Wild Greens

What are wild greens?

Definition: Wild greens are any edible plants that grow naturally in the wild, not cultivated in gardens

In Cyprus, "wild greens" refers to agria horta, a variety of edible wild plants, often thistles and leafy greens, that grow abundantly after the first rains in spring. These greens, like the wild artichoke (kafkaroues) and wild asparagus (agrelia), are a traditional part of the Cypriot diet, historically eaten boiled with olive oil and lemon juice or fried with eggs. Strouthouthkia (bladder campion), mallow (molohes), and galatouna or tzohos (sow thistle), are highly nutritious and consumed for their flavor and health benefits. 

Examples of Cypriot wild greens:

• Strouthouthkia/Tsakrithkia: A type of wild spinach or bladder campion, known for its nutritional value and used in dishes with eggs. 

• Kafkaroues: Wild artichokes that are eaten raw or cooked with beans. 

• Agrelia: Wild asparagus, often cooked with scrambled eggs. 

• Galatouna/Tzohos: Sow thistle, so named for the milky juice from its leaves, enjoyed boiled with olive oil. 

• Pagkaloi: Field eryngo, which can be pickled or cooked in tomato sauce. 

• Thistles: A common family of beneficial thistles, such as Notobasis syriaca and Scolymus hispanicus, are gathered for their young, edible stems.