Common Mallow, a Wild Edible Often Found in Lawns
Common mallow (Malva neglecta), is an annual plant, very commonly thought of as a weed. Originally native to Europe and wide areas of Africa and Asia, mallow plants have spread throughout the world through trade and accidental transportation. Common mallow is found prolifically throughout the United States, however as a non-native plant it out competes […]
Bugleweed, Wild Edible and Alternative Herbal Remedy
Bugleweed (Lycopus spp.), is a genus of plants within the mint and nettle family Lamiaceae. The family contains just over 20 species throughout the world, with the majority of members native to the US. Other common names for plants in this genus include water horehound and gypsywort. Three of the most prolific species in the […]
Peppergrass, Abundant and with a Delicious Peppered Flavor
Peppergrass (Lepidium spp.), is the common name given to a collection of plants belonging to the Brassica family. The genus contains well over 200 species, native to all corners of the world. From remote Lord Howe island in Australia, to Hawaii. Overtime they have adapted and evolved into different species that suit their habitat. One […]
Wild Lettuce, Tasty Greens and Valued Herbal Remedies
Wild lettuce (Lactuca spp.) refers to a collective genus of plants from the daisy family ‘Asteraceae’. The most recognisable member of the lettuce genus is garden lettuce (Lactuca sativa), it is thought to have been originally cultivated from a weed into a food crop by the Eygptians. A number of cultivated varieties now exist and […]
Black Walnut, Grandiose and Medicinally Valuable
Black walnut (Juglans nigra), is a deciduous tree that can be found throughout the eastern, and midwestern states. Valued for its wood and the coveted walnuts, black walnut trees are a pioneer species that are fairly prolific in the wild. They are often cultivated for their wood and nuts simultaneously. Trading the wood gives growers […]
Cow Parsnip, Crisp Greens and a Surprisingly Aromatic Herb
Cow parsnips (Heracleum maximum), are a species of perennials native to the middle west and temperate north of the US and Southern Canada. With such an imposing scientific name, cow parsnips are a relatively unassuming and overlooked plant. Found in rich, moist soils, they thrive in a wide range of habitats with a particularly high […]
Day Lily, an Ornate and Versatile Edible
Day lily (Hemerocallis fulva), commonly known as orange day lily or tiger daylily, is a bright, showy and greatly recognisable perennial. They are a common feature across the US, although originally native to Asia. Day lilies have spread throughout the world, through trade and their use as an ornamental garden plant. It has a varied […]
Jerusalem Artichoke, Bold Flowers and Flavorful Tubers
Jerusalem artichoke (Helianthus tuberosus), is a perennial plant and a member of the sunflower family. Its bright yellow, and proudly standing flowers flaunting this fact. Other apt names include sunroot, sunchoke and the sweetly named earth apple. Native to the plains of the midwest and also stretching into the eastern states, the Jerusalem artichoke can […]
Honey Locust, Menacing Thorns Protecting a Sweet Treat
Honey Locust (Gleditsia triacanthos), is a deciduous tree and a member of the bean/pea family. It bears long seed filled pods in fall, of which the pulp is sweet and edible. Also commonly known as a thorny locust, this native American tree glows golden in the fall, but bears a menacing array of thorns. You’ll […]
Ash, a Wild Edible with a Threatened Future
Ash (Fraxinus spp.), refers to a collective genus of large flowering, deciduous trees. They can be found throughout the world, with a great number being native to North America. The white ash (Fraxinus americana) and green ash (Fraxinus pennsylvanica) are the most prolific ash species in the northeastern and midwestern states. Whilst the blue ash […]
Cleavers Bedstraw, an Edible Weed with a Diverse History
Cleavers Bedstraw (Galium aparine), is a herbaceous weed that we may be familiar with from childhood. It’s other common names include catchweed, stickyweed and grip grass, to name but a few. These names hint at its ability to grasp onto and stick to things. From the the long socks of a hiker, the wool of […]
Wild Strawberry, an Age-Old and Fruitful Favorite
Wild Strawberry (Fragaria spp.), a coveted wild edible favorite. The most commonly occurring species in the Northern hemisphere is the Fragaria vesca, otherwise known as the woodland or alpine strawberry. They grow prolifically in the wild throughout Europe, Russia, China and the United States. A species known as the common strawberry (Fragaria virginiana) is also […]
Fireweed, Love it or Hate it, a Bold and Versatile Herb
Fireweed (Erechtites hieraciifolius), is a herb that many will either love or hate. As a member of the daisy family, Asteraceae, it has a particularly pungent aroma and flavoring that can be an acquired taste. You may also see it being referred to as American burnweed and even pilewort, which hints at its past use […]
Persimmons, Succulent and Sweet Winter Fruits
Persimmon (Diospyros virginiana), is a tree that many may already be familiar with. A native to the forests and woodlands of northeastern and midwestern states. You may often hear it being referred to as American persimmon, eastern persimmon or even possum apples. The tree is deciduous, losing its leaves in winter and leaving only the […]
Chufa (Nut Grass), Sweet, Nutty and Nutritious Tubers
Chufa (Cyperus esculentus), is an annual sedge found throughout most of the world. Originally thought to be native to Africa, southern Europe and western Asia, it has now spread quite prolifically throughout the other continents. It is known by a number of other commonly used names such as nut grass, yellow nutsedge and water grass, […]
Hazelnuts, A Wild Favorite for Many Foragers
Hazelnuts (Corylus spp.) are the familiar produce of the hazel shrub. A deciduous plant that is native to southeast Canada and the Eastern US states. Two species can be found here, those being the beaked hazelnut (Corylus cornuta) and the American hazelnut (Corylus americana). The latter has the widest range, reaching across the midwestern states […]
Day Flower, A Dainty and Overlooked Wild Edible
Day flowers (Commelina spp.), are a group of flowering plants that inhabit all corners of the world, from Australia to Africa. The most prolific species are the Asiatic day flower (Commelina communis) and Benghal day flower (Commelina benghalensis). Both are originally native to wide areas of Asia, particularly China and India, however they have become […]
Spring Beauty, Dainty Flowers and a Tasty Potato Alternative
Spring Beauty (Claytonia virginica), or eastern spring beauty as its commonly called, is a small perennial plant native to the northeastern states. As its name suggests, it is an attractive and delicate plant bearing white flowers with streaks of magenta. Other delightful names include eastern spring-beauty, fairy spud and grass-flower. You’ll find them growing mainly […]
Ox-eye daisy, Simple Beauty with Edible Leaves and Flowers
Ox-eye daisies (Leucanthemum vulgare) are a species of flowering perennials that grow throughout the world. They are originally native to Europe and some areas of Asia with a cooler climate, however you’ll now find them growing prolifically in North America. They are also commonly known by the names dog daisy, field daisy and also moon […]
Thistle, Nutritious and Beautiful on the Inside
Thistles (Cirsium spp.), are a diverse group of plants, noted for their spiky and impenetrable exteriors. There are species native to each continent, and no matter where they grow, they are almost always treated as weeds. You may be surprised to learn that under that intimidating exterior lies a nutritious wild edible. In North America […]