Cattail

One of the best wild plant foods. Roots can be made into a nutritious flour by peeling, drying and sifting the starch-like flour from the fibrous part. The white sprouts, which appear early int the summer, at the base of the plants can be eaten either raw or cooked. In the spring as the young shoots first come up, pull them loose from the rootstalk, peel the outer leaves away and use the tender cores in salads or cook as you would asparagus. The green heads of the cattail (before pollen appears) can be boiled for 10 min. and eat like corn on the cob. Ripe pollen can be collected by carefully bending tops over and shaking into a container. This ripe pollen is mostly protein and is good mixed with other flours for baking.

Horehound

Horehound has been reported to help treat sore throats, coughs, colds, hoarseness and all lung disorders. It can aid in the reducing of fevers. Taken in large doses, it is a laxative. Externally it is good for earache.

Gather leaves when very young, before flowering. Roots in the fall or spring. Flowers when in blossom.

Cow Parsnip

Add young shoots to salads or cook. Roots have a rutabaga-like taste when cooked. The base of the plant can be used for a salt flavoring by drying and grinding.

CAUTION: Be sure you're not gathering water hemlock. They share the same terrain and their flowers look somewhat alike, also, they both have hallow stems.

Poppy

Poppy is only slightly narcotic. Many gather the seeds from the capsules for use in cakes, muffins, and cooking.

Stinging Nettle

Peppermint

Parsley

Chamomile

Also known as, ground apple, for it's distinctive apple fragrance. The blossoms, or heads, can be collected and used as a tea. Chamomile is known for it's soothing properties.

Alfalfa

The whole plant can be used. Seeds soaked then sprouted make excellent greens. Leaves can be used for tea. Alfalfa's green leaves contain 8 essential enzymes and is an aid to digestion. Alfalfa also is a source of ten different vitamins.

Salsify

Also known as Oyster plant because the second year roots taste like steamed oysters. The roots should be used before the flowering stem developes. Roots from the first year plants are best, but as the first year plant produces only leaves without flowers, it is often hard to recognize. Tops of Salsify can be used for greens when young and tender. The coagulated juice was used by the Indians for chewing gum.

Wild Lettuce

The young tender leaves can be used in salads. When fully matured, the milky part of the stem can be used as a mild narcotic sedative to kill pain.

Purslane

The entire plant can be used as a pot herb, or in a salad. Purslane can also be used to thicken soups. Seeds can be used in the form of flour or meal.

Rosehips

A tea of rosehip will supply an adult with their daily vitamin C supply. Also contains vitamins A, E, D, B1, and B2.

Gather rosehips after first snow, or as late in the Fall as possible. Remove blossom end, stem, and leaves. Wash quickly. For each cup of rosehips, bring to boil 1 1/2 cups water. Add rosehips, cover pot (do not use copper or aluminum). Simmer 15 minutes. Let stand 24 hours. Strain of extract (liquid). Bring to rolling boil, add 2 tablespoons lemon juice for each pint. Pour into jars and seal. Take 2 teaspoons of extract daily for vitamin C supplement. Refrigerate after opening.

Lambs Quarter/Amaranth

Lambs Quarter (Left)
Also known as Pig weed, this is an excellent pot herb. The stems and leaves can be cooked like spinach, or used in salads when young and tender. Can also be frozen for future meals, by blanching and storing in freezer bags. The small dark seeds can also be harvested and ground into a flour.

Amaranth (Right)
Another name for Amaranth is Redroot. The fresh raw greens are reported to be high in vitamins A and C. The young tender leaves are excellent for cooked greens. The tiny black seeds make a good cereal grain raw or cooked.