Berries (are SO expensive at the store! A great way to reduce your reliance on the grocery store and save a ton of money is to harvest wild blackberries. When looking for them , observe vacant properties, fence lines, and edge habitats in your neighborhood. It’s great if you...
Pokeweed (Phytolacca americana) is a common wild edible plant in Easter United States, the Midwest, the Gulf coast, and scattered through Western United States. It’s often found in pastures, along the edges of forests and trails, and along fences. Identification: Identifying pokeweed is fairly simple. Look for red stems,...
Broadleaf Plantain (Plaintain major) is a very common weed throughout the United States and all over the world. There are several types of plaintain and all are edible. It’s an easy plant for new foragers to learn since there are no poisonous look-alikes.
Mulberries (Morus spp.) are very common in certain parks, yet it’s surprising to me how few people actually know about them and how often they are called “junk trees.” They will drop the fruit on cars, making a huge mess in the early summer, but the birds love them...
Elderberry (Adoxaceae Sambucus canadensis and Sambucus spp.) is an awesome plant for every wildcrafter to know! You may have heard of or even bought cough drops, cough syrup, or an immune booster made from elderberries. It actually does speed up the immune system and reduces inflammation, a common cause...
Purple Dead Nettle (Lamium purpureum) is a common weed in most yards in the United States. It is both edible and medicinal – and most people have no idea this powerful is right in their own backyards! With its ability to fight skin imperfections, It can improve the tone...
Location Pick a location that has not been sprayed with pesticides and that you are allowed to forage on. Most parks do not allow foraging, so your backyard is best or a friend’s yard if you have asked permission first. Identification Make sure you are 100% sure you have...
Indian strawberry (also called Mock strawberry), Rosaceae Potentilla indica, also Rosaceae Duchesnea indica is a super fun plant that sometimes even seasoned foragers dismiss. The thing about this small berry is some years, it has very little taste. But when the spring is dry, the fruit is quite sweet....
Spring Beauty is an amazing, quite common plant in the Eastern U.S. There are many different species of Spring Beauty, but the primary thing to look for is 5 white petals with pink streaking through them. Some species have larger leaves. The ones I find in my yard are...