Rose of Sharon

Scientific Name(s): Hibiscus syriacus
Abundance: common
What: flower buds, flowers, tender seed pods, seeds
How: flowers - raw; flower buds & young seed pods - raw or cooked like okra; seeds - roasted for coffee substitute
Where: landscaping - full sun, well drained soil, neutral pH
When: summer
Nutritional Value: antioxidants, mucilage
Dangers: none

Medicinal Summary: mucilage in flowers binds to glucose in the GI tract, slowing/stopping its passage into the blood

Leaf Arrangement: Leaves are arranged alternately along the stems, with each leaf emerging singly at a node.​

Leaf Shape: Leaves are broadly ovate to rhombic-ovate, typically 1 1/2" to 3 3/4" long and 1" to 3 1/2" wide, often displaying three distinct lobes.​

Leaf Venation: Venation is palmate, with three primary veins radiating from the base of the leaf blade.​

Leaf Margin: Margins are coarsely crenate to serrate, featuring rounded to sharp teeth along the edges.​

Leaf Color: Leaves are medium to dark green on the upper surface and lighter green beneath, with a slightly glossy appearance.​

Flower Structure: Flowers are solitary and axillary, measuring 2 1/2" to 4" in diameter, with five broad, overlapping petals forming a funnel shape.​ 

Flower Color: Petals range from white to pink, lavender, blue, or purple, often with a contrasting dark red or maroon throat. 

Fruit: The fruit is an ovoid capsule, approximately 3/4" to 1" long, composed of five valves that split open at maturity to release seeds. 

Seed: Seeds are kidney-shaped, about 3/16" to 1/4" long, with a smooth surface and a fringe of reddish-orange hairs along the margin. 

Bark: Bark is light gray to gray-brown, smooth on young stems, becoming slightly rougher and fissured with age.​

Hairs: Young stems and leaf petioles are sparsely to moderately covered with minute stellate hairs, which diminish as the plant matures.​

Height: This deciduous shrub typically grows to a height of 8' to 13' and a spread of 6' to 10', forming an upright, vase-shaped habit.

Rose of Sharon flower color is somewhat temperature dependent, range from blue when cooler and white when hotter.

Unopened flower buds are a tasty treat,


Rose of Sharon leaves are toothed and also often have three lobes.






Rows of brown, 2mm-diameter seeds are found in the dried seed pods.



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.

Rose of Sharon are a non-native member of the mallow (hibiscus) family originally from East Asia, but its striking blossoms have made it a landscaping favorite across the Southeastern United States. This large shrub can reach up to 14' in height, but winter frosted often kill branch tips, preventing them growing that tall.

The showy flowers are loaded with an assortment of antioxidants including carotenoids anthocyanins, and flavonols. These compounds give the flower petals their color and their concentrations are dependent on soil pH and nutrients, but the red anthocyanins are sensitive to temperature, breaking down during the hotter times of day, allowing the yellowish/orange carotenoids or blue/purple flavonols to show. This causes flowers to change color throughout the day or across the short, 2-3 day, individual blooming time. While the life of a single flower passes quickly, the bush constantly produces new flowers for several months.

Technically, the leaves of Rose of Sharon are edible, but I find them somewhat tough. But the flowers, from young buds, through opening, to tender seed pods, are wonderful. All of these stages are fine raw, but the closed flower buds and young seed pods can also be pickled or fried just like okra pods. If left to reach full maturity, the seeds collected from the dried pod can be roasted, then ground up and used to stretch out one's supply of coffee. They don't contain any caffeine, but they do have something like a coffee flavor...especially if you haven't had coffee in a while. 


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.

Acorn - Oak

Scientific Name: Quercus spp.
Abundance: common
What: nuts
How: leach out tannins with lots of water then grind to flour, roast nuts then grind for coffee
Where: oaks (white, red, live, burr, post, pin, etc)
When: fall
Nutritional Value: protein, minerals, fats and carbohydrates
Other uses: tanning leather
Dangers: very bitter if not tannic acid isn't leached

Medicinal Summary:
Galls - astringent, hemostatic; antibacterial; antifungal, may reduce symptoms of Parkinson's disease (tisane)
Acorns - astringent (tisane)
Bark - astringent (tisane)

Leaf Arrangement: Simple, alternate leaves along the stems.

Leaf Shape: Highly variable, ranging from lobed to unlobed, depending on the oak species.

Leaf Color: Green foliage, with variations in shades.

Leaf Margin: Leaf margins can be entire or serrated, depending on the species.

Flower Structure: Inconspicuous , small, green flowers in the form of catkins.

Flower Size: Individual flowers are typically very small, less than 0.25 inches.

Fruit (Acorns): Acorns are the distinctive fruit of oaks, varying in size from 0.5 to 2 inches.

Seed Size: Seeds within acorns vary in size, usually less than 1 inch.

Bark: Bark color and texture vary among oak species, often becoming rougher and deeply furrowed with age.

Height: Oak trees can range widely in height, from 40 to 100 feet or more.

Acorns

Bur oak acorns are the biggest at over 1" across.

Shelled acorns.

These are the oak flowers (on catkins) that eventually become acorns.

Assorted oak leaves.

Bur oak leaf.

An oak gall, created by chemical warfare between a type of wasp and the oak tree.

Stately oak trees can grow over 100’ tall and hundreds of feet in diameter under ideal conditions. Their bark ranges from smooth to deeply fissured. Branches tend to give oak trees a round or oblong shape. They usually prefer full sun and loose, well drain soils but with fifteen different species to choose from in Texas along, there’s a good chance you’ll find an oak somewhere nearby.

The calorie-laden acorns of oaks have supplied fats, oils, and protein to mankind for thousands of years. A one ounce (28.3g) serving of shelled acorn meat contains about 110 calories in the form of 6.8g of fats and 1.7g of protein, plus a small amount of calcium. Acorns can be ground into a gluten-free, high-protein flour good for making flat breads and batter-style baked goods as well as to thicken stews and to make gravy. Roasted acorns have been used as a substitute for coffee grounds, but all that can be said about that is the resulting liquid is brown and bitter, any similarity to it and coffee is strictly due to the desperation of the brewer.

Acorn must have their tannic acid leached out before consumption. Luckily tannic acid is very water-soluble and easy leach out by placing the shelled, crushed nuts in a mesh bag then submersing them in running water for several days. An easier method is to coarsely chop them in a blender or food processor then repeatedly running them through a coffee maker until they no longer taste bitter. The hot water will extract the tannins but do not allow the acorns to cool between flushes or the tannic acid will bind more tightly to the acorn meat. Also, do not grind the acorns finely before leach them as a flour-sized particles will clog the filter.

Unfortunately, the fats and oils in acorns turn rancid fairly quickly. Fresh ground acorn flour will go bad in as little as four weeks if exposed to air and warm temperatures. Freezing the flour, especially if vacuum-packed (a messy process) can stretch its usable life to six months. You are better off freezing the un-shelled acorn and just leaching and grinding as you need it. Frozen, vacuum-packed acorns still in their shell can last up to a year.

White oaks (Quercus alba) produce the least bitter nuts, followed by Red oaks (Quercus rubra) but even both of these need the tannins leached from their acorns. White oak acorns mature in one year while Red oak acorns take two years to complete their growth. Pin oaks (Quercus palustris) are related to Red oaks while Bur oaks (Quercus macrocarpa) are related to White oaks. Live Oaks (Quercus fusiformis) produce the least desirable acorns as they are hard to remove from their shells and are very bitter.

To use acorns as a caffeine-free coffee substitute coarse-grind them then roast them at 400F in an oven to a dark brown color. At this point you can use them just like ground coffee.

The oak gall wasp likes to lay its eggs under the tender bark of new oak twigs. Doing so somehow triggers the formation of a round oak gall. The oak tree doesn't like this much and starts pumping assorted chemicals into the gall to try and kill the wasp larva. The end result is a small, hard ball loaded with medicinal properties. These galls were crushed and then used to make ointments, tinctures, medicated oils, and teas to fight infections inside and outside of the body. The crushed oak galls were also combined with iron salts in vinegar to create a very dark, non-fading ink.



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.

Agave

Scientific Name(s): Agave spp.
Abundance: rare
What: flowers, stalks, leaves, body/root, sap
How: flowers are cooked; flower stalks are roasted; sap is fermented (woo hoo!); leaves are cooked; body/root is slow roasted.
Where: dry areas, landscaping
When: all year
Nutritional Value: Calories
Dangers: Raw agave juice can cause long-lasting burns to skin, eyes, and other sensitive tissues. Be careful when cutting this plant so as not to splatter this juice on you. These plants also contain large quantities of saponins (soap).

Medicinal Summary:
Leaf Pulp - antibacterial; anti-inflammatory; wound-healing (poultice)

Leaf Arrangement: Rosette formation, with leaves emerging from a central point at the plant’s base.

Leaf Shape: Lanceolate, thick, and fleshy, typically ranging from 2 to 6 feet in length.

Leaf Venation: Leaves display parallel venation, typical of monocots.

Leaf Margin: Margins are often armed with sharp spines or teeth.

Leaf Color: Varies from green to blue-green, sometimes with variegation or lighter markings.

Flower Structure: Produces a tall, branched inflorescence, with numerous small flowers on each branch; the flowering stalk can be up to 30 feet tall.

Flower Color: The flowers are usually yellow or white, depending on the species.

Fruit: The fruit is a capsule or occasionally a berry, containing black or brown seeds.

Seed: Seeds are flat, black, and oval, varying in size but generally small.

Stem: The stem is short and thick, primarily serving as the base for the leaf rosette; elongates significantly when flowering.

Hairs: Leaves are generally smooth, without significant hair presence.

Height: Leaf rosettes typically reach 2 to 5 feet in height, with flower stalks growing up to 30 feet during blooming.

Agave flower stalk.


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 a cross between a cactus and a squid, slow-growing agave plants are found wild the arid Southwest but also as a decorative landscaping plant all over Texas and the South. Mature agave can stretch up to 16’ across and send flower stalks 10’ or more into the sky.

Agave plants are a regular smorgasbord of food, though all parts of the plant except for the sap must be cooked in some manner to make them sweet and destroy their bitter-tasting saponins. Unlike most wild edible plants, when harvesting agave you want to find the biggest, oldest plants as these will have the most sugar. Traditionally the flowers and leaves were boiled or roasted. After removing the leaves the body & root should be slow roasted, often for two days, to release its sugars. The sweet flesh is chewed off the fibrous body/root. Flower stalks are also roasted, but for shorter time as they are smaller. Note that removing the flower stalk will kill the plant. After roasting the food can be dried and stored for later use.

If the top of the agave plant is removed but the root left in the ground sap will flow up for hours. Collect and ferment this sap to form a weak tequila. A sweet syrup can also be pressed from the roasted body & root of agave. This syrup forms the basis for mescal alcohol. The seeds can be toasted then ground into a flour.

Uncooked roots contain high levels of saponins, a soap-like compound which will lather in soft water and can be used for washing. This soap was also used by natives to kill fish by tossing pounded globs of root into small ponds. The soap screws up the functioning of fishes' gills, causing them suffocate and float to the surface.

Fibers in the leaves can be used for cordage. Pound the fleshy leaves between two logs to separate the fibers from pulp, then braid into rope.

Warning: The moist, fleshy interior of the leaves is somewhat acidic and can cause permanent eye damage.


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.

Alyssum

Scientific Name(s): Lobularia maritima
Abundance: common
What: seeds, flowers
How: raw
Where: flower beds, landscaping
When: Fall, Winter, Spring
Nutritional Value: Vitamins, minerals, phyto-compounds,
Dangers: beware of pesticides

Leaf Arrangement: Leaves are arranged alternately along the stem.

Leaf Shape: The leaves are linear to lanceolate, usually measuring 1 to 2 inches long.

Leaf Venation: Venation is not prominent, with the leaf structure being simple and undivided.

Leaf Margin: Margins are entire, meaning they are smooth and unbroken.

Leaf Color: Leaves are typically a gray-green to bright green color.

Flower Structure: Flowers are small with have 4 petals. Blossom grow in dense clusters at the ends of stems.

Flower Color: Commonly white, although some cultivars may display pink or lavender hues.

Fruit: The fruit is a small silique (a type of dry seed capsule).

Seed: Seeds are tiny and contained within the siliques.

Stem: Stems are slender and branching, creating a mat-like or slightly mounded form.

Hairs: Leaves and stems are often finely hairy.

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

Alyssum flowers in a flower bed.


Close-up of flower and seed pods.


Close-up of flower.


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


People are surprised to learn sweet alyssum is actually a mustard (Brassica family). It's "fairy spiral" arrangement of seed pods and the four-petaled, six-stamened (4 tall, 2 short) flower are the clue. Generally considered to be a cool-weather plant, sweet alyssum is found in many flowerbeds fall to spring. Come summer’s heat they wilt and are usually removed.

While the flowers have a wonderful sweet aroma, the name "Sweet Alyssum" is somewhat misleading when it comes to flavor of raw, young, green seed pods which have the same spicy bite of other mustards. This makes them a funky replacement for radishes in a salad. They also go well with meats where one would normally add a dash of horseradish. The flowers can be eaten any time but the seed pods have the best texture/mouth-feel when still soft and green. The flavor of the leaves is unpleasant to most people but can still be cooked in the same manner as traditional mustard greens.

Warning: Beware of pesticides when harvesting sweet alyssum from flower beds, though if you are following the law you will have already talked to the owner and he/she can tell you if the bed had been sprayed.


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.

Amaranth

Scientific name: Amaranthus spp.
Abundance: common
What: young leaves, seeds
How: Young leaves raw or cooked, seeds eaten raw, roasted or ground into flour
Where: sunny fields, disturbed areas
When: summer
Nutritional Value: Grains supply protein, calories, and minerals. Leaves vitamins A & C along with minerals calcium, iron, and phosphorous, and also fiber.

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

Leaf Shape: Leaves are generally broad, lanceolate, or ovate, with lengths ranging from 2 to 6 inches and widths of 1 to 3 inches.

Leaf Venation: Pinnate venation exhibits well-defined veins extending from the midrib to the leaf margins.

Leaf Margin: The leaf margin is entire, displaying a smooth and continuous edge.

Leaf Color: The upper surface of the leaves is a vibrant green, while the underside may have a slightly lighter shade.

Flower Structure: Flowers are arranged in dense, elongated clusters called inflorescences, with each flower having a diameter of approximately 1/4 to 1/2 inch. Each flower has three to five petals and is located at the tips of the stems.

Flower Color: Flowers may be green, red, or purple, depending on the species, matching the foliage color.

Fruit: The fruit is a small, dry capsule containing numerous seeds, measuring around 1/8 inch in diameter.

Seed: Tiny, spherical seeds vary in color from light tan to dark brown and measure around 1/16 inch in diameter.

Stem: Sturdy and erect stem with a height ranging from 2 to 4 feet. Some species may have thorns, such as Amaranthus spinosus.

Hairs: Some amaranth species may have fine hairs on the leaves, stem, or both. Check for pubescence or trichomes, especially on the undersides of leaves.

Height: The amaranth plant typically reaches a height between 2 and 4 feet, forming a distinctive upright growth habit in the wild.

Amaranth (Amaranthus powellii)

Another type of amaranth.


Another variation of amaranth.



Red amaranth (often used as decorative plant).


Another amaranth.






Still more amaranths.




And yet more amaranths.




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.


A variety of amaranth species can be found across Texas and the South. Shapes range from prostrate, creeping vine-like weeds to striking, tall, cultivated forms. The most distinctive feature of all amaranths is their spikes of tiny, clustered flowers which are the same color as the rest of the plant. Amaranths are most commonly found in sunny, disturbed areas and wastelands such as abandoned lots and roadsides. Bright red versions are often included in landscaping.

Amaranth leaves can be eaten raw or used as a spinach substitute in any dish. The leaves are high in vitamin A & C, assorted necessary minerals and also fiber. The youngest leaves have the best flavor and texture, but even the large, old leaves can be chopped up and included in any food needing a vegetable.

Amaranth seeds are very rich in carbohydrates and up to 16% protein by weight. Better still, the seeds contain the amino acid lysine which is very rare for plants but vital for human health. A single plant can produce as many as 100,000 of these wonderful, slightly nutty-tasting seeds. They can be eaten raw but toasting and then grinding into flour releases the most nutrition. The ornamental varieties are just as productive as the wild one but are more attractive. Amaranth seeds have even been used to make a gluten-free beer.


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.

Arrow-wood

Scientific Name(s): Viburnum dentatum
Abundance: uncommon
What: berries
How: raw
Where: sun, partial shade, woods, landscaping
When: berries ripen in early fall
Nutritional Value: flavanoids

Leaf Arrangement: The leaves are opposite along the stems.

Leaf Shape: Viburnum dentatum leaves are typically ovate, with a slightly serrated margin.

Leaf Venation: The venation is pinnate.

Leaf Margin: The leaf margin is serrated.

Leaf Color: The leaves are usually green, and there may be slight variations in color on the top and underside.

Flower Structure: The flowers are arranged in flat-topped clusters, at the ends of branches with each flower having five petals and a diameter of approximately 1/4 to 1/2 inch.

Flower Color: Viburnum dentatum flowers are typically white.

Fruit: The fruit is a dark blue to black drupe, about 1/3 inch in diameter.

Seed: Seeds are small, contained within the drupe.

Bark: The bark is grayish-brown and may be slightly rough.

Hairs: Leaves and fruit stems may have a slight fuzziness.

Height: Viburnum dentatum can reach heights of 6 to 10 feet depending on environmental conditions.

Viburnum shrub in September with ripe berries.


Closeup of ripe arrowwood berries


Closeup of arrowwood leaf. The teeth along its edge give it the name "dentatum".


Closeup of flowers in early summer.



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.


Arrow-wood shrubs are a common sight both in the woods and among landscaping. They grow 6’-10’ tall with multiple stems and thick foliage, ending up fairly round in shape. The inedible flowers appear in the spring and look almost identical to elderberry flow clusters. The long, straight, hardwood suckers were used to make arrows by Native Americans.

The dark blue-purple berries of arrow-wood are sour/sweet tasting but have only a thin layer of edible flesh over a large, inedible seed. They taste best as soon as they ripen, making an excellent nibble while hiking in the early fall. There is record of making jelly from the berries but I have not tried this personally. As the arrow-wood berries age they lose a lot of their flavor, becoming dry and mealy.


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.