Maple

Scientific name: Acer spp.
Abundance: common
What: Inner bark, seeds, leaves, sap
How: Boil inner bark or dry into flour, cook seeds, young leaves raw or cooked, boil sap down to syrup
Where: everywhere
When: anytime
Nutritional value: sugar in sap, protein and carbohydrates in seeds, minerals in leaves, carbohydrates in inner bark.

Leaf Arrangement: Opposite arrangement along the stem.

Leaf Shape: Simple, palmately lobed leaves with typically five lobes, each measuring 3 to 5 inches in width.

Leaf Color: Green on top and grayish underneath in summer, transitioning to vibrant shades of orange, red, or yellow in the fall.

Leaf Margin: Serrated leaf margins.

Flower Structure: Inconspicuous, small, greenish-yellow flowers in clusters (racemes).

Flower Size: Individual flowers are tiny, around 1/8 inch.

Fruit (Samara): Paired samaras or "helicopters," each about 1 to 1.5 inches long.

Seed Size: 1/2 inch seed with a wing extending approximately out 1" from each.

Bark: Gray and smooth on young trees, becoming rough with age, forming ridges and furrows.

Height: Mature trees can reach heights of 60 to 75 feet, occasionally exceeding 100 feet.

Hairs: Sparse hairs may be present on young stems and leaves.

Maple leaves and almost-mature "helicopter" seeds.


Maple leaves.


Close-up of sugar maple leaves (top and bottom).


Trunk/bark of sugar maple tree.


Mature sugar maple seeds (August in Houston).


Red maple seeds. They are ready in the spring before the tree puts out its leaves.


Traditional drill, bucket and spile (tap) for collecting maple sap.


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.


One doesn't usually think of maples as common Texas trees however native stand of sugar maples (Acer saccharum Marsh.) still survive in TX Lost Maples Canyon as holdovers from the last ice age. Sugar maples are a common landscaping plant but they are heavy water users. The native red maple (Acer rubrum), with its beautiful red seeds and leaves, is much more common. Both will have the five-pointed leaves like one sees on Canadian flags and beer bottle labels. Both will also produce the "helicopter" seeds hat twirl and spin as they fall from the tree.

In late winter/early spring maples will begin producing leaf buds. These tiny buds and the newest leaves they produce make a good woodland's nibble. They can be added raw to salads or even cooked like spinach.

Maple seeds can be roasted like pumpkins seeds. Remove the seeds from their "wings" before roasting. The young leaves are best within the first few weeks of appearing and are delicious raw and wonderful when added to salads, especially with a tangy oil/vinegar dressing.

The inner bark is mainly a survival food. Cut long vertical strips of the bark off the tree, not exceeding more than 10% of the width of the tree trunk. Taking more will most likely kill the tree and even just taking 10% will greatly weaken it. The inner bark looks like a brown paper bag. Slice it into thin strips then boil it for several hours to make a mush. It will still tastes pretty much like a boiled paper bag.

Tapping sugar maples is best done in late winter when daytime highs are 40-50F but below freezing at night. Texas weather rarely gives such a clear sign so some luck is involved in getting the timing right. Note that it takes boiling down 40 gallons of sap to get one gallon of syrup. Complete directions for making maple syrup and maple sugar are HERE.


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Mayapple

Scientific Name(s): Podophyllum peltatum
Abundance: uncommon
What: fruit
How: peel rind then eat raw
Where: woods
When: early summer
Nutritional Value:
Dangers: fruit contains a small amount of toxin but is safe to eat in moderation. Do not eat the seeds or fruit rind.

Leaf Arrangement: 1st year plants have one leaf. Plants two years or older plants will have two leaves opposite each other at the end of the stem.

Leaf Shape: The leaves are large, deeply lobed, and umbrella-like, often reaching lengths of 12 to 16 inches and widths of 8 to 12 inches.

Leaf Venation: The venation is palmate, with several prominent veins radiating outward from the base of the leaf.

Leaf Margin: The leaf margin is typically lobed and can be smooth or slightly wavy.

Leaf Color: The leaves are bright green and may have a slightly glossy appearance. The underside is paler than the upper surface.

Flower Structure: The flowers are solitary, one per plant, and appear at the leaf axils, typically measuring around 2 to 3 inches in diameter.

Flower Color: The flowers are usually white, occasionally with a tinge of pink or yellow.

Fruit: The fruit is a large, fleshy berry.

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

Stem: The stem is round and smooth.

Hairs: The plant may have minimal to no hairs on the stem and leaves.

Height: Podophyllum peltatum can reach a height of 12 to 18 inches, with the large, distinctive leaves held above the ground on a single stem.

Mayapple seedling.


Mayapples in East Texas woods in March.


Mayapple plants in June in central Texas. They can have either one or two leaves.


Individual mayapple plant.


Mayapples stems are about nine inches long before the Y-joint and about 18 inches overall.


Mayapple leaves.


Mayapple Y-joint. A single fruit grows off the small stem at the center of the Y-joint.


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.


Mayapples are oddly named as its single, white flower appears in the spring, but the fruit doesn't ripen until early June in Texas. The fruit is yellow and somewhat wrinkly when ripe and small, about two inches along it's longest dimension. Do not eat the fruit if it is still green. Peel the fruit and just eat the inner flesh. Do not eat the skin/rind as it is a strong laxative. The seeds, root, and leaves contain powerful toxins and must NOT be consumed. After enjoying the fruit's flesh, plant the seeds so more mayapples will grow.

Mayapples prefer moist soil in dappled shade so look for it in low-laying woods along paths or where the tree canopy has openings that let a bit of sunlight reach the forest floor. Usually several of the above ground portions near each other are connected via a long, single root. The entire above-ground portion dies away in late summer/early fall.


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Mayhaw

Scientific name: Crataegus opaca
Abundance: uncommon
What: ripe fruit
How: raw (tart), preserves, tea
Where: woods, swamps, landscaping, abandoned areas
When: spring
Nutritional Value: very high in vitamin C and minerals

Leaf Arrangement: Leaves are arranged alternately along the stems.

Leaf Shape: Simple, usually slightly-lobed leaves with a length ranging from 1.5 to 3 inches.

Leaf Color: Foliage is typically green, with some variation in shades.

Leaf Margin: Shallowly-lobed leaves with dentate (rounded tooth-like) margins.

Flower Structure: Mayhaw trees produce clusters of small, white or pinkish flowers consisting of 5 petals and numerous stamen.

Flower Size: Individual flowers are usually less than an inch in diameter.

Fruit: Apple-like fruits are typically small, ranging from 0.5 to 0.75 inches in diameter.

Seed Size: Seeds are small and usually less than 0.2 inches, resembling their close relative, apple seeds.

Bark: Bark is often mottled grayish and becomes more fissured as the tree matures. 

Thorns: Thorns up to 2" long adorn the trunk and branches.

Height: Mayhaw trees can range from 15 to 30 feet in height.

Hairs: Leaves may have a slight fuzziness. 

Mayhaw flowers (February in Houston).






Mayhaw fruit (April/May in Houston).








Mayhaw leaves )alternating along stem).




Mayhaw thorn.


Mayhaw trunk/bark.


Texas distribution for Mayhaws, 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 for Mayhaws, attributed to U. S. Department of Agriculture.


Look for Mayhaw shrubs/small trees in the nastiest swamps you can find for those will have the best-tasting fruit. They like moist, somewhat acid soils. The Big Thicket area of Texas is their ideal habitat. Mayhaws lose their leaves in the fall and remain mostly leafless even when their flowers appear in mid-winter. Being one of the many Crataegus species, their blooms and fruit resemble apples, another family member. The fruit is bright red when ripe but the flesh is soft like a plum. The seeds are tiny.

Mayhaw fruit has a wonderful tart-sweet flavor and Mayhaw jelly is a very popular treat here in Texas. The fruit are high in pectin so the jelly usually doesn't need additional pectin but if possible try a small batch first to confirm this for your fruit. The darker the fruit the more tart it will taste, which most people prefer for making jelly.

The chopped, dried fruit can be used to make a tea in the same manner as rose hip tea. The Mayhaw fruit are high in vitamin C so this tea is very nutritious.


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.

Milkweed

Scientific name: Asclepias spp.
Abundance: uncommon
What: young shoots, young flower buds, young seed pods
How: all young parts raw or cooked
Where: fields
When: spring, summer
Nutritional Value: minerals
Other uses: cordage, tinder
Dangers: Toxic dogbane looks slightly similar, but is smaller. The milky white sap of dogbane can blister skin. Edible milkweed has fine white hairs on it's stem whereas dogbane does not. If the milkweed pod is bitter boil it to improve taste.

Leaf Arrangement: The leaves are arranged in an opposite-alternating pattern along the stem.

Leaf Shape: The leaves are narrow to broadly ovate to oblong, typically measuring about 4 to 8 inches in length and 2 to 4 inches in width, depending on the species.

Leaf Venation: The venation is pinnate, with a prominent central vein and several smaller veins branching off to the sides.

Leaf Margin: The leaf margins are entire, meaning they are smooth and not toothed or lobed.

Leaf Color: The leaves are a deep green on the upper surface and a lighter green on the underside.

Flower Structure: The flowers are grouped in spherical clusters known as umbels, located at the top of the plant or in the upper leaf axils. Each flower is about 0.5 inches in diameter.

Flower Color: The flowers are typically pink to mauve.

Fruit: The plant produces a fruit known as a follicle, which is a large, pointed pod that splits open when mature.

Seed: The seeds are oval, brown, and attached to long, white, silky hairs that aid in wind dispersal.

Stem: The stem is thick, upright, and doesn't usually branch. 

Hairs: There are fine hairs on the stem and the underside of the leaves.

Height: Common milkweed typically grows to a height of 2 to 6 feet.

Milkweed pod at right size for eating.


Milkweed pods of Asclepias viridis. These are a bit large and would have been better a week or so earlier.


Young milkweed plant before flowering.


Milkweed flower buds.


Close-up of milkweed stem and oppositely opposed leaf set. The upright stalks growing from the leaf joints are flower stalks.


Cluster of Milkweed. The ruler in the picture is 12" long.


Milkweed flowers.


Close-up of flowers.


Even closer-up picture of Milkweed flowers.


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.


Standing strong and somewhat plastic-looking, milkweed is usually found in low, moist spots of sunny fields. It's long, oval leaves are rather thick and firm, branching off the stem opposite one another, but then rotated 90 degrees between the sets of leaves as you move up/down the stem. The tops of the leaves are more green than their undersides. When broken or cut Milkweeds bleed a white sap, hence their name. In mid-summer their purple/white flowers appear and by September the spiny, alien-looking pods are ready to release their fluffy seeds.

The young, tender pods are steamed or boiled before eating. If the pods are bitter then boil them in one or more changes of water. The insides of the pods should still be undeveloped without sign of fluffy of the brown, flat seeds.

The milkweed stem contains very strong natural fibers which can be braided into fine cordage. These are the preferred plants of Monarch butterfly caterpillars.


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Horse Mushrooms

Scientific Name(s): Agaricus arvensis
Abundance: uncommon
What: mushroom
How: cooked
Where: yards
When: summer after rain
Nutritional Value: carbohydrates, minerals
Dangers: mimics include the deadly death cap and destroying angel mushrooms (Amanita species). Choose wisely.

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Growth Form: Agaricus arvensis typically grows solitarily or in small groups.

Cap Shape and Size: The cap is initially dome-shaped, becoming flatter with age, and measures 3 to 10 inches in diameter. It is white to cream-colored, and may have fine scales.

Gills or Pores: The gills are true, free from the stem, starting as pink, and gradually turning chocolate brown as the mushroom matures.

Stipe Characteristics: The stipe is 2 to 4 inches long and 0.8 to 1.6 inches thick, white, and bears a large, hanging ring. It is typically bulbous at the base.

Odor: This mushroom has a distinctive anise-like odor.

Bruising: Agaricus arvensis does not display notable bruising.

Spore Color: The spore print is dark brown.

Substrate and Habitat: Found in grassy areas, particularly near manure or in rich soil, often in horse pastures or along roadsides.

Other Characteristics: Notable for its anise-like odor and large, hanging ring on the stipe. The flesh is thick and white, with a firm texture.

Horse mushroom top view.


Side view of the mushroom. Note the sheath remains go upwards rather than hanging down.


Underside of same mushroom.


Close-up of stem-gill junction. Note how the gills stop before reaching the stem.


Close-up of bisected cap. Horse mushrooms have true gills.


Another close-up of the gills.


Extreme close-up of gills at cap's edge.


Another view of the horse mushroom.


Top view of a younger horse mushroom. Note the pinkish color of the gills.


Underside of same mushroom.


The gills start pinkish, turn brown, then end a very dark brown color.




Spore print is very dark brown, almost black.


Horse mushrooms are one of the fungi that pop up in people's yards three days after summer rain. Of course, there are several extremely poisonous, look-alike mushrooms that also like yards so proper identification is crucial. I consider this to be an advanced-level mushroom.

The key identifiers of a horse mushroom:
1. Gills start out pink but turn a dark, chocolatey brown color.
2. Gills are true (separate tissue from cap).
3. Gills end just before the stem.
4. Gills don't run the entire length of the cap.
5. The annulus/ring of the veil on the stem runs upwards rather than hanging down.
6. Cap top is white to yellowish with brownish specks of the veil.
7. No volva (cup-like remains of veil) on base of stem.
8. Spore print is dark brown to almost black in color.
9. A cut base won't turn yellow.
10. A scratched cap may turn very slightly pale yellow.

11. Bruising does NOT quickly turn the bruised area a brilliant yellow.

12. They grow out of the soil, not on dead wood or from cow patties.

Like other wild mushrooms, always cook horse mushrooms to both kill any insect inhabitants and to destroy some weakly poisonous compounds found in ALL (wild and domestic) mushrooms. As mentioned earlier, these are generally a summertime mushroom in Texas, appearing three days after a good rain.

Now, because I don't want you to die, here's signs you have one of the deadly Amanita mushrooms:
1. Gills are white.
2. There's a volva at the base of the stem.
3. Veil annulus/ring hangs downward.
4. Usually bulbous at base of stem.
5. If the scratched cap turns neon yellow it's likely an Agaricus xanthodermus which is also poisonous.
If you see any of these on the mushroom just let it be.

Once you've properly identified horse mushroom feel free to use it like any store-bought "button" mushroom. Ideally you'll find the horse mushrooms when they're still small and round. Slice them up and sauté them in butter with garlic, throw them on a pizza, add them to stuffing or soup! I'm still trying to find a way to preserve them. The internet suggests freezing them but I personally think that's a terrible thing to due to a mushroom. Pickling them like Chicken of the Woods might be better.


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.