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Angelica- Angelica atropurpurea
Robert H. Mohlenbrock @ USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database
Status: OBL
Plant: 60-240 cm tall; wide; robust; erect; perennial; smooth, thick dark reddish stems
Flowers: 5 parted; greenish white to green, in a 10 -20 cm wide umbel with a somewhat rounded top
Leaves: upper leaves with a swollen basal sheath, 3 main leaflets and each of which may be subdivided into 3 or 5 smaller leaflets
Uses: Peel and cook young stems, they resembles celery. The young stems can also be candied.
Season: late spring, early summer
Parts used: young stems
Plant: 60-240 cm tall; wide; robust; erect; perennial; smooth, thick dark reddish stems
Flowers: 5 parted; greenish white to green, in a 10 -20 cm wide umbel with a somewhat rounded top
Leaves: upper leaves with a swollen basal sheath, 3 main leaflets and each of which may be subdivided into 3 or 5 smaller leaflets
Uses: Peel and cook young stems, they resembles celery. The young stems can also be candied.
Season: late spring, early summer
Parts used: young stems
Balsam fir- Abies balsamea
R.K. LeBarron @ USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database
Status: FAC
Description: Needles are 10-22mm long, flat with blunt tips. Cones are 2.5-7.0 cm long and stand upright on twigs. The scales are tightly packed. The tree itself is up to 15 m tall with a diameter up to 45 cm. The bark is smooth with horizontal resin blisters.
Uses: The inner bark can be ground into flour. The pitch may taste bad but can be used in time of emergency as food.
Season: spring(inner bark), all year(pitch)
Parts used: pitch and inner bark
Description: Needles are 10-22mm long, flat with blunt tips. Cones are 2.5-7.0 cm long and stand upright on twigs. The scales are tightly packed. The tree itself is up to 15 m tall with a diameter up to 45 cm. The bark is smooth with horizontal resin blisters.
Uses: The inner bark can be ground into flour. The pitch may taste bad but can be used in time of emergency as food.
Season: spring(inner bark), all year(pitch)
Parts used: pitch and inner bark
Basswood- Tilia Americana
USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database
Uses: The unopened leaf buds can be made into salad. The dried flowers can be made into tea
Season: Early spring(buds), summer(flowers)
Parts used: buds and flowers
Blackberry- Rubus allegheniensis
Virginia Tech Department of Forest Resources and Environmental Conservation
Status: FACU-
Flowers and fruits: flowers with 5 white petals; 5 sepals; fruit a cluster of drupelets, black, sweet when ripe, stalk of flower/fruit with glandular hairs
Leaves: alternate, fan compound, 3-7 leaflets, undersides are green
Buds and Twigs: leaf bases produce biennial canes which flower and fruit the second year; ridged stems, without whitish powder covering, with short sometimes hooked thorns, thorns also present on leaf stalks and even on veins on undersides of leaves
Shrub: erect arching canes lie flat on the ground; to 3 m long
Uses: fruit, jelly, tea, and salad
Season: spring and summer
Parts used: young shoots
Flowers and fruits: flowers with 5 white petals; 5 sepals; fruit a cluster of drupelets, black, sweet when ripe, stalk of flower/fruit with glandular hairs
Leaves: alternate, fan compound, 3-7 leaflets, undersides are green
Buds and Twigs: leaf bases produce biennial canes which flower and fruit the second year; ridged stems, without whitish powder covering, with short sometimes hooked thorns, thorns also present on leaf stalks and even on veins on undersides of leaves
Shrub: erect arching canes lie flat on the ground; to 3 m long
Uses: fruit, jelly, tea, and salad
Season: spring and summer
Parts used: young shoots
Black cherry-Prunus serotina
Patrick J. Alexander @ USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database
Uses: Fruit can be either eaten raw, cooked, or dried.
Season: late summer, early fall
Parts used: fruit
Warning: wilted leaves and fresh seeds contain cyanide, do not eat.
Season: late summer, early fall
Parts used: fruit
Warning: wilted leaves and fresh seeds contain cyanide, do not eat.
Black chokeberry-Prunus virginiana
Tracey Slotta @ USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database
Uses: Fruit cooked or eaten raw. It can also be made into jelly.
Season: Fall
Parts used: Fruit
Season: Fall
Parts used: Fruit
Black spruce- Picea mariana
USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database
Status: FACW
Description: Pistillate cones dark purple before maturity, point downward, dull gray-brown when ripe; 1.5-3.5 cm. Needles are squarish and stiff, ends are often blunt. Twigs are covered with grayish crooked hairs. Bark is gray to brown with close scales. The tree itself grows up to 10m, sometimes larger.
Uses: Remove leading shoots of their needles and boil. Inner bark can be ground into flour. The pitch can be used as chewing gum.
Season: Spring(shoots, inner bark), all year(pitch)
Parts used: pitch, shoots, and inner bark
Description: Pistillate cones dark purple before maturity, point downward, dull gray-brown when ripe; 1.5-3.5 cm. Needles are squarish and stiff, ends are often blunt. Twigs are covered with grayish crooked hairs. Bark is gray to brown with close scales. The tree itself grows up to 10m, sometimes larger.
Uses: Remove leading shoots of their needles and boil. Inner bark can be ground into flour. The pitch can be used as chewing gum.
Season: Spring(shoots, inner bark), all year(pitch)
Parts used: pitch, shoots, and inner bark
Broadleaf Arrowhead-Sagittaria latifolia
Elaine Haug @ USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database
Status:OBL
Plant: in shallow water
Flower: on very long stalks, usually in whorls of 3, flowers 3 parted , white, 25-35 mm across
Leaves: most leaves arrowhead shaped, width varies enormously.
Uses: Wash and peel the potatoes. Boil for about 20 minutes, roast, or fry.
Season: fall-early spring
Parts used: tuber
Plant: in shallow water
Flower: on very long stalks, usually in whorls of 3, flowers 3 parted , white, 25-35 mm across
Leaves: most leaves arrowhead shaped, width varies enormously.
Uses: Wash and peel the potatoes. Boil for about 20 minutes, roast, or fry.
Season: fall-early spring
Parts used: tuber
Buckbean- Menyanthes trifoliata
Mary Clay Stensvold @ USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database
Status: OBL
Plant: emergent with leaves and flowers above water, arising from creeping rootstalk
Flowers: clustered at top of stalk, 5 parted, star shaped, approximately 15 mm across, white to pink, petals are fringed with long white hairs
Fruits: ellipsoid capsule, 8-10 mm long
Leaves: alternate; compound with 3 leaflets; leaflets oblong to elliptical, 5-10 cm long and 2.5-5 cm wife, toothless, and not hairy
Warning: Only use in dire emergency, plant is protected in the US.
Uses: Boil the long rootstocks for 30 minutes in several changes of water. Make a nutritious flour by crushing the roostock thoroughly.
Season: fall-early spring
Parts used: rootstock
Plant: emergent with leaves and flowers above water, arising from creeping rootstalk
Flowers: clustered at top of stalk, 5 parted, star shaped, approximately 15 mm across, white to pink, petals are fringed with long white hairs
Fruits: ellipsoid capsule, 8-10 mm long
Leaves: alternate; compound with 3 leaflets; leaflets oblong to elliptical, 5-10 cm long and 2.5-5 cm wife, toothless, and not hairy
Warning: Only use in dire emergency, plant is protected in the US.
Uses: Boil the long rootstocks for 30 minutes in several changes of water. Make a nutritious flour by crushing the roostock thoroughly.
Season: fall-early spring
Parts used: rootstock
Buckthorn- Rhamnus cathartica
J.S. Peterson @ USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database
Uses: Poisonous. The leaves and fruit are very cathartic
Season:
Parts to avoid: leaves and fruit
Season:
Parts to avoid: leaves and fruit
Bunchberry-Cornus canadensis
Mark W. Skinner @ USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database
Status: FAC-
Plants: 15cm tall
Flowers: central cluster of small greenish to brownish flowers, surrounded by 4 larger white petal like bracts
Fruits: bright red berries in terminal clusters about 8 mm across
Leaves: opposite, shiny dark green above, paler below, very short petiole
Uses: The ripe berries can be eaten raw or cooked like pudding
Season: late summer-early fall
Parts used: fruit
Plants: 15cm tall
Flowers: central cluster of small greenish to brownish flowers, surrounded by 4 larger white petal like bracts
Fruits: bright red berries in terminal clusters about 8 mm across
Leaves: opposite, shiny dark green above, paler below, very short petiole
Uses: The ripe berries can be eaten raw or cooked like pudding
Season: late summer-early fall
Parts used: fruit
Butternut-Juglans cinerea L.
W.D. Brush @ USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database
Uses: nuts, candy, flour, oil, syrup, and sugar.
Season: early spring(sap), fall(nuts)
Parts used: nuts, sap
Season: early spring(sap), fall(nuts)
Parts used: nuts, sap
Canada Lily- Lilium canadense
R.A. Howard @ USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database
Status: FAC+
Plant: 60-150 cm tall
Flower: 6 parted, orange, sometimes yellow or red, petals often brown spotted, flowers large (5-10cm across) , in clusters on top of stem
Leaves: whorled, entire; lance shaped, parallel veins, rough to touch on underside of leaves
Uses: The bulbs can be roasted , added to soups or stews, or boiled for 20 minutes and served with butter.
Season: summer
Parts used: bulb
Plant: 60-150 cm tall
Flower: 6 parted, orange, sometimes yellow or red, petals often brown spotted, flowers large (5-10cm across) , in clusters on top of stem
Leaves: whorled, entire; lance shaped, parallel veins, rough to touch on underside of leaves
Uses: The bulbs can be roasted , added to soups or stews, or boiled for 20 minutes and served with butter.
Season: summer
Parts used: bulb
Creeping Snowberry-Gaultheria hispidula
R.A. Howard @ USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database
Status: FACW
Plants: up to 15 cm, long creeping evergreen, forms dense mats
Flowers: small solitary flowers in leaf axils; 3 petals, flowers either unisexual or bisexual, crimson to purple to purplish brown
Fruits: purplish then almost black berry
Leaves: narrow, thin, needle like, 3-8 mm long, dark green, in whorls of four
Uses: Leaves can be used in tea. Berries can be either cooked or eaten raw.
Season: all year(leaves), late summer(fruit)
Parts used: leaves and fruit
Plants: up to 15 cm, long creeping evergreen, forms dense mats
Flowers: small solitary flowers in leaf axils; 3 petals, flowers either unisexual or bisexual, crimson to purple to purplish brown
Fruits: purplish then almost black berry
Leaves: narrow, thin, needle like, 3-8 mm long, dark green, in whorls of four
Uses: Leaves can be used in tea. Berries can be either cooked or eaten raw.
Season: all year(leaves), late summer(fruit)
Parts used: leaves and fruit
Groundnut- Apios americana
Robert H. Mohlenbrock @ USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database
Status: FACW
Plant: vine, no tendril, root with roundish tuber
Flower: purplish or brownish purple; bilateral symmetry; in short racemes arising in leaf axils; distinctive scent
Leaves: alternate, compound; 5-7 leaflets, broad with sharp points
Uses: Wash and peel the potatoes. Boil for about 20 minutes, roast, or fry. Eat while still hot, they’re much less palatable when they’ve cooled off.
Season: All year
Parts used: tubers
Plant: vine, no tendril, root with roundish tuber
Flower: purplish or brownish purple; bilateral symmetry; in short racemes arising in leaf axils; distinctive scent
Leaves: alternate, compound; 5-7 leaflets, broad with sharp points
Uses: Wash and peel the potatoes. Boil for about 20 minutes, roast, or fry. Eat while still hot, they’re much less palatable when they’ve cooled off.
Season: All year
Parts used: tubers
Hazelnut- Corylus americana
E.R. Mosher @ USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database
Uses: Nuts, ground into flour, or candy.
Season: late summer, early fall
Parts used: nuts
Season: late summer, early fall
Parts used: nuts
Highbush blueberry-Vaccinium corymbosum L
R.A. Howard @ USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database
Uses: fresh, cooked, or dried fruit. Fruit can also be made into jelly.
Season: summer
Parts used: fruit
Season: summer
Parts used: fruit
Hog peanut- Amphicarpa bracteata
Plant: delicate twining vein, climbs on other plants
Flower: bilateral, pale purple, violet, or white; narrow, 12-18 mm long in racemes in the aciles of leaves; also, flowers without petals at the base of the plant
Fruit: aerial flowers produce curved pod with 3-4 beans; ground flower produces a fleshly pod with 1 bean
Leaves: alternate, compound, 3 leaflets, broad, pointed on ends, light green, delicate
Uses: The light brown subterranean seeds are dry, but can be boiled for 15-20 minutes and served with butter.
Season: Fall- Early Spring
Parts used: Subterranean seeds
Flower: bilateral, pale purple, violet, or white; narrow, 12-18 mm long in racemes in the aciles of leaves; also, flowers without petals at the base of the plant
Fruit: aerial flowers produce curved pod with 3-4 beans; ground flower produces a fleshly pod with 1 bean
Leaves: alternate, compound, 3 leaflets, broad, pointed on ends, light green, delicate
Uses: The light brown subterranean seeds are dry, but can be boiled for 15-20 minutes and served with butter.
Season: Fall- Early Spring
Parts used: Subterranean seeds
Jack in the pulpit- Arisaema atrorubens
USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database
Status: FACW
Leaves: basal, usually 2. Petiole reddish purple. Blade divided into 3 leaflets, each up to 30 cm long. Undersides of mature leaves are whitish. Lateral leaflets are asymmetrical with the nearest base side having rounded edge and the distal side having a straighter edge
Flower: On peduncle arising between leaves. Spathe wraps around itself at the base forming a greenish, often striped with purple, tube. Upper portion of the spathe curves forward and forms a hood over the spadix. Outside of hood purple or green with yellowish stripes along the veins; inside of the hood is purple with yellowish stripes along the veins. The hood is slightly ridged along veins. Cylindrical male or female flower is a reddish purple and rod like with a blunt end. During the summer the spathe disintegrates, exposing the spadix with its green, then red berries
Warning: Contains calcium oxalate. Eating the plant raw will cause a burning sensation in the mouth. Boiling doesn’t help in removing this property from the plant. Drying thoroughly is the only way to remove the calcium oxalate from the plant.
Uses: Thoroughly dried, thinly sliced corm can be ground into flour. It can also be sliced and eaten like chips.
Season: Fall- Early summer
Parts used: dried corm
Leaves: basal, usually 2. Petiole reddish purple. Blade divided into 3 leaflets, each up to 30 cm long. Undersides of mature leaves are whitish. Lateral leaflets are asymmetrical with the nearest base side having rounded edge and the distal side having a straighter edge
Flower: On peduncle arising between leaves. Spathe wraps around itself at the base forming a greenish, often striped with purple, tube. Upper portion of the spathe curves forward and forms a hood over the spadix. Outside of hood purple or green with yellowish stripes along the veins; inside of the hood is purple with yellowish stripes along the veins. The hood is slightly ridged along veins. Cylindrical male or female flower is a reddish purple and rod like with a blunt end. During the summer the spathe disintegrates, exposing the spadix with its green, then red berries
Warning: Contains calcium oxalate. Eating the plant raw will cause a burning sensation in the mouth. Boiling doesn’t help in removing this property from the plant. Drying thoroughly is the only way to remove the calcium oxalate from the plant.
Uses: Thoroughly dried, thinly sliced corm can be ground into flour. It can also be sliced and eaten like chips.
Season: Fall- Early summer
Parts used: dried corm
Jewelweed- Impatiens pallida
William S. Justice @ USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database
Status:FACW
Plant: 60-150 cm tall; stem succulent, exudes juice when broken
Flower: bilateral, longer than broad; orange with red brown spots; spur at rear bends forward until parallel with the flower
Fruit: elongate pod that springs open explosively when ripe
Leaves: alternate, coarsely toothed; egg shaped, succulent
Uses: The juices from the raw stems and leaves can soothe the sting of nettles and relieve the rash of poison ivy. The young shoots can be boiled for 10-15 minutes in two changes of water, don’t drink the water, and serve.
Season: early spring(shoots), summer(stems and leaves)
Parts used: young shoots, stems, and leaves
Plant: 60-150 cm tall; stem succulent, exudes juice when broken
Flower: bilateral, longer than broad; orange with red brown spots; spur at rear bends forward until parallel with the flower
Fruit: elongate pod that springs open explosively when ripe
Leaves: alternate, coarsely toothed; egg shaped, succulent
Uses: The juices from the raw stems and leaves can soothe the sting of nettles and relieve the rash of poison ivy. The young shoots can be boiled for 10-15 minutes in two changes of water, don’t drink the water, and serve.
Season: early spring(shoots), summer(stems and leaves)
Parts used: young shoots, stems, and leaves
Labrador tea- Ledum groenlandicum
R.A. Howard @ USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database
Uses: tea
Season: all year
Parts used: leaves
Season: all year
Parts used: leaves
Lady’s Thumb- Polygonum persicaria
Al Schneider @ USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database
Status: FACW
Plant: 15-45 cm tall; erect or sprawling, stems reddish, hairless
Flowers: in thick dense terminal spikes, individual flowers 1.5-3mm long, 5 parted
Fruit: brown to black, glossy, egg shaped, 2 mm long
Leaves: alternate; lance shaped, 2.5-15 cm long by .5-1.3 cm wide, tip tapers to a point; there's a purple spot in the middle of the leaf that resembles the mark of a lady's thumb
Uses: The young leaves can be made into a spinach like salad.
Season: Spring
Parts used: young leaves
Plant: 15-45 cm tall; erect or sprawling, stems reddish, hairless
Flowers: in thick dense terminal spikes, individual flowers 1.5-3mm long, 5 parted
Fruit: brown to black, glossy, egg shaped, 2 mm long
Leaves: alternate; lance shaped, 2.5-15 cm long by .5-1.3 cm wide, tip tapers to a point; there's a purple spot in the middle of the leaf that resembles the mark of a lady's thumb
Uses: The young leaves can be made into a spinach like salad.
Season: Spring
Parts used: young leaves
Marsh Marigold- Caltha palustris
R.A. Howard @ USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database
Status: OBL
Plant: 15-45 cm high; stems thick, hollow
Flower: yellow, 5 parted, 25-40 mm across, 5-9 waxy yellow sepals
Leaves: alternate, shallow toothed, glossy, rounded heart shaped or kidney shaped, long leafstalk
Warning: Do not eat raw. This plant contains an acrid poison that is only gotten rid of when cooked.
Uses: Collected before the plant has finished blooming, the young leaves can be cooked for 20-39 minutes in 2 or 3 changes of boiling water. The flowerbuds can be pickled in hot vinegar.
Season: Early Spring-Spring
Parts used: young leaves, flowerbuds
Plant: 15-45 cm high; stems thick, hollow
Flower: yellow, 5 parted, 25-40 mm across, 5-9 waxy yellow sepals
Leaves: alternate, shallow toothed, glossy, rounded heart shaped or kidney shaped, long leafstalk
Warning: Do not eat raw. This plant contains an acrid poison that is only gotten rid of when cooked.
Uses: Collected before the plant has finished blooming, the young leaves can be cooked for 20-39 minutes in 2 or 3 changes of boiling water. The flowerbuds can be pickled in hot vinegar.
Season: Early Spring-Spring
Parts used: young leaves, flowerbuds
Nightshade- Solanum dulcamara
Warning: The berries are very pretty and visible, but very poisonous
Ostrich fern- Pteretis pensylvanica
Robert H. Mohlenbrock @ USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database
Status: FACW
Sterile fond: grow up to about 2 meters. Stipe is much shorter than the blade and the fronds are clumped.
Stipe: stout, rigid, deeply grooved in front
Blade: up to about 35 cm wide. It’s oblong lance shaped and widest above the middle tapering gradually to the base.
Fertile fond: Grows up to about 60 cm, stiff, green then brown
Uses: in salad. Harvest when under 6 inches tall and tightly curled. Can also be boiled.
Season: early spring
Parts used: fiddleheads
Sterile fond: grow up to about 2 meters. Stipe is much shorter than the blade and the fronds are clumped.
Stipe: stout, rigid, deeply grooved in front
Blade: up to about 35 cm wide. It’s oblong lance shaped and widest above the middle tapering gradually to the base.
Fertile fond: Grows up to about 60 cm, stiff, green then brown
Uses: in salad. Harvest when under 6 inches tall and tightly curled. Can also be boiled.
Season: early spring
Parts used: fiddleheads
Pickerelweed- Pontederia cordata
William S. Justice @ USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database
Status: OBL
Plant: 30-90 cm tall
Flowers: densely arranged around terminal spike, light blue to blue; 2 lipped, upper lip has 2 lobes while the lower lip has 3 lobes with two yellow spots
Leaves: arrowhead or heart shaped with distinctive swirling veins, glossy,deep green, up to 15 cm long, 5-10 cm across
Uses: The young leaves can either be chopped and added to salads, or boiled for 10 minutes and served with butter. The fruit contains a starchy seed and are highly nutritious. They can be eaten out of hand, dried, and added to granola like cereals, or roasted and ground into flour.
Season: early summer(leaves), late summer-fall(fruit)
Parts used: young leaves, fruit
Plant: 30-90 cm tall
Flowers: densely arranged around terminal spike, light blue to blue; 2 lipped, upper lip has 2 lobes while the lower lip has 3 lobes with two yellow spots
Leaves: arrowhead or heart shaped with distinctive swirling veins, glossy,deep green, up to 15 cm long, 5-10 cm across
Uses: The young leaves can either be chopped and added to salads, or boiled for 10 minutes and served with butter. The fruit contains a starchy seed and are highly nutritious. They can be eaten out of hand, dried, and added to granola like cereals, or roasted and ground into flour.
Season: early summer(leaves), late summer-fall(fruit)
Parts used: young leaves, fruit
Poison sumac- Toxicodendron vernix
Ted Bodner @ USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database
Status: OBL
Flowers and fruit: small, 3 mm long, yellow to green in loose clusters; small, round, white to pale green berries in clusters
Leaves: alternate, compound
Poisonous, do not touch. If touched will cause severe dermatitis
Flowers and fruit: small, 3 mm long, yellow to green in loose clusters; small, round, white to pale green berries in clusters
Leaves: alternate, compound
Poisonous, do not touch. If touched will cause severe dermatitis
Purple Avens- Geum rivale
Lee Casebere @ USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database
Status:OBL
Plant: 30-60 cm tall
Flower: 5 parted, purplish, about 12 mm long; nodding, globular; purplish sepals, yellow petals about as long as sepals
Fruit: tips of developing seeds form long hooked appendages
Leaves: alternate, compound; segments toothed and end segment 3 lobed; end segment broader than the others; often with smaller leaflets interspersed along main axis of leaf
Uses: Boiling the rootstocks creates a chocolate like beverage. The flavor is much better when milk and sugar is added, however.
Season: all year
Parts used: rootstocks
Plant: 30-60 cm tall
Flower: 5 parted, purplish, about 12 mm long; nodding, globular; purplish sepals, yellow petals about as long as sepals
Fruit: tips of developing seeds form long hooked appendages
Leaves: alternate, compound; segments toothed and end segment 3 lobed; end segment broader than the others; often with smaller leaflets interspersed along main axis of leaf
Uses: Boiling the rootstocks creates a chocolate like beverage. The flavor is much better when milk and sugar is added, however.
Season: all year
Parts used: rootstocks
Raspberry- Rubus idaeus
Robert H. Mohlenbrock @ USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database
Status: FACU-
Flowers and fruits: flowers with 5 white petals, 5 sepals, fruit a cluster of drupelets, red sweet when ripe
Leaves: alternate, fan-compound; 3-7 leaflets, undersides white-gray hairy
Buds and twigs: bases produce biennial canes which flower and fruit the second year, stems round, covered with whitish powder and flexible, slender, bristles(2-4mm long) which are usually not enlarged at the base
Shrub: erect arching canes; to 2 m tall
Uses: fruit, jelly, tea, and salad
Season: spring and summer
Parts used: young shoots
Flowers and fruits: flowers with 5 white petals, 5 sepals, fruit a cluster of drupelets, red sweet when ripe
Leaves: alternate, fan-compound; 3-7 leaflets, undersides white-gray hairy
Buds and twigs: bases produce biennial canes which flower and fruit the second year, stems round, covered with whitish powder and flexible, slender, bristles(2-4mm long) which are usually not enlarged at the base
Shrub: erect arching canes; to 2 m tall
Uses: fruit, jelly, tea, and salad
Season: spring and summer
Parts used: young shoots
Red baneberry- Actaea rubra
Status: unknown
Plant: 30-90 cm high
Flower: single raceme 3-5 cm long on thick stalk. Flowers usually in a tight cluster that is somewhat longer than wide, individual flowers with 4-10 small narrow white petals
Fruit: red berries, sometimes white. The stalks are long and thin
Leaves: whorl of 3 leaves, each subdivided into leaflets with sharp and irregular teeth
Warning: All parts of the plant are poisonous. Consuming just a few berries can cause extreme dizziness and vomiting.
Plant: 30-90 cm high
Flower: single raceme 3-5 cm long on thick stalk. Flowers usually in a tight cluster that is somewhat longer than wide, individual flowers with 4-10 small narrow white petals
Fruit: red berries, sometimes white. The stalks are long and thin
Leaves: whorl of 3 leaves, each subdivided into leaflets with sharp and irregular teeth
Warning: All parts of the plant are poisonous. Consuming just a few berries can cause extreme dizziness and vomiting.
Red maple- Acer rubrum
Elaine Haug @ USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database
Status: FAC
Uses: Syrup
Season: late winter, early spring
Parts used: sap
Uses: Syrup
Season: late winter, early spring
Parts used: sap
Slippery elm- Ulmus rubra
W.D. Brush @ USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database
Uses: Soak inner bark in hot water to make tea. Grind inner bark to make a nutritious flour
Season: spring
Parts used: inner bark
Season: spring
Parts used: inner bark
Sweetflag- Acirys cakanys
Status: OBL
Plants: up to 150 cm, erect, perennial , sweet spicy smell when crushed
Flowers: 6 parted, yellowish brown, tiny in size, inflorescence a laterally protruding 5-10 cm long cylindrical spadix
Fruit: brown
Leaves: with 2-6 major raised veins, linear, long and narrow, sheathing base
Caution: Do not confuse with Blueflag, which is poisonous. Blueflag's leaves are bluish and dull while sweetflag's leaves are glossy.
Uses: The horizontal rootstocks can be candied. Peel, cut into 1.3 cm lengths, and boil in 4 or 5 changes of water for about an hour, or until tender. Then, let simmer for 20 minutes in a rich sugar syrup and set out to dry. The tender inner parts of the spring shoots can be made into a spicy salad.
Season: Spring
Parts used: rootstock, young shoots
Plants: up to 150 cm, erect, perennial , sweet spicy smell when crushed
Flowers: 6 parted, yellowish brown, tiny in size, inflorescence a laterally protruding 5-10 cm long cylindrical spadix
Fruit: brown
Leaves: with 2-6 major raised veins, linear, long and narrow, sheathing base
Caution: Do not confuse with Blueflag, which is poisonous. Blueflag's leaves are bluish and dull while sweetflag's leaves are glossy.
Uses: The horizontal rootstocks can be candied. Peel, cut into 1.3 cm lengths, and boil in 4 or 5 changes of water for about an hour, or until tender. Then, let simmer for 20 minutes in a rich sugar syrup and set out to dry. The tender inner parts of the spring shoots can be made into a spicy salad.
Season: Spring
Parts used: rootstock, young shoots
Sweetgale- Myrica gale
Mary Clay Stensvold @ USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database
Uses: Dried leaves can be made into tea when soaked in hot water. The leaves and nutlets can be used as seasoning for meats.
Season: summer
Parts used: leaves, nutlets
Season: summer
Parts used: leaves, nutlets
Sugar maple- Acer saccharum
University of Tennessee
Uses: Sap
Season: late winter, early spring
Parts used: sap
Season: late winter, early spring
Parts used: sap
Sycamore-Platanus L.
USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database
Uses: syrup, sugar, and water. The tree can be tapped to retrieve the syrup. The syrup may be thin, however it is a good source of water in areas of contamination
Season: late winter-early spring
Parts used: sap
Season: late winter-early spring
Parts used: sap
Tamarack- Larix larcina
Status: FACW
Description: Deciduous, flat needles, light to bluish green. Smell yellowish male and reddish-brown female cones, in clusters on dwarf branches. Bark is gray to reddish brown to brown, scaly as it ages.
Uses: Young shoots and inner bark can be ground up into flour or cooked
Season: Spring
Parts used: young shoots, inner bark
Description: Deciduous, flat needles, light to bluish green. Smell yellowish male and reddish-brown female cones, in clusters on dwarf branches. Bark is gray to reddish brown to brown, scaly as it ages.
Uses: Young shoots and inner bark can be ground up into flour or cooked
Season: Spring
Parts used: young shoots, inner bark
Virginia creeper- Parthenocissus quinquefolia
James H. Miller @ USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database
If consumed, berries are possibly fatal.
Water-arum- Calla palustris
R.A. Howard @ USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database
Plant: 12-25 cm tall; erect, perennial, from nodes on rhizomes
Flowers: white to yellowish white to green, tiny, inflorescence is a 2.5-5 cm long spadix partially surrounded by a 5 cm long white, oval, flat spathe
Fruits: round cluster of red berries
Leaves: basal: broadly heart shaped with pointed tip, 5-15 cm long stalk
Warning: Contains calcium oxalate. Eating the plant raw will cause a burning sensation in the mouth. Boiling doesn’t help in removing this property from the plant. Drying thoroughly is the only way to remove the calcium oxalate from the plant.
Uses: Thoroughly dried rootstocks and seeds can be ground into a nutritious flour that can be used in a time of emergency.
Season: Fall (seeds), Fall-Early spring(rootstocks)
Parts used: seeds, rootstocks
Flowers: white to yellowish white to green, tiny, inflorescence is a 2.5-5 cm long spadix partially surrounded by a 5 cm long white, oval, flat spathe
Fruits: round cluster of red berries
Leaves: basal: broadly heart shaped with pointed tip, 5-15 cm long stalk
Warning: Contains calcium oxalate. Eating the plant raw will cause a burning sensation in the mouth. Boiling doesn’t help in removing this property from the plant. Drying thoroughly is the only way to remove the calcium oxalate from the plant.
Uses: Thoroughly dried rootstocks and seeds can be ground into a nutritious flour that can be used in a time of emergency.
Season: Fall (seeds), Fall-Early spring(rootstocks)
Parts used: seeds, rootstocks
Water Parsnip- Sium sauve
USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database
Status: OBL
Plant: 60-150 cm tall, stem strongly angled, leafy toothed bracts below umbel
Flower: 5 parted, white, flowers tiny, in umbel at top of stem
leaves: alternate, once compounded; aerial leaves with 3-7 pairs lance shaped leaflets, sharply toothed along entire length, basal leaves, often submerged with deeply divided leaflets
Note: Since water parsnip is so close to water-hemlock, it’s best to avoid it as a food source.
Uses: Boil roots until tender.
Season: fall-early spring
Parts used: roots
Plant: 60-150 cm tall, stem strongly angled, leafy toothed bracts below umbel
Flower: 5 parted, white, flowers tiny, in umbel at top of stem
leaves: alternate, once compounded; aerial leaves with 3-7 pairs lance shaped leaflets, sharply toothed along entire length, basal leaves, often submerged with deeply divided leaflets
Note: Since water parsnip is so close to water-hemlock, it’s best to avoid it as a food source.
Uses: Boil roots until tender.
Season: fall-early spring
Parts used: roots
Wild Mint- Mentha arvensis
Al Schneider @ USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database
Status: FACW
Plants: 15-50 cm tall; square stem, a little hairy
Flowers: tiny clusters in leaf axils; bilateral symmetry, pale violet or sometimes white
Leaves: opposite, toothed; 7-15 cm long, egg shaped to oblong; smells strongly of mint
Uses: Make a wonderful tea when steeped in hot water for 5-10 minutes. It can also be used as a flavoring.
Season: summer
Parts used: leaves
Plants: 15-50 cm tall; square stem, a little hairy
Flowers: tiny clusters in leaf axils; bilateral symmetry, pale violet or sometimes white
Leaves: opposite, toothed; 7-15 cm long, egg shaped to oblong; smells strongly of mint
Uses: Make a wonderful tea when steeped in hot water for 5-10 minutes. It can also be used as a flavoring.
Season: summer
Parts used: leaves
Wild raisin- Viburnum spp.
Uses: Pleasant tasting fruit that can be either cooked or eaten raw. Can be used in cooking or made into jelly.
Season: late summer-fall
Parts used: fruit
Season: late summer-fall
Parts used: fruit
Wild rice- Zizania aquatica
Larry Allain @ USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database
Uses: Cereal and ground into flour.
Season: Mid- late summer
Parts used: seeds
Warning: Although unusual and infrequent, Ergot a highly poisonous pink fungi can replace some of the seeds.
Season: Mid- late summer
Parts used: seeds
Warning: Although unusual and infrequent, Ergot a highly poisonous pink fungi can replace some of the seeds.
Wood-nettle- Laportea canadensis
Robert H. Mohlenbrock @ USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database
Status: FACW
Plant: 30-120 cm tall; stem covered with stinging hairs
Flower: greenish, tiny; in loose branching clusters arising from leaf axils
Leaves: opposite, coarsely toothed; egg shaped, 7-15 cm long
Uses: The young shoots can be simmered for 10-15 minutes. Can be added to soups or stews. A nourishing tea can be made from young shoots or leaves.
Season: spring(shoots), summer(tender leaves)
Parts used: young shoots and leaves
Caution: Do not handle with bare hands
Plant: 30-120 cm tall; stem covered with stinging hairs
Flower: greenish, tiny; in loose branching clusters arising from leaf axils
Leaves: opposite, coarsely toothed; egg shaped, 7-15 cm long
Uses: The young shoots can be simmered for 10-15 minutes. Can be added to soups or stews. A nourishing tea can be made from young shoots or leaves.
Season: spring(shoots), summer(tender leaves)
Parts used: young shoots and leaves
Caution: Do not handle with bare hands
Yellow birch- Betula alleghaniensis
Robert H. Mohlenbrock @ USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database
Uses: syrup, sugar, water, flour, and tea. The inner bark can be ground into flour. Twigs can be put in hot water to make tea.
Season: all year(twigs), spring(sap and inner bark)
Parts used: sap, inner bark, twigs
Season: all year(twigs), spring(sap and inner bark)
Parts used: sap, inner bark, twigs