EDIBLE PLANTS OF NEW ENGLAND - Herbaceous Plants
Note: This pamphlet does not replace the need for a reliable feel guide in the positive identification of plants meant for consumption.
Amaranth/Redroot (Amaranthus retroflexus and A. hybridus) Amaranth family (Amaranthaceaea) - disturbed soil,
waste places. Coarse, hairy weeds with stout stems and reddish roots; leaves dull green, ovate, long-stalked; raw in
salads, steamed, sauteed, or simmered; flower clusters dense, bristly; seeds winnowed and made into high-protein flour.
Caution: amaranth absorbs nitrates and pesticides; avoid plants growing in overly fertilized or polluted soil.
Arrowheads/Duck-Potatoes/Wapato (Sagittaria spp.) Water-plantain family (Alismataceae) - fresh-water aquatic
plant. Flowers on flowering stalks arranged in whorls of three, each with three rounded, white petals; leaves variably
shaped, often with long pointed lobes; tubers potato-like, at ends of long runners, freed from mud with hoe or rake and
allowed to float to surface - cooked as potatoes.
Asparagus, Wild (Asparagus officinalis) Lily family (Liliaceae) - meadows, old farmsteads. Tall branching plants with
feathery light-green needle-like foliage; flowers tiny, greenish-yellow; berries small, spherical, red; stalks gathered in
early spring, more flavorful than commercial asparagus. Caution: stalks over 10-12” long are mildly toxic.
Burdock/Gobo (Arctium lappa) Daisy family (Asteraceaee) - roadsides, fields, stream banks, waste places. Biennial;
leaves in first year basal rosettes very large (2 feet long, one foot across), rough, slightly woolly, with whitish undersides;
second-year flower stalks bushy; flowers numerous, purple, thistle-like; seeds hard, crescent-shaped, in globular, bristly
burs; flower stalks picked young, while still tender and bendable, and peeled – piths (“cardunes”) eaten raw or parboiled
for 1 minute, then cooked in casseroles as artichoke hearts; roots of first-year plants dug in June or July, scrubbed,
sliced, simmered 20 minutes (or sauteed the first 10 minutes, then steamed), in soups, stews, and stir-fries.
Cattails (Typhus latifolia and T. angustifolia) Cattail family (Typhaceae) – marshes, ponds, wet places. Tall plants with
furry, brownish cigar-shaped seed heads; hearts of stalks (“Cossack asparagus”) picked in spring, eaten raw or cooked
like zucchini. Caution: do not confuse with poisonous daffodil and iris shoots, which have similar leaves; cattail shoots
are much taller and have an odorless, tender, white inner core that tastes sweet, mild, and pleasant. Also, forage only in
wetlands unpolluted by pesticides or other contaminants. Green male flowering spikes positioned above the larger, more
familiar female “cat-tails” gathered in late spring, peeled and cooked for 2 minutes, tasting like corn; golden pollen of
male flower heads harvested in late spring by shaking into bags, used as high-protein flour; horn-shaped sprouts forming
at rhizome tips in late summer used as potatoes.
Chickweeds Pink family (Caryophyllaceae) – gardens, yards, disturbed areas, waste places. Small plants, often forming
dense stands; leaves tiny, oval, growing in pairs; stems elastic; flowers tiny, white, long-stalked. Common Chickweed:
leaves long-stemmed; stems with lines of fine white hairs along only one side at a time; flowers deeply cleft, 5-petaled
(appearing 10-petaled); entire aboveground plants harvested year-round, eaten raw in salads and sandwiches or washed
and steamed with no additional water. Star Chickweed: leaves stalkless, broad; flower petals cleft halfway, longer than
sepals. Mouse-Ear Chickweed: leaves oval, stalkless, hairy; stems sticky-hairy. Both Stellaria species eaten raw in
salads or sandwiches; all three chickweeds steamed as greens, in vegetable dishes.
Chicory (Cichorium intybus) Daisy family (Asteraceaee) – fields and waysides. Perennial with basal rosette of
dandelion-like leaves (though not as deeply lobed) the first year; second year stalks scraggly, with sky-blue dandelion-like
flowers; plants exuding white sap when cut; leaves raw in salads or cooked for greens in spring or fall; roots scrubbed,
roasted at 300 degrees for two hours and ground, used as non-caffeinated, relaxing “coffee”.
Cleavers/Goosegrass (Galium aparine) and Wild Madder (G. mollugo) Madder Family (Rubiaceae) – rich moist soil,
thickets, woods, waste places. Reclining perennials; stems square, scratchy, with recurved bristles (cleavers) or smooth
(wild madder); leaves small, narrow, mostly in whorls of eight; tender young shoots cooked for vegetable or cooked and
chilled for salads; flowers tiny, white, 4-petaled, on slender stalks in leaf axils; fruits tiny, 2-lobed, dry, bristly – slowroasted and ground for coffee.
John Root, Naturalist
www.johnroot.net
Illustrations are reproductions from Lee Peterson’s “A Field Guide to Edible Wild Plants of Eastern/Central North America”
-2Clovers (Trifolium spp.) Pea family (Fabaceae) – Plants with trifoliate leaves and pea-like flowers, including white clover,
buffalo clover, and sweet clovers. Dried flower heads used for delicate, healthful tea (can mix with other herbs); dried
flower heads and seeds ground into nutritious flour. Caution: many plants in the pea family are poisonous; be positive
about species identification.
Coltsfoot (Tussilago farfara) Daisy family (Asteraceaee) – streambanks, riverbanks, wet places, disturbed soil.
Perennials; flower stalks with reddish scales appearing before leaves in spring; flowers yellow, with ray and disc florets;
leaves rounded to heart-shaped, toothed, cottony-white underneath, on long leaf stalks – fresh or dried leaves steeped for
nutritious tea with many medicinal uses (excellent for cough and colds); flowers, flower stalks, and young leaves steamed,
sauteed, in soups, or deep-fried.
Daisy, Oxeye (Chrysanthemum leucanthemum) Daisy family (Asteraceaee) - fields and waysides. Biennials; flowers 2
inches across, central discs yellow, depressed in middle; leaves smooth, narrow, dark green, irregularly lobed. Young
(lighter green) leaves, flower buds, and flowers are sweet, succulent, and spicy, eaten in salads. Caution: do not confuse
with poisonous daisy fleabane, which has much smaller flowers and petals and foul-tasting leaves.
Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) Daisy family (Asteraceaee) - gardens, lawns, fields. Perennial; leaves deeply cleft, to
12 inches long; composite flower heads with many yellow ray flowers, eaten raw in salads or sauteed (after bitter green
sepals removed); seedballs downy, white; all plant parts exuding white sap. Leaves (and flower buds still nestled in the
rosettes of leaves) gathered before flowers emerge or after a frost, eaten raw in salads, steamed or sauteed(leaves steeped
for tea year-round); roots cooked as vegetable or roasted like chicory for soothing and healthful coffee substitute.
Dayflower, Asiatic (Commelina communis) Spiderwort family (Commelinaceae) – roadsides, gardens, edges, waste
places. Perennial erect or reclining invasive weeds; flowers three-petaled, the lower petal smaller and supporting the
stamens, electric blue, blooming only for a day; heart-shaped spathes positioned below flowers; leaves parallel-veined,
pointed; leaves, flowers and young shoots eaten raw or cooked; sweet-tasting with a mucilaginous texture.
Daylily (Hemerocallis fulva) Lily family (Liliaceae) – gardens, roadsides, fields. Leaves sword-like, parallel-veined,
growing in dense stands – harvested in early spring, eaten raw in salads, sautéed, steamed, stir-fried, deep-fried, baked,
simmered in soups, or pickled; rhizomes (underground stems) gathered all seasons, cooked for vegetable; flowers large,
showy, 6-petaled, orange or yellow, blooming only for a day, harvested the day before (as buds) or the day after blooming,
discarding each flower’s acrid, green base – raw in salads, in hot-and-sour soup, or deep-fried. Caution: Do not confuse
with poisonous lilies, which have bulbs. Daylilies (especially the raw shoots) can cause digestive distress in about 1 out of
50 people.
Dock, Curly/Yellow Dock (Rumex crispus) Buckwheat family (Polygonaceae) – common in disturbed habitats and
fields. Leaves long, lance-shaped, coarse, hairless, with wavy margins, often with red midribs, in rosettes in early spring,
eaten raw in salads when very young; older basal leaves, stalk leaves, and peeled flower stalks cooked as vegetable;
flowering stalks encircled by dense clusters of tiny, inconspicuous, green flowers; fruits hard, brown; taproots long, yellow
sometimes branched.. Long yellow taproots used for bitter tea to detoxify the body and for liver or skin ailments.
Evening Primrose (Oenothera biennis) Evening primrose family (Onagraceae) – dry soil, roadsides, waste places. Tall
biennials, to 5 feet. Stems erect, stout, soft-hairy, reddish and branching; basal leaves rough-hairy, raggedy, lanceolate,
with whitish midribs, smelling and tasting of peppers and radishes, to 6 inches long – simmered 10 minutes in soups or
dried or ground into flour for savory dishes; second year flower stalks erect, reddish, stout, with alternate leaves; flowers
bright yellow with cross-shaped stigmas, four-petaled, about 2-1/2 inches in diameter, strongly scented, opening in the
evening and closing during the day; fruits oblong, one inch long capsules containing many tiny reddish seeds; taproots
elongated, fibrous, reddish or pinkish on the top. Flowers, buds and young seed pods steamed; seeds roasted 15-20 minutes
at 350 degrees, used on bread, in salad, or sprinkled over any dish like pepper; first year roots pungent, radish-like –
pickled, eaten raw, steamed, in soups (parboiled for milder flavor).
-3Fern, Ostrich (Matteucia struthiopteris) Fern family (Polypodiaceae) – our only native edible fern - streambanks, open
woods, swamp edges. Mature ferns in graceful vaselike clumps from stout scaly rootstocks; fruiting fronds stiffly erect,
resembling thick feathers; fiddleheads tightly coiled, rich emerald-green, covered with large, papery, brown scales –
gathered in May, boiled for 15 minutes or steamed for 10-12 minutes before eating. Caution: unfurled fronds and
undercooked fiddleheads are poisonous.
Garlic Mustard (Alliaria officinalis) Mustard family (Brassicaceae) – open woodlands, disturbed soil. Erect biennial,
smelling of garlic; basal leaves dark green, heart-shaped, scallop-edged, deeply veined, long-stalked, up to 5” across,
edible from late fall to early spring; stem leaves smaller and more triangular; stalk with white four-petaled flowers
followed by long, narrow seedpods. Sprouts and stalk leaves eaten raw in salads; all leaves steamed, simmered, or
sautéed (cooked no longer than five minutes). Large whitish fleshy taproots tasting like horseradish on large-leaved
plants harvested late fall to early spring, used like horseradish, grated into vinegar.
Goldenrod, Sweet (Solidago odora) Daisy family (Asteraceae) - dry open woods, roadbanks. Annual, to 3 feet tall;
flowers small, yellow, 3-5 rayed, in showy plumelike clusters; leaves slender, parallel-veined, toothless, with tiny
transparent dots visible when held up to the sun, smelling like anise; tea made of fresh or dried leaves or flowers.
Greenbriers (Smilax spp.) Lily family (Liliaceae) - green-stemmed, thorny vines; tendrils originating in leaf axils;
leaves parallel-veined; flowers small, greenish; fruits blue-black, dusted with powder, usually 2-seeded; young shoots,
young leaves, and tendrils eaten raw in salads or cooked as asparagus.
Japanese Knotweed (Polygonum cuspidatum) Buckwheat family (Polygonaceae) - waste places. Tall, shrublike plant
growing in dense, coarse-stemmed stands; stems mottled green, dusted with white powder, hollow, bamboo-like, with
enlarged joints encased in papery sheaths; leaves broadly ovate with pointed tips and squarish bases; flowers greenish
white, profuse, in slender fingerlike clusters in leaf axils. Young shoots pealed and eaten raw or steamed 5 minutes, used
as asparagus or rhubarb.
Jerusalem Artichoke (Helianthus tuberosus) Daisy family (Asteraceae) - roadsides, waste areas. Tall, coarse
sunflower; stems rough-hairy; leaves rough, upper leaves alternate, lower leaves opposite, occasionally 3-whorled;
flowers with yellow central disks; tubers large, crisp, sweet, terminating slender runners radiating from plant bases,
eaten raw in salads, boiled or roasted (a good potato substitute for diabetics); harvested throughout fall and winter
whenever ground is unfrozen.
Jewelweed/Touch-me-not (Impatiens spp.) Touch-me-not family (Balsaminaceae) - shady, damp areas, stream banks.
Tall annuals with succulent, knobby stems; leaves silvery under water; orange or yellow spurred flowers dangling from
slender stalks; seedpods ejecting seeds when triggered by touch (seeds edible as nibbles). Juice from repeatedly crushed
plants prevents rash from developing after exposure to poison ivy, and is also an effective treatment for poison ivy rash
and the sting of nettles. Juice released from plants can be frozen for use any time of year.
Lady’s Thumb/Redleg (Polygonum persicaria) Buckwheat family (Polygonaceae) - waste places. Erect or sprawling
weed, to 24 inches tall; mature stems reddish, with papery sheaths at each joint; leaves narrow, with dark triangular
“thumbprint” markings; flowers tiny, pink; leaves and flowers eaten raw in salads, steamed, sauteed, or in soups.
Caution: contains oxalic acid, which interferes with calcium absorption - avoid if you have kidney stones, rheumatism,
or gout.
Lamb’s Quarters / Pigweed / Goosefoot (Chenopodium album) Lamb’s Quarters Family (Chenopodiaceae) - in
gardens and other disturbed habitats. Branching annual, to 5+ feet; stems slender, grooved, often red-tinged at leaf axils;
leaves diamond-shaped with scalloped/toothed margins (reminiscent of a goose’s footprint), long-stalked, alternate,
simple, virtually odorless, mealy white underneath, the young leaves densely covered with a whitish, granular powder that
rubs off easily, all leaves; flowers tiny, green, in spikes at plant tip; seeds numerous, shiny, black. Shoots gathered under
10 inches, leaves and flowers of taller plants all year long, in salads and as cooked vegetable - nutritious and delicious.
Caution: lamb’s quarters absorbs nitrates and pesticides; avoid plants in overly fertilized or polluted soil. Also, avoid
red-spotted, infected leaves.
-4Marsh Marigold/Cowslip (Caltha palustris) Buttercup family (Ranunculaceaea) - streams, swamps. Leaves deep
green, glossy, broadly heart-shaped; stems stout, hollow, succulent; flowers buttercup-like, large, with 5-9 shiny deep
yellow petal-like sepals. Young leaves collected before plant has finished flowering, cooked 20-30 minutes in 2-3 changes
of boiling water, seasoned with butter or cider vinegar. Caution: older and uncooked leaves poisonous.
Milkweed (Asclepias syriaca) Milkweed family (Asclepiadaceaea) - fields, meadows, roadsides. Thick-stemmed,
unbranched annual, 3-5 feet tall, containing bitter, white sticky latex or milk; leaves thick, velvety, toothless, elliptical,
opposite, downy underneath, tapering to a rounded point at each end, 4-9 inches long, 2 - 4 ½ inches wide; stems with tiny
hairs; flower buds in broccoli-like heads; flowers long-stemmed, purple-pink, fragrant, five-parted, in globular, often
drooping clusters; mature seed pods warty, 4 inches long; seeds with radiating silky filaments serving as parachutes;
young shoots less than 8 inches tall, flower buds, or soft, young pods boiled in two changes of water (pods tasting like
sweet string beans); flowers parboiled one minute, made into fritters or added to soups, stew, or casseroles for refreshing,
perfumed flavor. Do not over-harvest if plants are locally rare. Caution: milky sap can cause rash. Also, do not confuse
with poisonous dogbane, which has a hairless stem, or poisonous butterfly weed, which has clear sap.
Mints: Mint family (Lamiaceae) - Perrennials with opposite leaves, square stems, and bilaterally symmetrical flowers,
often strong-smelling, including bergamots, catnip, curled mint, ground ivy, lemon balm, mountain-mints,
peppermint, spearmint, and wood-mints; fresh or dried leaves steeped for tea; many medicinal uses.
Mullein (Verbascum thapsus) Snapdragon Family (Scrophulariaceae) - poor fields, waste places. Biennial, to 8 feet;
leaves toothless, densely woolly, gray-green - vitamin-rich tea from fresh or dried leaves with many medicinal uses,
including relief from coughs, colds, and sore throats; flowers on second year flower stalks yellow, five-petaled; fruits
pointed, elongate, globular, 5-parted woody capsules.
Nettle, Stinging (Urtica spp.) and Wood-Nettle Laportea canadensis) Nettle family (Urticaceae) - in rich soil and
disturbed habitats. Plants covered with tiny stinging hairs that produce intense pain followed by redness and skin irritation
(jewelweed, dock, and plantain are helpful in treating nettle stings). Stinging nettle stems ribbed, hollow, to 4 feet tall;
leaves somewhat oval, long-stalked, dark-green, opposite, with rough, papery texture, coarse-toothed, tips pointed, bases
heart-shaped; flowers tiny, green, hanging in clusters from leaf axils of female plants or in diagonally upright strands
poised at tops of male plants. Wood-nettle in rich moist soil, woods, streambanks - has fewer stinging hairs than Urtica
and terminal as well as axillary flowers. Young shoots and leaves of both species stripped off (with gloves or bags) before
plants flower in spring, washed and steamed (with no water added, in soups, or creamed; fresh or dried leaves for
nourishing, medicinal tea. Caution: older leaves may be bad for the kidney.
Onions (Allium spp.) Lily family (Liliaceae) - Field garlic (A. vineale) has hollow basal leaves, while the leaves of wild
garlic (A. canadense) are flattened; nodding wild onion (A. cernuum) has a flowering stalk with a bending tip and no
bulblets; wild leek (A. tricoccum) has broad waxy light-green leaves. Bulbs and greens used in any recipe calling for
onions; wild garlic bulblets pickled. Caution: many poisonous lilies resemble onions, but none have the onion or garlic
smell. Also, onions absorb heavy metals from the soil, so gather far from well-travelled roads.
Plantains (Plantago spp.) Plantain family (Plantaginaceae) - lawns, well-trod places. Common plantain (P. major):
leaves broad, parallel-ribbed, in basal rosettes, on long, fibrous leafstalks; flowers tiny, greenish-white, with transparent
paper-thin petals, on single stalks; seeds in tiny green or brown capsules. Long-leaf plantain (P. lanceolata): leaves long,
narrow, lancelike, more erect; flower stalks wiry, with short, stubby, hairy cylindrical flower heads. Young leaves eaten
raw or cooked, older leaves boiled for vegetable stock. Plantain infusions and poultices have many medicinal uses.
Pokeweed (Phytolacca americana) Pokeweed family (Phytolaccaceaea) - fields, waste areas. Much-branching perennial
to12 feet tall; stems stout, with chambered piths; leaves emerald-green, oval, untoothed, stalked, alternate, 8-12 inches
long; flowers with green centers and 5 petal-like sepals on 6-8 inch long terminal racemes; berries dark purple, 1/3 inch,
filled with tiny seeds, indented (“poked”); shoots less than 8 inches tall plunged into boiling water and cooked for one
minute, drained, boiled another minute in fresh water, drained again, cooked an additional 15 minutes for delicious
vegetable. Caution: all plant parts are dangerously poisonous; parboiling of young shoots is necessary to remove the
poison.
-5Purslane (Portulacca oleracea) Portulacca family (Portulaccaceae) - rich, sandy soils, waste places. Reclining annual;
stems reddish-green, thick, smooth, succulent, creeping - breaded and added to casseroles or used for pickling; leaves
fleshy, mucilaginous, paddle-shaped, toothless, stalkless, to 2 inches long, at ends of branches, with sweet-sour flavor,
raw in salads or cooked (thickening soups and stews like okra); flowers tiny, pale yellow, 5-pealed, 2-sepaled; 1/4 long
capsules with dehiscent tops; seeds tiny, dark red to black mustard-sized, placed in bags for a few weeks and winnowed,
used as cereal, in granola, as poppy seeds, or ground into flour and used with whole-grain flours in baking.
Sorrell, Sheep (Rumex acetosella) Buckwheat family (Polygonaceae) - Leaves soft-textured, long-stemmed, with two
opposite narrow lobes adjacent to bases, eaten raw in salads or as a trail nibble, cooked in sorrel soup; flowering stalk
lop-sided, smooth, slender, to 20 inches, with many tiny, reddish flowers on long, narrow spikes; fruits inconspicuous,
shiny, yellow-brown, enclosed in papery calyxes. Caution: contains oxalic acid - avoid if you have kidney stones,
rheumatism, or gout.
Sorrell, Wood / Shamrock (Oxalis spp.) Wood sorrel family (Oxalidaceae) - Moist, partially shaded areas. Leaves with
three inversely clover-like leaflets folding along the midribs in adverse conditions, sour-tasting; eaten raw in salads,
added to soups, or steeped 10 minutes in hot water, chilled, and sweetened to taste with honey or sugar for refreshing and
nourishing tea or cold drink; flowers five-petaled, violet or yellow. Caution: contains oxalic acid - avoid if you have
kidney stones, rheumatism, or gout.
Strawberry, Wild (Fragaria virginiana) Rose family (Rosaceaea) - moist, rocky woods and openings. Creeping plant
spreading by horizontal runners; leaves long-stalked, three-parted, compound, dried for pleasant tea; flowers white, with
five white petals on separate stalks; berries smaller than commercial strawberries but incredibly sweet and delicious.
Thistle, Bull (Cirsium canadense) Daisy family (Asteraceae) - fields, waste places. Perennial; basal leaves dark-green,
spiny, long, irregularly lobed; second year plants with stout, spiny stems, flowers purple, in shaving brush-like heads with
spiny bracts; flower stalks trimmed with a knife (and heavy-duty gloves!) mid to late spring for celery-flavored vegetable.
Thistle, Common Sow (Sonchus oleraceus) Daisy family (Asteraceae) - disturbed soil, roadsides, fields, near seashore.
Flower stalks to 8 feet tall, hairless, containing white, milky sap; leaves long, sharp-pointed, stalked, clasping the stem;
flowers dandelion-like, but smaller; leaves collected in early spring and in late fall after first frost for salads, soups, and
casseroles.
Violet (Viola spp.) Violet family (Violaceae) - meadows, damp woods, trail edges. Leaves in basal rosettes, stalked,
shallow-toothed, heart-shaped, up to 5 inches across, gathered in spring; tender young leaves in salads; older leaves
steamed, sauteed, and in vegetable dishes. Flowers bilaterally symmetrical, with 2 of the five petals "bearded" - eaten
raw in salads or cooked. Caution: underground rhizomes are poisonous.
Wild Carrot/Queen Anne's Lace (Daucus carota) Carrot family (Apiaceae) - dry fields, disturbed soil. Biennials; first
year leaves in basal rosettes, lacy, branching, finely divided, feather-compound, with hairy leafstalks, smelling of carrots,
in salads, soups, or soup stock; second year stalks to 3 feet, hairy; flowers tiny, white, in flat-topped clusters, often with
single tiny, dark-purple flower in the center, in salads or soups, or sauteed; seeds contained in a "bird's nest", collected
when green, used as caraway; mature seeds steeped for healthful tea; roots like pale carrots, stronger flavored and
chewier - gathered in early spring and fall, used in soups and for carrot cake. Caution: do not confuse with poisonous
water hemlock, a tall many-branched sweet-smelling perennial growing in swamps or wet ground, or poison hemlock,
with hairless, purple-mottled stems and bad-smelling taproots.
Wild Lettuce (Lactuca spp.) Daisy family (Asteraceae) - disturbed habitats, open fields, thickets, openings in woods.
Annuals with white, milky sap; basal leaves long, lance-shaped, with lighter midribs. Hairy lettuce (L. hirsuta) leaves
have hairs on their undersides, while prickly lettuce (L. scariola) leaves have prickles and wild lettuce (L. canadensis) is
hairless, with light green leaves and stems powdered with a blue-green, waxy bloom; leaves of all species are variable in
shape, some deeply lobed, others barely toothed. Scraggly flower stalks from 1-10 feet tall, flowers small, yellow, arising
from branching stalks at the top of the stem. Leaves gathered soon after the rosette appears in early spring, used like
dandelion or chicory, raw or cooked, or as calming tea; sap applied to rashes, warts and acne.
-6Winter Cress (Barbarea vulgaris) Mustard family (Brassicaceae) - moist soil, waste places, muddy places. Leaves in
basal rosettes, smooth-stemmed, glossy, dark-green, toothless, hairless, deeply lobed, picked from late fall to early spring
for pungent cooked greens; flower stalks to 2 ½ feet tall, branching; flower buds cooked as broccoli; flowers yellow, fourpetaled, in terminal clusters.
Wintergreen (Gaultheria procumbens) Heath family (Ericaceae) - poor, acidic soil in woods, bogs, and clearings. Lowgrowing evergreen plant; leaves shiny, thick, slightly toothed, leathery, oval, 1-2 inches long, lighter underneath (young
leaves yellow-green, tinged with rusty red; older leaves dark-green), with spicy fragrance, clustered at the top of heavy,
almost woody stems arising from a perennial stem that creeps along or just below the surface; flowers tiny, solitary or
paired, bell-shaped, with five-lobed petals and five sepals, on drooping stalks from leaf axils; berries bright red, solitary,
1/3 inch across, persisting through winter, for jam or in fruit shakes; leaves and berries steeped for a soothing, warming
tea.
Yarrow/Staunchweed (Achillea millefolium) Daisy family (Asteraceae) - fields, waste places, seashores. Aromatic
perennial, 1-3 feet tall; leaves narrow, wooly, finely cut, stalked, in basal rosettes; flowering stalks with sessile leaves,
topped by clusters of small, 5-rayed composite flowers; infusion of leaves, stems, and flowers for tea with many medicinal
uses.
EDIBLE PLANTS OF NEW ENGLAND - Woody Plants
Apple/Crabapple (Malus spp.) Rose family (Rosaceae) - Small gnarled trees to 30 feet; leaves slightly toothed, oval,
somewhat woolly underneath; bark gray, scaly; flowers white-pink, showy, five-petaled, gathered in spring for salads;
fruits variable in size and color, harvested July to November - raw, in baked goods, boiled and strained for applesauce,
pressed for cider.
Autumn Olive (Eleagnus umbellata) Oleaster family (Elaeagnaceae) - Invasive, spreading shrubs to 8 feet tall; twigs
speckled; silvery-green; leaves speckled, pointed, two inches in length; flowers small, four-petalled, yellow, tube-shaped,
fragrant, hanging from leaf axils in mid-May; fruits red with silvery dots, pea-sized, with oblong, yellowish seeds;
gathered in late fall (best after frost) and eaten raw or simmered in their own juice for applesauce-like spread or pudding.
Bayberry (Myrica spp.): Northern bayberry (M. pensylvanica, Common Wax Myrtle (M. cerifera), Sweet Gale (M.
gale) Bayberry family (Myricaceae) - coastal, wet places. Low, strongly aromatic shrubs with gray bark; leaves nearly
toothless, oblong - fresh or dried, used as seasoning like bay leaves in soups and stews (Caution: remove leaves after
cooking - they are tough and sharp, can cause internal injury); flowers inconspicuous, on branches below leafy tips;
berries gray, hard, waxy.
Beach Plum (Prunus maritima) Rose family (Rosaceae) - Shrubs to 1-8 feet; leaves finely toothed, oval, alternate, 2-3
inches long and ½-1 inch broad; flowers five-petaled, white, showy, long-stalked, in clusters of 2-4, ½ inch wide; fruits
round, purple-black drupes with waxy whitish bloom, to 1 inch in diameter, each with flat stone; late summer to early fall.
Black Birch/Sweet Birch (Betula lenta) Birch family (Betulaceae) - Slender trees, to 80 feet; bark shiny, dark, with
horizontal light-gray lenticels like dashes, smooth on young trees, becoming checked and flaky when old; leaves simple,
alternate, oval, pointed, stalked, with double-toothed margins, bright green and shiny above, 4-6 inches long; male catkins
long and pendant, shorter female catkins upright and persistent, borne in spring; twigs smelling of wintergreen when
bruised; infusion of twigs for flavorful tea; nutritious inner bark eaten as is or ground into flour; trees tapped for syrup in
late winter.
Black Locust (Robinia pseudoacacia) Pea family (Fagaceae) - Trees to 80 feet; bark deeply furrowed, dark brown-gray;
leaves bluish-green, compound, protected by pairs of small spines, 5-12 inches long, each with 7-21 two-inch-long eggshaped leaflets; flowers white, fragrant, pea-like, in clusters, gathered in mid-late spring for salads, soups, and fritters;
seed pods black, 2-6 inches long, containing 4-7 flat, rounded ¼ inch wide seeds. Caution: leaves are poisonous.
Black Walnut (Juglans nigra) Walnut family (Juglandaceae) - Tall, majestic trees, to 120 feet; bark ropy-looking, darkbrown, deeply furrowed, with flattened ridges; leaves compound, 1-2 feet long, with 12-24 narrow, finely-toothed, lanceshaped, unevenly paired leaflets with asymmetrical bases, each 3½ inches long, pale green above, downy beneath, lemonscented; fruits spherical, tennis ball-sized, green, lemon-scented, husks brown-staining; nuts black, globular, irregularly
furrowed, 1½ inches in diameter -gathered in fall; de-husked, dried in a warm, well-ventilated place; kernels used as
English walnuts, ground into meal, or blended to make nut butter.
-7Blackberry (Rubus spp.) Rose family (Rosaceae) - Arching canes to 10 feet long, well-armed with stiff thorns; reddishbrown bark; leaves palmately compound, with 3-7 oval, medium-sized, pointed, toothed leaflets; flowers delicate, white,
five-petaled, on racemes, in late spring; berries aggregate, elliptical, receptacles detaching with the berries when picked in milkshakes, pancakes, pies, puddings, cobblers…
Blueberries and Huckleberries (Vaccinium spp. And Gaylusaccia spp.) - Bushes, 1½ to 14 feet tall; leaves shortstalked, elliptical, smooth or slightly toothed, 1-2 inches long; flowers bell-shaped with 4-5 fused petals, white
(sometimes tinged with pink, red, or green), to ¾ inches long, often on racemes, in spring; berries round, with five-pointed
terminal “crown”, blue-black, blue, or red berries with many small seeds, June to September - eaten fresh, in baked goods,
or blended with milk, soy milk, or fruit juice.
Butternut (Juglans cinerea) Walnut family (Juglandaceae) - Trees to 80 feet; bark gray, with shallow grooves and
broad, wavy ridges; leaves compound, 15-30 inches long, with 7-19 paired, narrow, toothed, lance-shaped leaflets 2-4
inches long; male flowers hanging in slender catkins, short inconspicuous female flowers on branch tips in spring; fruits
green, fragrant, fuzzy, sticky, 3 inches long and 1 ¼ inches wide; nuts deeply furrowed, dried with husks still attached in
low heat with oven door ajar, used as black walnuts.
Cherries (Prunus spp.) Rose family (Rosaceae): along fencerows, roadsides, and field edges. Trees with twigs smelling
of almonds when scratched; leaves alternate, long-oval, toothed, narrow-based, pointed, lighter underneath, midribs of
undersides covered with rusty-colored hairs (Caution: leaves are poisonous); flowers fragrant, five-petaled, in long
clusters; fruits round, 1/3 inch in diameter, single-seeded, red at first black cherries (Prunus serotina) darkening to black
and choke cherries (P. virginiana) eaten raw, used for jelly, pureed for punch or fruit soup with cinnamon and ginger, or
made into fruit leather.
Elderberry (Sambucus canadensis) Honeysuckle family (Caprifoliaceae) - in fertile soil along fencerows, roadsides,
banks, and in fields. Shrubs with compound leaves (5-11 leaflets); branches with white piths; flowers small, creamy
white, fragrant, in large umbrella-shaped clusters in late June - clusters picked for sauteeing or fritters; flowers shaken
off stems and added to baked goods or steeped in cold water for 24 hours for tea (lemon and honey added to taste).
Berries small, purplish-black, in drooping clusters, ripening in mid-August - eaten raw, used in baked goods, or made
into jelly with apples. Caution: elderberry leaves, stems, roots, and unripe fruits are all poisonous.
Grapes: Fox Grape (Vitis labrusca), Riverside Grape (Vitis riparia), and Summer Grape (V. aestivalis) Grape
family (Vitaceae) - High-climbing woody vines; tendrils forked, coiling, edible when young, raw or cooked. Fox grape
leaves with smooth, green undersides, riverside and summer grape leaves large, maple-shaped, finely woolly
underneath - blanched in boiling water 20 minutes, then stuffed with spoonful of filling and baked 45 minutes, last few
weeks of spring; fox grapes ¼-½ inch in diameter, bluish, in late Sept., strong-tasting, eaten raw or made into fruit
sauce or jam; riverside and summer grapes ½-1 inch in diameter, in Sept., very flavorful - eaten fresh, or blended and
strained for fruit sauce or jam. Caution: do not confuse with Canada moonseed (fruits with single crescent-shaped
seed, twines without tendrils), Virgina creeper (large, five-parted compound leaves and tiny, globular, blue-black
berries), or porcelainberry (non-woody vines with white pith and blue, purple, turquoise, or white berries).
Hemlock (Tsuga canadensis) Pine family (Pinaceae) - Evergreen trees with drooping branches; needles ½-¾ inches
long, flat, slightly flexible, notched at tip, shiny dark green above with two broad whitish bands underneath, gathered
young for trail-side nibble in spring or any time of year) for refreshing and healthy tea (select youngest needles).
Hickory, Shagbark (Carya ovata) Walnut family (Juglandaceae) - Trees with peeling bark; leaves palmately
compound, with five leaflets; nuts with light-tan shells enclosed in spherical four-part shiny green husks splitting off of
the nuts when they fall. Nuts eaten as is or in baked goods, tasting like walnuts sweetened with maple syrup.
Juneberry (Amelanchier spp.) Rose family (Rosaceae) - Shrubs or small trees; bark smooth to slightly furrowed,
adorned with curving horizontal dark-gray stripes; leaves alternate, oval, finely toothed, 2 inches long; flowers white,
five-petaled, 3/4 inches across, hanging in long, sparse clusters in early spring before leafing; berries round, with
terminal crowns, red at first, then ripening to blue-black, with almond-flavored seeds - used in muffins, cobblers, and
jam.
-8Linden/Basswood/Monkey-Nut Tree (Tilia spp.) Tiliaceae (Linden family) - Trees to 100 feet tall; leaves alternate,
heart-shaped, toothed with pointed tips and uneven bases; flowers fragrant, yellow-white, in racemes hanging from striplike bracts about 5 inches long and 1 inch wide, gathered late spring and early summer; fresh or dried flowers steeped
for delicious, calming tea; fruits hard, spherical, stalked, 1/4 inch across.
Mulberries: Red Mulberry (Morus rubra), White Mulberry (M. alba) - Trees with lobed, toothed leaves. Young,
still-furled leaves cooked twenty minutes for vegetable (early spring), but discard water. Caution: cooking water,
uncooked leaves, and unripe fruits are all poisonous. Berries aggregate, globular to cylindrical, 1/2 to 1 1/2 inches long,
very sweet, ripe mid-late June - eaten fresh or in baked goods; perishable, but can be dried or frozen.
Oak, White (Quercus spp.) Beech family (Fagaceae) - tall, majestic trees; leaves large, with rounded lobes. Acorns
boiled a few minutes, shelled and chopped or ground and boiled again in several changes of water a few minutes each
time until the bitterness is gone - eaten as is, roasted, or in casseroles, soups, and stews, or ground into meal or flour in
blender; use with other flour in muffins, breads, and pancakes. Processed acorns can be frozen or dried for later use.
Pine, White (Pinus strobus) Pine family (Pinaceae) - Tall evergreen trees, needles in bundles of five, 2-5 inches long;
steeped 5 minutes for refreshing, healthy tea all year long.
Raspberry, Black (Rubus occidentalis) Rose family (Rosaceae) - Arching canes to 10 feet long, red with whitish
bloom; stems with recurved thorns; alternate, palmately compound leaves each with with 3-5 oval to heart-shaped
leaflets, white-hairy beneath, margins sharply toothed; flowers white to pink five-petaled, in flat clusters of 3-7; fruits
purple-black, globular, thimble-shaped, aggregate, small (½ inch across0, ripening in summer - eaten fresh, with yogurt,
in baked goods, sauces, puddings, jam; easily perishable, but leftovers can be frozen.
Raspberry, Purple-flowering (Rubus odoratus) Rose family (Rosaceae) - Thornless shrubs; leaves maplelike; flowers
rose-purple, showy, 1-2 inches in diameter; stems reddish-brown, sticky, hairy; berries red, dry, shallow, cup-shaped,
sweet; fresh, blended, with yogurt, or in baked goods.
Rose, Wrinkled (Rosa rugosa) Rose family (Rosaceae) - Shrubs armed with recurved thorns; leaves dark green,
feather-compound, with 5-9 small, toothed, oval leaflets; flowers large, with narrow, spoon-shaped, white or rose-purple
petals - used in salads and sandwiches (the bitter white bases of each petal snapped off). Fruits (hips) large, sweet,
fleshy, orange to red, with 5 terminal persistent sepals, incredibly high in vitamin C - eaten raw or cooked and strained
for sauce.
Sassafrass (Sassafrass albidum) Laurel family (Lauraceae) - Trees up to 30 ft., leaves unlobed, mitten-shaped, or
three-lobed, dried and used as file seasoning for stew or gumbo (do not boil the dried leaves - add after cooking is
done); bark of root, twigs, and leaves all make a flavorful and healthy tea; twigs and roots available all year.
Spicebush (Lindera benzoin) Laurel family (Lauraceae) - Spreading colonial bushes, 5-20 feet tall; twigs brittle, thin,
fragrant; leaves bright-green, alternate, elliptical 2-6 inches long, fragrant; flowers yellow, in tiny clusters in early
spring before leaves appear - flavorful tea made of leaves or scraped twigs; berries hard, oval, stalked, scarlet, in
clusters from leaf axils, in the fall - chopped in a blender or crushed (seeds and all), used in compotes and in any recipe
that calls for allspice.
Sumacs: (Rhus typhina) and Smooth Sumac (R. glabra) Sumac family (Anacardiaceae) - Large shrubs usually
growing in dense stands, to 30 feet tall; leaves feather-compound, 16-24 inches long, with 11-31 pointed leaflets each 24” long, turning bright scarlet, then red in the fall; Staghorn Sumac has fuzzy fruits and hairy stems, while Smooth
Sumac has hairless stems and a looser cluster of berries. Fruits gathered from late August into fall for "pink lemonade",
high in Vitamin C- clusters crushed in water for a few minutes, strained, and chilled; concentrate made from repeated
soakings of fresh berry clusters used as substitute for lemon juice concentrate in recipes. Caution: Do not confuse with
Poison Sumac (R. vernix), a highly toxic shrub with drooping clusters of white berries and with large spaces between
toothless leaflets (in bogs, swamps, sandy soil, pine barrens).
Sweetfern (Comptonia peregrina) Bayberry family (Myricaceae) - dry soil. Deciduous bushes to 5 feet; leaves strongly
aromatic, fernlike, toothed, 3-6 inches long - fresh or dried leaves steeped only 5 minutes for aromatic tea (the tea is
also used as a remedy for poison ivy rash); fruits small, non-waxy nutlets.
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Remember the following when collecting wild plants:
Learn to recognize the common poisonous plants and plants causing dermatitis in your area.
Absolutely identify plants before using them as food; if you have even the slightest doubt about its edibility,
leave it alone.
Do not assume that plants that superficially resemble edible plants are themselves edible.
When collecting an edible plant, be sure not to include parts from nearby poisonous plants.
Be absolutely certain which parts of a plant should be collected and at what season, and the proper way to use
them.
Sample unfamiliar plants sparingly at first to determine whether your body chemistry may be sensitive to the
plant. If you are extremely sensitive to poison ivy, avoid products from this family, including any parts from
sumacs, mangoes, and cashews.
Do not assume that a plant is edible for humans if animals are observed eating it.
Teach children not to put plants in their mouths; keep all plants away from infants. Learn the poisonous plants
that are growing near your home and warn children to leave them alone.
Do not collect plants that may have been sprayed with pesticides. Avoid roadside plants, if possible, due to
contamination from exhaust emissions.
Some plants develop extremely dangerous fungal toxins. To lessen the chance of accidental poisoning, do not
eat any fruit that is starting to spoil or showing signs of mildew or fungus.
Plants growing in contaminated water or in water containing Giardia lamblia and other parasites are
contaminated themselves. Boil or disinfect them.
Wild Plants Causing Dermatitis: Eyebane, Nettles, Poison Ivy, Poison Oak, Poison Sumac, Spurge Nettle, Trumpet Creeper,
Wild Parsnip, Wood Nettle
Poisonous Wild Plants: American Bittersweet, American Yew, Anemone, Azalea, Baneberries, Black Locust, Bloodroot, Blue
Cohosh, Blue Flag, Bouncing Bet, Buckthorns, Buttercups, Butterfly-weed, Canada Moonseed, Celandine, Clematis, Common Tansy,
Cowbane, Death Camas, Dogbanes, Elderberry, False Hellebore, Fly-Poison, Fool’s Parsley, Four-o’clock, Golden-seal, Ground
cherries, Holly, Horse Chestnut/Buckeye, Horsetail, Horse-nettle, Hydrangea, Jack-in-the-pulpit, Larkspur, Laurel, Lobelia, Marshmarigold, May-apple, Mexican-tea, Mistletoe, Monkshood, Mulberries, Nightshades, Poison Hemlock, Pokeweed, Privet,
Rhododendron, Skunk Cabbage, Spurge, Virginia Creeper, Water Hemlock, Wild Cherries, Wisteria
Bibliography
Brill, "Wildman" Steve and Evelyn Dean. Identifying and Harvesting Edible and Medicinal Plants in Wild (and not so
wild) Places. New York: Hearst Books, 1994. Softcover (folio-size), highly recommended for beginners and advanced
foragers alike. Illustrated with drawings of plants in different life stages, organized by time of year and habitat; contains
thorough descriptions of distinguishing characteristics, uses, methods of preparation, andexcellent recipes.
Brill, "Wildman" Steve. The Wild Vegetarian Cookbook. The Harvard Common Press, 2002. More than 500 epicurean
recipes using unrefined foods, whole grains, and no dairy products.
Peterson, Lee A. A Field Guide to Edible Wild Plants of Eastern/Central North America. Boston: Houghton Mifflin
Co., 1977. Paperback with 75 color photographs. [Revised edition published in 1985 by Easton Press, Norwalk, CT.]
Peterson Field Guide series. Plants organized by color of flower or branching habit; excellent for identification.
www.foraging.com - has links to many sites about edible wild plants and mushrooms, including:
www.wildmanstevebrill.com - with descriptions, photographs, illustrations, and recipes using the most popular and
readily available edible wild plants.