by Tim MacWelch
IDENTIFIERS Cleavers have tiny, star-shaped, white to greenish flowers with four petals.
USES Boil the young shoots and tender plants for fifteen minutes as a cooked green. The cooking water can then be used as a deodorant or drunk as a blood pressure–lowering tonic. Cleavers are related to the coffee bush, and the small, prickly fruits of cleavers can be dried and roasted as a coffee substitute.
CLOVER
Trifolium spp.
SEASON Spring through fall
HABITAT Fields, open ground
DISTRIBUTION Global
DETAILS Clovers (or trefoil) are a genus containing about 300 species of plants in the pea family (Fabaceae). They can be found globally, with most species in the temperate Northern Hemisphere, South America, and Africa. Clovers are small annual, biennial, or short-lived perennial herbaceous plants.
IDENTIFIERS Clovers have alternate leaves that are trifoliate (three leaflets) and flower heads with many small flowers that create a rounded cluster. Clover flowers can be white, yellow, pink, and many other colors.
USES You can eat clover leaves raw or cooked; the flowers are a great addition to salads and make phenomenal fritters when battered and fried. The most widely used wild edible clovers are white clover (Trifolium repens) and red clover (Trifolium pretense).
CHICKWEED
Stellaria media
SEASON Spring and summer
HABITAT Lawns and fields
DISTRIBUTION Northern Hemisphere
DETAILS Chickweed is a low-growing herbaceous annual plant, native to Europe and often forming a carpet on disturbed grounds of farms and gardens. The small, ovate simple leaves grow in an opposite branching pattern on the round green stems.
IDENTIFIERS Chickweed’s white flowers appear to have ten petals, but actually have five, each partially split. The plant germinates in fall or winter, then forms mats of greenery or vinelike runners in spring.
USES You can eat the tender leaves and stems raw or cooked. Star chickweed (Stellaria pubera) is good cooked or raw, and mouse-ear chickweed (Cerastium vulgatum) is also good as a cooked green. Chickweed can be used in an anti-itch poultice and can be ingested to relieve constipation.
WOOD SORREL
Oxalis spp.
SEASON Spring through fall
HABITAT Sunny and shady areas
DISTRIBUTION Northern Hemisphere
DETAILS Wood sorrel plants are common perennial herbaceous plants found around North America, Europe, and Asia. The plant has heart-shaped leaflets in sets of three, and resembles clover. Stems and leaf stalks are alternate branching, and these plants are rarely taller than 6 inches (15 cm).
IDENTIFIERS The flowers are often yellow, though some species are pink or purple, and they all typically have five petals.
USES The leaves, tender stems, and flowers have a refreshing sour taste, and are good in a salad. You can also steep them in hot water, then strain, sweeten, and chill to create a lemonade substitute. Be cautious about overconsumption, as the sour taste is caused by oxalic acid, which is a building block for kidney stones. Stick with a small salad on an irregular basis.
121 FIND BUSHES AND BRAMBLES
Finally, a truism from pop culture TV survival references! There actually are some berries and twigs that you can use for survival food. Here are some of my favorites.
BLACKBERRY
Rubus spp.
SEASON Summer
HABITAT Forest edge, open ground
DISTRIBUTION Northern Hemisphere
DETAILS Rubus species are found throughout the Northern Hemisphere. They may grow anywhere, but favor sunny ground and transition areas. Blackberry is a single stemmed perennial woody plant that is hairless, often grooved, and has stems that are typically around 6–8 feet (2–2.5 m). It has alternate branching with sharp, curved thorns.
IDENTIFIERS The leaves are pinnately compound with three or five leaflets that are toothed and hairless, though often thorned.
USES Eat the soft, ripe berries raw or cooked, or dry and steep the leaves in hot water for ten minutes to make a tea that can help treat diarrhea. Blackberry leaf tea can also be used as a mouthwash due to its astringent action.
RASPBERRY
Rubus spp.
SEASON Summer
HABITAT Forest edge, hillsides
DISTRIBUTION Northern Hemisphere
DETAILS The Native American, Asian, and European species of raspberry is now found around the world. It favors moist soil, good drainage, and often grows near or within shaded areas. Raspberry is a perennial woody plant that bears biennial stems (canes). During the first year, a new stem (called a primocane) grows to a height of 3–9 feet (1–3 m).
IDENTIFIERS Raspberry is unbranched and bears large pinnately compound leaves with three or five leaflets. During the second year, the cane grows several alternate side branches with smaller leaves that are whitish underneath. These side branches produce the berries.
USES The juicy compound berries are red when ripe. Eat them raw or cooked, or dry them for future use. The leaves can be dried and used as a tea similar to blackberry.
MULTIFLORA ROSE
Rosa multiflora
SEASON Summer and fall
HABITAT Fields and fence rows
DISTRIBUTION Northern Hemisphere
DETAILS Native to Asia, multiflora rose can now be found globally. It favors open ground and pastures. This perennial species of rose is a woody plant.
IDENTIFIERS Rose has finely toothed, pinnately compound leaves that can persist into winter, and alternate branching with sharp, curved thorns. It has bright red rose hips that are full of pale-yellow seeds.
USES Eat the pulp and skin of the rose hips raw, or steep the entire rose hip to make rose tea. De-thorn the vines by pushing the thorns sideways and then use the vines in basketry. Eat the flowers in summer salads, and the rose hips will be ready to eat in late fall and winter. The tangy, sweet red fruit is a good source of vitamin E—and it's a vitamin C powerhouse, containing seven times your daily allowance.
SMOOTH SUMAC
Rhus glabra
SEASON Fall
HABITAT Open woods and fields
DISTRIBUTION North America
DETAILS Smooth sumac grows in the eastern woodlands of the United States. Related edible species can be found in America, Europe, and Asia. This perennial woody shrub can reach heights of 15 feet (4.5 m).
IDENTIFIERS Smooth sumac has alternate leaves that are large and pinnately compound.
USES Separate the cone-shaped clusters of hard, red, fuzzy seeds from the twigs and soak them in cool water for an hour (or steep in hot water for fifteen minutes, then chill) to make a drink that resembles pink lemonade. Use before the winter rains wash away the flavor, and strain out the berries and hairs. The wood is also suitable for friction fire material. Be aware, as poison sumac (Rhus vernix) is a similar-looking shrub with toxic white berries and leaves that can cause an allergic reaction.
BLUEBERRY
Vaccinium spp. and Gaylussacia spp.
SEASON Summer
HABITAT Forest and fields
DISTRIBUTION Northern Hemisphere
DETAILS Blueberries and their diverse relatives (cranberries and bilberries) grow in a variety of habitats around the Northern Hemisphere. Blueberries are perennial woody shrubs varying in size from the “low bush blueberries” of 4 inches (10 cm), up to the “high bush” of 12 feet (4 m).
IDENTIFIERS The simple alternate leaves are ovate to lanceolate, and ½–3 inches (1.2–7.5 cm) long. The small flowers are white, pale pink, or red, and bell-shaped. The berry has a five-pointed “crown,” and will turn from pale green to reddish to dark purple when ripened.
USES The berries are excellent raw or cooked and may be dried for storage or medicinal effect. Dried blueberries cure diarrhea (eat 6–10 dried blueberries every hour until the diarrhea subsides) and are said to improve eyesight.
SPICEBUSH
Lindera benzoin
SEAS
ON All year
HABITAT Forests and shady areas
DISTRIBUTION North America
DETAILS Spicebush is an aromatic, deciduous perennial woody shrub, native to the eastern half of North America. It grows in damp woods to a height of 10 feet (3 m).
IDENTIFIERS With simple leaves and alternate branching, the twigs are slender and covered with small raised dots (lenticels).
USES There are many spicy parts of this shrub that you can use for flavoring. Steep the fresh or slowly dried twigs as a tea, or use fresh or dried leaves. The twigs and leaves can be used any time during the season. Peel and dry the skin of the berries to make a spice, and only use the berries when ripe, red, and soft in the early fall. Remember to always put the seeds back in the woods—they are not edible.
122 TRY SOME TASTY TREES
Trees can produce some of the sweetest and most flavorful foraged food. From the sugary syrup of birch and maple, to spruce beer and savory sassafras tea, trees have a lot to offer us.
SPRUCE
Picea spp.
SEASON All year
HABITAT Far northern forests
DISTRIBUTION Northern Hemisphere
DETAILS There are 35 known species of spruce, which is a coniferous evergreen tree in the pine family. Spruce is found in the northern temperate and boreal regions. These trees range from 65–200 feet (20–60 m) tall.
IDENTIFIERS Sharp, square needles help to distinguish spruce from pine and fir, and the dangling cones differentiate from fir. While fir twigs have needles growing from two sides of the twig, creating a flat shape, spruce needles are attached singly to the branches in a spiral pattern.
USES You can eat the spring shoots of spruces, as well or steep the needles in hot water to yield a vitamin C–rich tea. Fresh or dried spruce tips can flavor spruce beer, and the inner bark can be dried and ground into flour. Spruce roots also make a great basketry material.
FIR
Abies spp.
SEASON All year
HABITAT Mountain and forest
DISTRIBUTION Northern Hemisphere
DETAILS Fir is a genus of about 50 species of coniferous evergreen tree in the pine family. Found throughout the mountains of North and Central America, Europe, Asia, and northern Africa, fir can reach heights of 30–60 feet (9–18 m).
IDENTIFIERS Fir is differentiated from pines by the attachment of their needlelike leaves to the twig by a base that resembles a little suction cup. Another quick ID trick is to look at the cones: Firs have erect cones, while pine and spruce cones dangle down.
USES The inner (cambium) layer of bark is edible. Shave off the outer bark to reveal this spongy, cream-colored layer, then remove and dry until brittle. You can then grind it into a coarse meal and use as oatmeal or flour.
MAPLE
Acer spp.
SEASON Winter and spring
HABITAT Woodlands and mountains
DISTRIBUTION Northern Hemisphere
DETAILS There are about 125 species of maples around the globe. These deciduous hardwood trees are native to Asia, Europe, northern Africa, and North America.
IDENTIFIERS Maple has opposite branching simple leaves that are commonly veined and lobed in a palmate pattern.
USES The two main food uses of maple are sap and seeds. Collect the sap in late winter and boil down into sugary syrup (see item 215 ). You should collect the seeds later in the spring from distinctive fruits called samaras—the little “helicopters” that spin their way from the tree to the ground. You can cook the nutlets (seeds) of most species by boiling in water, almost like beans. Not all maples are edible, so check your local species against known edible plants for your region. The wood is also useful for bows, timber, and lumber.
REDBUD
Cercis canadensis
SEASON Spring
HABITAT Woodlands and their edges
DISTRIBUTION Eastern North America
DETAILS The redbud is a small, dark-barked, understory deciduous hardwood tree typically 20–30 feet (6–9 m) tall. It is one of the first trees to flower in spring.
IDENTIFIERS Heart-shaped alternate simple leaves grow on slender twigs. Before the leaves emerge, small pink buds appear and open into odd-looking curved pink flowers, ½ inch (12 mm) long. To most people, these shapes resemble bunny slippers.
USES The unopened buds and open flowers are a great addition to spring wild salads, and they can be incorporated into baked goods for an interesting color accent. You can harvest the small green seed pods that follow and cook them as a vegetable, but know that they are mildly toxic when raw. The redbud’s extremely hard wood can be used for a variety of projects that require strength and flexibility.
BIRCH
Betula spp.
SEASON Twigs all year, sap late winter
HABITAT Mountainous forests
DISTRIBUTION North America
DETAILS Birch species are typically small to medium-sized deciduous hardwood trees, which grow up to 65 feet (20 m) tall and are commonly found in temperate climates.
IDENTIFIERS Birch has alternate simple leaves that are toothed and singly or doubly serrated.
USES The black birch is the best one for wild food, as the dark-colored twigs provide good proof of identity. Scrape them and you’ll smell a strong scent of wintergreen from the methyl salicylate in the bark. In late winter, the sap begins to flow. Tap the larger trees about a month later than the maple sap runs. Collect the abundant sap often, and boil it down into strong, sweet, wintergreen-flavored syrup. You can also steep broken twigs in hot water to make tea.
SASSAFRAS
Sassafras albidum
SEASON All year
HABITAT Forests and thickets
DISTRIBUTION Eastern North America
DETAILS Sassafras is a rough, gray-barked deciduous hardwood tree in the laurel family (Lauraceae). This tree can be found in old fields, at the edges of woods, and as an understory tree in woodlands. It has yellowish to greenish twigs with an alternate branch pattern.
IDENTIFIERS The most distinctive trait is the variety of leaf shapes. Simple oval leaves are common, as well as leaves with one deep sinus (resembling mittens) and leaves with two deep sinuses.
USES The fresh or dried root of sassafras has an intense root beer flavor and makes an excellent tea. You can also steep the twigs for a very different, citrus-flavored tea. Use the dried leaves to thicken soups, and as a traditional gumbo ingredient. The wood is a fair one for friction fire making.
123 SELECT SEEDS FOR GRAINS
Throughout human history, many cultures have relied on wild grains as their primary dietary staple, and this bounty is available today for the knowledgable forager.
CURLY DOCK
Rumex crispus
SEASON Seeds in fall, leaves when available
HABITAT Fields, meadows, open ground
DISTRIBUTION Northern Hemisphere
DETAILS Curly dock, or yellow dock, is a perennial herbaceous plant in the buckwheat family native to Europe and Western Asia. Fully grown plants have a reddish stalk about 3 feet (1 m) high.
IDENTIFIERS Curly dock has large alternate branching simple leaves growing from a basal rosette. The wavy, “curled” margins resemble a hairless burdock. Greenish flowers grow on top of the stalk, giving way to reddish-brown seed clusters on branching stems.
USES The seed clusters can be ground into flour or cooked as a cereal grain. The cleaned seeds are shiny, caramel-colored, and have three sides (like other buckwheat family members). You can eat the tender leaves raw or cooked, when available, and the root is a large, yellow taproot that has long been a source of medicinal tannic acid.
LAMB’S QUARTERS
Chenopodium album
SEASON Seeds late summer, leaves when available
HABITAT Fields and waste ground
DISTRIBUTION Global
DETAILS Lamb’s quarters is a herbaceous annual that ranges from small sizes to heights of 6 feet (2 m). It’s also known as goosefoot and p
igweed.
IDENTIFIERS Each large plant can produce tens of thousands of small, shiny black seeds in late summer. They form in seed heads at the top of the plant, and you can shake them free when ripe. For best results, place a wide bowl under the seed heads and tap with a stick.
USES Eat the alternate simple leaves in a salad or cook them for a spinach substitute, when available. Like spinach, you’ll need a large amount to make one good-sized serving, as the leaves cook down tremendously. The seeds contain protein, vitamin A, riboflavin, calcium, phosphorus, manganese, and potassium.
AMARANTH
Amaranthus spp.
SEASON Seeds in fall, leaves when available
HABITAT Fields, open sunny areas
DISTRIBUTION Global
DETAILS The Amaranthus genus is a group of annual or short-lived perennial plants. Amaranth is a common weed around farms and cultivated soils, often growing right in with crops.
IDENTIFIERS Catkin-like bunches of flowers grow in summer or fall, later releasing small rounded seeds that can be tan or black. About 60 species are recognized, with flowers and simple alternate leaves ranging in color from purples and reds to green or gold.
USES Much like lamb’s quarters, the seeds can be used as a grain and the leaves are edible raw or cooked (though better cooked). Amaranth seeds are abundant in vitamins and minerals, and though wild plants of amaranth are often considered weeds, various species and varieties are cultivated as leaf vegetables, grain plants, and ornamentals.