Geranium maculatum – Wild Geranium
Wild geranium (Geranium maculatum) is a native perennial that blooms late spring to early summer. Wild geranium, also known as “Crane’s bill geranium” can be found growing in dense patches in deciduous woodlands and meadows. It can also be easily cultivated in partial shade to full sun. The plant has deeply lobed leaves with […]
Phytolacca americana – Pokeweed
Pokeweed (Phytolacca americana) is a native perennial that is a traditional food of Native Americans and Southerners. Pokeweed can be found in fields, roadsides, and forest edges. It prefers disturbed soil in partial shade to full sun. Pokeweed starts to send up shoots in mid-spring. Shoots should only be harvested when they have tender, […]
Artemisia vulgaris L. – Mugwort
Mugwort (Artemisia vulgaris L.) is an invasive perennial plant that came from Europe. Mugwort can be found in fields, roadsides, and woodland edges that have partial to full sun. Its rhizomes exude a chemical that discourages growth of other plants. This allows mugwort to take over entire fields. Mugwort leaves have a green upper […]
Alliaria petiolata – Garlic Mustard
Garlic mustard (Alliaria petiolata) is an edible invasive plant in the mustard family. Garlic mustard can be found in human-disturbed areas, shaded field edges, and woodlands. It has the ability to take over woodlands and kill off 90% of all other herbaceous plants. Garlic mustard has no native predators and seeds can last up to […]
Magnolia spp. – Magnolia
Magnolia (Magnolia spp.) is one of the first blossoms to appear in the spring. The flowers bloom for 1-3 weeks before the leaves appear. Magnolia is a genus of over 200 flowering plant species. Although some species are native to eastern North America and South America, most species are native to Asia. Magnolia can be […]
Salix babylonica – Weeping Willow
Weeping Willow (Salix babylonica) is an edible and medicinal tree that came from Northern China. Willows are one of the first trees to bud in early spring. They can be found growing near water in full sun. Willows often form many small trunks due to their salicylic acid content which acts as a natural […]
Heracleum maximum – Cow parsnip
Cow Parsnip (Heracleum maximum) is a native perennial in the carrot (Apiaceae) family. Cow parsnip can be found along rivers, swamps, and forest edges. It prefers partial to full sun. Cow parsnip has 3-part, alternate, compound leaves with irregularly toothed and lobed margins. The leaves can grow to be 2 feet across at maturity. […]
Hylotelephium telephium – Stonecrop
Stonecrop (Hylotelephium telephium) is an edible perennial from Eurasia that can escape cultivation and naturalize in North America. Stonecrop can be found growing wild in sunny, dry areas. It has succulent leaves and fleshy stems. The plant produces pink, star-shaped flowers from late summer to early fall. Young stonecrop leaves are edible raw or cooked. […]
Cirsium vulgare – Bull Thistle
Bull Thistle (Cirsium vulgare) is an edible plant that is native to Eurasia. Bull thistle has become naturalized in North America and is now considered invasive in some areas. There are over 200 species of thistle in North America, 60 of which are native. Thistles are related to globe artichoke. They can be found in […]
Asarum canadense – Wild Ginger
Wild ginger (Asarum canadense) is a native perennial that can be found in moist woodlands. Wild ginger often forms dense colonies by rhizome. It can be found at the base of rocky slopes and along rivers. It prefers partial to full shade. Wild ginger has heart-shaped leaves that are usually in pairs. It produces […]
Allium canadense – Wild Onion
Allium canadense (Wild onion) is an edible native perennial. Wild onion, also known as “meadow garlic”, can be found in meadows, fields, forests, and lawns. It has solid leaves and grows from a bulb. Each flowering plant will have three leaves. The flowers bloom in late spring to summer and are white or pink. The […]
Stellaria media – Chickweed
Chickweed (Stellaria media) is a common edible green that was brought here from Europe. Chickweed can be identified by its teardrop-shaped leaves that grow opposite each other. It has a single line of hairs growing along its stem and white flowers with five petals (appears to be 10 petals due to its deep clefts). Chickweed […]
Persicaria longiseta – Oriental Lady’s Thumb
Oriental Lady’s Thumb (Persicaria longiseta) is an edible, non-native plant from Asia. It can be identified by its alternate leaves and small pink flowers. All above ground parts of oriental lady’s thumb are edible raw or cooked. It has a peppery taste. Oriental lady’s thumb might be confused with lady’s thumb (Persicaria maculosa) which has […]
Hypericum perforatum – St. John’s Wort
St. John’s Wort (Hypericum perforatum) is a non-native medicinal plant that usually flowers near the summer solstice. It can be found in sunny areas with dry, gravelly soil. St. John’s wort has five-petalled flowers with many stamens and narrow leaves which have tiny transparent dots. The flowers produce a red/purple substance when crushed called hypericin, […]
Filipendula ulmaria – Meadowsweet
Meadowsweet (Filipendula ulmaria) is a non-native edible and medicinal plant in the rose family that flowers in July. Meadowsweet can be identified by its reddish stem and creamy-white flowers with five petals. The flowers have a sweet, almondy scent. The flowers can be used to flavor mead or panna cotta. They can also be added […]
Comptonia peregrina – Sweet Fern
Sweet Fern (Comptonia peregrina) is a native shrub related to the bayberry plant. Sweet fern is not a true fern, as it produces seeds and flowers, unlike ferns which reproduce using spores. Sweet fern leaves have a nice aroma, but are tough, so are best used to flavor liquids. The leaves should then be […]
Matricaria discoidea – Pineapple weed
Pineapple weed (Matricaria discoidea) is an edible and medicinal native plant that is similar to chamomile. It can be identified by its unique cone-shaped flower heads that lack ray flowers. Pineapple weed can be found along trails in sunny areas from May-September. It has a pineapple-like taste and aroma. Pineapple weed can be eaten raw […]
Cichorium intybus – Common Chicory
Common chicory (Cichorium intybus) is a non-native edible and medicinal plant that can be found in sunny areas. The entire plant is edible, although it can be bitter. It is beneficial to eat bitter herbs, as they assist with digestion, weight management, and blood sugar regulation. Chicory has also been used to boost immunity and […]
Prunella vulgaris – Self-heal
Self-heal/ “Heal-all” (Prunella vulgaris) is a native edible and medicinal plant in the mint family. Self-heal can be identified by its opposite leaves, square stem, and purple flowers that appear mid-late summer. It is found in woodland edges and meadows. All above ground parts can be used as an edible or medicinal. It has a […]
Allium vineale – Field Garlic
Field Garlic (Allium vineale) is a non-native relative of chives that can be foraged in the colder months. Any leaves with a garlicky scent are edible. Field garlic leaves are thin and hollow. All parts of the plant are edible, including the leaves, bulb, and flowers. The bulb can be left in the ground […]