Yaupon Holly

Scientific name: Ilex vomitoria
Abundance: plentiful
What: tea from leaves
How: Dry leaves, add boiling water
Where: woods
When: all year
Nutritional Value: caffeine and antioxidants
Dangers: Avoid the berries as they taste bad. Do not mistake Yaupon holly for the toxic Chinese privet (Ligustrum sinense). See below to learn how to tell them apart.

Leaf Arrangement: Leaves are alternate along the stem.

Leaf Shape: Simple, evergreen leaves with a smooth, elliptical shape, typically measuring 1/2 to 1 inch in length.

Leaf Margin: Leaf margins are toothed (rounded serrations).

Leaf Color: Foliage is glossy dark green on top and lighter green underneath, maintaining its color throughout the year.

Flower Structure: Inconspicuous, small, white flowers with four petals are arranged in clusters. Often surrounded by bees.

Flower Size: Individual flowers are around 1/8 inch in size.

Fruit (Drupe): The fruit is a red to black drupe, around 1/4 inch in diameter, containing four seeds.

Bark: Bark is smooth and gray with lighter gray-white mottling.

Height: Yaupon holly can grow as a large shrub or small tree, reaching heights of 15 to 25 feet.

Hairs: All parts are hairless.

Branching Pattern: The branching pattern is typically dense and upright, forming a compact crown. Multiple trunks are common.

Female Yaupon holly with berries in the fall-winter.


Female Yaupon holly in mid-summer. Male Yaupon hollies don't produce berries.


Female Yuapon holly in the late fall.


Close-up of Yaupon holly leaves.


The leaves of Yaupon holly and Chinese privet are very similar in shape and size. An easy way to tell them apart is the leaves of the Chinese privet grow in a uniform pinnate manner. The leaves of Yaupon holly have a random, chaotic growth pattern. Just remember "chaos = caffeine"! Also note that the edges of Yaupon holly leaves are bumpy whereas Chinese privet leaves have a smooth edge.


Left: yaupon holly (SAFE)
Right: Chinese privet (TOXIC)

Closer-up picture of the leaves.

Left: yaupon holly (SAFE)
Right: Chinese privet (TOXIC)

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.


Most east Texas landowners consider the small, gray-trunked Yaupon holly trees to be an invasive species. However, they are native and their prolific nature just shows how well adapted they are to this region. If you're a bird watcher, planting one (or more!) of these in your yard will insure a steady stream of cardinals, finches, jays, and many other birds come to feast on Yaupon holly's red berries. But don't you eat the berries as they make humans throw up!

Yaupon holly leaves, however, are truly a gift. They are the only naturally occurring source of caffeine that grows in Texas. And it's not just caffeine they bring! The leaves are also loaded with antioxidants and all the other compounds that make traditional green tea good for you. On top of all that, tea made from the leaves has a slight, natural sweetness to it making it not just fantastically good for you but also wonderful tasting.

Yaupon holly leaves are an excellent source of caffeine. There are a few different ways to prepare yaupon holly leaves for brewing tea. The easiest and most effective method for freeing the caffeine is to air-dry them by cutting of a branch, hanging it indoors in a warm, dry area (not in direct sunlight) and let the leaves dry naturally. Most of the leaves will fall off the branch as they dry so lay a towel or something under it to catch the leaves. This method can take two weeks or more depending on the temperature and humidity. Slow-drying it like this allows naturally-occurring enzymes inside the plant cells to begin breaking holes through the cell wall. These holes allow the caffeine to escape into your hot water when making tea.

Forced-drying the leaves in a dehydrator or an oven set at 200F is popular. It is fast, usually taking just a day and this quick drying but will not allow as much caffeine to be released compared to slow air-drying. Leaves done this way are somewhat similar to green tea in mouth-appeal. It doesn't taste like green tea, but it has several similar "under-flavors", if that makes any sense.

The most complex, richest flavors comes from roasting the leaves in an oven set at 400F. I prefer to do this after the two week drying period. This requires some practice and experimentation. Lay the leaves on a cookie-sheet. There can be some overlap but each leaf needs some exposure to the air. Put the cookie-sheet in the oven and watch the leaves as they turn brown. Start with them being in the oven for just 4 minutes. The darker you let the leaves get the more roasted and complex flavors you will release. Warning: if they get too dark they'll have a scorched flavor.

Caffeine has recently been shown to help protect the brain from Alzheimer's disease, which is pretty dang awesome!!

Dried Yaupon holly leaves were smoked as part of assorted Native American rituals.


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.

Hostas

Scientific Name(s): Hosta species
Abundance: common
What: flowers, leaves, young shoots
How: cooked, pickled
Where: landscaping, shade
When: fall, winter, spring
Nutritional Value:
Dangers: none

Leaf Arrangement: Leaves are basal, emerging directly from the crown of the plant in a rosette formation.

Leaf Shape: Leaves vary from heart-shaped to nearly circular, commonly measuring 6 to 18 inches long and wide, depending on the variety.

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

Leaf Margin: Margins can be smooth, wavy, or slightly serrated, varying among cultivars.

Leaf Color: Leaf color ranges from green to blue-green, with many varieties displaying variegation in white, cream, or yellow.

Flower Structure: Flowers are tubular, 1"-1.5" long, arranged on tall, erect scapes (stem/stalk) above the foliage.

Flower Color: Flower colors vary from white to lavender and purple.

Fruit: Small, about pea-sized berries, in a line along the end of the scape.

Seed: Seeds are small and black, contained within the capsules.

Stem: The flowering stems, or scapes, are long and leafless, extending above the leafy rosette.

Hairs: Leaves are generally smooth, without significant hairs.

Height: Foliage height varies by variety, generally 1 to 2 feet, with flower scapes extending higher.

Varieties of Hostas.




Close-up of Hosta flowers.


Hosta berries. The short stems coming off the thicker stem have already dropped their berries.


Crushed Hosta berry to show seed and pulp.



Across North America hostas are a very pretty, trouble-free landscaping plant, sometimes call "Plantain Lily". However, here in Texas they do take some care to keep alive. According to Texas A&M, the six best hostas for Texas are: Royal Standard, Blue Cadet, So Sweet, Albo-Marginata, Sugar & Cream, and Blue Angel. Of these only Blue Cadet looked great even in the summer. As summer progresses the local Walmart garden centers have these on clearance for as little as $0.50 and since they do okay indoors as a potted plant you can grow food on your windowsill.

Hostas have a long history of use as food, with the tender, new shoots being the favored part. These are eaten raw or cooked by sautéing or steaming. I want to try grilling them like asparagus or greenbriar tips. The flowers can be picked and added raw to salads. Supposedly some people use the raw flowers as cake decoration but I still have to try that. The sound leaves are also eaten raw but I bet they would ferment well.

My research hasn't turned up any edible uses of the berries.


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.

Indian Strawberry

Scientific name: Duchesnea indica
Abundance: uncommon
What: small red fruit, young leaves
How: fruit raw (tasteless/bland), leaves and flowers raw, cooked, or in a tea
Where: sunny or partially shaded fields, moist areas.
When: spring
Nutritional Value: vitamin C, iron, zinc, manganese
Dangers: none, the paragraph in red is so you can play a joke on your friends

Leaf Arrangement: The leaves are alternate, typically arranged in a pattern where each leaf is positioned at a different height along the stem.

Leaf Shape: The leaves are trifoliate, meaning they are composed of three leaflets. Each leaflet is broadly ovate with a length of approximately 1" x 1" in size. across the entire leaf. Leaflets are about 0.5" across. leaflets may be lobed.

Leaf Venation: The venation is pinnate, with a central vein running along the length of each leaflet and smaller veins branching out from it.

Leaf Margin: The leaflet margins are coarsely toothed or serrated.

Leaf Color: The leaf color is a vibrant green on the upper surface and a paler green on the underside.

Flower Structure: The flowers have five petals and are located on long, slender stalks. Each flower has a diameter of about 0.5 to 1 inch.

Flower Color: The flowers are bright yellow.

Fruit: The fruit resembles a small strawberry, white skin with many red dots, but it is typically dry and bland flavored.

Seed: The seeds are small, yellowish-brown, and numerous.

Stem: The stems are thin, green, and can root at the nodes when they touch the ground.

Hairs: There are fine hairs along the stem and the lower surface of the leaves.

Height: The plant typically grows to a height of 4 to 6 inches.

Indian strawberry ground cover.


Close-up of the edible fruit.


Close-up of the flower.


Indian strawberry 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.


These bright red berries and yellow flowers appear in sunny to partially sunny areas returning to wilderness or infrequently mowed. Sadly, these fruit actually have a bland, insipid taste. However, they are usually plentiful when in season and can supply a good dose of vitamins, minerals, flavanoids, and antioxidants. No one will notice Indian strawberries' lack of flavor when they're added to vanilla ice cream sprinkled with cinnamon and sugar.

Okay, now here's how you use Indian Strawberries to play a practical joke on your friends. The following paragraph in red is completely fake. So, when you find some pop a few in your mouth and start talking about how sweet and delicious they are then offer a few to your friend. If they eat them and then state that they didn't have any flavor, you start to panic and explain a lack of flavor is an indication that the person is one of the ~10% of the population that is highly allergic to the Indian Strawberries. Bring up this webpage and show them the red-texted, paragraph at the end of this post.

WARNING!! Lack of flavor indicates you are missing the beta-cycqatrose enzyme needed to break down a toxic component found in Indian Strawberries. Seek medical help immediately as you may suffer incapacitating vomiting and diarrhea. Symptoms usually take 20-30 minutes to appear. This occurs in less than 10% of the population.


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.

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.


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.

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.

Mulberry

Scientific name: Morus microphylla and other Morus species
Abundance: plentiful
What: berries (red, pink or white), young leaves, inner bark
How: berries raw, dried, jelly, wine. Young leaves in salad. Inner bark can be boiled and eaten all year.
Where: Woods, borders between woods and fields, urban landscapes
When: spring
Nutritional Value: high in vitamins C&K, minerals and some carbohydrates

Medicinal Summary: 1g of mulberry leaves have the blood sugar control powers of a standard dose of Metformin. 

Leaf Arrangement: Simple, alternate leaves along the stems.

Leaf Shape: Varied leaf shapes among species, commonly lobed or heart-shaped, with lengths ranging from 2 to 8 inches. Palmate veins are sunken on topside of the leaf and raised on the underside.

Leaf Color: Green foliage, but shades may vary.

Leaf Margin: Leaf margins can be serrated or entire. Asymmetrical lobes may be prsent on mature leaves whereas sapling leaves will have five distinct, symmetrical lobes.

Flower Structure: Small, pale flowers arranged in catkins or clusters approximately 1" long

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

Fruit (Mulberries): Multiple small, juicy berries clustered together similar to blackberries, ranging from 0.5 to 1 inch in length. Colors can range from light pink to very dark purple when ripe. Immature fruit will be white to pale green.

Seed Size: Seeds within the berries are small, less than 0.2 inches.

Bark: Bark color and texture vary among species, often brown to gray and smooth on young trees, becoming rougher with age.

Height: Mulberry trees can range from 15 to 30 feet or more, depending on the species.

Mulberry flowers in mid-March in Houston.


Ripe and unripe mulberries (picture taken in late April).







Leaves all from the same Mulberry tree. They can have 0-5 lobes.


Young mullberries (picture taken in November)


Mulberry seedlings are very odd looking with leaves very differently shaped than those of mature trees.


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.


Usually preferring a bit of shade to full sun, mulberry trees are found just about anywhere trees grow in Texas though they usually like a fair amount of water. The leaves are highly variable, ranging from unlobed to five lobes and drop off in the fall, not reappearing until spring. The bark of mulberry trees is smooth and gray. The wood is strong and makes good tool handles.

Come spring, the young leaves can be collected and added to a salad. The inner bark (cambium layer) can be pounded into into fines then boiled into a rough porridge.

The immature berries are white and should not be eaten. Ripe berries can vary in color from white to dark purple. You can tell they are ripe when they come off the tree with just a slight tug. Mulberry fruit is usually ready just after blackberries ripen leading to a supply of lots of berries.

The easiest way to harvest the berries is lay a tarp or sheet under the tree and then shaking the branches. Ripe fruit will fall onto the tarp where they are easily collected.


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.