Edible Wild Plants of California

In tough economic times, do you ever wonder what wild plants you could find to eat, or even grow in your own garden?

Across the United States, there are many plants native to each region which provided food staples for Native Americans. The state of California features many wild plants that can be consumed as food.

The service berry, commonly found in Northern California, is one of the more commonly recognized edible native plants. Only the berry can be eaten, as can the berry of the Madrone, which is sometimes used in jelly. Hawthorn and Crow berries can also be eaten.

Wild onion is probably the most well-known of the edible bulbs found in the wild in California. Other consumable bulbs are the Wild Hyacinth, Ithuriel's Spear, the bulb of the Mariposa Lily, and (when thoroughly boiled first only) the bulb of the Amole, otherwise known as Soap Plant. All of these bulbs can be roasted or boiled.

Wild hazelnuts and celery can be found ranging from northern California up to British Columbia.

The roots of some plants can be eaten as vegetables, like the Squaw Root, which is something like a small potato. The root of the chicory can be dried and roasted for a coffee substitute. Chicory plant leaves can be eaten in salad, and it can also be boiled and consumed as a vegetable. Wild Ginger is also available, with the root being the useful part of the plant. The inside of the Balsam Root is edible as well.

There are native trees, too, which supply edible parts. The California Bay Tree, or Bay Laurel, is one such tree. It has fruit that can be eaten raw or cooked, and the leaves can be used as a condiment flavoring in cooked foods such as stews and soups. The flavor is stronger than that of a bayleaf.

Flower petals can sometimes be used as food, although some must be cooked to be edible. Redbud flowers can be eaten raw in salads. Flowers and leaves of the Bee plant are edible when cooked, and the tops of Cosmos can be eaten raw or cooked. The Monkey Flower is not known for a pleasant taste, but it is consumable when boiled.

It was common in early American history to brew teas made from native plants, and of course it can still be done. Plants favored for tea include White Alder, Maiden Hair, Yerba Mansa, Cliffrose, and California Sage Brush. Native herbs such as Yarrow are also popular for teas. Some of these native plant teas have traditionally been used for medicinal purposes, such as the Mountain Dogwood, for bringing fever down. Maiden Hair tea is another example, having been traditionally brewed to treat menstrual cramps or respiratory distress.

Did you think that sunflowers contain the only plant seeds that are edible? You may be surprised to learn that the seeds of many California native plants also are consumable. When cleaned, some can be eaten raw, like the seeds of the Horsemint, Amaranth, Jungle Grass or the Big Basin Sagebrush. Wild Oats seeds can be eaten if the hairs are burned off them. Also, there are some native plant seeds that can be ground into meal. A few examples of seeds for grinding are Cat Claw Acacia, the Big Basin Sagebrush, or Palo Verde. Surprisingly, the seeds of Crab Grass or Goose Grass can be eaten, too, when cleaned and roasted! These seeds have even been eaten as a cereal.

As you can see, many wild gourmet treasures may be growing right around the next hiking trail in your area. Why not give some of them a try?

Source:

Wild Edible Plants of the Western United States, Donald Kirk, Published 1970, Publisher Naturegraph Publishers.