Bottlebrush Tree

Scientific Name(s): Callistemon spp.
Abundance: common
What: leaves, flowers
How: tea, seasoning
Where: dry sunny yards, landscaping
When: all year
Nutritional Value: flavanoids

Medicinal Summary:
Leaves/Flowers - antifungal; antibacterial; antioxidant; cough suppressant (tisane)

Leaf Arrangement: The leaves are typically arranged alternately along the branches.

Leaf Shape: Leaves are lance-shaped, measuring around 2 to 6 inches in length.

Leaf Venation: The leaves have a prominent midrib with lateral veins.

Leaf Margin: Leaf margins are generally smooth, without serrations.

Flower Structure: The distinctive feature of the bottlebrush tree is its cylindrical flower spikes resembling a bottlebrush. The spikes can range from 2 to 12 inches in length.

Flower Color: Flowers come in various colors, including red, pink, purple, yellow, or white, depending on the species or cultivar.

Seed: The seeds are small and enclosed in woody capsules within the spent flower spikes.

Bark: The bark is typically smooth and ranges in color from gray to brown.

Height: Bottlebrush trees can vary in height, with some species growing up to 10 to 15 feet, while others can reach up to 30 feet.

Hairs: Leaves and stems may have fine hairs, particularly when young.

Fruit: The fruit is a small, woody capsule containing the seeds. Colors can range from brown to gray.

Bottlebrush tree




Close-up of opened flowers.


Close-up of closed flowers.


Close-up of leaves.


Close-up of branch with woody fruit.


Bottlebrush branch.


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


Used often as a decorative landscaping tree, the striking red blossoms of the bottlebrush tree offer more than visual beauty. Their aroma is invigorating, somewhat minty or menthol in nature. The trees are small, rarely more than 15' tall and equally as wide. The leaves are evergreen and the blossoms also last can be found on the tree almost all year round. These flowers really explode vigorously in mid-spring and are often swarmed with bees who know a good thing when they smell it!

Both the flowers and leaves can be used to make an aromatic tea. The fresh blossoms do give a sweeter flavor than leaves. Aging the harvested leaves for two weeks helps as this breaks down the cell walls, allowing more of the flavorful compounds to escape into the tea. Flowers, being more delicate, do not benefit any from being aged and ideally are used fresh off the tree.

You can also use the leaves and flowers of the bottlebrush tree similar in manner to bay or rosemary leaves. Add several to a sauce, stew, or roasting meat to add an exotic flavor.

Mashed bottlebrush leaves rubbed on the skin is reported to keep away insects. This property may also be used to keep clothes, bedding, and houses bug free by laying sprigs of the leaves around whatever you want protected.


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.

Canna Lily

Scientific name: Canna indica
Abundance: common
What: Tubers, young shoots
How: Pulp to remove starch, cook shoots
Where: Sunny areas, often in landscapes
When: summer, fall
Nutritional Value: Calories
Other uses: They will absorb pollutants/contaminants from wetlands.

Leaf Arrangement: Leaves are alternately arranged along the stem, forming a spiral pattern.

Leaf Shape: Leaves are broad, lanceolate to ovate, often measuring 1.5 to 2 feet long and 6 to 10 inches wide.

Leaf Venation: Venation is pinnate, with a prominent midrib and secondary veins branching off.

Leaf Margin: Margins are entire, smooth along the edges.

Leaf Color: Typically a lush green, but some cultivars may have variegated or purplish leaves.

Flower Structure: Flowers are large and showy, with three petals and three sepals, resembling petals.

Flower Color: Varies widely among cultivars, commonly red, orange, yellow, or pink.

Fruit: Produces a capsule-like fruit approximately 1" in diameter.  

Seed: Seeds are round and black, about the size of small peas.

Stem: Stems are fleshy, erect, and can be either green or pigmented, depending on the variety.

Hairs: Leaves and stems are generally smooth, without significant hairs.

Height: Typically grows 3 to 6 feet tall, though some varieties may reach up to 10 feet.

Mature canna lilies in the wild.

The leaves look like banana plants and can be used to wrap foods for cooking just like banana leaves.

Mature canna lilies in my backyard.


Edible tuber. Use it just like a potato.


Young edible shoot.


Flowers (not edible).








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


Canna lilies were a vital food source for Northwestern Native Americans and contain the highest percentage of starch of any known tuber. They can be cooked like potatoes though the natives would also make flour from them. To obtain canna lily flour slice the tubers into 1/4" disks and allow them to dry for a day or two. Then crumble these disks up in a large bowl of water. The starch (flour) will sink to the bottom of the bowl and any fiber will float to the top where it can be collected and discarded. Allow the starch to dry completely then grind/pound it into flour.

The tubers can be eaten raw but cooking them makes their starch more digestible. Traditionally they are boiled but baking in medium heat (300F) a long time gives great results. Native cultures would bury them under a fire for up to 12 hours. Cook them with their skin to keep them from drying out during cooking but then discard the skin before eating.

The starchy tubers can also be used to make alcohol, just like potatoes. A amylase enzyme of some sort needs to be added to break its starch down into sugars which can be converted into alcohol by yeast. Yeast can't change starch into alcohol.

The young shoots can be cooked and eaten like asparagus and the leaves can be used like banana leaves to wrap food for baking.

These plants are hardy and grow very well in most conditions though they prefer sun and moisture. Leaf-roller caterpillars will "stitch" the top growing leaves together resulting in stunted, ugly growth but they don't kill the plant. Just open up the leaves and remove the caterpillar. You can also cut the rolled leaves off and the plant will resume normal growth.

These plants will thrive in the southern areas of the United States but north of the Mason-Dixon line it is best if you dig up the tubers and store them in a dark, cool (but not freezing!) place then replanting them in the spring.


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Cedar/Juniper

Scientific Name(s): Juniperus ashei, Juniperus virginiana
Abundance: common
What: leaves, berries
How: leaves see below; berries as seasoning, infused, tinctured, or raw.
Where: landscaping, arid, woods, borders, fields
When: spring, summer, fall, winter
Nutritional Value: low
Dangers: Leaves of Juniperus virginiana, which contain thujone, which slows down the liver's removal of alcohol.

Medicinal Summary:
Inner Wood - soothes skin inflammations; kills scabies (salve, tisane)
Leaves - tea soothes respiratory and gastrointestinal inflammations; soothes indigestion; diuretic; relieves bloating; soothes painful menstruation; eases chronic rheumatism; antibacterial; antifungal (used as a tisane, elixir, oxymel)

Red Cedar (Eastern Redcedar - Juniperus virginiana) Structural Features:

Leaf Arrangement: The leaves are arranged in whorls of three, forming scale-like or needle-like structures.

Leaf Shape: Leaves are scale-like, measuring around 1/16 to 1/8 inches in length.

Leaf Color: Foliage can range from green to blue-green, depending on factors like age and environmental conditions.

Fruit (Seed Cones): Red cedar trees produce small, berry-like cones that are about 1/4 to 1/2 inches in diameter. The color is bluish-purple on mature trees.

Bark: Bark is reddish-brown, fibrous, and peels in strips. On older trees, it becomes gray and scaly.

Height: Red cedar trees can grow up to 40 to 50 feet in height.

Hairs: Leaves and branches are generally smooth, without noticeable hairs.

Wood Color: Heartwood is typically reddish-brown.

Wood Use: Valued for its aromatic, insect-repelling wood, often used for cedar chests and closets.

Branching Pattern: Red cedar trees have a pyramidal or columnar shape with dense foliage.

 

Texas Mountain Cedar (Ashe Juniper - Juniperus ashei) Structural Features:

Leaf Arrangement: The leaves are arranged in whorls of three, forming scale-like structures.

Leaf Shape: Leaves are scale-like, measuring around 1/8 to 1/4 inches in length.

Leaf Color: Foliage can range from green to blue-green.

Fruit (Seed Cones): Texas mountain cedar produces small, berry-like cones that are about 1/4 to 1/2 inches in diameter. The color is bluish-purple on mature trees.

Bark: Bark is typically reddish-brown and peels in long, fibrous strips.

Height: Texas mountain cedar trees can reach heights of 30 to 50 feet.

Hairs: Leaves and branches are generally smooth, without noticeable hairs.

Wood Color: Heartwood is typically reddish-brown.

Wood Use: The wood is aromatic and used for various purposes, including fencing and woodworking.

Branching Pattern: Texas mountain cedar trees have irregular branching and a dense, rounded crown.

Juniperus ashei aka Mountain Cedar in the Hill Country. Note the round shape.


Juniperus ashei generally have multiple trunks.

Juniperus ashei about to release LOTS of pollen!


Juniperus ashei, berries which take several years to mature.


Both mountain and red cedar have alternating leaves that are tiny, tough, and closely overlap like scales.


Texas distribution of Junipers ashei, 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 of Junipers ashei, attributed to U. S. Department of Agriculture.



Juniperus virginiana aka Red Cedar. Note the pyramidal shape.

Juniperus virginiana berries are high in sugar and are eaten as a trail snack, though their flavor is somewhat intense.

Closeup of Juniperus virginiana berries. The gray color is wild yeast that can be used to raise bread or make alcohol.

Juniperus virginiana generally form only one trunk. Bark peels off easily and makes good tinder.

Texas distribution of Junipers virginiana, 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 of Junipers virginiana, attributed to U. S. Department of Agriculture.


First things first, junipers and cedars are the same thing. That being said, there are two types of cedar trees in Texas. The first, Junipers ashei, is the small, multi-trunked Hill Country cedar sometimes referred to as Mountain Cedar which takes on a roundish shape. More to the east and northern parts of Texas you'll find the Red Cedar (Juniperus virginiana) which has a single trunk and grows quite tall with a pyramidal shape. The trunks of both are covered with loosely peeling, fibrous bark. The inner wood of both is reddish in color and very aromatic. When used in campfires it'll "pop" a lot and throw sparks.

The Hill Country cedars, Juniperus ashei, can be used in multiple ways. Starting with the leaves, they can be smoked, made into tea, or used to infuse vinegar. Native Americans smoked the leaves both for pleasure and medicinally to help with lung and sinus issues/infections. Cedar tea contains the anti-viral compound known as deoxypodophyllotoxin which may be why such tea was historically used to treat many viral-based diseases. The berries, which are not true berries but rather a very strange cone like a pine cone, can be nibbled raw but they have a very potent flavor so the are best used in small quantities as a flavoring agent or seasoning. German settlers loved to ad 2-4 berries to each quart of sauerkraut. Gin alcohol is made by adding juniper/cedar berries during or after the distillation step. Soaking the berries in vodka for a few weeks creates your own version.

My favorite thing to do with J. ashei is to infuse apple cider vinegar with it to make a "forager balsamic vinegar. To do this take a fresh, 16oz bottle of apple cider vinegar and pour off 1/2 cup. Now take a bunch of fresh J. ashei leaf-tips and start twisting and smashing them...not too much as you don't want lots of little pieces. Just enough so that their oils can steep into the vinegar. Now start adding these abused cedar leaf-tips into the bottle until the vinegar is just about to overflow. Cap it and set it somewhere dark for 6-8 weeks, shaking it at least once a day. After the required time has passed strain out the leaf bits through a coarse wire mesh. Don't use filter paper as you'll want the original vinegar solids to remain in the liquid. I add a sprig of cedar into the strained bottle just to mark it as infused.

Now let's talk about Red Cedar (Juniperus virginiana). While it's berries (okay, cones) can be used the same as Junipers ashei's berries, the leaves should not be used to make tea, infused vinegars, or smoked. These leaves contain several compounds such as thujone which can cause diarrhea if consumed in large quantities. Yes, thujone is also the active ingredient in absinth, but that's none of my business. Thujone slows down the removal of alcohol from the blood so just a little bit of it cause the BOC to shoot up much higher than expected from a drink. Now, that all being said, there is historical records of the Juniperus virginiana being used for tea so like so many wild edibles. 



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.

Chaste Tree

Scientific Name(s): Vitex agnus-castus L.
Abundance: common
What: seeds
How: ground for seasoning
Where: landscaping
When: fall, winter
Nutritional Value: none
Dangers: supposedly lowers libido in men while also makes women more likely to get pregnant

Medicinal Summary:
Dried Seeds* - maintains proper progesterone/prolactin levels; reduces excess prolactin; soothes PMS breast tenderness; reduces heavy menstrual bleeding; reduces cycles longer than 28-days; increase milk production; may prevent uterine fibroids; mild sedative; reduces PMS and menopause mood swings; which helps with PMS mood swings; reduces menopause hot flashes (tincture, tisane)
*can reduce male libido over time

Leaf Arrangement: Leaves are opposite, arranged in pairs along the stem.

Leaf Shape: Palmately compound leaves with typically 5 to 7 leaflets, each leaflet measuring around 2 to 4 inches in length.

Leaf Color: Foliage is typically gray-green.

Flower Structure: Chaste tree produces spikes of small, fragrant flowers. The spikes can reach lengths of 6 to 12 inches.

Flower Color: Flowers come in various shades, including lavender, blue, pink, or white.

Fruit (Seed): The fruit is a small, round drupe, approximately 0.2 to 0.3 inches in diameter.

Bark: The bark is typically smooth and gray-brown.

Height: Chaste trees can grow to be 10 to 20 feet tall.

Hairs: Leaves and stems are generally smooth, but fine hairs may be present on the undersides of leaves.

Branching Pattern: Chaste trees have an open, spreading habit.

Chaste Tree


Chaste Tree leaves (not edible).


Chaste Tree flowers (not edible).


Chaste Tree flowers close-up.


Chaste Tree seeds (edible).




Chaste Tree bark.


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.

This map is very incomplete.

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


With summer comes the multitude of blue, flowering spikes of the Chaste Tree. Used in landscaping all across the south, this multi-trunked small tree/large bush is cherished for it's beauty, scent, and attraction for bees, hummingbirds, and butterflies. Rarely if ever is tree found in the wild and if so it will be in full sun to partial shade with well drained soil. Besides almost every branch ending in a large spike of small flowers, the leaves of the Chaste Tree are sometimes mistaken for those of the marijuana plant.

In fall the flowers have become small gray/brown seeds which, when crushed release a pungent but pleasant aroma and flavor. For this reason the seeds have been used as a seasoning for ages. However, there is a belief that the seeds, when consumed, reduce a man's desire hence the name "chaste". Monks supposedly used Chaste Tree seeds to season their food and also reduce their passions. Chaste Tree seeds, in small doses, can slightly increase the amount of female hormone prolactin in men, which may give rise to the...uh, failure to rise. However, larger doses can actually reduce prolactin in men, perhaps making them more manly.

There is quite a bit of evidence and scientific studies which show these seeds have a great deal of beneficial effects for women. There is proof these seeds help with PMS, and many other menstrual issues, helping fertilized eggs bond to the womb, and many other hormone-based issues. Please note, this is not medical advice, just a review of what others claim.


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.

Clover - Crimson

Scientific Name(s): Trifolium incarnatum
Abundance: uncommon
What: seeds, flower
How: seeds ground into flour, sprouted; flower raw or dried for tea
Where: sunny fields and ditches with moist soil, landscaping
When: spring, early summer
Nutritional Value: calories

Leaf Arrangement: Leaves are arranged alternately along the stem.

Leaf Shape: The leaves are trifoliate, consisting of three leaflets. Each leaflet is ovate to elliptical in shape.

Venation: The venation is pinnate, with a central vein in each leaflet and smaller veins branching off to the sides.

Leaf Margin: The margins of the leaflets are entire, meaning they are smooth without any teeth or lobes.

Leaf Color: Leaves of crimson clover are typically a bright green color.

Flower Structure: The flowers are arranged in dense, elongated, cone-like heads up to 2" long. Each flower head is composed of numerous small, pea-like florets.

Flower Color: The flowers are a striking crimson red, which is the characteristic feature of this clover species.

Fruit: The fruit is a small pod, typically containing only a few seeds.

Seeds: Seeds are small, yellow to brown in color, and kidney-shaped.

Stem: The stem of Trifolium incarnatum is erect, branching, and somewhat hairy.

Hairs: The plant has fine hairs along the stems and on the leaves.

Height: Crimson clover can reach 20" tall in ideal growing conditions but is often half that height.

Field of crimson clover


Young flower just beginning to turn crimson.


Mature flower head. They are much more elongated than white and red clovers


Close-up of leaf. Note the fine hairs along the leaflets' edges.


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 sunny fields of east Texas turn fiery red in the springtime with thousands of Crimson Clover flowerheads. This durable, prolific wildflower can often be found growing profusely in road medians thanks to Lady Bird Johnson's Texas beautification program. Beware sticking your nose too close to inhale its sweet aroma as both butterflies and bees find its nectar quite delicious!

Though lacking the medicinal properties of Red Clover, Crimson Clover's flowerhead makes a pleasant tea and can be used either fresh or after drying. I've never smoked it but based on my experience with other clovers, it's likely it'll be just as good.

The seeds have a long history of being collected and ground into flour. The individual seeds are small but it's relatively easy to harvest many of them to add to other plant seeds you've gathered. These seeds can also be sprouted into highly nutritious microgreens using standard sprouting techniques.

Being a nitrogen fixer, Crimson Clover makes an excellent fallow crop for revitalizing depleted soils. They prefer near-neutral pH soil with good drainage for optimal growth. A thick mat of this will often choke out other weeds which is either good or bad depending on how hungry you are. :-)


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.