Lemon Balm, the Refreshing and Fragrant Herb
Lemon balm (Melissa officinalis) is a perennial herb from the mint family. It’s native to the Mediterranean region and Central Asia, but it has been also naturalized in Europe, Asia, and America. The most distinctive feature of lemon balm is its refreshing fragrance that’s a mixture of citronella and mint. This plant typically grows up […]
Corn Salad, a Tasty and Nutritious Wild Edible
The inconspicuous corn salad plant (Valerianella locusta) was once considered a weed. It’s native to Europe, northern Africa, and western Asia where they can be found growing freely in grain fields. In fact, the name corn salad came from the fact that this plant usually grows as a weed in corn fields. But in the […]
Comfrey, Slightly Toxic but Holds So Many Health Benefits
With high nutrition contents, the common comfrey (Symphytum officinale) is very popular among herbalists. This herb has exceptional medicinal properties. There’s a catch, though. This herb is slightly toxic. But its health benefits greatly outweigh its drawbacks. This plant is part of the borage family and it’s native to Europe. Comfrey grows in other places […]
Catmint, a Useful and Irresistible Herb
Editor’s note: This article was originally published in May 2019. Updated April 2022. As its name implies, the catmint plant can be irresistible for cats. This perennial herb is known to induce a mild euphoria in animals, especially cats. Catmint is part of the mint family and there are several species that are native […]
Bee Balm, Great for Bees and Humans Alike
The bee balm plant (Monarda didyma) is a perennial native to North America. This plant is especially common in the Eastern US and can be found growing in woodlands area and along stream banks. They typically grow up to around 2’ to 4’ tall and clump together in a cluster. Most people recognize this plant […]
Borage, the Lovely and Tasty Starflower
The Borage herb (Borago officinalis) is a Mediterranean native that is also commonly found in different parts of Europe and in the UK. Borage can typically grow to be 2’ to 3’. Many people can recognize this herb from its beautiful star-shaped flowers. They are typically blue, but white and pink variants also exist. As […]
Hen of the Woods – Powerful Medicinal and Edible Mushroom
Editor’s note: This article was originally published in October 2018. Updated April 2022. The hen of the woods mushroom (Grifola frondosa) is one of the most, if not the most, commonly foraged mushrooms in the northeastern United States. Also often known as the maitake mushroom, hen of the woods is native to both the United […]
Cottonwood Buds are Medicinal, Leaves are Edible
Cottonwood Tree The eastern cottonwood tree (Populous deltoides) is a native North American tree that is common in eastern and central United States as well as southern Canada. Many people recognize this tree from the cottony substance that falls from the trees in early summer. This “cotton” acts as a sail to move the seeds as far […]
Hawthorn, an Ornamental Tree With Edible Fruit
Washington hawthorn tree (Crataegus phaenopyrum) is a common ornamental landscape tree in the Eastern and Central United States. The genus Crataegus is a large genus including many species referred to as hawthorn tree, hawthorn apple thornapple, maytree, whitethorn and hawberry. Although this article focuses on the washington hawthorn tree the information here applies to many other species in the […]
Spruce – Surprisingly Edible Abundant Evergreen Tree
Editor’s note: This article was originally published in June 2014. Updated April 2022. Spruce trees (Genus: Picea) are a very abundant tree across the globe, especially in northern areas. In the United States, a common non-native species is the Norway Spruce (Picea Abies), and two of our native American species are White Spruce (Picea glauca) […]
Multiflora Rose, An Invasive But Nutritious Wild Edible
Roses are one of the most popular plants known to mankind. Their history as a cultivated plant goes back at least 5000 years. The Multiflora Rose (Rosa multiflora), also known as Japanese Rose is a native Asian rose that has become invasive in many parts of the United States and Canada. The edibility and medicinal […]
Eastern White Pine, An Effective Remedy For The Common Cold
Eastern White Pine (Pinus strobus) is a common native forest and landscape tree in the eastern half of the United States. The Pines (Genus: Pinus) are a prolific genus of trees and shrubs including slightly more than 100 species. This particular species is a long lived tree, some exceptional specimens have been estimated to be […]
Canadian Hemlock, A Hot Winter Tea
Canadian Hemlock(Tsuga canadensis), also known as Eastern Hemlock is a large forest tree native to North Eastern United States and parts of Canada. There are other species in the same genus that grow in the western part of the continent, this article generally applies to those species as well. Canadian Hemlock is an evergreen tree […]
Surprisingly, Smoking Tobacco From A Pipe May Have Health Benefits
our facebook page for additional articles and updates. Follow us on Twitter @EatThePlanetOrg Why Are We Told That Smoking Is So Bad For Us? Because smoking cigarettes is. It harms almost every organ in your body. It causes 20% of all deaths in the united states annually. Cigarettes often contain poisons such as acetone, ammonia, […]
Sassafras, An Illegal Substance That Grows Wild In Our Back Yards
Sassafras Tree Sassafras is the primary ingredient in traditional root beer as well as being used in the production of MDMA(ecstasy) and MDA. Sassafras tree (Sassafras albidum) is a very common native plant in the Eastern United States. It is often seen in clumps of weedy saplings, but as sassafrases mature they can grow to be large trees. There […]
What is the story behind the banning of Safrole?
Safrole which is a unique substance in Sassafras can not be found in significant quantity in any food products sold in the united states today. On the surface it looks like a clear and simple reason. Official Reason behind the banning of Safrole In the 1950s in a government study, Safrole had been force fed […]
Eastern Red Cedar Berries, A Touch of Natural Flavor
Editor’s note: This article was originally published in December 2013. Updated April 2022. Eastern red cedar (Juniperus virginiana) is a very common native plant in Eastern North America. The common name can be slightly misleading as it’s technically not a true cedar but a juniper. These tall, slim trees with their waxy, light blue-colored berries […]
Turkey Tail, A Powerful Medicinal Mushroom
Turkey Tail Mushroom (Trametes versicolor) is a very common mushroom that can be found all over the world. It is a decayer of wood and the mushrooms last a long time, often living into the winter. Turkey Tail Mushroom is an ancient indigenous medicine for different cultures around the world. It can be found growing […]
Wild Garlic, A Great Addition to Foraged Meals
There are a number of plants that go by the name wild garlic, this article focuses on a very common species, Allium vineale which is also called crow garlic. This species has been introduced from Europe and Africa. Onions, Leeks, Garlic, and Shallots all are in the genus Allium and there are multiple wild plants […]
Mission Statement
Our Mission is To teach and learn about all the edible things this earth has to offer and why eating an extremely diverse diet is better for people and planet. Eating wild edibles has historically been one of the most important skills a person could have. It has been ingrained in the culture of mankind […]