Purslane (Portulaca oleracea)

Purslane (Portulaca oleracea)
Native to: North Africa, India, Middle East
Edible Status: Stems, Leaves and flower buds are edible
Purslane can be used as a companion plant for weed suppression
and to stabilize ground cover. It is common in Greek and Turkish
diets.
Giant Ragweed (Ambrosia trifida)
Native to: North America
Edible Status: Uncertain/Inedible. Some historical evidence
suggests ragweed berries may have been a component of certain
Native American diets. Consumption is advised against.
The Cherokee People used Giant Ragweed as a treatment for
insect stings and hives.
Patridgepea (Chamaecrista fasciculata)
Native to: Eastern United States
Edible Status: Inedible
Partridgepea is grown strategically for erosion control and honey
production
Prostrate Spurge (Euphorbia maculata)
Native to: North America
Edible Status: Inedible
The sap of prostrate spurge is a mild skin irritant.
Spreading Dayflower/Spiderwort (Tradescantia
occidentalis)
Native to: Asia
Edible Status: Young leaf tips may be cooked and eaten and
have a consistency similar to okra.
The flowers of spiderwort can be used to make a natural dye.
Cat’s Claw (Dolichandra unguis-cati)
Native to: South America, Central America, Caribbean
Edible Status: Inedible
Cat’s Claw is used for a wide array of purposes by herbalists. It
can climb 100ft up trees and structures.
Virginia Buttonweed (Diodia virginiana)
Native to: Central America and Southern United States
Edible Status: Inedible
Virginia Buttonweed is also naturalized in Japan, Taiwan, and
Northern California.
Crabgrass (Digitaria sanguinalis)
Native to: Tropical and warm temperate regions worldwide
Edible Status: At the Laussat site, no variety is edible.
Seeds of Fonio crabgrass can be toasted and eaten, or used to
make beer.
Dallisgrass (Paspalum dilatatum)
Native to: North and South America
Edible Status: A food source for pasturage and avian species but
inedible for humans.
The common name Dallisgrass is derived from T.A. Dallis, a 19th
Century Georgia farmer who grew the grass for erosion control.
Chamberbitter (Phyllanthus urinaria)
Native to: Asia, naturalized in tropical ecosystems worldwide
Edible Status: Inedible
Chamberbitter is considered a competitive weed because of its
extensive root system and the large quantity of seeds each plant
produces.
Common Violet (Viola sororia)
Native to: Eastern North America
Edible Status: Flowers and leaves are edible
Many Native Americans used the violet to treat coughs, sore
throats and constipation.
Goosegrass (Acrachne spp.)
Native to: Tropical Western Hemisphere
Edible Status: Inedible
Goosegrass blades radiate out from a central point.
Thistle (Asteraceae spp.)
Native to: Eurasia and North America
Edible Status: Stalks can be eaten, leaves must be boiled before
consumed.
The Thistle holds great importance in Scottish culture and
folklore.
Clover (Trifolium spp.)
Native to: Europe, North Africa, and Western Asia
Edible Status: Leaves are edible but safest to eat in quantity
after boiling.
Many varieties of clover are used as agricultural cover crops.
Curly Dock (Rumex crispus)
Native to: Europe and Western Asia
Edible Status: Leaves, roots, and seeds of Curly Dock are all
edible. Leaves may be eaten raw or cooked when young, A drink
similar to lemonade can be made by boiling the leaves. The
roasted seed has been used as a coffee substitute.
Some Native Americans used the ground roots of Curly Dock to
treat coughs and respiratory issues.
Kudzu (Pueraria montana)
Native to: Eastern and Southeast Asia
Edible Status: The leaves of the plant can be boiled and
consumed like spinach. Roots can be boiled and prepared like
potatoes
Kudzu fibers can be very useful for basketry and weaving.
Morningglory (Ipomoea spp.)
Native to: Asia
Edible Status: Certain parts of certain varieties of Morningglory
are edible. Do not consume without consulting an expert.
Sweet potatoes are in the Morningglory genus.
Mugwort (Artemisia spp.)
Native to: Europe and Asia
Edible Status: The leaves and buds are edible but best picked
before the plant flowers in summer.
Mugwort is a staple of Korean cuisine, used in rice cakes, soups,
and salads.North American varieties are allergens and potent
contributors to hay fever.
Sensitive Plant (Mimosa pudica)
Native to: South America and Central America
Edible Status: No culinary or medicinal purposes
Leaves fold inwards and droop when touched or shaken.
Eclipta/Pie Plant (Eclipta spp.)
Native to: Tropical regions worldwide
Edible Status: Leaves may be cooked like other greens
Eclipta has traditional uses in Ayurvedic medicine.
Palmer Amaranth (Amaranthus palmeri)
Native to:Southern half of North America
Edible Status: Leaves, stems and seeds can be boiled and
eaten, very nutritious.
Palmer Amaranth and other amaranth varieties were once widely
cultivated and a staple part of many Native American diets.
Chickweed (Stellaria media)
Native to: Europe
Edible Status: Chickweed leaves are nutritious and may be
consumed raw
Chickweed is one of the seven herbs consumed in a rice porridge
during the Japanese Nanakusu-no-sekku (Festival of Seven
Herbs
Japanese Bushkiller (Cayratia japonica)
Native to: Asia and Australia
Edible Status: Used in traditional chinese medicine to relieve
swelling and to enhance detoxification.
Cayratia Japonica is invasive in Louisiana, its rapid growth rate
destructive to local ecology. It is used in traditional Chinese
medicine to relieve swelling and as a diuretic.
Peppervine (Ampelopsis arborea)
Native to: Southeastern United States
Edible Status: Inedible
Peppervine is an effective pollinator. Its berries are eaten by
birds and other wildlife.
Beggar’s Tick (Bidens alba)
Native to: Africa and South Asia
Edible Status: Leaves may be eaten when boiled
The flowers of Beggar’s Tick may be used to make dyes for silk
and wool. It is a very effective honey plant used for much of North
American honey production.
Marestail (Conyza canadensis)
Native to: Most of North and Central America
Edible Status: Not edible
Traditionally, some Native Americans have inserted crushed
Marestail flower into their nostrils to induce sneezing.
Arrowleaf Sida (Sida rhombifolia)
Native to: North and South America
Edible Status: Inedible
Usually confined to disturbed soils but competitive in pasture, the
stems of Arrowleaf Sida make a high quality fiber used for
cordage, sacking, and making brooms.
Carolina Rose (Rosa carolina)
Native to: Much of the Eastern United States
Edible Status: Flowers and fruit are edible.
A member of the Rose family, the Carolina Rose possesses very
fragrant flowers.
Elderflower (Sambucus spp.)
Native to:
Hemisphere
Temperate
regions
throughout
the
Northern
Edible Status: Elderflowers are used to make cordial. The
berries of certain elder varieties are edible.
Poisonous Look-alike: Water Hemlock
Elderberries are a valuable food source for many birds and
moths.
Upright Spurge (Euphorbia spp.)
Native to: North America
Edible Status: Inedible
The sap of Upright Spurge is a skin irritant.
Wild Lettuce (Lactosa spp.)
Native to: Europe, Asia, North America, Africa
Edible Status: Some wild lettuces are edible and many are not.
As a general rule, edible wild lettuce varieties are best consumed
when young and tender.
Wild Lettuce emits a milky sap from its stem when broken.
Crossvine (Bignonia capreolata)
Native to: Central and Southern United States
Edible Status: Inedible
Crossvine grows rapidly and can become invasive in new
environments if not properly managed.
Hackberry (Celtis occidentalis)
Native to: North America
Edible Status: Produces pea-sized berries in early September
that are sweet and edible raw or cooked. The berries are
remarkably high in calories from fat, carbohydrate and protein,
and are easily digestible without cooking.
The Pueblo Indians make a cake out of pounded hackberry,
animal fat, and corn meal.
Dollarweed (Hydrocotyle umbellata)
Native to: North America and parts of South America
Edible Status: Leaves and leaf stems are edible
In Vietnam, flavored soda is made from the Dollarweed’s close
cousin, the Pennywort.
Butterfly Pea (Clitoria ternatea)
Native to: Equatorial Asia
Edible Status: Butterfly Pea leaves are inedible but the flowers
are used in Thailand to make herbal tea.
Butterfly Pea flowers are used in Southeast Asian cuisine to make
a blue dye for rice noodles.
Cutleaf Evening Primrose (Oenothera laciniata)
Native to: Louisiana and Southeast United States
Edible Status: Leaves are edible before plant flowers. Some
people experience allergic reactions when consuming primrose,
so it is best to first try in small dosages.
Primrose varieties have been foraged in European gardens for
centuries
White Nightshade (Solanum douglasii)
Native to: Mexico and Southern United States
Edible Status: Inedible; Toxic to humans when eaten. The
Nightshade family includes some of the most common vegetables
on the planet (potatoes, tomatoes, tomatillos, peppers, eggplant,
tobacco) but some nightshade varieties contain highly toxic
alkaloids. Nightshades should be foraged with great caution.
The Shoshone people used the berry of the White NIghtshade as
a tattoo ink.
Yellow Nutsedge (Cyperus esculentus)
Native to: Most of the Western Hemisphere as well as parts of
Europe and Africa
Edible Status: The tubers are edible and are thought to be one of
the world’s oldest agricultural foods.
Yellow Nutsedge tubers were used in ancient Egypt to fumigate
homes.
Cleaver (Galium aparine)
Native to: Europe, North Africa and Asia
Edible Status: The leaves and stems of the plant can be
gathered and cooked before it flowers.
Cleaver is also referred to as Goosegrasss because geese enjoy
eating it.
Miner’s Lettuce (Claytonia perfoliata)
Native to: South America and coastal North America
Edible Status: Miner’s lettuce can be eaten raw in salads or
boiled like cooking greens.
Miner’s Lettuce takes its common name from California Gold
Rush miners, who ate it to prevent scurvy.
Wild Onion (Allium canadense)
Native to: Eastern North America
Edible Status: The leaves and bulbs are edible.
Poisonous Look-alike: Wild Lilies and the Star of Bethlehem
Flower (Ornithogalum umbellatum). These often appear next to
young wild onions, and contain alkaloids toxic to humans.
Allium canadense is cultivated as a vegetable in gardens in Cuba.
Wild Garlic (Allium vineale)
Native to: Europe, Northwestern Africa, Southwestern Asia
Edible Status: Bulbs and shoots are edible.
Poisonous Look-alike::Wild Lilies and the Star of Bethlehem
Flower (Ornithogalum umbellatum). These often appear next to
young wild garlic and contain alkaloids toxic to humans.
Allium vineale imparts a garlic taste on beef products when eaten
by cattle.
Wild Mustard (Sinapis arvensis)
Native to: Mediterranean basin but naturalized in North America
Edible Status: Leaves are edible when in juvenile stages. The
seeds can be ground to produce mustard.
Other common names for Sinapis arvensis include Field Mustard
and Charlock.
Marsh Pepper Smartweed (Persicaria hydropiper)
Native to: Distributed through Australia, New Zealand, Asia,
Europe, and North America
Edible Status: Leaves are edible when young, with a pungent
peppery taste.
Marsh Pepper was once widely cultivated in Central Europe; a
much milder domesticated cultivar is still grown for food in Japan.
Mulberry (Morus spp.)
Native to: The Mulberry genus has a wide natural distribution that
includes North America, Europe, East Asia, the Indian
Subcontinent, and North Africa
Edible Status: Ripe mulberries are edible and used widely in
pies, tarts, wine, cordials, and tea.
Mulberry leaves are the sole food of the silkworm.
Dewberry (Rubus spp.)
Native to: North America and Europe
Edible Status: Dewberry leaves can be made into a tea. The
berries are sweet and edible.
Unlike many other Rubus species, Dewberries do not cane but
instead trail along the ground, putting roots down at points of
contact.
Blackberry (Rubus spp.)
Native to: Europe, Northwest Africa, Western Asia, North and
South America
Edible Status: Fruit may be eaten raw or in pies, jams, wine, and
cordials.
Vigorous growers tolerant of poor soils, Blackberry bushes will
quickly colonize disturbed soils, ditches and vacant lots.
Oxalis (Oxalis spp.)
Native to: Found throughout all hemispheres but most species
diversity in South and Central America
Edible Status: The tubers of certain wood sorrel Oxalis have
been consumed by humans for milennia.
The Kiowa tribe of the American Great Plains chewed Oxalis to
alleviate thirst on long treks.
Cat’s Ear (Hypochaeris radicata)
Native to: Europe
Edible Status: All parts of the Cat’s Ear are edible. Its foliage
tends to be less bitter than dandelion foliage.
Cat’s Ear flower stems are forked and solid, whereas dandelion
stems are unforked and hollow.
Monte Casino Aster (Aster ericoides)
Native to: North America and Northern Mexico
Edible Status: Uncertain. Some Aster flowers are edible.
The Aster family includes dandelions and chamomile.
Elephant Ear (Colocasia spp.)
Native to: Southeastern Asia and the Indian Subcontinent
Edible Status: Inedible
The Elephant Ear contains an irritant that produces significant
discomfort in the lips, mouth and throat.
Dandelion (Taraxacum spp.)
Native to: Eurasia, North and South America
Edible Status: All parts of the Dandelion are edible.
An estimated 80 million pounds of pesticides are used to
eradicate Dandelion from lawns annually.
Johnson Grass (Sorghum halepense)
Native to: Mediterranean
Edible Status: Inedible
Johnson Grass is one of the most widely distributed weeds in the
world. It is invasive and highly threatening to North American
native ecologies.
Purpletop Vervain (Verbena bonariensis)
Native to: Tropical South America
Edible Status: Inedible
Verbena bariensis’ talent for self-seeding has placed it on
invasive species watchlists on the Pacific Northwest.
Sprawling Horseweed (Calyptocarpus vialis)
Native to: Eastern Mexico and south to south-central Texas.
Edible Status: Inedible
Sprawling Horseweed attracts butterflies.
Goldenrod (Solidago spp.)
Native to: North America
Edible Status: Young Goldenrod leaves are edible. Goldenrod is
sometimes used to make an herbal tea.
The original tires on many Model T Fords were made with rubber
derived from Goldenrod.
Wild Geranium (Geranium maculatum)
Native to: Eastern North America
Edible Status: Edible, but primarily used for herbal/medicinal
purposes
Wild Geranium is an astringent and can be used to stem the flow
of bleeding.
Carpetweed (Mollugo verticillata)
Native to: North and Central America
Edible Status: Leaves, stems, and flowers of carpetweed are
edible.
Carpetweed leaves can be skinny or broad. Debate continues
among botanists as to whether or not there are two genera of
Carpetweed.