Autumn Olive, A Common Invasive Edible Fruit
Autumn Olive (Elaeagnus umbellata) is an invasive shrub in central and eastern United States. It was introduced in the 1930s and promoted in the 1950s as a great food for wildlife. It is a great food for wildlife, and people, but it produces so much fruit that birds carry the seeds all over the central […]
Wild Cherry Tree, A Native American Necessity
Editor’s note: This article was originally published in September 2013. Updated April 2022. The name ‘wild cherry tree’ refers to a number of species in the genus Prunus. Some of the most common include the black cherry (Prunus serotina) and the chokecherry (Prunus virginiana), both of which are native to North America. There is also […]
Linden Tree – Abundant Edible Leaves and Flowers
If you can’t find a Linden Tree in the wild you can purchase seeds here: American Linden (Tilia americana) – 40 seeds Little Leaf Linden (Tilia cordata) – 40 seeds The American Linden Tree (Tilia americana) is a New England Native Tree that also goes by the name Basswood Tree. This article also applies to many other […]
Kousa Dogwood Fruit, Tropical Flavor in Temperate Climates
Editor’s note: This article was originally published in August 2013. Updated April 2022. Kousa dogwood (Cornus kousa) is a small tree or shrub native to Asia that is now a widely popular landscape plant in the US. And it’s easy to understand why… In Spring it will display a mass of delicate star-shaped flowers. And […]
Staghorn Sumac, Native American Lemonade
The first thing we think about when we hear the word sumac is the dreaded poison sumac. Just to clarify, the Sumac we are speaking of here is in the Genus: Rhus, the poison sumac is in the Genus Toxidendron, with Poison Ivy and Poison Oak. To make matters more confusing Poison Ivy, Oak and […]
Amelanchier, A Very Tasty Wild Edible Fruit
Why are wild fruits so Tasty? It all comes down to evolution. Plants evolved to make their fruit appealing to humans, because if we eat them then we spread their seeds, and humans evolved to enjoy such a nutritious snack, because it improves our health. The Amelanchier( Genus: Amelanchier ), more commonly known by many […]
Spicebush, A Warm Fall Woodland Spice
Spicebush(Lindera benzoin) is a shrub native to north eastern United States. It is a common woodland shrub that can be identified easily by the fragrance of its crushed leaves. The leaf shape is difficult to distinguish, especially for beginners. This plant produces red berries in summer which is a prized item for wildlife. The species […]