When it comes to one particularly invasive plant species in Pittsburgh, some food retail businesses are saying, "if you can't beat it, eat it."
Tyler J. Kelley writes about the curious case of Japanese knotweed, "a savagely invasive plant that thrives on riverbanks and vacant lots, both of which Pittsburgh has in great abundance." The only thing more surprising than the rate at which Japanese knotweed proliferates is the reaction of the Pittsburgh food retail industry to the menace. Kelley reports:
Pittsburgh and many areas around it have so much knotweed that businesses are turning it into beer, paper, kimchi, tinctures, ice pops and honey. At least a half-dozen upscale restaurants have served knotweed, which has the texture of asparagus and tastes like rhubarb. The plant’s reputation as a menace only enhances its appeal.
The article includes more details about the plant's invasive nature, its nutritional value, and the processes some food retail businesses are using to harvest and package it for sale.
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