There are a ton of plants in your area that you can forage and eat, and they’re delicious. Whether it’s berries that you can eat as-is or use in deserts, or wild edibles that you can toss into a salad, we’ll tell you everything about how to recognize them and forage for them.
Nature furnishes us no shortage of helpful, nutritious plants, and many of them bear tasty fruit. Some of my very favorites are berries, and one of my current favorites happens to be elderberries. Yes, elderberries are toxic if you eat them raw, but so long as they are cooked and prepared properly, they have a […]
8 Elderberry Lookalikes to Easily Recognize Read More »
Chickweed is a plant that is loved and hated in equal measure. After spreading from Eurasia to the rest of the globe, it’s adored for its pretty, petite flowers and also as a salad vegetable in some places. But, it is persistent, fast growing and will readily take over cropland, gardens and any other disturbed
6 Chickweed Lookalikes to Easily Recognize Read More »
Yarrow is a plant with a storied history. Adored for its beauty, and said to bring good luck, it’s also coveted as a food, and for the production of practical goods. Impressive stuff from what most people would consider a weed! However, those dense clusters of tiny white and yellow flowers can be easily mistaken
7 Yarrow Lookalikes to Easily Recognize Read More »
One of the most interesting trees, or rather family of trees, in North America is the Sassafras. These pretty, fragrant trees are cultivated for food, to produce fragrance products, and also for decoration. A while back, they were even used to make the essential oil that gave root beer its distinctive flavor. Not anymore, but
7 Sassafras Lookalikes to Easily Recognize Read More »
No matter where you are in the world, chances are probably pretty good you will encounter plantains. No, I’m not talking about the cooking banana, but instead an herb that’s usually greeted as a weed. And boy, is it a persistent one! Plantain is infamous for growing absolutely anywhere, and all kinds of soils, and
6 Plantain Lookalikes to Easily Recognize Read More »
If morel mushrooms are the king of spring foraging, then Ramps are the prince. Ramps, ramsons, wild onions, wild garlic, regardless of their name, you are truly blessed if you find a patch in early spring. With easy identification, a unique flavor, and numerous uses, the gift of ramps in the spring is something I
Foraging for Ramps (Wild Leeks) From Digging To Cooking Them Read More »
Lamb’s Ear, Stachys byzantine, is a beautiful, soft-textured perennial that’s native to the Middle East and easy to grow in temperate areas all around the globe. It’s often used as an ornamental or edging plant, and its broad, thick silvery leaves are a lovely addition to any garden of exotic plants. The plant is said
So, Is Lamb’s Ear Edible? Read More »
Most folks who have a little bit of wilderness lore and experience under their belts know that nature provides us with countless edible plants, berries, mushrooms, nuts, and other foods if only we know where to look and what to pick. Foraging for wild edibles is a great way to get outdoors, enjoy some fresh
The 7 Hidden Dangers of City Foraging Read More »
Growing up on hiking trails, in campsites, and going to Scout meets every two or three weeks gave me a healthy respect for some of the dangers posed by Mother Nature. Wild lettuce (Lactuca virosa) is a plant that’s technically a weed. It’s a member of the dandelion family and has been used in traditional
6 Wild Lettuce Lookalikes to Watch Out For Read More »
Lady’s thumb (Persicaria maculosa) is a summer annual belonging to the buckwheat (polygonaceae) family. This adaptable smartweed grows abundantly throughout North America and Eurasia. In North America, the plant is considered an invasive species and farmers and gardeners work hard to prevent it and rid it from their fields. However, like many other weeds, it
Lady’s Thumb: Foraging, Safety and Uses Read More »
