Nature’s pantry is brimming with delicious and nutritious wild greens, often overlooked in favor of cultivated varieties.
These wild edibles, packed with vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants often missing from our regular diets, offer an opportunity to diversify our meals and boost our health.1
1. Virginia Waterleaf (Hydrophyllum virginianum)
- Description: This plant thrives in moist woodlands. Look for large, toothed leaves with white or purple flowers.
- Flavor: Mildly sweet and refreshing.
- Uses: The leaves and stems are excellent in salads, soups, and stir-fries.
- Caution: Avoid harvesting near polluted areas as it can absorb contaminants.
2. Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale)
- Description: Ubiquitous yellow flower turning into a white puffball of seeds.
- Flavor: The greens are slightly bitter, while the flowers are sweet.
- Uses: Young leaves are great in salads, the roots can be roasted for a coffee substitute, and the flowers make a lovely wine.
3. Chickweed (Stellaria media)
- Description: Small, delicate plant with tiny white flowers.
- Flavor: Mild, slightly grassy taste.
- Uses: Perfect for salads, sandwiches, or as a cooked green. High in vitamins and minerals.
4. Stinging Nettle (Urtica dioica)
- Description: Covered in tiny stinging hairs.
- Flavor: Earthy, spinach-like flavor when cooked.
- Uses: Cooked nettles are fantastic in soups, stews, and as a substitute for spinach.
- Caution: Handle with gloves to avoid the sting.
5. Linden Leaves (Tilia spp.)
- Description: Heart-shaped leaves from the linden tree.
- Flavor: Slightly sweet, floral notes.
- Uses: Young leaves are best in salads, and the flowers can be made into a calming tea.
6. Creeping Bellflower (Campanula rapunculoides)
- Description: Blue or white bell-shaped flowers and a sprawling growth habit.
- Flavor: Sweet and slightly starchy.
- Uses: The roots are edible cooked, raw, or pickled.
- Caution: This plant can be invasive, so responsible harvesting is crucial.
7. Violets (Viola spp.)
- Description: Low-growing plants with heart-shaped leaves and purple, blue, or white flowers.
- Flavor: Sweet and floral.
- Uses: Leaves and flowers are beautiful in salads or candied for decorations.
8. Garlic Mustard (Alliaria petiolata)
- Description: Tall plant with white flowers and a garlic-like aroma when crushed.
- Flavor: Spicy, garlicky flavor.
- Uses: Leaves can be used in pesto, salads, or as a cooked green.
- Caution: Invasive plant
9. Hawthorn (Crataegus spp.)
- Description: Thorny tree with white or pink flowers and small red berries.
- Flavor: Slightly tart berries with a sweet aftertaste.
- Uses: Young leaves are edible, and berries are used in jams, jellies, and wines.
- Caution: Some hawthorn species are poisonous, so proper identification is important.
10. Lambs Quarters (Chenopodium album)
- Description: Tall, branching plant with diamond-shaped leaves.
- Flavor: Similar to spinach.
- Uses: Cooked like spinach or added to soups and stews.
11. Purslane (Portulaca oleracea)
- Description: Succulent plant with small yellow flowers and reddish stems.
- Flavor: Slightly sour, lemony taste.
- Uses: Great in salads or pickled.
12. Mulberry Leaf (Morus spp.)
- Description: Leaves from the mulberry tree, which also bears edible berries.
- Flavor: Mild and slightly sweet.
- Uses: Young leaves are best in salads or cooked like spinach.
13. Common Mallow (Malva sylvestris)
- Description: Low-growing plant with roundish leaves and pink flowers.
- Flavor: Mild, somewhat mucilaginous.
- Uses: Young leaves and flowers can be added to salads, and the seeds are edible as well.
14. Sheep Sorrel (Rumex acetosella)
- Description: A low-growing plant with arrowhead-shaped leaves and reddish stems.
- Flavor: Tangy, lemony flavor due to oxalic acid content.
- Uses: Adds a zing to salads, soups, and sauces. Can be used to make a refreshing tea.
- Caution: Consume in moderation due to oxalic acid, which can be harmful in large quantities.(ref)
15. Dock (Rumex crispus)
- Description: Tall plant with large, lance-shaped leaves and a long taproot.
- Flavor: Slightly bitter, earthy taste.
- Uses: Young leaves can be cooked like spinach or added to soups. The seeds are edible when roasted.
16. Pigweed (Amaranthus retroflexus)
- Description: Upright plant with broad, oval leaves and dense clusters of tiny green flowers.
- Flavor: Mild, spinach-like flavor.
- Uses: Leaves and young shoots are delicious cooked like spinach or added to stir-fries.
- Caution: Can accumulate nitrates, so avoid over-consumption.(ref)
17. Dame’s Rocket (Hesperis matronalis)
- Description: Tall plant with clusters of fragrant, four-petaled flowers in shades of white, pink, or purple.
- Flavor: Mild, slightly sweet taste with hints of mustard.
- Uses: Young leaves and flowers are edible raw or cooked.
- Caution: Can be mistaken for other mustard family plants, some of which are toxic. Positive identification is necessary.
18. Miner’s Lettuce (Claytonia perfoliata)
- Description: Low-growing plant with round, fleshy leaves that form a cup around the stem.
- Flavor: Mild, succulent taste.
- Uses: Excellent in salads, sandwiches, or as a cooked green.
19. Plantain (Plantago major)
- Description: Common weed with oval leaves and a rosette growth habit.
- Flavor: Slightly bitter but palatable when young.
- Uses: Young leaves can be cooked or added to salads. The seeds are edible when roasted. Plantain is known for its medicinal properties, often used for soothing skin irritations and wounds.
20. Ground Ivy / Creeping Charlie (Glechoma hederacea)
- Description: A low-growing, spreading plant with round, scalloped leaves and small, purple flowers.
- Flavor: Slightly minty, aromatic flavor.
- Uses: Young leaves can be used in salads, soups, or as a garnish. Also makes a fragrant tea.
- Caution: Can be invasive, so responsible harvesting is crucial.
21. Clover (Trifolium spp.)
- Description: Low-growing plant with three-lobed leaves (sometimes four) and small, round flowers in white, pink, or red.
- Flavor: Mild, slightly sweet taste.
- Uses: Flowers and leaves can be added to salads or used to make a tea.
- Caution: Some people may experience bloating or gas from eating clover.(ref)
22. Yellow Wood Sorrel (Oxalis stricta)
- Description: Low-growing plant with heart-shaped leaves and small, yellow flowers.
- Flavor: Tangy, lemony flavor due to oxalic acid content.
- Uses: Adds a bright, citrusy note to salads and soups. Can be used to make a tangy tea.
- Caution: Consume in moderation due to oxalic acid, which can be harmful in large quantities.(ref)
23. Strawberry Blite (Chenopodium capitatum)
- Description: Upright plant with triangular leaves and clusters of red, berry-like fruits.
- Flavor: Leaves have a mild spinach-like flavor, while the fruits are sweet and slightly salty.
- Uses: Young leaves can be cooked like spinach or added to salads. The fruits are a tasty snack or can be used in jams and pies.
24. Cattail (Typha latifolia)
- Description: Tall, reedy plant found in wetlands with a distinctive brown, cigar-shaped flower head.
- Edible Parts: The young shoots, roots, and pollen are edible.
- Flavor: Shoots have a mild, corn-like flavor, while the pollen is sweet and starchy.
- Uses: Shoots can be cooked like asparagus, roots can be ground into flour, and pollen can be used as a thickener or added to baked goods.
25. Wood Sorrel (Oxalis acetosella)
- Description: Low-growing plant with clover-like leaves and small, white or pink flowers.
- Flavor: Tangy, lemony flavor.
- Uses: Adds a bright, citrusy note to salads and soups. Can be used to make a refreshing tea.
- Caution: Contains oxalic acid that can damage the organs so consume in very low amounts.(ref)
As you venture into the world of foraging, always ensure proper identification before consuming any wild plant, and harvest responsibly to protect our natural resources.
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Nancy has been a plant person from an early age. That interest blossomed into a bachelor’s in biology from Elmira College and a master’s degree in horticulture and communications from the University of Kentucky. Nancy worked in plant taxonomy at the University of Florida and the L. H. Bailey Hortorium at Cornell University, and wrote and edited gardening books at Rodale Press in Emmaus, PA. Her interests are plant identification, gardening, hiking, and reading.