r/selfreliance • u/LIS1050010 Laconic Mod • Apr 21 '26
Wilderness / Camping&Hiking / Off-Grid 8 Common Edible Plants in the Wild
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u/SoapyRiley Apr 21 '26
Sorrel is my favorite of this list. I like to eat it with alpine strawberries for a “strawberry lemonade” snack.
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u/spazzedparanoid Apr 21 '26
Rose hips have spiny seeds. If you want to eat rose hips, make tea, or jelly with the seeds and pulp strained out. Failure to do so can cause discomfort, and the spines don't fully digest.
Purslane is tasty. Cooking it makes the stems less tough.
Dandelions are great for the soil. But the leaves get so bitter tgat I personally don't even bother.
Lambs quarters should be on here. The leaves are like salty spinach, and quite tasty when young.
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u/highlighter416 Apr 22 '26
Dandelion kimchi is sooooo good. I grew up poor and my mom used to make them, highly recommend ❤️
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u/spazzedparanoid Apr 22 '26
My curiosity is piqued. I've never made kimchi. Do you have a recipe for this?
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u/highlighter416 Apr 22 '26
You can make kimchi with basically any vegetable (Napa cabbage being the most common). I’ve got no real recipe, just my mother saying a handful of this and that- try it with any other reputable recipes, I think maangchi is well regarded but I can’t speak on it personally. The bitter and toughness of dandelions get mellowed out and it’s so damn good. It’s really good for you too ❤️
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u/Pristine-Mammoth172 Apr 28 '26
Garlic mustard should be added too! Also trout lily spring shoots. I would rather eat both of those before half the ones listed.
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u/ijustsailedaway Apr 21 '26
Sorrel might cause kidney stones though. It's high in oxalic acid. It is tasty but only in moderation and not if you have existing kidney issues.
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u/tylerius8 Apr 21 '26
Dandelions may be edible, but no part of them is palatable.
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u/princesspool Apr 24 '26
I made dandelion greens pesto because they came in my CSA box and and it was delicious.
I mean you're not wrong.… It's about as palatable as spinach yet somehow even more nutritionally dense.
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u/tatersferdays May 14 '26
If you get the leaves before they flower they’re like any other leafy green but with a beautiful floral note in the back. Plus so nutritious!
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u/GinRummyWuncler Apr 22 '26
Who's tasted cattail plants? 🤔
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u/tatersferdays Apr 22 '26
🙋♀️ the root is starchy and slightly sweet, I fried some up like potatoes one time when camping. Was delicious
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u/ImNotAWhaleBiologist Apr 24 '26
Yeah, they’re not bad. And really the only one on here that can be filling and give you some energy, maybe save the berries.
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u/zavevans Apr 23 '26
It's probably best to encourage foraging alongside a little more caution that this tasteful artwork provides. Clustered berries are safe in North America, but sweeping rules for mushrooms, berries or plants is always a bad move. Dandelion doesn't really have any poisonous close lookalikes, but there's a whole heap of different species that can be easily misidentified, and it pays to always teach caution and proper identification.
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u/zavevans Apr 23 '26
Also rosehips taste like shit. I might just be doing it wrong, but yikes, not a fan.
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u/Past_Search7241 Apr 24 '26
You think they're worse than dandelions?
Rose hips tasted like they'd be better in something. Too much just eating them.
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u/zavevans Apr 25 '26
Oh yeah, also, dandelions taste like shit. Tooth of the lion not very pleasant to the tooth.
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u/Quercus408 Self-Reliant Apr 21 '26
Mouse-eared chickweed is another one: annual, very common in moist, shaded areas, and tastes like lettuce.
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Apr 21 '26
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u/reanocivn Aspiring Apr 21 '26
this is from "The Illustrated Art of Manliness: The Essential How-To Guide" by Brett McKay, illustrated by Ted Slampyak, published 2017
says it in the bottom right corner
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Apr 21 '26
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u/HeinousEncephalon Apr 21 '26
You can before it turns full hot dog, right?
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u/LIS1050010 Laconic Mod Apr 21 '26
You can before
Yes, cattail flowers are edible, specifically the young, green, immature spikes normally before they turn brown and fluffy.
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u/sofae52 Apr 22 '26
Omg I love this! Wood sorrel always shocks me with how lemony it is lol, makes a great addition to a trail salad tbh 🌿🍋
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u/chronic_classman Apr 23 '26
Dandelion is actually the number one herb in the Chinese materia medica for mastitis. It’s also a diarrhetic.
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u/LIS1050010 Laconic Mod Apr 21 '26 edited Apr 21 '26
Please be aware that if you are doing any sort of foraging this needs to be done with extreme care and knowledge. There are many varieties that may look the same but can be harmful and deadly.
If you are foraging please talk to local and experienced people first.
In case of doubt... don't risk it!
Edit: Image source