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Common Edible Wild Plants

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Wild Foraging Tips

Make sure that you positively identify any plant before eating it.  

The plants included here are generally easy to identify and are common across most of North America. 

The leaves of all these species are edible raw when young or boiled for 5-10 minutes when older.  

Start by eating only small amounts of one species at a time to ensure that you do not have a negative reaction to the plant.

Edible wild plants common in North America:

  • Amaranth - Amaranthus species
  • Chickweed - Stellaria media
  • Clover - Trifolium species
  • Dandelion -Taraxacum officinale
  • Mustard - Brassica species
  • Plantain - Plantago species
  • Purslane - Portulaca oleracea
  • Shepherd's Purse - Capsella bursa-pastoris
  • Sorrel - Rumex acetosella
  • Violet - Viola species

 More information on edible wild plants.

Edible plant photos and info (of Sierra Nevada), includes many common across North America.

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© RJC January 20, 2005