Have you ever wanted to look at a plant, pick it up, and eat it knowing that it’s safe? By the end of this article, you’ll learn a popular list of edible plants with pictures.
If you are starving in the middle of a hike, and you forgot to pack a snack, you’ll need to know what plants to eat.
Edible wild plants are all around us, from cracks on the city sidewalk to a mountain forest.
Why not take advantage of them and eat the ones that are edible? That’s what we’ll get to in this article. Keep reading.
There are plenty of plants out there, waiting to be harvested and eaten. It doesn’t matter if you are stranded on an island or are hungry during a hike. You will know exactly what to eat safely.
The wild plants I will be covering are not only edible but are nutritious as well. You will get to experience various new flavors, and picking wild food in itself is fun.
Without further ado, let’s jump into 11 plants that are edible in the wild.
1. Dandelion Flowers
Dandelion flowers are wild edible plants located all around North America and Europe. These are edible raw and can be eaten without any precautions.
Dandelion flowers are a great source of vitamin A, C, K, E, and some vitamin B. Along with small amounts of calcium, magnesium, and potassium.
To add on, they also contain antioxidants and have an amazing flavor.
This fights inflammation, aids blood sugar control, reduces Cholesterols, lowers blood pressure, promotes liver health, aids weight loss, supports healthy digestion, treats constipation, boosts immunity, promotes skin health, and supports bones.
So, what part of it is edible? The whole flower is edible, from the leaves to the roots(wash off the dirt) are completely safe for consumption. Dandelion flowers are usually yellow.
However, there is a common orange mutation that is also completely edible.
By the way, did you know dandelions are similar to wild lettuce? Learn the differences of them here.
2. Chickweed
Chickweed, also known as Stellaria Media, is a wild plant located through North America, Europe, and Asia. This “weed” is actually also edible all the way through.
The plant identification is fairly simple, you’ll need something with small white flowers sticking up right through the middle of the leaves. The leaves should be egg-shaped with a point. It smells a little like peppermint.
Chickweed leaf is a great source for vitamins A, D, B complex, and C. To add on, they also have calcium, potassium, phosphorus, zinc, magnesium, sodium, copper, iron, and some silica.
This is commonly used in tea and salads and as a “cooling” herbal remedy.
Chickweeds have fine hairs on only one side of their stem and are usually white.
3. Ramps
Ramps, also known as Allium tricoccum, is a wild edible plant located in North America(Eastern US and Eastern Canada.)
This edible weed is a great source of vitamins A, and C. Ramps also contain Selenium and Chromium.
To add on, they also promote brain function, synthesize fatty acids and cholesterols, reduce the risk of certain cancers, repair tissues, skin, bones, teeth, and blood vessels, and promote strong eyesight.
Ramps are grown in patches and taste like onion and garlic. Every part is edible as well and can be eaten raw.
4. Cattail
Cattail is part of the Typhaceae plant species. It is a wild plant located among the north part of the world.
Cattails contain a variety of helpful minerals such as vitamin K, Magnesium, fibers, Iron, Vitamin B6, Calcium, and Sodium.
Cattails help to prevent Anemia, provides skincare, helps to control diabetes, controls hypertension, and reduces the risk of Atherosclerosis.
Along with helping the brain function, healthy bones, and teeth, and prevents blood clots.
Cattails are usually next to bodies of water and may sometimes have yellow pollen that appears in midsummer.
However, it normally looks like it has a brown, cigar-shaped head. The stem and rootstock are edible raw, while the leaves are edible cooked.
Cattails are one of the few edible types of grass, learn if you can eat grass here.
5. Kelp
Kelp is a wild plant located at most beach shore worldwide.
Kelp is a good source of vitamin C, vitamin K, Sodium, Calcium, pantothenic acid, riboflavin, a tiny amount of fat, and Iron.
This plant can help with general health( general health meaning stronger bones and teeth, provides skincare, repairs tissues, promotes certain organs health)
Kelp is a brownish plant that comes from the ocean. The whole plant can be eaten.
6. Wood Sorrel
Wood Sorrel, also known as Oxalis, is a wild plant located around the world, especially in the US.
Wood Sorrel is a plant that tastes like lemons and is full of nutrition. You can eat the young leaves and the flower. These are full of oxalic acid(hence the genus name *Oxalis*) and have high amounts of vitamins A and C.
This herb can help with general health and also helps with fever reduction and reducing inflammation.
If you like flowers, check out our full list of edible flowers here.
7. Elderberry
Elderberry, also known as Sambucus, is located in many subtropical regions of the world.
The fruit is a little bitter. Elderberry provides vitamin C, fibers, phenolic acids, and anthocyanins.
These plants provide cold, and flu relief reduces sinus infection symptoms, lowers blood sugar, promote urination and bowel moments, acts as a natural laxative, provides skincare, helps prevent cancer, and may improve heart health.
Only the berry itself is edible, completely raw.
8. Peppergrass
Peppergrass, also known as Lepidium, is a wild plant located worldwide and is usually located in grass.
Peppergrass is an excellent source of vitamins A and C, as well as potassium. This plant can help with general health.
This plant tastes like pepper, with a tangy spice. This plant is identified by its raceme(flower cluster) that grows between 10-15 cm long. The whole plant is edible.
9. Sunflower
Sunflowers, also known as Helianthus, is a wild plant located mostly in North and South America.
This flower contains protein, carbs, fibers, vitamin E and B6, Niacin, Folate, Iron, Magnesium, Zinc, Copper, and Selenium.
This plant can help with general health, along with reducing the chances of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and inflammation.
These plants can grow up to 2 meters, and when eating the seed, it is much smaller than sold commercially. The whole plant is edible.
10. Tea Plant
Tea plants, also known as Camellia sinensis and is the wild plant located in most subtropical regions.
Tea plants taste bitter and astringent, and the leaves and flowers are edible. This plant will help with general health.
These plants are usually white.
11. Sweet Gale
Sweet Gale, also known as Myrica Gale, is located mostly throughout North America and Europe.
Sweet Gale is used for general health and can even be used as an insect repellent and a treatment for acne.
Sweet Gale has a bitter taste, and the fruit and leaves are edible raw.
Final Words
In this article, you learned 11 edible plants you can find in the wild. These plants have plenty of nutrition – more than you’ll find in most grocery store foods. So, what are you waiting for? Go out and try to find a few of these plants!
As a note, do not consume any of these plants if you are pregnant or planning to be pregnant, because many of these are listed as abortifacient, and also don’t consume dirty food, wash your food.
It is also possible to be allergic to some of these foods. Although extremely rare, it can happen.
You can find out how edible plant precautions are and if a plant is right for you here (for more research): https://pfaf.org/user/Default.aspx. Happy foraging!
If you enjoyed this, perhaps you would enjoy 20 Trees All Survivalists Needs to Know and Why, where I cover all the trees you need to know to provide for all your basic needs.
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Thanks for this article!
Thanks for commenting.
Saved as a favorite, I like your website!
Thanks for your interest.
I love foraging! We do it locally for food and seeds for our garden.
I think more information is needed before anyone should try eating plants in the wild. The article is a good place to get ideas but please make sure you are certain about what you are putting in your mouth.
Plants can be tricky and some toxic ones look very similar to the yummy ones.
That is very true. You make great points and that is why I will be making an article on look-alikes in the future.
thanks for the tips bro!
Happy to help!