Gayfeather/Liatris

Scientific Name(s): Liatris spicata and other Liatris species
Abundance: uncommon
What: root/tuber
How: roasted
Where: open fields, landscaping
When: fall, winter
Nutritional Value: calories

Leaf Arrangement: Leaves are arranged in a basal rosette at the base and alternately along the stem.

Leaf Shape: The leaves are linear to lanceolate, with lengths varying from 1 to 3 inches and widths about 0.1 to 0.6 inches.

Leaf Venation: Venation is parallel, with a central vein prominent on each leaf.

Leaf Margin: The leaf margins are entire, with no serrations or lobes.

Leaf Color: Leaves are typically a medium to dark green.

Flower Structure: The flowers are arranged in dense, spike-like clusters at the top of erect, stiff stems.

Flower Color: The flowers are typically purple, sometimes ranging to pink or white, with each individual flower small and tubular.

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

Seed: Seeds are contained within the achenes, small and hard.

Stem: The stem is tall, erect, and unbranched, often with a rough texture.

Hairs: Leaves and stem can be covered in fine, grayish hairs.

Height: The plant can grow to a height of 2 to 4 feet.

Edible gayfeather tuber.


Young gayfeather plant (early June in Houston).


A stand of gayfeather plants.


Close-up of gayfeather stand.


Close-up of gayfeather flower.


Close-up of gayfeather flower before opening.


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.


There are quite a few different species of Gayfeathers growing in stands across the fields, prairies, ditches, and woodland glades of Texas and North America. All are considered non-poisonous but only a few of them produce tubers big enough to be worth eating. Their tall, unbranching spikes start green, then erupt with many small, purple flowers, followed by browning as they dry. During the winter months clusters of these old stalks are easy spot, even through snow on the central plains. The drought-resistant Liatris spica are becoming popular in low-water xeriscapes and can often be found at big-box home improvement stores.

Gayfeather tubers continue to grow larger year after year but only the latest-year's portion is tender enough to eat, with the common species Liatris spica being considered the best. Memorize the location of the summer-blooming purple flower stalks for harvesting the tubers in the fall and winter. Once harvested, use these tubers as you would potatoes. They do well boiled or roasted.


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Rusty Blackhaw

Scientific Name(s): Viburnum rufidulum
Abundance: uncommon
What: fruit
How: raw, jelly, wine
Where: woods
When: late fall, winter
Nutritional Value: calories
Dangers: none

Leaf Arrangement: Leaves are oppositely arranged along the stems.

Leaf Shape: The leaves are elliptical to ovate with pointed tips.

Leaf Venation: The venation is pinnate and more pronounced on the underside of the leaves.

Leaf Margin: Leaf margins are serrated, featuring small, sharp teeth.

Leaf Color: The upper surface of the leaves is green. The underside of the leaves may be slightly paler in color, with lighter-still veins.

Flower Structure: Flowers are arranged in flat-topped clusters (corymbs) and have a diameter of approximately 3 to 5 inches.

Flower Color: The flowers are creamy white, creating a visually striking display.

Fruit: The fruit is a drupe, initially red and transitioning to dark blue-black when mature.

Seed: Seeds are relatively large, with an elliptical shape and a dark color.

Bark: The bark is grayish-brown and becomes rougher with age.

Hairs: None present.

Height: Rusty Blackhaw typically grows to a height of 10 to 15 feet, forming a well-branched shrub or small tree.

Ripe fruit of Rusty Blackhaw.


Close-up of Rusty Blackhaw fruit. Note the single large, flat seed.




Rusty blackhaw flower buds appear in late winter/early spring before a majority of its leaves do.


The flowers look like little heads of broccoli before blooming.


Note the rusty color of the parts of rusty blackhaw wrapping up the flower buds.


Close-up of Rusty Blackhaw flowers (picture taken in March in Houston, TX)


Unripe Rusty Blackhaw fruit (picture taken in September in Houston).


Leave are arranged oppositely, have finely-toothed edges, and an oval shape.


Bark of rusty blackhaw is rugged, and often described as alligator-like. When scraped it exposes it's rusty, red-brown color of its name.


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.


Hidden among the woods of east Texas one will find a true treasure, the Rusty Blackhaw. This small tree lives its life in the shade of much larger majestic oaks, sweetgums, hickories, and hackberries. In the spring Rusty Blackhaws announce their presence with large clusters of small, white flowers similar to Elder. After these flowers do their job and drop away odd, football-shade drupes (fruit) appear. These fruit start out green but shift through shades of blue, red, purple through the summer until by late fall they are black and ready to eat. In the fall the leaves turn deep red and begin to drop off but many leaves remain even as new ones begin appearing. The bark of the trunk and branches of this tree have the same brick-like pattern and reddish-tan color of its close relative, the Farkleberry.

The mature fruit of Rusty Blackhaws is sweet and delicious. Even in late winter when they've dried into wrinkled raisin-like fruit they are often still quite edible. The large single seed isn't edible but as you eat the fruit save the seeds to plant in other likely spots. This wonderful tree is a native and needs to be spread.

When making jelly, these fruit usually have a large amount of natural pectin but the amount can vary quite a bit from tree to tree. It's good to have a bit of extra pectin on hand in case you fruit is low.


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.

Elm Oyster Mushroom

 Scientific Name(s): Hypsizygus ulmarius

Abundance: uncommon
What: cap, stem
How: cooked
Where: on dead wood
When: fall, winter, spring
Nutritional Value: 
Dangers: Don't mistake Jack O'Lantern mushrooms (Omphalotus olearius) for oyster mushrooms.

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Growth Form: Hypsizygus ulmarius often grows in clusters, typically on living or dead wood of deciduous trees, with elms being their preferred substrate. They often have a more "toadstool" shape than common oyster mushrooms.

Cap Shape and Size: The cap is initially convex, becoming more flattened with age, measuring 3 to 6 inches in diameter. It is white to cream in color, sometimes with a brownish center.

Gills or Pores: The gills are white, becoming cream-colored with age, and are attached or slightly running down the stem (adnate to subdecurrent).

Stipe Characteristics: The stipe is 1 to 3 inches long and 0.5 to 1.5 inches thick, white, sometimes scaly, and sometimes enlarges at the base.

Odor: This species typically has a mild, not distinctive odor.

Bruising: There is no significant color change on bruising.

Spore Color: The spore print is white.

Substrate and Habitat: Found predominantly on hardwoods, especially elm, and beech trees.

Other Characteristics: Known for its preference for growing on elm trees and its thick, meaty flesh. The mushroom is edible and valued for its texture and mild flavor.

Young elm oyster (Hypsizygus ulmarius) mushrooms growing on a dead tree.


Same mushrooms from a slightly different angle.


Another elm oyster from two angles.

The most apparent difference between common and elm oyster mushrooms is the stipe. Elm oysters will generally have a thick, round stipe 1"-2" long whereas the common oyster is usually attached directly to the tree without a distinct stipe.

Use these just as you would any store-bought white, button mushroom...but be sure to cook it. Wild mushrooms will always have a certain amount of bugs, bug larva, and bug eggs in them, so cooking is necessary to kill the extra, protein-filled critters.

Elm oysters prefer hardwoods, especially damaged elm trees. You will not find them on pines or cedars.

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.