Dewberry

Scientific name: Rubus species
Abundance: plentiful
What: flowers, berries
How: open mouth, insert flower/fruit, then chew. seep flowers/young leaves in hot water for tea
Where: Sunny wastelands, borders between woods and fields. Dewberry plants grow as a low, horizontal ground cover.
When: Spring
Other uses: wine, jelly, tea, wine
Nutritional Value: carbohydrates, vitamin C; small amount of minerals and vitamins A & B
Dangers: sharp thorns

Medicinal Summary:
Root/Leaves - anti-diarrheal, soothes gastrointestinal inflammations, soothes skin inflammations (tisane)

Leaf Arrangement: Leaves are arranged in an alternate pattern along the stem.

Leaf Shape: Leaves are compound with three to five leaflets. Each leaflet is oval-shaped, measuring approximately 1 to 3 inches in length and 0.5 to 1.5 inches in width.

Leaf Venation: Leaflet venation is pinnate, with a central vein extending through each leaflet.

Leaf Margin: Margins are finely toothed or serrated.

Leaf Color: The color of the leaves is a deep green on the upper surface and a lighter green beneath.

Flower Structure: Flowers are solitary or in small clusters, located at the ends of the stems or axils.

Flower Color: The flowers are white or light pink, with each flower having five petals, measuring about 0.5 to 1 inch in diameter.

Fruit: The fruit is a small, aggregate berry.

Seed: Each berry contains multiple small seeds, which are hard and tan in color.

Stem: The stems are trailing or arching, with many small thorns.

Hairs: The stems and underside of leaves may have fine hairs.

Height: As a trailing plant, the height is typically low to the ground.

Ripe fruit.


Unripe fruit.

Getting more ripe.

Dewberry flowers.


Close-up of dewberry flower.


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.


Dewberry vines can be found overrunning just about any sunny or shady open area. The dewberry plant creeps along the ground as a thorny vine as opposed to blackberries which grow in the form of an upright cane. Dewberries are common along Texas roadsides, fields, abandoned land, and woodland paths. The vines are quite thin, having diameters not much larger than the a pencil lead, but are tough and grow into impassable mats. The sweetest fruits will be found in areas that receive full sun but also plenty of water.

A delicious tea can be made from dewberry flowers in the spring and its young leaves spring/summer/fall. I recommend using the leaves rather than flowers so not to reduce the amount of fruit produced. For tea pick young healthy leaves in late morning after any dew has dried but before the sun has had a chance to evaporate the volatile flavoring oils out of the leaves. Dry the leaves before use for a richer flavor as that will allow the cell walls to break down some, allowing the flavoring agents to escape the cells into your cup. The combination of dewberry and yaupon holly leaves makes a most excellent and vitamin-rich tea rich.


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.

Dollarweed

Scientific name: Hydrocotyle spp.
Abundance: plentiful
What: leaves, stems
How: raw
Where: yards, marshes, water
When: spring, summer, fall
Nutritional Value: some minerals
Dangers: Thoroughly wash plants collected from water to remove any harmful bacteria.

Leaf Arrangement: Leaves emerge singly on long petioles from creeping stems.

Leaf Shape: The leaves are round and peltate, meaning the leaf stalk attaches to the center of the leaf blade. They typically measure 1 to 2 inches in diameter.

Leaf Venation: Venation is obicular, radiating out from the central point where the petiole attaches.

Leaf Margin: The leaf margins are scalloped or toothed.

Leaf Color: Leaves are a bright, glossy green, sometimes with a slightly lighter color in the center.

Flower Structure: Small, umbrella-like clusters of tiny flowers rise on slender stalks from the leaf axils.

Flower Color: The flowers are generally white or pale green.

Fruit: Produces a small, flat fruit, not typically noticeable.

Seed: The seeds are contained within the small fruits, are minute in size.

Stem: Stems are slender, creeping, underground, and rooted at the leaf nodes.

Hairs: There are no significant hairs on the leaves or stems.

Height: The foliage and flowers typically rise a few inches above the ground, with the creeping stems spreading widely along the ground surface.

Dollarweeds domineering wood sorrel, pony's foot, and young cleavers.


A yard taken over by dollarweeds.


Dollarweeds in the woods.


Dollarweeds along the shore of a pond.


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.


Dollarweed is a common yard weed that drives many people nuts. The single, round leaf with a centered stem seems to explore across otherwise perfect lawns. Mowing them down or picking them leaves the roots behind which will quickly produce a new crop of green disks. These weeds vex homeowners in all but the very hottest and coldest times of the year, becoming most prevalent in the spring and fall.

Dollarweeds the size of quarters or smaller and my favorites, tasting somewhat like cucumber peels. I prefer the younger, more tender, nickel-sized "circles" over larger ones. The larger ones have a dry, slightly bitter/chalky taste. Luckily, Dollarweeds of all sizes can be fermented like cabbage to make "dollarweed-kraut" or a yard-based version of kimchee. Just pick the circles, leave the stingy, tough stems behind.

Dollar weed on left, edible Pony's Foot on right.


Some people get confused between dollarweed and pony's foot (Dichondra carolinensis). The leaf of dollarweed is a complete circle whereas pony's foot is cleft, giving it the shape of a horse's hoof.


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.

Giant Reed

Scientific Name(s): Arundo donax
Abundance: plentiful
What: roots, leaves, young shoots
How: roots raw, cooked, ground into flour; leaves boiled; young shoots raw or cooked
Where: sunny wet ditches, moist areas
When: spring, summer
Nutritional Value: calories, minerals
Dangers: contains small amount of alkaloid gramine which is more toxic to dogs than to humans

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

Leaf Shape: The leaves are elongated and lanceolate, with a length ranging from 12 to 24 inches and a width of 1 to 2 inches.

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

Leaf Margin: The leaf margins are entire, providing a smooth edge.

Leaf Color: The leaves are typically green, and both the top and underside have similar coloring.

Flower Structure: The flowering structures are panicles, characterized by numerous small spikelets arranged on branches.

Flower Color: The flowers are often beige to light brown.

Fruit: The fruits are small and inconspicuous, developing within the spikelets.

Seed: Seeds are typically small and numerous, found within the spikelets.

Stem: The stems are robust, hollow, and cane-like, with a green to grayish color and a diameter ranging from 0.5 to 1.5 inches.

Hairs: The stems and leaves may lack noticeable hairs.

Height: Arundo donax is a tall grass, and its height can reach up to 20 feet or more, depending on growing conditions.

Stand of Giant Reeds. These are over seven feet tall.


Slightly closer view of Giant Reeds.


Giant reeds in later spring. The green ones are this-years growth.


Young giant reed shoot.


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.


Giant reeds look very similar to bamboo, especially towards the base. The reed is hollow like bamboo and structurally can be used in many of the same ways as bamboo though it does not have the full load-bearing strength of bamboo. Giant reeds are considered to be invasive plants and can quickly swallow any location where they get enough sun and moisture.

The roots (rhizomes) are the main edible portion of giant reeds. They contain some calories in the form of starch and even sugars, especially when still young and tender. As the roots age they become fibrous/woody. The young roots can be eaten raw, boiled, steamed, or baked. They can also be dried then ground into flour.

The leaves are edible though quite bitter. Their flavor can be mellowed by boiling. A change of water during boiling usually isn't necessary except with the most bitter of leaves.

The young shoots, when available, are used like bamboo shoots and/or asparagus.


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.

Glasswort

Scientific Name(s): Salicornia bigelovii
Abundance: rare
What: whole plant; oil extracted from seeds
How: raw
Where: coastal beaches
When: spring, summer, fall, winter
Nutritional Value: salt, assorted vitamins, calories from seed oil
Dangers: raw seeds contain toxic saponins and should not be eaten whole.

Leaf Arrangement: Leaves are reduced to small scales and appear to be absent, with the stem appearing jointed.

Leaf Shape: The leaves are scale-like, closely appressed to the stem, and not distinct from the stem segments, resulting in a tubular appearance.

Leaf Venation: There is no distinct venation due to the reduced size and form of the leaves.

Leaf Margin: Margins are not discernible in the scale-like leaves.

Leaf Color: The color of the stem and scale-like leaves ranges from green to reddish-green, depending on environmental conditions.

Flower Structure: Flowers are tiny, often going unnoticed, and embedded in the stem at the joints. They are arranged in groups of three in each segment.

Flower Color: The flowers are inconspicuous, blending with the color of the stem.

Fruit: The fruit is a small, one-seeded capsule.

Seed: The seed is small, enclosed within the capsule.

Stem: The stem is succulent, jointed, and appears segmented, giving an elongted bead-like appearance.

Hairs: There are no hairs on the stem or scale-like leaves.

Height: The plant typically grows to a height of about 4 to 12 inches, often sprawling or forming dense mats.

Glasswort along the beach.






Closer view.


Another view. As Glasswort ages it turns reddish in color.


Old, dried-up glasswort looks like small stalagmites.


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.


Looking like some alien lifeform, Glasswort adds an interesting appearance to coastal beaches. Some say it's name comes from the sound it makes when stepped upon as it cracks like breaking glass. However, the burned ashes of Glasswort were used as a flux in glassmaking, lowering the temperature needed to melt sand into glass so I think that's where the name came from. Glasswort has the amazing ability to grow even when watered with salty sea water.

The young, tender tips of Glasswort are eaten raw in salads or even just as a snack on the beach. As the plant matures these stems turn reddish and woody. Boiling the pinkish woody stems may give you a bit of tender, edible outer sheath with a more inedible woody core.

The seeds contain a coating of toxic saponins and can not be eaten raw or cooked. However, the oil pressed from these seeds is quite edible, tasty, and useful as a cooking oil.

The ashes left after burning Glasswort are high in mineral content including salt and are used to flavor foods.


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.

Honey Mesquite

Scientific name: Prosopis glandulosa
Abundance: plentiful
What: young leaves, seed pods, seeds
How: seed pods raw, cooked; mature beans pounded into flour, made into tofu or tea. Young leaves in salad or cooked like spinach
Where: arid fields
When: late summer, early fall
Nutritional Value: carbohydrates, protein, calcium
Other uses: excellent firewood
Dangers: up to 20% of mesquite pods are infected with very dangerous aflatoxin-producing fungus. Only pick pods that are still on the tree and have not been attacked by hole-boring beetles.

Leaf Arrangement: Bipinnate compound leaves arranged alternately along the stems.

Leaf Shape: Small, elongated leaflets, measuring approximately 0.25 to 0.75 inches in length.

Leaf Color: Green to bluish-green foliage.

Leaflet Margin: Leaflets have entire margins without serrations.

Flower Structure: Small, yellow-green, inconspicuous flowers arranged in elongated spikes (racemes).

Flower Size: Individual flowers are very small, typically less than 0.2 inches.

Fruit (Pods): Long, flat, narrow, curved seed pods (legumes) measuring around 4 to 8 inches. green when immature, turning reddish-brown as they ripen.

Seed Size: Seeds within the pods are small, about 0.2 to 0.4 inches.

Bark: Bark is often rough, dark brown to gray.

Height: Mature trees can reach heights of 15 to 30 feet.

Honey mesquite tree.


Honey mesquite bark and spines.


Honey mesquite trees have compound leaves consisting of many leaflets.


Just-opened honey mesquite flowers (racemes).


More mature flowers transitioning into seedpods.


Young mesquite seed pods.


Pods almost mature.


Mature honey mesquite seed pod.


A mesquite pod picked from the ground. The hole indicates a beetle may have been infected it with dangerous aflatoxin fungus, rendering it unusable.


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.


Dotting (or perhaps creating!) the arid regions of Texas, mesquite trees are becoming nuisance thickets. Their huge demand for water sucks the land around them dry, preventing the growth of most other plants. The dense, aromatic wood has a long history of being used to add the distinctive taste to grilled foods. This wood burns extremely hot and can destroy chimneys and melt metal fire rings so be careful with it. Historical note, the underground roots of dead mesquite trees were considered to be an excellent source of firewood.

Mesquite seeds/seed pods are rich in protein, minerals, and fructose. This fructose makes them an exceptionally good food source for diabetics as the body does not use insulin to break down the fructose. The hard, shucked beans can be dried for storage and ground into a calorie-rich flour as needed. Be warned thought that these beans are extremely hard and require a very high-quality grain mill to crush them.

The dried beans can be roasted to make a tea/caffeine-free coffee substitute. Roast them for a few minutes at 400F then crush them before boiling to make the tea.

Pods that have fallen to the ground or which have bore-holes in them have up to a 20% chance of being infected by a aflatoxin-producing fungus. However, undamaged pods still on the tree are unlikely to have this problem. Most adults are quite resistant to aflatoxin effects but small children can be at risk. Very large doses of aflatoxin can eventually cause liver cancer.


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.

Hoary Bowlesia

Scientific Name(s): Bowlesia incana
Abundance: common
What: leaves
How: raw
Where: moist, disturbed areas, yards, fields
When: winter, spring
Nutritional Value: assorted vitamins
Dangers: beware the mimic creeping buttercup

Leaf Arrangement: Leaves are arranged in an alternate pattern along the stem.

Leaf Shape: The leaves are orbicular to kidney-shaped, often measuring about 0.5 to 2 inches in diameter.

Leaf Venation: Venation is palmate, with several major veins radiating from a central point.

Leaf Margin: The margins are scalloped or shallowly lobed.

Leaf Color: Leaves are a light green, sometimes with a grayish tinge due to the presence of fine hairs.

Flower Structure: Flowers are small and inconspicuous, borne in leaf axils or at the stem tips.

Flower Color: The flowers are typically white or pale green.

Fruit: The fruit is a small, dry capsule.

Seed: Seeds are tiny, enclosed within the capsule.

Stem: Stems are thin, branching, and can be either erect or decumbent (spreading along the ground).

Hairs: The plant is characterized by its dense, fine, white hairs, giving it a grayish or whitish appearance, hence the name "incana." Hairs on stems grow in star-like clusters.

Height: The plant typically grows to a height of about 6 to 12 inches.

Hoary bowlesia growing in a bed of landscaping pebbles.

Close-up of leaves. Note the five major leaf lobes.

Hoary bowlesia grows in a rosette pattern with all the stems originating from a central point.

This weed begins appearing in winter and continues on into spring. It thrives along sidewalks and other urban environments.

Close-up of horay bowlesia's tiny flowers.  Note the hairiness of the leaves.

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.

Hoary bowlesia is one of those native "weeds" that many people see but few know. Its light-green, five-lobed, hairy leaves begin popping up along sidewalks and in yards after several cool, winter rains. In many ways it resembles the toxic creeping buttercup (Ranunculus repens) which also grows in similar locations and time but the creeping buttercup has smooth, hair-free leaves whereas hoary bowlesia is covered in fine hairs.

If you think the leaves resemble cilantro somewhat you have a good eye. Both cilantro and hoary bowlesia are members of the Apiaceae family aka the carrot family and the leaves do have a flavor somewhat like mild cilantro. These leaves can be used raw as a salad green or seasoning or cooked as a traditional pot herb. This is a plant who's flavor will depend a great deal on your own major taste buds and the specific plant compounds that register the most strongly. If you're the type of person who really dislikes cilantro I still recommend giving hoary bowlesia a small test-nibble. I haven't heard of any reports of it containing the soap-like molecules that some people find disagreeable so you may like it.

Young, toxic Creeping Buttercup. The leaf shape is similar but these leaves are hairless.


Mature, toxic Creeping Buttercup produces yellow flowers.

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.