Wild Garlic
Allium canadense
How to identify: Purple stem base
- Crush a leaf to confirm the garlic scent — lily of the valley and death camas look similar but smell wrong
- Leaves are best in spring before flowering, bulbs strongest in fall
SpringLeaves
SummerBulbils
FallBulbs
Winter
Elderberry
Sambucus nigra
How to identify: White flower clusters
- Ripe berries are safe cooked
- Raw berries, stems, and leaves contain cyanogenic compounds
SpringFlowers
SummerFlowers / berries
FallBerries
WinterDried berries
Dandelion
Taraxacum officinale
How to identify: Jagged leaves
- Whole plant edible: spring leaves for greens, summer flowers for wine, fall roots roasted as coffee substitute
- Identify by jagged leaves arranged in a basal rosette and hollow flower stem with white sap
SpringLeaves
SummerFlowers / seeds
FallRoots
Winter
Cattail
Typha latifolia
How to identify: Brown seed head
- Often called 'the supermarket of the swamp' — pollen, shoots, rhizomes, and roots are all edible
- Spring shoots ('Cossack asparagus') eaten like cucumber
SpringShoots
SummerPollen
FallRoots
WinterRoots
Wild Ginger
Asarum canadense
How to identify: Heart-shaped leaves
- Heart-shaped leaves grow in pairs
- The small maroon flower hides at ground level
SpringRhizome
SummerSeeds
FallRhizome
Winter
Jerusalem Artichoke
Helianthus tuberosus
How to identify: Sunflower-like bloom
- Tubers harvested after first frost concentrate sugars
- Raw they crunch like water chestnut, cooked they're like potato
SpringTubers
SummerSeeds
FallTubers
WinterTubers
Ramps
Allium tricoccum
How to identify: Broad leaves
- Broad, smooth leaves and a pink-tinged base
- The whole plant smells of garlic and onion
Spring
Summer
Fall
Winter
Wild Rose
Rosa rugosa
How to identify: Pink flowers
- Rose hips (fall fruit) are rich in vitamin C — historically used against scurvy
- Strain seeds and inner hairs out before using hips
SpringPetals
SummerHips / seeds
FallHips
WinterHips
Maple Tree
Acer saccharum
How to identify: Lobed leaves
- Sugar maple sap runs in late winter / early spring when nights freeze and days thaw
- Roughly 40 gallons of sap boils down to 1 gallon of syrup
SpringSap
SummerSeeds
FallSeeds
Winter
Acorns
Quercus alba
How to identify: Oak leaves
- All acorns are edible but contain tannins that must be leached out (cold or hot water rinse until water runs clear)
- White oak acorns have less tannin than red oak acorns
Spring
Summer
Fall
Winter
Blackberry
Rubus allegheniensis
How to identify: Thorny canes
- Thorny canes arching from a central crown
- Compound leaves with 3–5 leaflets
SpringShoots
SummerBerries
FallBerries
Winter
Wild Leek
Allium ampeloprasum
How to identify: Flat leaves
- Flat strap leaves and a mild onion-garlic flavor
- Bulb is small but pungent
SpringLeaves
SummerSeeds
FallBulbs
Winter
Violet
Viola sororia
How to identify: Heart leaves
- Both leaves and flowers are edible and high in vitamins A and C
- Leaves can be added to salads or used as a wild spinach
Spring
Summer
Fall
Winter
Plantain
Plantago major
How to identify: Ribbed leaves
- Common Plantain leaves are anti-inflammatory — crushed and applied to insect bites and minor wounds, a classic field remedy
- Young leaves are edible (older ones are stringy from the tough veins)
SpringLeaves
SummerLeaves / seeds
FallLeaves
Winter
Burdock
Arctium lappa
How to identify: Velcro-like burrs
- First-year roots are the prize: dig in fall, peel, and cook like parsnip (this is Japanese 'gobo')
- Second-year plants bolt with the famous velcro burrs
SpringShoots
SummerStalks
FallRoots
Winter
Wild Mint
Mentha arvensis
How to identify: Square stem
- Square stem and opposite leaves — both diagnostic for the entire mint family
- Crush a leaf for the menthol smell
SpringLeaves
SummerLeaves / flowers
FallLeaves
WinterDried leaves
Lamb's Quarters
Chenopodium album
How to identify: White powdery leaves
- Young leaves cook like spinach
- Rinse well because the powdery leaf coating can hold grit
Spring
Summer
Fall
Winter
Stinging Nettle
Urtica dioica
How to identify: Stinging hairs
- Cooking or drying neutralizes the sting completely
- High in iron, protein, and vitamin K
SpringShoots
SummerLeaves
FallSeeds / leaves
Winter
Chicory
Cichorium intybus
How to identify: Blue flowers
- Young spring leaves are bitter salad greens
- Older leaves are better cooked or blanched
SpringLeaves
SummerFlowers / seeds
FallRoots
WinterRoots
Pine Needles
Pinus strobus
How to identify: 5-needle clusters
- White pine needles make vitamin C-rich tea
- Steep gently rather than boiling hard
Spring
Summer
Fall
Winter
Wild Strawberry
Fragaria virginiana
How to identify: 3-part leaves
- True wild strawberries have white flowers and tiny red fruit with seeds on the surface
- Leaves come in three toothed leaflets
SpringLeaves / flowers
SummerBerries
Fall
Winter
Fiddleheads
Matteuccia struthiopteris
How to identify: Coiled fronds
- Harvest only tightly coiled ostrich fern fiddleheads with a deep U-shaped groove
- Boil or steam thoroughly before eating
Spring
Summer
Fall
Winter
Wild Rice
Zizania aquatica
How to identify: Grass-like in water
- Harvest ripe grains by gently knocking seed heads into a canoe or basket
- Parched grains keep longer and thresh easier
Spring
SummerSeeds
FallGrain
Winter
Groundnut
Apios americana
How to identify: Climbing vine
- Nutlike tubers grow like beads along underground strings
- Cook thoroughly before eating
Spring
SummerSeeds
FallTubers
WinterTubers
Sassafras
Sassafras albidum
How to identify: Mitten-shaped leaves
- Three leaf shapes on one tree — mitten, oval, and three-lobed — are diagnostic
- Roots smell like root beer, but safrole safety concerns mean use sparingly
SpringLeaves / roots
SummerLeaves
FallTwigs / leaves
Winter
Spicebush
Lindera benzoin
How to identify: Spicy berries
- Crushed twigs and leaves smell spicy-citrus
- Red berries make a fragrant seasoning when dried
SpringTwigs
SummerSeeds
FallBerries / twigs
Winter
Wild Grape
Vitis riparia
How to identify: Climbing vine
- Grapes have tendrils opposite leaves and shreddy bark on older vines
- Avoid moonseed, whose fruit has one crescent seed and no tendrils
Spring
SummerLeaves
FallGrapes
Winter
Mayapple
Podophyllum peltatum
How to identify: Umbrella leaves
- Only fully ripe yellow fruit is edible
- Leaves, roots, seeds, and unripe fruit are poisonous
Spring
Summer
Fall
Winter
Morel
Morchella esculenta
Wildcard: may double-stack a filled layer — one mushroom per biome forest.
How to identify: Honeycomb cap
- Morels are hollow from cap to stem
Spring
Summer
Fall
Winter
Chicken-of-the-Woods
Laetiporus sulphureus
Wildcard: may double-stack a filled layer — one mushroom per biome forest.
How to identify: Orange shelf fungus
- Bright orange shelves grow on wood, not soil
Spring
Summer
Fall
Winter
Chanterelle
Cantharellus cibarius
Wildcard: may double-stack a filled layer — one mushroom per biome forest.
How to identify: Funnel-shaped golden cap
- True chanterelles have blunt ridges running down the stem, not thin blade-like gills
Spring
Summer
Fall
Winter
Oyster
Pleurotus ostreatus
Wildcard: may double-stack a filled layer — one mushroom per biome forest.
How to identify: Soft white shelf fungus
- Oysters grow in overlapping shelves on wood with decurrent gills running down the stem
Spring
Summer
Fall
Winter
Lion's Mane
Hericium erinaceus
Wildcard: may double-stack a filled layer — one mushroom per biome forest.
How to identify: Cascading white tendrils
- White dangling teeth are the key ID feature
Spring
Summer
Fall
Winter
Matsutake
Tricholoma matsutake
Wildcard: may double-stack a filled layer — one mushroom per biome forest.
How to identify: Spicy aromatic gills
- Spicy cinnamon-pine aroma is central to ID
Spring
Summer
Fall
Winter
Chaga
Inonotus obliquus
Wildcard: may double-stack a filled layer — one mushroom per biome forest.
How to identify: Black charcoal-like growth on birch
- Sterile black conks grow mostly on birch
Spring
Summer
Fall
Winter
Whitebark Pine
Pinus albicaulis
How to identify: Whorls of 5 needles
- Five needles per bundle and high-elevation habitat help ID
- Large nutritious seeds feed wildlife and people
Spring
SummerNeedles
FallSeeds
WinterNeedles
Mountain Ash
Sorbus americana
How to identify: Compound leaves with bright orange berries
- Bright berry clusters persist into cold weather, but cook or process berries to reduce bitterness
- Seeds contain cyanogenic compounds, so avoid eating many raw
SpringFlowers
SummerLeaves
FallBerries
Winter
Kinnikinnick
Arctostaphylos uva-ursi
How to identify: Glossy paddle leaves; red berries
- Low evergreen mats with red berries and leathery spoon-shaped leaves mark the plant
- Berries are mealy but edible
SpringLeaves
SummerLeaves
FallBerries / leaves
WinterBerries
Yarrow
Achillea millefolium
How to identify: Feathery leaves; flat white flower heads
- Feathery aromatic leaves and flat white flower clusters are key
- Traditional styptic for small cuts, but avoid during pregnancy
SpringLeaves
SummerFlowers
FallLeaves / flowers
Winter
Alpine Strawberry
Fragaria virginiana glauca
How to identify: Tiny intense fruit on 3-part leaves
- Tiny berries are intensely flavored and detach easily when ripe
- Leaves have three toothed leaflets
SpringLeaves / flowers
SummerBerries
Fall
Winter
Biscuitroot
Lomatium dissectum
How to identify: Carrot-like umbel; tuberous root
- Carrot-family roots were important food, but this family has deadly lookalikes
- Use only with expert ID
SpringRoots
SummerSeeds
FallRoots
Winter
Hen-of-the-Woods
Grifola frondosa
Wildcard: may double-stack a filled layer — one mushroom per biome forest.
How to identify: Frilled grey-brown clusters
- Frilled gray-brown clusters grow at oak bases in fall
Spring
Summer
Fall
Winter
Reishi
Ganoderma tsugae
Wildcard: may double-stack a filled layer — one mushroom per biome forest.
How to identify: Lacquered red shelf on hemlock
- Varnished red-brown shelf with pale growing edge is distinctive
Spring
Summer
Fall
Winter
Giant Puffball
Calvatia gigantea
Wildcard: may double-stack a filled layer — one mushroom per biome forest.
How to identify: White soccer-ball sphere in open ground
- Only eat when the interior is pure white and marshmallow-like
Spring
Summer
Fall
Winter
Field Mushroom
Agaricus campestris
Wildcard: may double-stack a filled layer — one mushroom per biome forest.
How to identify: Pink-then-brown gills under white cap
- Pink gills turning chocolate brown and a pleasant mushroom smell support ID
Spring
Summer
Fall
Winter
American Hornbeam
Carpinus caroliniana
How to identify: Muscle-like fluted trunk
- Smooth gray muscle-like bark earns the name musclewood
- Nuts are small wildlife food rather than a major human crop
SpringCatkins
SummerNutlets
FallNutlets
Winter
Witch Hazel
Hamamelis virginiana
How to identify: Yellow ribbon flowers in late fall
- Yellow strap-like flowers bloom in late fall after leaves drop
- Bark and twigs are distilled for astringent wash
SpringBark / twigs
SummerLeaves
FallFlowers / bark
WinterBark
Solomon's Seal
Polygonatum biflorum
How to identify: Arching stem with paired hanging flowers
- Arching stems with dangling paired flowers or blue berries distinguish true Solomon's seal
- Young shoots are edible cooked, but berries are not
SpringShoots
SummerRhizome
FallRhizome
Winter
Hawthorn
Crataegus mollis
How to identify: Red haws on thorny tree
- Haws can be made into jelly after frost, but seeds should not be crushed or eaten
- Long thorns demand careful harvest
SpringFlowers / leaves
SummerHaws
FallHaws
WinterHaws
Honey Locust
Gleditsia triacanthos
How to identify: Compound leaves and long twisted brown pods
- Sweet pulp inside mature pods can be tasted, but hard seeds need processing
- Huge branched thorns mark wild trees
SpringYoung pods
Summer
FallPod pulp
WinterPod pulp
Serviceberry
Amelanchier canadensis
How to identify: Five-petal white spring flowers; smooth gray bark
- White spring flowers appear before many shrubs leaf out
- Berries ripen early and taste almondy from tiny seeds
SpringFlowers
SummerBerries
Fall
Winter
Maypop
Passiflora incarnata
How to identify: Three-lobed leaves and intricate purple flower
- Ripe wrinkled fruits contain sweet-tart pulp around crunchy seeds
- Leaves are three-lobed with tendrils on vines
Spring
SummerFruit / leaves
FallFruit
Winter
Wood Sorrel
Oxalis stricta
How to identify: Three heart-shaped leaflets; sour taste
- Heart-shaped leaflets fold downward and taste lemony from oxalic acid
- Use sparingly, especially with kidney stone concerns
Spring
Summer
Fall
Winter
Garlic Mustard
Alliaria petiolata
How to identify: Garlic-scented leaves and white four-petal flowers
- Crushed leaves smell garlicky
- Young leaves, flowers, and roots are edible but bitter
SpringLeaves
SummerFlowers / leaves
FallRoots
Winter
Partridgeberry
Mitchella repens
How to identify: Twin red berries on paired oval leaves
- Tiny paired white flowers become one red berry with two blossom scars
- Berries are bland but edible
SpringLeaves
SummerLeaves
FallBerries / leaves
WinterBerries / leaves
Sweet Cicely
Osmorhiza claytonii
How to identify: Fern-like leaves with anise scent
- Leaves and seeds smell sweetly anise-like
- Carrot-family caution applies — avoid unless ID is certain
SpringLeaves / roots
SummerSeeds
FallRoots / seeds
Winter
Wild Sarsaparilla
Aralia nudicaulis
How to identify: Three compound leaves on one stalk; black berries
- Three-part compound leaves rise from a single stalk
- Dark berries form in a separate globe below leaves
SpringRoots
Summer
FallRoots / berries
Winter
Indian Cucumber-Root
Medeola virginiana
How to identify: Two-tiered whorl of leaves; cucumber-flavored tuber
- Two whorls of leaves and a crisp white root are distinctive
- Roots are edible but small, so harvest sparingly or not at all
SpringLeaves
SummerRoot
FallRoot
Winter
Meadowsweet
Spiraea alba
How to identify: Pyramid of tiny white flowers; willow-like leaves
- Creamy flower clusters attract pollinators
- Leaves and flowers have a mild wintergreen scent from salicylates
SpringLeaves
SummerFlowers
FallFlowers / leaves
Winter
Bee Balm
Monarda fistulosa
How to identify: Lavender pom-pom flowers on square stems
- Square stems, opposite leaves, and oregano-like scent mark the mint family
- Flowers make aromatic tea and attract hummingbirds
SpringLeaves
SummerFlowers
FallLeaves
Winter
Black Willow
Salix nigra
How to identify: Long lance leaves and gray-yellow bark
- Flexible twigs root easily from cuttings near water
- Bark contains salicylates, so avoid medicinal use if aspirin-sensitive
Spring
Summer
Fall
Winter
Speckled Alder
Alnus incana
How to identify: Catkins in spring and small woody cones in fall
- Alders fix nitrogen through root nodules and improve wet soils
- Catkins and woody cones persist through winter
SpringCatkins
SummerBark / leaves
FallCones / bark
WinterCatkins
Highbush Blueberry
Vaccinium corymbosum
How to identify: Bell-shaped flowers and blue summer berries
- Blueberries need acidic soil and often ripen over several weeks
- Bell flowers precede fruit
SpringFlowers
SummerBerries
Fall
Winter
Buttonbush
Cephalanthus occidentalis
How to identify: Spherical white flower balls
- Round pincushion flower heads are excellent pollinator magnets
- Seeds feed waterfowl, but it is not a human food plant
SpringLeaves
SummerFlowers
FallSeed heads
Winter
Bog Cranberry
Vaccinium oxycoccos
How to identify: Tiny pink flowers and red berries on creeping stems
- Trailing evergreen vines bear tart red berries in acidic bogs
- Fruit sweetens after frost and stores well
SpringLeaves / flowers
Summer
FallBerries
WinterBerries
Marsh Marigold
Caltha palustris
How to identify: Bright yellow buttercup flowers in early spring
- Raw plant is irritating
- Young leaves are traditionally boiled in changes of water, but caution is warranted
SpringCooked greens
SummerLeaves
Fall
Winter
Skunk Cabbage
Symplocarpus foetidus
How to identify: Mottled purple-green hood pushing through snow
- Generates heat and can melt snow around early flowers
- Strong odor and huge leaves are distinctive
SpringProcessed shoots
SummerLeaves
FallLeaves
WinterRoot
Wapato
Sagittaria latifolia
How to identify: Arrowhead leaves and white three-petal flowers
- Arrowhead-shaped leaves mark this wetland plant
- Tubers loosen from mud and float when disturbed
Spring
SummerSeeds
FallTubers
WinterTubers
Sweetflag
Acorus calamus
How to identify: Sword-like aromatic leaves with a spadix
- Sword leaves smell sweet-spicy when crushed
- Rhizomes were traditionally candied or chewed, but safety varies by chemotype
SpringRhizome / shoots
SummerLeaves
FallRhizome
WinterRhizome
Staghorn Sumac
Rhus typhina
How to identify: Velvety stems and conical red fruit clusters
- Red fuzzy fruit clusters make tart sumac drink
- Avoid white-berried poison sumacs in wetlands
SpringShoots
SummerLeaves
FallFruit clusters
WinterFruit clusters
Eastern Red Cedar
Juniperus virginiana
How to identify: Scale-like aromatic leaves and blue berries
- Blue berry-like cones flavor food in small amounts, but avoid during pregnancy or kidney issues
- Scale-like leaves and shreddy bark help ID
SpringLeaves
SummerLeaves
FallBerries
WinterBerries / leaves
Japanese Knotweed
Reynoutria japonica
How to identify: Hollow bamboo-like stems and heart-shaped leaves
- Young spring shoots taste rhubarb-like and should be cooked
- Harvest helps control invasions, but dispose scraps carefully
SpringShoots
SummerShoots
FallRoots
Winter
Wineberry
Rubus phoenicolasius
How to identify: Red-bristled canes and orange-red berries
- Sticky red-haired canes and orange-red berries distinguish wineberry
- Fruits detach with the core like blackberries
SpringShoots
SummerBerries
FallBerries
Winter
Greenbrier
Smilax rotundifolia
How to identify: Heart-shaped leathery leaves and backward thorns
- Young tender shoots taste like asparagus
- Thorny vines climb with tendrils
SpringShoots
SummerLeaves
FallBerries / tubers
WinterRhizome
Kudzu
Pueraria montana
How to identify: Three-lobed leaves and purple cone flowers
- Young leaves, shoots, flowers, and starchy roots are edible with preparation
- Never plant it — highly invasive
SpringShoots / leaves
SummerFlowers / leaves
FallRoots
Winter
Curly Dock
Rumex crispus
How to identify: Curly-edged leaves and tall rust-red seed spikes
- Young leaves are tart and best cooked in changes of water
- Seeds can be ground but are chaffy
SpringLeaves
SummerSeeds
FallRoots / seeds
Winter
Wild Carrot
Daucus carota
How to identify: Lacy white umbel with dark center and carrot scent
- Carrot scent and hairy stems help distinguish Queen Anne's lace from deadly poison hemlock, which has smooth purple-blotched stems
- First-year roots are edible but woody later
SpringLeaves
SummerFlowers / seeds
FallRoots
Winter
Limber Pine
Pinus flexilis
How to identify: Flexible 5-needle clusters and large wingless seeds
- Five flexible needles per bundle and large cones help ID
- Edible seeds are wildlife-important, so harvest lightly
Spring
SummerNeedles
FallSeeds
WinterNeedles
Subalpine Fir
Abies lasiocarpa
How to identify: Spire-like form with flat needles and resinous bark
- Flat soft needles and upright purple cones mark high-elevation fir
- Pitch was traditionally used externally
SpringTips
SummerNeedles
FallResin / cones
WinterNeedles
Mountain Currant
Ribes montigenum
How to identify: Sticky lobed leaves and orange-red berries
- Currant berries have dried flower tails opposite the stem
- Leaves are palmately lobed and aromatic in some species
SpringFlowers
SummerBerries
FallBerries
Winter
Alpine Wormwood
Artemisia frigida
How to identify: Silvery fragrant lacy foliage
- Silvery aromatic leaves signal bitter compounds
- Use as a strong seasoning or medicinal plant only with care
SpringLeaves
SummerLeaves / flowers
FallLeaves
WinterDried leaves
Lingonberry
Vaccinium vitis-idaea
How to identify: Glossy evergreen leaves and tart red berries
- Evergreen low shrubs bear tart red berries that keep well as sauce or preserves
- Acidic soils suit them best
SpringLeaves
SummerLeaves / flowers
FallBerries
WinterBerries / leaves