Wild Edible Plants of the Pacific Northwest

This guide covers wild edible plants of British Columbia, Oregon, Washington, Montana, Idaho, the Rocky Mountains and Western Canada.

This list only contains “safe” plants – those that are easy to identify and have no deadly poisonous look-alikes.

All plant parts described as being edible raw are also edible (and often more palatable) when cooked.

Please use the following link to see additional pictures of each plant listed.

Agoseris

Agoseris spp.

• Flower and leaves are edible raw.
• Dried sap from stem and leaves can be chewed or eaten as gum.
• Varieties in the Pacific Northwest are Orange agoseris (Agoseris aurantiaca) and Short-beaked agoseris (Agoseris glauca).
• Edible look-alikes: dandelion, salsify.
• Look for agoseris on grassy, open foothills, mountainous slopes, and alpine/subalpine areas.

 

 

 

Arrowhead

Sagittaria spp.

• Entire rhizome edible.
• Underwater tuber can be disloged from main roots with toes, floats to top.
• Tubers are edible raw.
• Raw unwashed tubers can be stored for several months.
• Tubers can be cooked, sliced, dried for storage, and later boiled.
• Tubers are usually several feet from parent plant.
• Stems can be cooked.
• Varieties in the Pacific Northwest are Arum-leaved arrowhead (Sagittaria cuneata) and Wapato (Sagittaria latifolia).
• Grows in calm water in plains, foothills, and mountainous regions.
• Warning: some species can cause skin reactions.

 

Arrow-leaved balsamroot

Balsamorhiza sagittata

• All parts of plant are edible.
• Peeled roots, young stems and leaf stalks are best.
• Roots are sweetest when slow cooked for long periods, otherwise are bitter.
• Cooked roots can be dried for storage; soak overnight to reconstitute.
• Seeds can be dried or roasted and pound into meal.
• Grows on dry stony slopes in foothills.
• Warning: do not confuse with the poisonous Arnica (Arnica spp.), which can cause internal blistering and severe stomach upset.

 

Beargrass

Xerophyllum tenax

• Rhizomes are thick and tuberous, and edible when roasted or boiled.
• Found on dry slopes/ridges or forest clearings.

 

Bistort

Polygonum spp.

• Leaves and shoots are edible raw.
• Rhizome can be eaten raw.
• Rhizome can be steeped in water, roasted/dried, and ground into flour.
• Rhizome is suitable for use as a potherb.
• Seeds are edible, either roasted whole or ground into meal/flour.
• Small bulblets can be eaten raw.
• Plant is rich in vitamin C.
• Grows in moist, open areas on mountainous, alpine, and subalpine slopes.
• Varieties in the Pacific Northwest are American bistort (Bistorta bistortoides) and Alpine bistort (Bistorta vivipara).
• Warning: eating raw plants in large quantities can cause diarrhea.

 

Bracken

Pteridium aquilinum

• The young, tightly coiled tender tips of plant are called ‘fiddleheads’.
• The spring fiddleheads of all varieties of north temperate ferns are edible.
• Remove hair/wool from fiddleheads, soak in salt water to remove bitterness.
• Fiddleheads are best when boiled for half an hour in two changes of water.
• Fiddleheads can be dried for storage.
• Rhizomes can be roasted/pit-steamed, peeled, and pounded to remove whitish edible part from fibers, or chewed to suck out starch.
• Dried rhizomes can be ground into flour.
• Grows in wide range of areas, including foothills and mountainous region.
• Warning: avoid long term use, has carcinogenic properties.
• Warning: avoid mature bracken, which destroys vitamin B and can cause a deadly blood condition.

 

Bulrush

Schoenoplectus spp.

• Shoots and lower stalk are edible raw.
• Growing tips of rhizome are edible raw.
• Dried rhizome can be crushed to remove fibers, ground into flour.
• Fresh rhizomes can be boiled into gruel. The gruel can either be dried and ground into flour or used wet in pancakes/breads.
• Young rhizomes can be crushed and boiled to make sweet syrup.
• Pollen can be pressed into cakes and baked or mixed with other flours.
• Seeds are edible raw or parched.
• Seeds can be ground into meal.
• Sweet dried sap that exudes from the stem can be rolled into balls for storage.
• Varieties in the Pacific Northwest are Hard-stemmed bulrush (Schoenoplectus acutus) and Soft-stemmed bulrush (Schoenoplectus tabernaemontani).
• Grows in shallow calm water.

 

Burdock

Arctium spp.

• Young leaves are edible raw.
• Older leaves are best when boiled in 1-2 changes of water with pinch of baking soda.
• Roots of first year plants can be cooked in a soup or stir-fry.
• Roots can be mashed and fried as patties.
• Roots can be dried for storage.
• Roots can be roasted/ground as coffee substitute.
• Roots are best when shredded/sliced and soaked in water for 5-10 minutes to reduce harshness.
• White pith of young flower stalks is edible raw.
• Varieties in the Pacific Northwest are Common burdock (Arctium minus) and Woolly burdock (Arctium tomentosum).
• Look for burdock on disturbed soil sites.
• Do not confuse with Cocklebur (Xanthium strumarium), who’s leaves are poisonous if not thoroughly cooked. Cocklebur has rough rather than velvety leaves and has more solid burs.

Field Notes

The main appeal of burdock for me is the abundance of large, substantive leaves which are easy to collect. The leaves are wavy on the edges and the underside is whitish, felty and has large, distinctive veins that look like those on your hand. The purple flowers on older plants are also a give-away. The plants that I’ve sampled have been too bitter to enjoy eating raw, and remained somewhat bitter even after boiling in a change of water. I’ve only used burdock leaves in my dinner soup when adding other ingredients to offset/mask its slightly unpleasant flavour. To their advantage, the leaves don’t shrivel away into nothingness when boiled, as thinner leaves of other plants tend to do.

 

Camas – Blue Camas

Camassia spp.

• Bulbs are edible raw.
• Bulbs can be roasted or boiled, but are best when slow cooked and dried.
• Varieties in the Pacific Northwest are Great camas (Camassia leichtlinii) and Common camas (Camassia quamash).
• Grows in moist plains and foothill regions.
• Warning: do not confuse bulbs with those of the poisonous Death Camases, such as Mountain Death-Camas (Zigadenus elegans) and Meadow Death-Camas (Zigadenus venenosus), which grow in similar areas and have similar looking bulbs, but have white flowers.

 

Cattail

Typha spp.

• Tender, white inner part of shoots/plants is edible raw.
• Cattail pollen is bright yellow and can be gathered by shaking a pollen-laden spike into a bag, which yields about one tablespoon of powder.
• Pollen can be used as flour, suitable for pancakes, etc.
• Pollen is available to gather before the plant develops its long, brown cylinder resembling a hotdog on a stick.
• Green flower spikes can be cooked and eaten like corn on cob.
• Starchy white core of rhizome can be eaten raw.
• White core can be boiled, baked, or dried and ground into flour, or boiled into syrup.
• Roots can be peeled and crushed under water, the fibers strained out and the starch washed in several changes of water.
• Fluff from the brown-cylinder can be burned to separate and parch the seeds, which are edible.
• Varieties in the Pacific Northwest are Common cattail (Typha latifolia) and Narrow-leaved cattail (Typha angustifolia).
• Look for cattails growing on the shores of lakes and ponds, in flooded areas and in ditches.
• Warning: do not confuse young cattail shoots with members of the iris family such as Western blue flag (Iris missouriensis). Mature plants are different enough to avoid confusion.

Field Notes

A stand of cattail is a free meal that’s too good to pass up! Grip the plant and pull up firmly to dislodge it. The tall blade-like leaves are attached along the stem of the plant. Peel the outer leaves away until all that remains is the white central core. The outer leaves may be covered in muck and slime, but the core is clean. Eaten raw, it’s crisp and refreshing, though the taste will vary with the soil and water conditions. Six to eight large plants will provide enough stalks for a meal. I favour dipping them in ranch dressing.

 

 

Chicory

Cichorium intybus

• Leaves can be eaten raw.
• Leaves are best when young and/or growing in areas protected from direct sunlight.
• Older leaves are best when cooked in several changes of water.
• Young plant, including flower heads can be cooked.
• Roots can be eaten raw when young.
• Roots can be split, dried and roasted to make coffee substitute.
• Look for chicory on disturbed ground, ranging from plains and foothills to mountainous regions.
• Warning: excessive/prolonged use may damage retinas and cause sluggish digestion.

 

Bedstraw Cleavers

Galium spp.

• Stem, leaves and flowers of plant can be eaten raw.
• Plant is best when collected before fruiting.
• Raw plant has mild/no taste and older plants have an unpalatable texture.
• Plant is best when cooked.
• Is a good source of vitamin C.
• Varieties in the Pacific Northwest are Cleavers (Galium aparine), Northern bedstraw (Galium boreale) and Sweet-scented bedstraw (Galium triflorum).
• Look for bedstraw alongside low-growing vegetation and disturbed soil sites.
• Warning: acts as a mild laxative when eaten in quantity.

 

Clover

Trifolium spp.

• Above-ground parts can be eaten raw.
• Best when cooked or dipped in saltwater to counteract bloating.
• Flower heads can be eaten raw, dried or cooked.
• Flower heads and seed heads can be ground into flour.
• Sprouts have the best taste.
• Creeping stems and roots can be cooked.
• Varieties in the Pacific Northwest are Red clover (Trifolium pratense), Alsike clover (Trifolium hybridum), White clover (Trifolium repens) and Spring-bank clover (Trifolium wormskioldii).
• Grows in a wide range of terrain, look in disturbed soil areas.
• Warning: difficult to digest, can cause bloating.
• Warning: red clover in autumn should be avoided or not be eaten in large quantities due to alkaloids.

 

Coltsfoot

Petasites spp.

• Young stems with flowers can be roasted, boiled or stir-fried.
• Leaves can be cooked like spinach.
• Leaves can be rolled into tight balls, dried, and burned to ash as salt substitute.
• Grows in moist open plains, foothill and mountainous regions.
• Varieties in the Pacific Northwest are Arrow-leaved coltsfoot (Petasites sagittatus), Palmate Coltsfoot (Petasites frigidus var palmatus) and Sweet coltsfoot (Petasites frigidus var frigidus).
• Warning: should not be eaten in large quantity, due to alkaloids.
• Warning: may cause miscarriage in pregnant women if eaten in quantity.

 

Cow-lily

Nuphar spp.

• Seeds are edible after drying, popping, or frying, and can subsequently be ground to flour.
• Seeds can be taken from dried capsules.
• Rhizome is edible after prolonged boiling with several changes of water.
• Rhizome can be roasted or boiled, then peeled and either eaten or thinly sliced for drying and then either stored or ground into flour .
• Varieties in the Pacific Northwest are Yellow cow-lily (Nuphar lutea) and Western cow-lily (Nuphar polysepala).
• Grows in shallow, calm water in plains, mountainous, and subalpine regions.
• Warning: eat in moderation, large amounts may be poisonous.

 

Dandelion

Taraxacum officinale

• All parts of plant are edible raw.
• Young leaves or those growing where there is less/no sunlight are the least bitter.
• Older leaves are best when boiled in 2 changes of water and/or with mid-veins removed.
• Roots are best when collected in spring/autumn, peeled, sliced and cooked in 2 changes of water with pinch of baking soda.
• Roots can be roasted as coffee substitute.
• Unopened flower buds can be eaten raw or used in cooking.
• Seeds with the parachute removed can be eaten or ground into flower.
• A serving of dandelion greens contains the same amount of calcium as half a cup of milk.
• Is a good source of potassium, vitamin A, and vitamin C.
• Grows in a wide range of terrain, look for dandelion in disturbed/cultivated soil areas.

Field Notes

The dandelion might be the most plentiful and easy to find edible plant in urban areas, if you can be assured that they are free from pesticide. Salsify and Sow thistle, which are also edible, are sometimes mistakenly called dandelions. Young leaves, flowers, and the unopened flower buds of dandelions are excellent for cooking. The older leaves, especially after the plant has flowered, are too bitter to enjoy raw, but are satisfactory after a brief boiling with a change of water or two. Soy sauce compliments the natural taste of dandelion leaves quite well. The flower buds and flowers are much less bitter than the leaves, and are well suited for stir frying. The best part of cooking with dandelions is having a seemingly endless supply in the back yard. It’s easy to see why dandelions were brought over as a food-crop by settlers on the Mayflower in 1620.

 

 

Devils Club

Oplopanax horridus

• Roots can be cooked and eaten.
• Young fleshy stems are edible when cooked.
• Young leaves lack the stiff spines and can be eaten raw.
• Berries are not edible.
• Grows in moist areas that are shaded from the sun, in both foothill and mountainous regions.
• Warning: plant spines can cause infections or allergic reactions.

 

Dock

Rumex spp.

• Young leaves are edible raw, but sour.
• Leaves are best when boiled in several changes of water.
• Fruit can be winnowed to separate outer hull for collecting seeds.
• Seeds can be boiled to mush, or ground into flour.
• Seeds can be leeched in cold water before using as food.
• Varieties in the Pacific Northwest are Curled dock (Rumex crispus), Western dock (Rumex occidentalis) and Willow dock (Rumex triangulivalvis).
• Grows in moist areas and disturbed sites in the plains, foothills, and mountainous regions.
• Warning: raw plant is toxic in large quantity due to oxalates, which interferes with nutrient absorption.

 

False Solomon’s-Seal

Maianthemum spp.

• Berry is edible.
• Berry transitions from green to mottled/dark red.
• Berry was traditionally stored in cooled grease.
• Berry is high in vitamin C.
• Young shoots and green parts of young plants are edible, and best when cooked.
• Rhizome is edible when cooked.
• Varieties in the Pacific Northwest are False Solomon’s-seal (Maianthemum racemosum) and Star-flowered false Solomon’s-seal (Maianthemum stellatum).
• Grows in thickets, forests, and moist open areas.

 

Fireweed

Epilobium spp.

• Shoots are edible raw.
• Young leaves are edible raw.
• Flowers are edible raw.
• Flower bud clusters can be cooked as vegetable.
• Stem pith can be added to soups as thickener.
• Varieties in the Pacific Northwest are Common fireweed (Epilobium angustifolium) and Dwarf fireweed (Epilobium latifolium).
• Grows in open, disturbed areas in foothill, mountainous, alpine and subalpine regions.
• Warning: may act as a laxative if eaten in quantity.

Field Notes

Fireweed is one of the easier edible plants to find. As you might guess from its name, the plant thrives in areas that have been burned out in a forest fire. It’s not hard to find fireweed by roadways through the Rocky Mountains and even in city parks and vacant lots. When I’m hiking and come across abundant patches of fireweed I like to pick some and eat the pith while I’m walking. I take a segment of the stalk, remove all the leaves, and using my fingernail split the stalk right down the middle. Then I run the piece of stalk through my teeth to collect the pith. It’s a refreshing, but not exactly a hardy meal.

 

 

Goldenrod

Solidago spp.

• Plants can be cooked.
• Flowers are edible raw.
• Seeds are edible raw.
• Varieties in the Pacific Northwest are Canada goldenrod (Solidago canadensis), Giant goldenrod (Solidago gigantea), Missouri goldenrod (Solidago missouriensis) and Northern goldenrod (Solidago multiradiata).
• Grows in open plains, foothills, and mountainous regions.

 

Groundcone

Boschniakia spp.

• Potato-like stem base is edible raw.
• Varieties in the Pacific Northwest are Vancouver groundcone (Boschniakia hookeri) and Northern ground-cone (Boschniakia rossica).
• Grows in shaded coastal forests, at the base of alders, salal or cranberry bushes.

 

Knotweed

Polygonum spp.

• Seeds are edible.
• Seeds can be eaten whole or pounded into meal.
• Plants can be cooked and eaten.
• Varieties in the Pacific Northwest are Common knotgrass (Polygonum aviculare), Common knotweed (Polygonum arenastrum), and Mountain knotweed (Polygonum douglasii).
• grows as a weed in a wide range, including dry areas, plains, and subalpine regions.
• Raw plants eaten in quantity may cause stomach upset and/or diarrhea.

 

Lamb’s quarter

Pigweed

Chenopodium album

• Plants can be eaten raw.
• Flower clusters can be eaten raw.
• Seeds are edible raw.
• Seeds can be ground into a bitter black flour.
• Seeds are best cooked before being ground.
• Grows in disturbed/cultivated areas in plains, foothills and mountainous regions.
• Warning: seeds eaten in quantity may be toxic. Raw plants should be eaten moderation due to oxalates, which interferes with nutrient absorption.

 

Mariposa-lily

Calochortus spp.

• Bulbs are edible raw.
• Bulbs are best when cooked.
• Bulbs can be dried for storage.
• Dried bulbs can be boiled for soups or ground into flour.
• Variety in the Pacific Northwest is Three-spotted mariposa lily (Calochortus apiculatus).
• Grows in foothill and mountainous regions.

 

Miner’s Lettuce

Montia Perfoliata

• All parts of the plant, including roots are edible raw.
• Grows in moist shaded woods and fields.

 

Marsh-marigold

Caltha spp.

• Leaves are edible when cooked; boil 10-60 minutes, until tender.
• Roots can be cooked and eaten.
• Varieties in the Pacific Northwest are White marsh-marigold (Caltha leptosepala) and Yellow marsh-marigold (Caltha palustris).
• Grows in wet, open areas in mountainous, subalpine and alpine regions.
• Warning: eat in moderation, avoid uncooked young leaves and flowers.

 

Mountain sorrel

Oxyria digyna

• Leaves are edible raw.
• Leaves can be chopped into water with sugar to make lemonade-like drink.
• Plants can be cooked.
• Plants were traditionally boiled with berries and/or salmon roe and poured into thin cakes.
• Grows in moist, open areas in mountainous, subalpine and alpine regions.
• Warning: eat raw plant in moderation due to oxalates, which interfere with nutrient absorption.

 

Mustard

Brassicaceae

• Edible as cooked greens.
• Boil older plants in two changes of water to reduce bitterness.
• Varieties in the Pacific Northwest are True mustards (Brassica spp.), Winter-cresses (Barbarea spp.), Tansy mustards (Descurainia spp.) and Tumble-mustards (Sisymbrium spp.).
• Grows in open, disturbed areas in plains, foothills, and mountainous regions.

 

Pearly everlasting

Anaphalis margaritacea

• Leaves and young plants can be cooked.
• Grows in open, disturbed areas in foothill, mountainous, and subapline areas.

 

Peppergrass

Lepidium virginicum

• Leaves are edible raw.
• Green seed pods are edible raw.
• Seeds are edible and can be used as a pepper-like seasoning.
• Grows on roadsides and disturbed areas.

 

Pickleweed Glasswort

Sea Asparagus

Salicornia spp.

• Plant is edible raw but better when cooked/boiled.
• Top-half of stems can be harvested, allowing the bottom to grow a new shoot.
• Plant has a salty taste.
• Plant is best when gathered before flowering.
• Varieties in the Pacific Northwest are Red Glasswort (Salicornia rubra) and American Glasswort (Salicornia virginica).
• Grows in saltwater marshes and in the salty soil near high-tide areas.

 

Pineapple-weed

Matricaria discoidea

• Flower heads are edible raw.
• Plants can be eaten raw, though bitter.
• Plants can be powdered and sprinkled on meat to reduce spoilage and keep away flies.
• Grows on roadsides and disturbed ground in plains, foothills, and mountainous regions.

 

Plantain

Plantago spp.

• Young leaves can be eaten raw.
• Leaves are best finely chopped or when cooked with fibers removed.
• Seeds can be dried and ground into flour/meal.
• Varieties in the Pacific Northwest are Common Plantain (Plantago major) and Narrow-leaved Plantain (Plantago lanceolata).
• Grows in a wide range of areas, including disturbed/cultivated soil in plains, foothills, and mountainous regions.

 

Queen’s Cup

Clintonia uniflora

• Young leaves are edible.
• Raw leaves have mild sweet taste.
• Older leaves are best when cooked.
• Grows in shady forest areas.

 

Roseroot

Rhodiola spp.

• Young leaves and shoots are edible raw.
• Older plants may be bitter.
• Rhizome can be boiled and eaten.
• The variety in the Pacific Northwest is Western roseroot (Rhodiola integrifolia).
• Grows in dry, rocky areas in subalpine and alpine regions.

 

Salsify Goatsbeard Oyster plant

Tragopogon spp.

• Roots are edible raw.
• Roots can be dried and ground.
• Roots can be roasted as coffee substitute.
• Young leaves can be eaten raw.
• Young stalks and root crowns can be simmered.
• Varieties in the Pacific Northwest are Commom salsify (Tragopogon porrifolius), Yellow salsify (Tragopogon dubius), Meadow salsify (Tragopogon pratensis).
• Grows in dry, disturbed areas.

 

Sheep sorrel

Rumex acetosella

• Leaves are edible raw.
• Raw leaves may have bitter taste.
• Leaves are best when boiled in several changes of water.
• Warning: eat only moderate quantities of the raw plant due to oxalates, which block nutrient absorption.

 

Shepherd’s-purse

Capsella bursa-pastoris

• All parts of plant are edible raw.
• Older plants can be tenderized by adding pinch of baking soda to cooking water.
• Pods and seeds are edible, and taste peppery.
• Seeds can be parched and ground to flour.
• Roots can be eaten fresh or dried.
• Burning the plant results in ash that can be used as salt substitute and/or tenderizer.
• Grows in a wide range as a weed, especially in disturbed or cultivated areas.
• Warning: seeds may blister skin.

Field Notes

I’ve come across this plant growing next to the sidewalks in my hometown of Edmonton. It’s abundant, but not my first choice for a dinner item, since eating the raw sea pods caused tiny (painless) white blisters on my lips. Perhaps cooking the plant yields better results. The taste of the seed pods is neutral or mildly unpleasant when raw. The flower head and stem is better, but nothing to write home about.

 

Silverweed Cinquefoil

Argentina spp.

• Rhizomes are edible raw, though possibly bitter.
• Rhizomes are best when roasted, boiled, or fried for several minutes.
• Roots can be dried for storage.
• Roots are best when collected in autumn or spring.
• Varieties in the Pacific Northwest are Common silverweed (Argentina anserina) and Pacific Silverweed (Argentina pacifica).
• Grows in moist, open areas in plains, foothills, and mountainous regions.

 

Sow Thistle

Sonchus spp.

• Young leaves are edible raw.
• Young leaves are best after boiling in at least one change of water.
• Varieties in the Pacific Northwest are Perennial sow thistle (Sonchus arvensis), Prickly sow thistle (Sonchus asper), Annual sow thistle (Sonchus oleraceus).
• Grows by roadways and in disturbed areas.

 

Stinging nettle

Urtica dioica

• Young leaves are edible raw, though they will sting in the mouth for a short time.
• Young shoots and young plants are edible when steamed/cooked.
• Roots are edible when cooked.
• Roots are best when collected in spring/autumn.
• Grows in moist soil and disturbed areas in plains, foothills, and mountainous regions.
• Warning: wear gloves when collecting to avoid stings.

Field Notes

Stinging nettle is one of my favorite and most routine plants to forage in the Pacific Northwest. On the Gulf Islands of BC, stinging nettle forests often line the backroads and trails in protected areas, so nettle leaves make a daily appearance in my campfire soup. Wearing gloves, I gather large and small leaves, checking the underside of each and discarding any that are damaged or infested. A bag of nettle leaves is required for a meal, since they cook down to a small fraction of their original size when boiled or steamed. I add them to the top of a soup when it’s almost done; the steam from the soup is enough to soften the leaves while allowing them to retain texture. Their taste is excellent and stinging nettles are hailed as a wonder plant for their vitamin content.

 

Stonecrop

Sedum spp.

• Young leaves and shoots are edible raw.
• Older plants may be bitter.
• Rhizome can be boiled and eaten.
• Varieties in the Pacific Northwest are Lance-leaved stonecrop (Sedum lanceolatum) and Spreading stonecrop (Sedum divergens).
• Grows in dry, rocky areas in subalpine and alpine regions.

 

Strawberry-blite

Chenopodium capitatum

• Young plants including flowers are edible raw.
• Grows in open or disturbed areas in foothills, mountainous and subalpine regions.
• Warning: seeds eaten in quantity may be toxic. Raw plants should be eaten moderation due to oxalates, which prevent nutrient absorption.

 

Sunflower

Helianthus spp.

• Sprouts are edible.
• Seeds can be eaten raw.
• Seeds can be dried, parched, ground lightly to break shells, and placed in water to separate shells from kernels.
• Shells can be roasted to make coffee substitute.
• Kernels can be ground into meal.
• Kernels can be boiled in water to make gruel.
• Kernels can be mixed with bone marrow or grease to make cakes.
• Crushed seeds can be boiled in water and oil collected by skimming surface.
• Varieties in the Pacific Northwest are Common sunflower (Helianthus annuus) and Prairie sunflower (Helianthus petiolaris).
• Grows in open sites and disturbed areas.

 

Swamp hedge-nettle

Marsh woundwort

Stachys palustris

• Rhizome is edible raw.
• Rhizome is best when collected in autumn.
• Roots can be dried and ground to make flour.
• Young shoots can be cooked, though poor smelling.
• Flowers are edible.
• Seeds are edible.
• Grows in moist plains and foothill regions.

 

Common sweet clover

Melilotus officinalis

• Young leaves gathered before flowering can be eaten raw.
• Seeds and flowers can be used as flavoring.
• Grows in disturbed sites.
• Warning: do not ingest moldy plants due to the presence of dicoumarol, which reduces the ability of blood to coagulate.

 

Sweet Gale “Bog Myrtl”

Myrica gale

• Leaves are edible raw.
• Leaves and nut-lets are suitable for soups and cooking.
• Leaves can be used to repel insects.
• Grows in thickets and moist areas at low elevations.
• Warning: this plant should not be consumed by pregnant women, since it can induce abortions.

 

Sweetflag

Acoru spp.

• Rhizome is edible raw.
• Rhizome can be made tender by prolonged boiling.
• Rhizome is best when peeled and cooked, either by boiling or roasting.
• Central core of young shoots is edible raw.
• Young spadix is edible raw.
• Plant is an effective insect repellent.
• Variety in the Pacific Northwest is American sweetflag (Acorus americanus).
• Grows in marshes, quiet water, and wet, open areas.

 

Thistle

Cirsium spp.

• Roots of unbolted young plants in autumn are edible raw but may cause gas.
• Roots are best when boiled or roasted.
• Roots contain the starch insulin, which breaks down into a sugar when cooked.
• Cooked roots can be dried and ground to flour.
• Stems and leaves are edible raw, after peeling to remove prickles.
• Immature flowerheads are edible raw, but best when steamed.
• varieties in the Pacific Northwest are Canada/Creeping thistle (Cirsium arvense), Bull thistle (Cirsium vulgare), Indian thistle (Cirsium brevistylum), Hooker’s thistle (Cirsium hookerianum) and Leafy thistle (Cirsium foliosum).
• Grows across wide range, in plains, foothills, mountainous, and subalpine regions.
• Warning: eat in moderation, some thistles are carcinogenic.

 

Tiger Lily

Columbia Lily

Lilium columbianum

• Flowers, seeds and bulbs are edible raw.
• Bulbs are best when boiled in several changes of water, though still bitter/peppery.
• Cooked bulbs can be dried whole or mashed and then dried for storage.
• Grows on foothill, mountainous, and subalpine slopes.

 

Violet

Viola ssp.

• Plants are edible raw.
• varieties in the Pacific Northwest are Early blue violet (Viola adunca), Canada violet (Viola canadensis), Wild Pansy (Viola tricolor), Marsh violet (Viola palustris) and Yellow prairie violet (Viola nuttallii).
• Grows in plains, foothills, mountainous, and subalpine regions.

 

Watercress

Rorippa nasturtium-aquaticum

• Plants are edible raw.
• Tastes like peppery lettuce or radishes.
• Can be dried for storage.
• Grows in calm water.
• Warning: do not eat plants from sites with polluted water.

 

Wild bergamot Horsemint

Monarda fistulosa

• Plant can be cooked as potherb.
• Smells strongly of mint.
• Leaves can be dried and sprinkled on meat to repel insects.
• Grows in open plains, foothill and mountainous regions.

 

Wild Ginger

Asarum spp.

• Rhizome is edible raw.
• Rhizome can be dried and ground.
• The variety in the Pacific Northwest is Western wild ginger (Asarum caudatum).
• Grows in moist, shaded foothill and mountainous regions.

 

Wild licorice

Glycyrrhiza lepidota

• Rhizome is edible raw.
• Rhizome was traditionally roasted in coals, pounded to remove tough fibers from the center of the rhizome, and eaten.
• Grows near water in moist, well-drained sites in plains and foothills.
• Warning: large amounts consumed over time are toxic.

 

Wild mint

Mentha spp.

• Plants are edible raw.
• Best used to improve flavor of other food.
• Powdered leaves can be sprinkled on berries/drying meat to repel insects.
• Varieties in the Pacific Northwest are Wild mint (Mentha arvensis), Spearmint (Mentha spicata), Peppermint (Mentha piperita).
• Grows in moist areas in plains, foothills, and mountainous regions.

 

Wild Rose

Rosa spp.

• Rose petals are edible.
• Buds are edible.
• Young shoots are edible.
• Young leaves are edible.
• Fruit (hip) of the plant is edible.
• Hips can be eaten fresh or dried for storage.
• Only the outer shell of the rosehip is edible, discard the mass of hard, hairy seeds.
• varieties in the Pacific Northwest are Arkansas rose (Rosa arkansana), Prickly wild rose (Rosa acicularis), Prairie rose (Rosa woodsii), Baldhip rose (Rosa gymnocarpa), and Nootka rose (Rosa nutkana).
• Grows in plains, foothill, mountainous, and subalpine regions.

Wood Lily

Lilium philadelphicum

• Flowers, seeds and bulbs are edible raw.
• Bulbs are best when boiled in two changes of water, though still bitter/peppery.
• Cooked bulbs can be dried whole or mashed and dried for storage.
• Grows in moist areas in plains, foothills, and mountainous regions.

 

Yellow glacier-lily

Snow-lily

Erythronium grandiflorum

• Bulbs are edible raw.
• Bulbs are best after long slow cooking, which turns them chocolate brown.
• Bulbs can be dried for storage after cooking.
• Dried bulbs are soaked and then boiled or steamed.
• Leaves are edible raw.
• Fresh greed seed pods can be cooked, taste like string beans.
• Grows in moist areas with rich soil in mountainous, subalpine, and alpine regions.
• Warning: bulbs can cause burning sensation, too many can cause vomiting.
• Warning: do not confuse with poisonous members of the lily family.

 

Yellowcress

Rorippa palustris

• Plants are edible raw.
• Tastes like peppery lettuce or radishes.
• Can be dried for storage.
• Grows in muddily areas in plains, foothills and mountainous regions.
• Warning: never eat plants from sites with polluted water.