Grifola frondosa – Maitake
Maitake (Grifola frondosa) are choice edible and medicinal mushrooms that grow at the base of hardwood trees. 98% of the time they are growing at the base of oak trees. Maitake, also known as Hen of the Woods, can be found fruiting from late August to early November. They have gray or brownish caps and […]
Fomitopsis ochracea – American Brown Fomitopsis
The American Brown Fomitopsis (Fomitopsis ochracea) is a polypore that was recently classified in 2011. Before this time, the mushroom was misidentified as multiple other mushroom species, including the Red-belted Polypore (Fomitopsis pinicola). The American brown Fomitopsis causes brown rot on hardwoods and conifers, particularly on birch and Populus species. The cap surface is smooth […]
Hericium coralloides – Coral Tooth Fungus
Coral Tooth Fungus (Hericium coralloides) is an edible mushroom that fruits late August to October. It can be found throughout North America and Europe, as well as in India, Russia, China, and Japan. Coral tooth fungus can be found growing on dead or decaying hardwoods, especially oak and beech. It is saprobic and possibly somewhat […]
Ganoderma curtisii – Golden Reishi
The Golden Reishi (Ganoderma curtisii) is a saprobic or parasitic mushroom. It can be found on living or dead hardwood trees east of the Rocky Mountains. The golden reishi fruits May-November. Ganoderma curtisii used to be classified as part of the Ganoderma lucidum complex. Ganoderma lucidum is now known to be a primarily European species, […]
Trametes versicolor – Turkey tail
Turkey tail (Trametes versicolor) is one of the most researched medicinal mushrooms. It is very common and grows world-wide. It has many look-a-likes, but no look-a-likes are toxic. Turkey tail fruits most often from June-November on a wide variety of hardwoods and occasionally conifers. It is a saprobic fungus (decomposer) so will be found on […]
Bunchberry, a Beautiful and Valuable Wild Edible
Bunchberry (Cornus canadensis), or also known as creeping dogwood, is a perennial flowering subshrub species. This plant is native to East Asia, Russia, Northern USA, and Canada. Unlike its other relatives, bunchberry is a creeping plant that only grows to about 8” tall at most. In some parts of the world, this plant is considered […]
Redroot Pigweed, a Humble and Underrated Wild Edible
Redroot pigweed (Amaranthus retroflexus), also known as pigweed amaranth, is a common summer annual herb. This plant is native to the tropical Americas, but it has been introduced to also every continent in the world. In the US, this plant is mainly used as livestock fodder, especially for hogs and pigs, hence its name. Other […]
Sourwood Tree, Gorgeous Foliage and Tasty Flowers
Sourwood tree (Oxydendrum arboreum) is a small deciduous tree that’s native to eastern North America. This tree is especially common in Southeastern US. You can find them growing in oak-heath forests, near riverbanks, and along roadsides. This tree can easily be identified by their lush dark green foliage which turns a striking fiery red in […]
Wild Cucumber, Inedible Fruits but Great for Making Tea
Wild cucumber (Echinocystis lobata) is an annual vine plant that belongs to the cucumber family (Cucurbitaceae). Wild cucumber is native to North America. It’s well known for its prickly fruits, hence its other name, prickly cucumber. Also, did you know? There’s another plant that’s also called wild cucumber. The plant’s scientific name is Cucumis anguria. […]
Chickweed, a Delicious and Nutritious Weed
Chickweed is a common winter annual plant that grows all over Asia, Europe, and North America. The name chickweed itself actually doesn’t only apply to one particular plant. There are two species under the name this name, Stellaria media and Cerastium fontanum. The former is considered as the true chickweed while the latter is more […]
Ground Ivy, an Aromatic, Evergreen Wild Edible
Despite its name, ground ivy (Glechoma Hederacea) is actually not related to the true ivy. Instead, it’s actually a member of the mint family. This aromatic, evergreen plant grows perennially is many parts of the world. Native to Europe and Western Asia, it was carried over to North America by the settlers. In North America, […]
Henbit, The Elegant and Nutritious Wild Edible
Editor’s note: This article was originally published in September 2019. Updated April 2022. A member of the mint family, henbit (Lamium amplexicaule) is a commonly overlooked plant that’s often labeled simply as a weed. Known also as henbit deadnettle, this springtime plant is actually a very nutritious and abundant wild edible. The bright pink/purple flowers […]
Is Jewelweed A Good Poison Ivy Remedy? (Scientific Studies)
Jewelweed (Impatiens capensis) is a plant native to the northeastern and midwestern US. It has a long history of use medicinally by multiple Native American tribes. Its primary use medicinally is for an external application to rashes, particularly poison ivy. Poison ivy ( Toxicodendron radicans) often grows side by side with jewelweed. There are only […]
Wild Blackberries and Raspberries, a Diverse Group of Delicious Edibles
Do you know what Rubus is? It is a diverse genus of flowering plants in the Rosaceae family. Most Rubus plants are easily recognizable from their rough and prickly wood stems, much like the common thorny stems of rose plants. These stems are usually tangled, forming a bush called brambles. The fruits from a Rubus […]
Dandelion, a Surprisingly Beneficial Wild Edible
Who doesn’t know dandelions (Taraxacum officinale)? This lovely flower grows almost all around the world. You’ve likely blown fluffy dandelion balls at least once to make a wish during your childhood. Children love to blow on dandelion’s feathery light seeds into the wind, hoping that they would soar to the sky and make their wishes […]
Dead Nettle, an Overlooked yet Valuable Wild Edible
Editor’s note: This article was originally published in June 2019. Updated April 2022. A common sight in late winter and early spring, dead nettle (Lamium purpureum) is a greatly underrated plant. Other names include red dead nettle, purple archangel, and purple dead nettle. The “dead” part of its name isn’t as ominous as it may […]
Black Chokeberry, a Native Super Food
Despite its funny name, black chokeberry (Aronia melanocarpa) is a super healthy food that has been cultivated and consumed for thousands of years. It’s native to eastern North America, but due to its various uses, chokeberry bushes were later introduced to Europe as well. They’re easily recognized in the wild from their glossy dark green […]
Ramps, a Popular and Versatile Herb
Ramps (Allium tricoccum) are a wild onion species native to North America. While this woodland edible’s bulbs resemble that of a scallion, it has beautiful broad green leaves. It’s one of the earliest wild edibles to emerge in the spring and it’s a wonderful food source all year round. This herb is well-known among foragers […]
Maitake, the Wonderful King of Mushrooms
Maitake (Grifola frondosa) is a type of mushroom that’s native to China, Japan, and North America. To Westerners, maitake is often called hen of the woods and sheep’s head mushrooms. Despite being a native to North America as well, these mushrooms are more commonly found in Asian supermarkets throughout the US. The name Maitake itself […]
Black Medic, an Underrated and Useful Wild Edible
Black medic (Medicago lupulina) is often considered a weed and a mild nuisance in the garden. However, if you see this plant invading your garden, don’t immediately spray it with chemicals! Instead, you should actually be happy. This seemingly annoying weed is actually edible and rich in nutrients. It even has some wonderful medicinal qualities, […]