a reply to: sirChill

Nyiah got it in the first comment, must be psychic or something. I thought it was going to be a little harder then that.

and I'd say at least half us thought this thread was going to be about something else entirely based on the title

Used to see something similar all the time when I lived in NorCal. It is not what some suggest. We always called it milk thistle, although that probably isn't the correct name. It would help if your picture had a little better resolution.

a reply to: theantediluvian

Ya I saw it was thinking I better get in and see what the OP is on about before it gets closed!

a reply to: theantediluvian

I know, so did google when I was trying to identify it.

a reply to: Sremmos80

I might have picked that headline just for that reason, but I will never tell.

I don't recognize it from stuff I have seen around here. It reminds me of a thistle or nettle but I do not think it is. Maybe Nyaih has the right plant.

You are right, the picture you took is not a great picture. It's good that you are trying to learn about plants in your local though OP.

a reply to: rickymouse


Nyaih was spot on.

Yes living in the area I live in there is plenty to eat without even having to hunt, I think I could make it on my own for quite a while. I also try everything I properly identify just to run though the experience once before shtf.

I recently tried this new one called purslane, this stuff is cool! only plant I know of with considerable amounts of omega 3 and its good for your garden as a companion plant, it brings up nutes and water and breaks hard soil for your plants. It tasted pretty good cooked and raw too.

a reply to: bananashooter

I did a google image search of your picture and these are some of the images that came up .






Not sure but i think i broke google .

a reply to: bananashooter

I started eating purslane a couple years back. It grows everywhere here in west Texas. It's good stuff. I look forward to it every year now, and I like to ninja-spike people's salads with it.

I've never eaten anything with that satisfying texture.

Keep up the foraging. It's a fun hobby if you live somewhere with a variety of plant-life.

Here, it's pretty much purslane or purslane...