CW4 Hays
“I have made a satisfactory dinner off a dish
of Purslane which I gathered and boiled…yet
men have come to such a pass that they
frequently starve, not from want of
necessaries, but for want of luxuries.”
Henry David Thoreau
 If you are in a survival situation and cannot
identify any edible plants you can test plants for
safety. Choose a plant that is plentiful.
 Name the parts of plant
 When you smell the plant what are you checking for?
 How long should you fast before beginning the test?
 What can you do during the test period?
 When you place a small portion on your outer lip, what
are you checking for and how long do you leave it in
contact?
 How long does the whole test take?
 Should you do the test for each part of the plant?
Common tree in
Tennessee. Pproduces
thousands of small berries
that ripen in SeptemberOctober. The berries are
edible and if eaten whole
contain up to 20% protein.
They are hard to harvest as
Hackebrry trees grow to
90’ We have several on
our property.
The genus name for the American Persimmon means "Fruit of the Gods". This is a
reference to the delicious golden-orange fruits that often hang on the tree after the
leaves drop in autumn. When ripe, these fruits are very sweet.
But they must be fully ripe. If you try to eat one too soon, your mouth will likely
pucker from the bitter taste of tannic acid. Yet a ripe fruit is a real treat. Native
Americans relished them, and they are a popular food for wild turkey, mockingbirds,
deer, raccoons, foxes, squirrels, rabbits, and other wildlife. They can be made into
pudding, preserves, beer, and brandy, and can also be dried for winter eating.
The bark of the roots is used to make a pleasant tasting "tea". The powdered leaves are
used in Louisiana to thicken soup. Sassafras is derived from an old French word
referring to its use in medicine; albidum refers to the light-colored wood.
Hickory
 shagbark—sweet, large, edible kernels
 shellbark—same as shagbark
 pignut—bitter but edible
 bitternut—bitter but edible
Walnut
 black walnut
 butternut
Pecan
 Too many varieties to list
Oak
Shagbark Nuts
Pignut Hickory
Bitternut Hickory
Black Walnut
Oak Trees
Oak trees are broadleaved trees. The scientific name for oak trees is Quercus.
Oaks are hardwood trees that can live well over 200 years. Oak trees are an
important source of food for wildlife. Oak trees produce acorns once a year in
the fall. Some oaks begin to produce acorns at age 10 and others do not
produce until they are 50 years old. Oak trees may not produce acorns every
year. The trees need to store up energy after a heavy production year and thus
may produce a very light crop or no crop at all. Heavy acorn production may
occur only about 4 out of 10 years.
Oak Species: White Oak, Chestnut Oak, Gambel’s oak, Blue Oak,
Red Oak
Pecan
 KUDZU
 Saute or eat raw tender leaves and shoots in the spring
 Leaves are a good source of protein and fiber
 Fried leaves are delicious and taste like potato chips
 Dried, pounded roots are a good source of starch and
can be used for thickening stews and sauces
CAUTION! Gather Kudzu from sources away from
roadsides as KUDZU is heavily sprayed for weed
control
 Dandelion leaves produce a diuretic effect while
the roots act as an antiviral agent, appetite
stimulant, digestive aid, and may help promote
gastrointestinal health. Dandelion flower has
antioxidant properties. Dandelion may also help
improve the immune system.
 Health care providers clinically use dandelion
root to promote liver detoxification and
dandelion leaves to support kidney function.
Plantain is edible and medicinal, the young leaves are
edible raw in salad or cooked as a pot herb, they are
very rich in vitamin B1 and riboflavin. The herb has a
long history of use as an alternative medicine dating
back to ancient times. Being used as a panacea
(medicinal for everything) in some cultures, one
American Indian name for the plant translates to "life
medicine." And recent research indicates that this
name may not be far from true! See citation from
Edible Wild Plants
Habitat and Distribution
Wild onions and garlics are found in open, sunny areas throughout
the temperate regions. Cultivated varieties are found anywhere in
the world.
Edible Parts
The bulbs and young leaves are edible raw or cooked. Use in
soup or to flavor meat.
CAUTION
There are several plants with onion like bulbs that are extremely
poisonous. Be certain that the plant you are using is a true onion
or garlic. Do not eat bulbs with no onion smell.
Other Uses
Eating large quantities of onions will give your body an odor that
will help to repel insects. Garlic juice works as an antibiotic on
wounds.
All parts of the cattail plant are
edible. American Indians
prepared the different parts in
many ways. The leaves of
Common Cattail are used to
weave baskets, chair seats, and
mats. People sometimes plant
cattails along the shores of water
to prevent erosion. The fluffy
seeds are used as insulation for
pillows and coats. An adhesive
(glue) can be made from the
stems. The pollen is sometimes
used in fireworks.
FOOD USES:
Uncharacteristically mild for a
mustard green, the leaves
benefit from plenty of
seasonings. Add them raw to
salads; simmer in soups, stews,
and sauces; or sautÈ or steam
them. They cook in about 10
minutes, and shrink by about
75%. I find the seedpods and the
tiny, spherical seeds inside the
mature pods to be without
flavor, although they are
reputedly peppery.
The leaves are poisonous
but the root is a carrot,
the ancestor of todays
cultivated carrots. This
plant has a poisonous
look a like called water
hemlock.
Water Hemlock Poisoning -- Maine, 1992
On October 5, 1992, a 23-year-old man and his 39-year-old brother were foraging for
wild ginseng in the midcoastal Maine woods. The younger man collected several plants
growing in a swampy area and took three bites from the root of one plant. His brother
took one bite of the same root. Within 30 minutes, the younger man vomited and began
to have convulsions; they walked out of the woods, and approximately 30 minutes after
the younger man became ill, they were able to telephone for emergency rescue services.
Within 15 minutes of the call, emergency medical personnel arrived and found the
younger man unresponsive and cyanotic with mild tachycardia, dilated pupils, and
profuse salivation. Severe tonic-clonic seizures occurred and were followed by periods of
apnea. He was intubated and transported to a local emergency department. Physicians
performed gastric lavage and administered activated charcoal. His cardiac rhythm
changed to ventricular fibrillation, and four resuscitative attempts were unsuccessful.
He died approximately 3 hours after ingesting the root.
Although the older brother was asymptomatic when he arrived at the emergency
department, he was treated prophylactically with gastric lavage and administered
activated charcoal. He began to have seizures and exhibit delirium 2 hours after eating
the root; he was stabilized and transferred to a tertiary-care center for observation. No
additional adverse effects were reported.
About the large-leaf
purslane, they say, “…
these erect, tangy and
succulent stems are high
in vitamin C. The leaves
contain the highest
concentration of Omega-3
fatty acids found in land
plants. This is 5 times
more than spinach and 10
times more than any
lettuce or mustards.
Resembles wild garlic
but lacks any garlic
odor.
Bulbs are poisonous.
Leaves and fruits contain
alkaloids that are
poisonous and cause
gastric distress, vomiting,
nausea, and death with
certain species.
Harvested leaves
mold easily. The
mold is a powerful
anticoagulant that
causes internal
bleeding and
death.
All parts are potentially
poisonous. Kills sheep,
cattle, horses, and goats.
Causes weakness,
staggering, convulsions,
and death.
Leaves and roots cause
severe cathartic reaction
(vomiting and diarrhea)
and death in larger
quantities. The fruit is
edible. Common in
Tennessee.
Very common yet one of
the deadliest plants in
North America. All
parts of the plant are
poisonous. Causes
severe abdominal pains,
excessive salivatation,
and vomiting within
minutes. Death with
larger quantities.