List of forageable plants in the temperate zone

This article lists plants commonly found in the wild, which are edible to humans and thus forageable. Some are only edible in part, while the entirety of others are edible. Some plants (or select parts) require cooking to make them safe for consumption.

Field guides instruct foragers to carefully identify species before assuming that any wild plant is edible. Accurate determination ensures edibility and protections against potentially fatal poisoning. Some plants that are generally edible can cause allergic reactions in some individuals. U.S. Army guidelines advise to test for contact dermatitis, then chew and hold a pinch in the mouth for 15 minutes before swallowing. If any negative effect results, it is advised to induce vomiting and drink a high quantity of water. Additionally, old or improperly stored specimens can cause food poisoning.

Other lists of edible seeds, mushrooms, flowers, nuts, vegetable oils and leaves may partially overlap with this one. Separately, a list of poisonous plants catalogs toxic species.

List

These lists are ordered by the binomial (Latin) name of the species.

Trees and shrubs Plant image Part image Common name Binomial name Distribution Edible parts and uses Ref. Juneberry Amelanchier lamarckii Naturalized in Western Europe Berries (in June), edible raw Mabey (2012), 73 Barberry Berberis vulgaris Europe, North America, northwest Africa, western Asia Berries (from July), edible raw, dried as a spice or cooked as a jelly Mabey (2012), 34 Sweet chestnut Castanea sativa Throughout Europe and parts of Asia; common in woods and parks Nuts (October to November). Chestnuts are edible raw or in any other preparation, such as roasted, boiled, stewed or baked. Mabey (2012), 44 Hazel Corylus avellana In many European woodlands, at the edges of woods or in mature hedges Hazelnuts (from late August to October), edible raw or processed Mabey (2012), 52 Hawthorn, may-tree Crataegus monogyna Native to Europe, northwest Africa and western Asia; naturalized elsewhere Leaves (when young, in April), edible raw as a salad vegetable Berries (in autumn), edible raw, or made into jellies, jams and syrups, or used as a flavoring Mabey (2012), 77 Beech Fagus sylvatica Europe, except parts of Spain, northern England, northern parts of Northern Europe Nuts (in September or October), edible raw or roasted and salted, or can be pressed for oil Mabey (2012), 41Sea purslaneHalimione portulacoidesSeashores and salt marshes of western and southern Europe, and from the Mediterranean to western AsiaLeaves, raw as a salad, or stir-friedMabey (2012), 104 Hop Humulus lupulus Native to the temperate Northern Hemisphere: Europe, North America, Asia Young shoots and leaves (until May), edible cooked as a vegetable Mabey (2012), 37 Walnut Juglans regia Native to Central Asia, but naturalized in temperate zones worldwide Nuts (ripening in September) Mabey (2012), 38 Juniper Juniperus communis Throughout the Northern Hemisphere in North America, Europe and Asia Berries, both immature (green) and mature (dark); inedibly bitter when raw, but used as a spice, for beverages, as a jam or roasted and ground as a coffee substitute Mabey (2012), 33 Oregon-grape Mahonia aquifolium North America, occasionally naturalized in Europe Berries, edible raw (though acidic) or made into a jelly Mabey (2012), 85 Crabapples Malus sylvestris and other Malus species Malus is native to the temperate zone of the Northern Hemisphere, in Europe, Asia and North America. Fruit (from July), edible raw or, if too bitter, cooked as a jelly (containing much pectin) Mabey (2012), 64 Medlar Mespilus germanica Southeast Europe to West Asia, occasionally naturalized in Britain Fruit (in November), edible after being bletted for a few weeks Mabey (2012), 74Bog-myrtle, sweet willow, Dutch myrtle, sweetgaleMyrica galeParts of the northern hemisphere, including Japan, North Korea, Russia, Europe and North AmericaLeaves, dried as tea, or raw as roast chicken stuffing Nutlets and dried leaves, as a seasoning, including for beer (gruit)Mabey (2012), 97 Scots pine Pinus sylvestris Native to Europe and Asia Needles (when young, April to August), can be boiled for tea or soaked in olive oil to yield an aromatic oil Nuts, tiny and difficult to extract from the cones, but edible raw Mabey (2012), 30MesquiteProsopis julifloraNative to Southern America, widely found in arid and hot climates worldwide as an invasive weedSeed pods, edible raw or boiled, dried and milled to make flour, or fermented to make a mildly alcoholic beverage Wild cherry Prunus avium Native to Europe, western Turkey, northwestern Africa, and western Asia; Found in hedgerows and woods, especially beech Cherries, edible raw Mabey (2012), 61 Bullace, damson, other wild plums Prunus domestica subsp. insititia Prunus species are spread throughout the northern temperate regions of the globe. Fruit (ripe from early October), edible raw Mabey (2012), 62 Sloe, blackthorn Prunus spinosa Native to Europe, western Asia, and locally in northwest Africa; also locally naturalised in New Zealand and eastern North America Berries, edible raw, but very acidic unless picked after the first few days of autumn frost Mabey (2012), 58 English / French oak Quercus robur Native to most of Europe, and from Anatolia to the Caucasus, and also to parts of North Africa Acorns (ripening in September to October), too bitter when raw, but used chopped and roasted as a substitute for almonds, or then ground as a substitute for coffee. After leaching out the bitter tannins in water, acorn meal can be used as grain flour. Mabey (2012), 51 Golden currant Ribes aureum Native to northwest North America Berries, edible raw but tart Wax currant Ribes cereum Native to western North America Berries, edible raw but possibly semi-toxic Blackcurrant Ribes nigrum Native to north-central Eurasia Berries, used in jams Redcurrant Ribes rubrum Native to western Europe Berries, used in jams and kissel Flowering currant Ribes sanguineum Western United States and Canada Berries, edible raw and used in jams Raspberries, blackberries, etc. Rubus species Widely distributed Berries, edible raw and used in jams Elder Sambucus nigra Europe, North Africa, Central Asia and Anatolia Flowers (June to July), edible raw, as a salad green, or pickled, or to make tea, or alcoholic beverages Berries (August to October), edible when ripe (turning upside down) and cooked; raw berries are mildly poisonous Mabey (2012), 78 Whitebeam Sorbus aria Central and southern Europe Berries, edible raw once overripe (bletted) Mabey (2012), 72 Rowan, Mountain-ash Sorbus aucuparia Native to most of Europe except for the far south, and northern Asia Berries (August to November), bitter, but can be cooked to form a jelly, or used as a flavouring Mabey (2012), 68 Wild service-tree Sorbus torminalis Native to Europe, south to northwest Africa, and southeast to southwest Asia Berries (from September), edible raw, but hard and bitter unless bletted Mabey (2012), 71 Lime Tilia × europaea Occasionally in the wild in Europe, or commonly grown in parks, on roadsides or in ornamental woods Flowers (in full bloom, June or early July). A tea (popular in France as tilleul) can be made from the dried flowers. Leaves, without the stalks, edible raw as a salad vegetable Mabey (2012), 57Wild lowbush blueberryVaccinium angustifoliumEastern and central Canada, northeastern United StatesBerries, edible raw, commonly used in jams and jellies

Herbaceous plants Plant image Part image Common name Binomial name Distribution Edible parts and uses Ref.YarrowAchillea millefoliumNative to temperate regions of the Northern HemisphereAll parts in small quantity, leaves when youngAmaranth, pigweed, tumbleweedAmaranthus retroflexusNative to the tropical Americas, but widespread worldwideLeaves, boiled as a vegetable, or raw with the shoots if young Seeds, raw or toasted, or ground to flourMabey (2012), 112Spear saltbush, common oracheAtriplex patulaSemi-arid deserts and coastal areas in Asia, North America, Europe, and AfricaYoung leaves and shoots, raw or cooked as a substitute for spinach Ice plant, sour fig Carpobrotus edulis South Africa and many zones with a similar climate, including Australia, California and the Mediterranean Figs (May to July); edible raw Mabey (2012), 98 Fat-hen, wild spinach Chenopodium album Worldwide in soils rich in nitrogen, especially on wasteland Leaves and young shoots; edible raw or prepared as a green vegetable Mabey (2012), 100; Kallas (2010), 67 Good-King-Henry Chenopodium bonus-henricus Most of Europe, West Asia and eastern North America Young shoots (until early summer) and leaves (until August). The shoots can be cooked like asparagus, and the leaves like spinach. Mabey (2012), 103CogongrassImperata cylindricaNative to tropical and subtropical Asia, but found worldwide as an invasive species from 45°N to 45°SYoung inflorescences and shoots, cooked; roots, edible raw when chewed; ash, as a salt substitute Poppy Papaver rhoeas Worldwide, principally in the northern temperate zones Seeds (from September, when the seed heads are dry, gray-brown and holed); edible raw as a spice or flavoring Mabey (2012), 88Samphire, glasswort, pickleweed, sea beans, sea asparagusSalicornia speciesSeashores and other salty habitats in the northern hemisphere and southern AfricaYoung shoots (June or July); edible raw or cooked, also pickledMabey (2012), 108–111Bladder campion, maidenstearsSilene vulgarisAs a wildflower in the temperate zones of Europe, Western Asia, North Africa and North America, on dry, sunny, calcareous grasslandYoung shoots and leaves, raw, older leaves also cooked; a local specialty in parts of the Mediterranean regionMabey (2012), 116ChickweedStellaria mediaWorldwide, as an annual in colder climates, and a perennial evergreen elsewhereStems and leaves, raw or cookedMabey (2012), 112–115 Dandelion Taraxacum officinale Native to Eurasia, naturalized elsewhere Leaves, edible raw or cooked when older Cattail Typha spp. Temperate Northern Hemisphere and Australasia RhizomesYoung and inner shoots and stemsCooked flowers Stinging nettle Urtica dioica Very common in Europe and Asia, less common in North America Young shoots and leaves (until May), edible after soaking or boiling as a vegetable, or as a soup or purée Mabey (2012), xx

List of forageable plants in the temperate zone

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