Persimmon - Virginian

Scientific Name(s): Diospyros virginiana
Abundance: plentiful
What: fruit, leaves
How: fruit - raw, jams, jelly, candied, tarts; leaves - tea
Where: fields, sunny edges of woods
When: late summer, fall
Nutritional Value: fiber, Vit C, B, minerals, anti-oxidants, flavonoids.

Leaf Arrangement: Leaves are arranged alternately along the stems.

Leaf Shape: Leaves are generally oval to elliptical, ranging from 2 to 6 inches in length.

Leaf Venation: The venation pattern is pinnate, with a central midrib and smaller veins branching out.

Leaf Margin: The leaf margins are generally smooth and entire.

Leaf Color: Green on top, grayish underneath.

Flower Structure: Small, inconspicuous, bell-shaped flowers. The flowers are typically less than 0.5 inches in diameter and may have four petals.

Flower Color: Flowers typically have a cream-colored hue.

Fruit: Immature fruit is green-gray in color, turning orange-pink when mature. They will be approximately 1.5” in diameter, with a 5-pointed “crown” on their top.

Seed: Seeds within the fruit are usually less than 0.5 inches. They are typically oblong, flattish, brown, and shiny when ripe.

Bark: The bark is gray to blackish, developing deep furrows in a square, block-like 

pattern with age.

Hairs: All parts of the tree are hairless.

Height: Persimmon trees can reach heights of up to 80 feet and 30 feet wide.

Ripe persimmons on tree.


Virginia persimmon fruit is best/sweetest when it is orange in color and the "crown" separates easily from the fruit. In general, only female persimmon trees produce fruit but there are rare occasion when male trees have suddenly produced a few fruit now and then.

Unripe persimmon.


Young persimmon tree. Mature trees can grow 40 to 60 feet tall. The bark is gray to black in color.


Persimmon leaves are oval, smooth-edged, dark green on top and light green/gray on the bottom.

Unripe fruit. Persimmons contain six flatish seeds.


Virginia persimmon in the fall after losing its leaves but still retaining fruit.

Ripe fruit. Note the "crown" where it was attached to the tree.

If the crown separates easily from the fruit it's ready to eat. No frost needed!

Scaly/craggy bark of a mature Virginia persimmon tree.

Raccoons, coyotes, possums, and wild hogs love ripe Virginia persimmons. Finding the seeds in animal poop is a good indication to check your fruit for ripeness. These seeds are approximately 1/2" long.

Texas distribution, attributed to U. S. Department of Agriculture. The marked counties are guidelines only. Plants may appear in other counties, especially if used in landscaping.


North American distribution, attributed to U. S. Department of Agriculture.


The Virginian Persimmon tree is mainly found in the northern areas of East Texas. The trees usually appear together in great numbers due to the many animals that eat the fruit and spread the seeds...along with a nice dollop of fertilizer. The trees are deciduous, losing their leaves in the fall. Only the females produce the edible fruit and the natural ratio for these trees is one female for every ten males. This means you need to plant a lot of seedlings to insure fruit. No one has yet figured out how to tell if a persimmon tree is male or female until it's started producing flowers...about seven years old. Luckily the seeds are very easy to sprout, resulting in numerous persimmon trees in the same area. Persimmon wood is very dense and hard, much like its relative ebony. It's a bit heavy as a walking stick but dang near indestructible so that's what I use.

Persimmons aren't sweet enough to eat until they are dark orange in color and their crown is easily plucked from the fruit.  An unripe persimmon is extremely astringent and will suck all the moisture from your mouth...which is kind of a funny joke to do to someone.

The ripe fruit has a wonderful, sweet flavor. The skins are edible but the body has a hard time digesting them. This can lead to an obstructed bowel if too many fruit are eaten at once.


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Pickerelweed

Scientific name: Pontederia cordata
Abundance: uncommon
What: young leaves, seeds
How: young leaves in salad or cooked; seeds raw, roasted, or ground into flour
Where: shallow water
When: early summer to fall
Nutritional Value: nuts high in starch
Dangers: It is best to cook water plants to kill any bacteria or other water-born parasites

Leaf Arrangement: Primarily basal with alternate presentation along the stem.

Leaf Shape: Elongated heart-shaped with a pointed tip, measuring 4 to 10 inches in length and 2 to 6 inches in width.

Leaf Venation: Exhibits parallel venation, extending from the base to the pointed tip.

Leaf Margin: Entire, with smooth edges that conform to the heart-shaped outline.

Leaf Color: A deep green, often exhibiting a glossy surface.

Flower Structure: Arranged in a dense, spike-like raceme with each flower having 6 petals fused into a tube at their base, forming a structure 4 to 9 inches long at the top of the stem.

Flower Color: Typically blue to purple, sometimes pink or white, with distinctive yellow markings at the center.

Fruit: A small, three-celled, oblong capsule that carries multiple seeds.

Seed: Small, disc-shaped, numerous, suited for water dispersal, typically less than 0.1 inches in diameter.

Stem: Sturdy, erect, and can grow up to 4 feet in height, often partially submerged in water.

Hairs: Absent; surfaces of both leaves and stems are smooth.

Height: Ranges from 1 to 4 feet above the water surface.  

Pickerelweed plants




Pickerelweed flower stalk with a few flowers beginning to bloom.


Pickerelweed flower




Pickerelweed leaf.


Texas distribution, attributed to U. S. Department of Agriculture. The marked counties are guidelines only. Plants may appear in other counties, especially if used in landscaping.


North American distribution, attributed to U. S. Department of Agriculture.


Look for these plants in still water such as ponds, lakes, water features, and very slow moving streams.

The young leaves are edible before they unroll (early summer). The pickerel fruit isn't edible but the seed it contains is a great food source. These seeds can be eaten raw, ground into flower, roasted, or boiled into a porridge.


Buy my book! Outdoor Adventure Guides Foraging covers 70 of North America's tastiest and easy to find wild edibles shown with the same big pictures as here on the Foraging Texas website.

Pimpernel

Scientific Name(s): Anagallis arvensis
Abundance: common
What: flowers, leaves, stem
How: dried and powdered, tea
Where: sunny fields, yards,
When: spring, summer
Nutritional Value: medicinal
Dangers: contains small amount of saponins which can cause stomach upset. Some people develop skin rashes from contact. It also contains some estrogen mimics.

Medicinal Summary:
Leaves/Stem/Flowers - antimicrobial; anti-inflammatory; anti-fungal; appetite stimulant (tisane)

Leaf Arrangement: The leaves are arranged in an opposite-alternating pattern along the stem, sometimes appearing whorled at the stem tips. Leaves are connected directly to stems.

Leaf Shape: The leaves are ovate to elliptical, typically measuring about 0.5 to 1 inch in length and 0.2 to 0.5 inches in width.

Leaf Venation: The venation is pinnate, with a central vein and faint, smaller veins extending towards the leaf margins.

Leaf Margin: The leaf margins are entire, meaning they are smooth and not serrated.

Leaf Color: The leaves are a bright green, often with a slightly glossy appearance.

Flower Structure: The flowers are solitary, arising from the leaf axils on slender stalks. Each flower has five petals.

Flower Color: The flowers are usually scarlet-orange but a common mutation causes blue flowers. They often have a purplish center.

Fruit: The plant produces a small, round capsule as its fruit.

Seed: The seeds are small and numerous, contained within the capsule.

Stem: The stem is slender, square in cross-section, and may have a trailing or ascending growth habit.

Hairs: The plant is generally smooth, with no hair on the stem and leaves.

Height: Anagallis arvensis typically grows to a height of 4 to 12 inches.

Pimpernel before producing flowers.


Scarlet pimpernel (Anagallis arvensis) plants. Note the square stems. Flowers are only 1/4 inch across.


Close-up of scarlet pimpernel flower.




Scarlet pimpernel, blue variety (Anagallis arvensis Forma azurea).


Close-up of pimpernel leaf.


Texas distribution, attributed to U. S. Department of Agriculture. The marked counties are guidelines only. Plants may appear in other counties, especially if used in landscaping.


North American distribution, attributed to U. S. Department of Agriculture.


The scarlet pimpernel has a tradition of medicinal use going back to the ancient Greeks. They considered it to be a "cure-all", capable of treating any sort of injury, illness, or infection of bone, muscle, eye or other organ. The plant was dried and powdered, this powder then consumed in a drink. The raw plant has a rather unpleasant taste, probably due to the small amount of bitter saponin compounds it contains. It was also used as a wash for bad skin. Perhaps more importantly the pimpernel was thought to raise spirits and dispel melancholy, for which tea made from the fresh plant was recommended.

The pimpernel flowers close up when rain approaches, allowing them to be used as a crude method of predicting bad weather. The flowers also close up in the evening and won't reopen until stuck by sunlight.

The young leaves can be eaten raw or cooked, but generally they are too bitter. Also note that they can be fatal to small animals such as rabbits and rodents so don't feed them to pets. Also, don't mistake it for chickweed (Stellaria media)

Pimpernel contains an estrogen mimic and so if that sort of thing concerns you then avoid this plant. The estrogen mimic can cause problems during pregnancy as well with certain hormone-sensitive issues. These include cancers of the breast, uterus, and ovaries along with endometriosis.



Buy my book! Outdoor Adventure Guides Foraging covers 70 of North America's tastiest and easy to find wild edibles shown with the same big pictures as here on the Foraging Texas website.

Pineapple Weed

Scientific Name(s): Matricaria discoidea
Abundance: uncommon
What: flowers, leaves
How: raw, tea
Where: dry, abused soil such as dirt roads
When: spring, summer, fall
Nutritional Value: minimal

Medicinal Summary: sedative (tisane)

Leaf Arrangement: The leaves are arranged alternately along the stem.

Leaf Shape: The leaves are finely divided, feathery, and almost fern-like, typically measuring about 1 to 3 inches in length.

Leaf Venation: The venation is not distinctly visible due to the finely divided nature of the leaves.

Leaf Margin: The margins of the individual leaf segments are entire or slightly toothed.

Leaf Color: The leaves are a bright green color.

Flower Structure: The flowers are small, clustered in dense, flat-topped heads. Each head resembles a single flower but is composed of numerous tiny florets.

Flower Color: The florets are yellowish-green, lacking the white petals typical of many other daisy family members.

Fruit: The plant produces a small, dry, one-seeded fruit known as an achene.

Seed: The seeds are tiny, ridged, and brown.

Stem: The stem is erect, branched, and can be smooth or slightly hairy.

Hairs: There may be fine hairs present on the stem and leaves.

Height: Matricaria discoidea typically grows to a height of 6 to 18 inches.

Pineapple weeds.


Whole pineapple weed plant.


Closeup of pineapple weed yellowish-green flowers.


Pineapple weed is an amazing plant which seems to thrive in abused soil such as dirt roads, driveways, and other dry/sandy soil. A very delicious and calming tea similar to chamomile can be made from the plant.

The crushed plant can be rubbed on exposed skin as a weak insect repellent.

USDA does not have records of this plant appearing Texas but it can be grown here from seeds.

North American distribution, attributed to U. S. Department of Agriculture.




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Plantain

Scientific name: Plantago species
Abundance: plentiful
What: leaves, young seed pods
How: raw, steamed
Where: Sunny fields, urban yards
When: Spring
Nutritional Value: minerals, vitamin B
Other uses: Rub mashed leaves on insect bites to relieve pain/itching

Medicinal Summary:
Leaves - demulcent; antimicrobial; anti-inflammatory; wound healer; soothes skin, gastrointestinal tract, and urinary tract inflammations (poultice, infused oil)

Leaf Arrangement: The leaves of Plantago are typically arranged in a basal rosette, emerging directly from the base of the plant.

Leaf Shape: The leaf shape varies among species, ranging from broad and ovate to long and narrow (lanceolate).

Leaf Venation: The venation is parallel, with several prominent veins running the length of the leaf.

Leaf Margin: The margins are generally entire (smooth) but can be slightly wavy or toothed in some species.

Leaf Color: The leaves are usually green, though the exact shade can vary from light to dark green.

Flower Structure: The flowers are small and borne on a spike that emerges from the rosette. The flower spike is often tall and slender.

Flower Color: Flower colors vary but are often greenish, white, or brownish.

Fruit: The fruit is a small capsule containing several seeds.

Seed: The seeds are tiny, often angular or oval, and brown.

Stem: In Plantago species, the flower spike serves as the stem, which is generally leafless and may vary in height.

Hairs: Some species have fine hairs on the leaves and stems, while others are smooth.

Height: The height of plantain plants can vary significantly, with some species being quite low to the ground and others having tall flower spikes.

Redseed Plantain (Plantago rhodosperma)






Close-up of plantain leaf.




Really big plantains, probably Plantago virginica.




Plantago lanceolate


Close up of Plantago lanceolate flower/seed stalk.


Even closer-up picture of Plantago lanceolate flower/seed head.


Out in West Texas look for Woolly Indian wheat plantain (Plantago patagonica).






Texas distribution, attributed to U. S. Department of Agriculture. The marked counties are guidelines only. Plants may appear in other counties, especially if used in landscaping.


North American distribution, attributed to U. S. Department of Agriculture.


Popping up in winter, plantain rosettes range from almost unnoticeable to quite large in size. The club-shaped leaves may have points along the edge and hairs. Look for it in yards, disturbed areas, and abandoned places receiving lots of winter/spring sun. One of the easiest ways to identify them is that their vein structure is "palmate" which means it has several thick veins running parallel from the base of the leaf to the end, kind of like fingers sticking up from the palm of a hand.

The young leaves have a mild "green" flavor but as they mature I personally find them too rough and stiff to be eaten raw. Cooking the older leaves makes them more tender. Juicing the leaves is a better way of using the mature plant to get their mineral and vitamins.

Plantains produce a cluster of seeds resembling a tiny ear of corn on a long stalk. When the seedhead is still young it can be eaten raw or used like tiny baby corn in a stirfry. As they get older these seedheads also get tough and are rarely eaten.

Medicinally, plantain poultices are the "go to" plant for skin issues such as scrapes, minor rashes, insect stings & bites, and minor burns. Plantain tea is very good at soothing sore throats, acid reflux, and ulcers as well as helping coughs be more effective at expelling "lung cheese". As I type this there's a bunch of plantain leaves hanging from the light fixture, drying. They'll be infused into olive oil along with comfrey to make an amazing, healing skin salve.

Supposedly smoking dried plantain leaves reduces the urge to smoke tobacco but this effect has not been confirmed.


Buy my book! Idiots Guide Foraging covers 70 of North America's tastiest and easy to find wild edibles shown with the same big pictures as here on the Foraging Texas website.

Buy my book! Outdoor Adventure Guides Foraging covers 70 of North America's tastiest and easy to find wild edibles shown with the same big pictures as here on the Foraging Texas website.

Plum - Chickasaw

Scientific Name(s): Prunus angustifolia
Abundance: common
What: fruit; pit
How: fruit raw, jelly/jam, or wine; pit ground and dried, then boiled
Where: sunny fields
When: early summer
Nutritional Value: calories, flavonoids
Dangers: none

Leaf Arrangement: The leaves are alternately arranged along the stems.

Leaf Shape: The leaves are lanceolate, being long and narrow with pointed tips.

Leaf Venation: Leaves exhibit pinnate venation, with prominent, straight veins extending from the midrib.

Leaf Margin: The leaf margin is serrated, featuring fine teeth along the edges.

Leaf Color: The upper side of the leaves is green, while the underside may have a paler hue.

Flower Structure: The flowers are simple, with a diameter of approximately 1 inch, featuring five white petals.

Flower Color: The flowers are predominantly white.

Fruit: The fruit is a drupe approximately 1" in diameter, initially green and turning yellow to red as it matures.

Seed: A single stone pit is contained within the drupe, typically small, oval, and brown in color.

Bark: The bark of young stems is smooth and purple-brown, becoming more textured with age. 1" thorns are found along branches.

Hairs: None present.

Height: Chickasaw Plum typically reaches a height of 12 to 20 feet.

Ripe and unripe Chickasaw Plums.




Ripe Chickasaw Plums.


Chickasaw plum thicket.


Close-up of branch.


Close-up of Chickasaw plum thorn.


Texas distribution, attributed to U. S. Department of Agriculture. The marked counties are guidelines only. Plants may appear in other counties, especially if used in landscaping.


North American distribution, attributed to U. S. Department of Agriculture.


Forming thickets of large bushes/small trees across Texas, Chickasaw Plums are by far sweeter than Mexican Plums. They are covered with white flowers in the mid-to-late winter and the fruit is ready to pick by the beginning of June.

Small but very sweet, these plums can be eaten raw, made into preserves, or even fermented into wine. The pits contain a small amount of cyanide but Native Americans would grind the pits then allow them to sit for a few days. During this time naturally occurring enzymes would break down the cyanide. The ground pit material would then be boiled as a porridge or perhaps used as a seasoning.


Buy my book! Outdoor Adventure Guides Foraging covers 70 of North America's tastiest and easy to find wild edibles shown with the same big pictures as here on the Foraging Texas website.