Cudweed

Scientific Name(s): Gnaphalium, Pseudognaphalium, and Gamochaeta species
Abundance: plentiful
What: leaves, stem
How: tea, smoked
Where: yards, fields, disturbed areas
When: fall, winter, spring
Nutritional Value: medicinal
Dangers: do not eat, only smoked or drank as tea

Medicinal Summary:
Leaves/Stem/Flowers* - improves breathing during congestion, emphysema, and asthma (tisane, smoked)
*plant should be allowed to die and dry in the ground to develop medicinal properties

Leaf Arrangement: Alternate, with leaves spaced along the stem.

Leaf Shape: Lanceolate to oblong or spatulate, usually between 1 to 3 inches in length.

Leaf Venation: Pinnate, with a central midvein and less prominent side veins.

Leaf Margin: Entire, meaning the edges are smooth and without teeth or serrations.

Leaf Color: Green to gray-green, on top but always a silvery or woolly appearance underneath due to fine, dense hairs.

Flower Structure: Composed of small, clustered heads with each head containing several tiny, tubular flowers.

Flower Color: Typically white, cream, or yellow, depending on the species.

Fruit: Small, dry, one-seeded, encased in a papery involucre.

Seeds: Equipped with a pappus, which is a tuft of hair-like structures aiding in wind dispersal.

Stem: Erect, sometimes branched, covered in dense hairs, and ranging in height from a few inches to over a foot.

Hairs: Dense and woolly, giving the plant a soft, fuzzy texture.

Height: Varies widely by species, typically ranging from a few inches to over a foot tall.

Grey-colored cudweed (Gnaphalium spicatum) are considered the best medicine of the common yard weed.


Mature cudweed (Gnaphalium spicatum)going to flower.


Close-up of cudweed (Gnaphalium spicatum) stem. Note the fuzzy stem and alternating leaves.


Close-up of cudweed (Gnaphalium spicatum) flowers.


Close-up of cudweed (Gnaphalium spicatum) fluffy seeds.


Another common cudweed (Gnaphalicum spicatum) is green on top with whiteish-grey undersides.


Cudweed (Gnaphalicum spicatum) going to 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.



Many yards and disturbed areas end up filled with cud weeds come the cool months in Texas. The tops of cudweed leaves can be either green or grey depending on the species but the undersides are always white-grey. They start out as a rosette but then one or more stems grows either upwards or outwards from the taproot. Cudweeds have alternating leaves with a pinnate vein structure. Stems are fuzzy and so are the leaves. When mature, the tips of the stems turn even fuzzier, reminding me of Q-Tips due to the furry nature of their tiny flowers.

Cudweeds are NOT eaten. The only recorded ways they were used was as a tea or smoked. One of its common names is "Rabbit Tobacco". Both the tea and smoke were used to treat problems breathing, especially from colds and other lung issues. The tea also helps some with coughs. While it was mainly smoked for its medicinal effects, the flavor is mild and pleasant enough that it was also smoked for pleasure. The usual Native American technique for smoking was to hold the smoke in their mouths rather than drawing it into their lungs. Be aware that pulling out a baggie of dried leaves and lighting up in public may draw unwanted attention so be smart if you're going to smoke this.


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.

Frog Fruit

Scientific Name(s): Lippia nodiflora
Abundance: common
What: leaves
How: cooked, tea, smoked
Where: yards, landscaping, fields, sunny,
When: spring, summer
Nutritional Value: vitamins
Dangers: beware of harvesting from soils treated with pesticides.

Medicinal Summary
Leaves - fever reducer, antimicrobial, cough suppressant, reduces respiratory issues (tisane, smoke)

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

Leaf Shape: The leaves are broadly elliptical to ovate, typically measuring about 0.5 to 1.5 inches in length and 0.25 to 0.75 inches in width.

Leaf Venation: Venation is pinnate, with a central vein and smaller veins branching off towards the margins.

Leaf Margin: The margins are serrated or toothed, particularly towards the leaf tip.

Leaf Color: The color of the leaves is a deep green, often with a slightly lighter shade along the veins.

Flower Structure: Flowers are small, clustered in dense, rounded heads at the tips of stems or in leaf axils, and have a funnel shape.

Flower Color: The flowers are usually white or pale pink.

Fruit: The fruit is a small, dry, two-part capsule.

Seed: Seeds are tiny, contained within the small capsules.

Stem: Stems are slender, creeping or trailing, and can root at the nodes.

Hairs: There are fine hairs along the stems and leaves.

Height: The plant typically spreads along the ground, with the flowering stems rising a few inches above the foliage.

Lots of frog fruit.




Frog fruit leaves.


Close-up of frog fruit's flower cluster.


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.



I really don't know why frog fruit has this name, though the flower clusters do look kind of like tiny pineapples. This common, summertime weed seems to like sunny, grassy areas and disturbed locations. In these places it can form thick mats, shot through with a few other low weeds and grasses. Its tough leaves have pointy-toothed edges and a pinnate vein pattern. Stems are tough and somewhat rough. Because of its durable, drought resistant nature it is becoming popular in landscaping.

While the cooked leaves are edible, their texture and grass-like flavor isn't all that great. A more common use is to make a tea or smoked. Used in these manners, frog fruit is believed to offer relief from fevers, coughs, and other mild respiratory issues. For tea and smoking, let the leaves dry for a few weeks for best flavor and medicinal properties.



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.

Goldenrod

Scientific Name(s): Solidago spp.
Abundance: plentiful
What: young leaves, flowers
How: tea and small addition to salads, sautéed
Where: fields, borders
When: late summer, early fall
Nutritional Value: low

Medicinal Summary:
Leaves/Flowers - vascular strengthener; anti-inflammatory; diuretic; anti-spasmodic; antibacterial; antifungal; hemostatic, rebuilds vascular/fluid-holding tissues (tisane, tincture, poultice)

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

Leaf Shape: Leaf shape varies among species, but they are generally lanceolate or elliptical, and can range from 1 to 6 inches in length and 0.2 to 0.6 inches in width.

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

Leaf Margin: The leaf margins can be smooth, toothed, or serrated, depending on the species.

Leaf Color: The color of the leaves is typically a bright green, sometimes with a paler underside.

Flower Structure: The flowers are arranged in dense, pyramidal or plume-like clusters at the tops of the stems or along the sides.

Flower Color: The flowers are usually bright yellow, with each small flower consisting of both ray and disk florets.

Fruit: The fruit is a small, dry seed, often with a tuft of hair to aid in wind dispersal.

Seed: The seeds are very small, enclosed within the dry fruit.

Stem: The stem is erect and can be smooth or hairy, varying by species. Normally it will grow as a single stalk, but pruning it will cause branching to occur.

Hairs: Stems will generally be hair-free while leaves may have fine, still hairs causing a rough texture.

Height: The height of goldenrod plants can vary greatly, typically ranging from 2 to 5 feet.

Goldenrod in the fall.


Close-up of goldenrod flowers.


Goldenrod flowers are usually bees last source of nectar before winter hits.


Goldenrod seedlings appear in mid-winter to early spring.


The easiest way to recognize them when young is finding them where last year's brown, dry goldenrod stems stand, such as in this photo.


Young goldenrod plant (with more in the background) in late spring. These the young leaves make a tasty tea.


Close-up of goldenrod leaves. Note also, the stem is relatively smooth and hairless.




To properly harvest goldenrod leaves snip just the last 3"-4" where the leaves are lighter green.


By mid-summer many goldenrods have developed these round "galls" in their stems. Each gall is the home of a single, small grub of the Goldenrod Gall Fly. Note, these grubs are edible and also make good fishing bait.


Flowers before they bloom.


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.


Goldenrod can be found lining the roads and standing in fields in every US state and Canadian province. Most of the year they go unnoticed, their green stem and leaves acting like camouflage against the background of green grasses. Come fall, they explode like golden fireworks of deep yellow, pyramidal-clustered flowers. At this time they often get blamed wrongly for hay fever and allergy problems when in reality Ragweed, with it's almost invisible flowers, that is actually to blame.

The youngest, most tender leaves, when used in moderation, add an interesting dimension to the flavor of salads. There is often a noticeable color difference between the top 1"-3" of the stem (lighter) and lower parts (darker). Cut the goldenrod off at the point where the light color turns darker. These top leaves are the best for both raw snacks and dried tea.

The leaves can be collected and dried for tea any time from seedling until the flowers bloom. Once the flowers bloom the leaves begin deteriorating and usually are no longer worth collecting. For a black licorice-flavored tea, cut the young leaves or flower stalks off the plant in late morning after dew has evaporated but before the hot sun bakes them. Gather the flowers within the first few days of them opening for the richest flavors. Hang the flower stalks upside-down to dry inside a brown paper bag to dry. Steep one teaspoon of the dried flowers in hot water to make an anise-flavored tea.

Please note though that Goldenrod is the last flower of the season for bees to collect nectar. If you take many of the flowers you may prevent a bee hive from getting enough nectar to get through the winter. This is why I only take leaves.

Many goldenrods will form round galls on their stems. These are caused by a fly grub which is also edible by humans though most prefer to use the grub as fishing bait.

While dried goldenrod leaves can be smoked as an herbal tobacco replacement, it is generally used medicinally in tea form. A goldenrod infusion is diuretic and so good for flushing out urinary tract infections and kidney stones but I prefer its antioxidant properties and assistance in circulation by strengthening capillary walls. Goldenrod also assists with respiratory and sinus issues as well as loosening phlegm. Don't forget to infuse some oil with goldenrod then thicken it with beeswax as a skin salve. It can help induce sweating to expel toxins via the skin and its slight astringency makes its tea a good body wash for cleaning and tightening skin.

Once the goldenrod flower clusters are more than 1/3 brown they're too old to use. By now, most will have reached that point unfortunately. You'll most likely have to wait until next fall. However, this gives you the ability to increase the goldenrod flower production by pruning the last 4" off

goldenrod stalks next June. The plant will send up 3-5 new shoots from the cut location, each producing its own big cluster of flowers. Then in the fall both you and the bees will have all the flowers you need.

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.

Heals All

Scientific Name(s): Prunella vulgaris
Abundance: uncommon
What: leaves
How: raw, tea, cooked
Where: borders, woods, fields, wastelands, full sun, light shade
When: spring, summer
Nutritional Value: medicinal compounds
Dangers: none

Medicinal Summary:
Leaves/Stems/Flowers - wound healer; antibacterial; antiviral; anti-cancer; colitis anti-inflammatory; hemostatic; appetite stimulant (tisane, poultice)

Leaf Arrangement: Leaves are arranged in an opposite-alternating pattern along the stem.

Leaf Shape: The leaves are broadly lanceolate to ovate, typically measuring about 1 to 3 inches in length and 0.5 to 1 inch in width.

Leaf Venation: Venation is pinnate, with a central vein and smaller branching veins.

Leaf Margin: The leaf margins are serrated or toothed, especially towards the tip.

Leaf Color: The color of the leaves is a deep green, often with a slightly lighter shade on the underside.

Flower Structure: Flowers are clustered in dense, pyramidal, spike-like inflorescences at the tips of stems or in the leaf axils.

Flower Color: The flowers are typically purple or violet, though they can also be pink or white. Each flower is tubular with a two-lipped appearance.

Fruit: The fruit is a small, dry nutlet.

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

Stem: Stems are square in cross-section, a characteristic of the mint family, and can be hairy or smooth.

Hairs: There may be fine hairs on the stems and the undersides of the leaves.

Height: The plant typically grows to a height of about 6 to 18 inches.

Bed of heal's all plants while flowering.


Heal's all bed before flowering.


Individual heal's all stalk.


Heal's all plant.


Close-up of heal's all flower stalk before flowering.


Close-up of heal's all flower.


Note the "beard" on the flower's lower lip petal.


Heal's All seedlings in January in Houston, before producing a stem or flowers.


Heal's All in the summer after going to seed.


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 found in somewhat moist, woody areas, Heal's All is a rather unassuming plant for most of it's life. Appearing in late winter, it's first call to attention occurs with the appearance of its unmistakable, pyramidal flower stalk in mid-spring. It isn't a solitary plant and so much prefers being surrounded by many of its fellow Heal's All plants.

Heal's all is often considered to be the best all-around medicinal plant. Other names for it include selfheal, heart-of-the-earth, and woundwort. According to legend and also Peterson's Guide to Medicinal Plants heal's all will take care of problems with lungs, liver, kidneys, blood, joints, cancers, ulcers, tumors, swellings, and back trouble. The usual method of ingestion is as a leaf tea or alcohol extraction. I also like chopping the leaves up and adding them to any rice I am cooking.

The plant can be air-dried for later use. as tea, but the alcohol extraction is best done with fresh leaves. The dried leaves & flowers can also be smoked as part of an herbal "tobacco" mixture.

Link to scientific papers on the medicinal properties of Heal's All (Prunella vulgaris).


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.

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.