Violet

Scientific name: Viola species
Abundance: uncommon
What: Leaves, flowers
How: Leaves and flowers raw (great in salads), tea from flowers
Where: small, heart-shaped flowers in shady, moist areas
When: Winter (in Houston), Spring, early summer
Nutritional Value: very rich in vitamin A,C
Nutritional Value: Violets contain the chemical Violine which, in VERY large doses, can cause vomiting and diarrhea.

Medicinal Summary:
Roots/Leaves/Flowers - expectorant; mild laxative; wound healer; soothes upper respiratory and skin inflammations; reduces blood sugar (poultice, tisane)

Leaf Arrangement: Each leaf is directly connected to underground tuber.

Leaf Shape: Leaves are typically heart-shaped (cordate) to kidney-shaped (reniform), with a varying size range.

Leaf Venation: Palmate venation, with multiple, large veins branching out from the base of the leaf to points along its edge. Smaller, secondary veins branch out from the larger veins.

Leaf Margin: The leaf margin can be entire or toothed, depending on the species.

Leaf Color: Leaf color varies but is often green with varying shades.

Flower Structure: Five-petaled flowers with a distinctive lower petal (spur), usually solitary on a long stem. Flowers are approximately 1" in diameter across their widest spread.

Flower Color: Flower colors can vary widely among species, including shades of purple, blue, pink, and white. Stripes of color may be present.

Fruit: The fruit is a capsule containing small seeds.

Seed: Small seeds are contained within the capsules.

Stem: A true stem is nonexistent. Each leaf stem passed separately down through the soil to an underground, segmented tuber. 

Hairs: Fine hairs may be present on some species but are not a prominent feature.

Height: Wild Viola species vary in height, typically ranging from a few inches to about a foot.

Wild violet plant.



Wild violet seed pods.


Close-up of wild violet flower.

Wild violet leaves and tubers.

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.


Wild violets are a wonderful winter/spring nibble and if you're lucky, summer and fall, too! They prefer cool, damp areas of woods during the summer but during the winter they can be found in sunnier locations including yards. The heart-shaped leaves grow in a rosette form from an underground tuber and the leaf stems usually enter the soil individually. The violet flowers have five petals with the lowest petal being significantly thicker than the other petals. Only only flower forms per flower stalk. The "seed pods" hang down from individual stalks and kind of have the appearance of purple/brown bell peppers.

The leaves and flowers of wild violets are loaded with vitamin A & C which help keep many an Appalachian child nourished. The leaves and flowers are eaten raw or mixed in any sort of salad or green smoothie.

A reader of this blog wrote me of a bad experience after eating a bunch of wild violets sautéed with butter and garlic. Later that night she was struck by horrible stomach distress and spent the night in the bathroom. This issue had never come up in my experience or in any reference books I own. Further research turned up a record in an old Indian (Asian subcontinent) herbal book that the violet compound "violine" is an emeto-cathartic (makes you purge from both ends!) in large doses. The fact that this isn't mentioned anywhere else suggests it is an extremely rare issue and not one I'm concerned about when eating reasonable amounts of violets.


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.

Water Hyacinth

Scientific name: Eichhornia crassipes
Abundance: invasive
What: young leaves, stems, bottom "flotation pods"
How: boiled, fried
Where: marshes, water
When: all year
Nutritional Value: Vitamin A
Dangers: Raw and cooked plants may cause itchiness in some people. Also, these plants collect and concentrate any toxin/pollutants in the water, so only collect them from areas of know high water quality. Water hyacinth is very prolific and invasive which has resulted in many places outlawing its transport. This means you might get arrested for taking some home to eat. Water hyacinths are a free floating plant that can be very invasive.

Leaf Arrangement: Rosette formation at the plant's center, with leaves emerging in a circular pattern.

Leaf Shape: Broadly ovate to rounded, typically 4 to 8 inches in diameter.

Leaf Venation: Veins radiate from the leaf base, visible and prominent.

Leaf Margin: The margins are wavy or crinkled, and entire.

Leaf Color: Bright green, often with a glossy surface.

Flower Structure: Flowers are borne on a spike, each with six petals and showy, distinctively arranged. Flower diameter is about 3".

Flower Color: Lavender to purple, with a yellow patch on the uppermost petal.

Fruit: The fruit is a three-celled capsule, but it is rarely seen as reproduction is mainly vegetative.

Seed: Seeds are small and numerous, though infrequently produced.

Stem: Short, thick, spongy stems that support the floating rosette.

Hairs: There are no hairs on the leaves or stems; surfaces are smooth.

Height: The plant floats on the water surface, with leaves and flowers rising a few inches to a foot above the water.  

Water hyacinths floating in a lake.


Cluster of water hyacinths.




Closeup of water hyacinth air bladders.


Full plant removed from the water.


Closeup of water hyacinth flowers.




More pictures of water hyacinths.




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.


Sadly, the invasive Water Hyacinths are choking Texas waterways. They quickly reproduce from just a small bit of root, easily covering entire lakes in a few months. Imported from Asia as a decorative plant due to their beautiful flowers, these floating, bulbous plants are an ecological nightmare. Due to their incredible ease and speed of reproduction, it is illegal to transport Water Hyacinths even if your plan is to eat it.

In Asian countries the "heart" of the Water Hyacinth is cooked up and used in a manner like artichoke hearts. They must be cooked to kill any waterborne, infectious microbes. To prepare, cut away the leaves, flowers, and fine roots from the core of the water Hyacinth. Boil this heart or thinly slice it for use in a stir-fry dish.


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.

Water Plantain

Scientific name: Alisma plantago
Abundance: uncommon
What: rootstock, young leaves
How: boiled, roasted
Where: sunny water
When: roots - winter, spring, early summer
Other uses: carbohydrates
Dangers: Must be cooked to be edible otherwise it is too bitter and somewhat toxic.

Water plantain in pond.


Water plantain along edge of stream.


Water plantain flowers.




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.


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.


Quickly appearing in just about any shallow water, from streams and lakes to roadside ditches, the somewhat spearhead-shaped, palmately-veined leaves of Water Plantains are easy to spot. The white, three petaled flowers on a stalk add a certain beauty, in my eyes. They are very common across Easy, Central, and the Gulf Coast regions of Texas but more rare in the drier West Texas lands.

The thicker roots contain starch which becomes edible/digestible after boiling or roasting. They are quite bitter so often boiling THEN roasting is the recommended way of preparing them.


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.

Wax Myrtle/Bayberry

Scientific name: Myrica cerifera
Abundance: plentiful
What: leaves
How: seasoning herb
Where: woods, landscapes
When: leaves are present all year, though they are most aromatic in late winter/early spring.
Nutritional Value: flavonoids/anitoxidants
Other uses: The small blue berries have a wax coating which can be used to make bayberry candles.

Medicinal Summary:
Root Bark - soothes inflamed skin; soothes gastrointestinal and urinary tract inflammation; diuretic to flush kidney stones; soothes sore throat (poultice, tisane)

Leaf Arrangement: The leaves are alternate along the stems.

Leaf Shape: The leaves are simple, elliptical to lanceolate.

Leaf Venation: The venation is pinnate.

Leaf Margin: The leaf margin is typically entire, but it can be slightly serrated.

Leaf Color: The leaves are glossy green on the upper surface, while the underside may have a silvery-white or grayish color.

Flower Structure: Wax Myrtle produces small, inconspicuous flowers in catkin-like structures. The flowers are unisexual, meaning individual plants are either male or female.

Flower Color: The flowers are yellow-green.

Fruit: The fruit is a small, waxy berry-like drupe. They grow in tight clusters along the branches of female plants.

Seed: The seeds are contained within the waxy drupe and are typically small and hard.

Bark: The bark is generally smooth and grayish-brown.

Hairs: No hairs.

Height: Wax Myrtle can vary in height but typically grows as a large shrub or small tree, reaching heights of 10 to 20 feet.

Wax myrtle/Bayberry berries


Wax myrtle/Bayberry 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.


Allow leaves to dry or force-dry the leaves in an oven, then crumble into food. These are one of the key seasoning for Cajun seafood boils. I like to use it as a replacement for Italian season to make a delicious "Cajun" lasagna.

Bayberry candles are made from the wax found on the outside of the small, blue berries. Boil the berries in some water and collect the wax that floats to the surface. This wax is brittle and doesn't mold well. Combine the bayberry wax with beeswax or other soft wax for better results. Yes, I know bayberry candles are a key component of pagan money spells. No, I don't sell bayberry candles.


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.

Wild Bergamot

Scientific Name(s): Monarda fistulosa
Abundance: uncommon
What: flower
How: tea; flavoring
Where: shady, moist areas
When: late spring, summer, early fall
Nutritional Value: unknown
Dangers: bees love these flowers

Medicinal Summary:
Flowers/Leaves/Stem - soothes irritated skin; antibacterial; relieves indigestion; sweat inducer; stimulant; diuretic; helps pass kidney stones; pain reliever; expectorant; headache reducer; soothes sore throat (poultice, tisane)

Leaf Arrangement: Leaves are arranged opposite-alternating along the stem. Two leaves will be directly opposite one another, but the leaf pairs above and below will be rotated 90 degrees around the stem.

Leaf Shape: The leaves are lanceolate to ovate, measuring 2 to 4 inches in length and 0.5 to 2 inches in width.

Leaf Venation: Pinnate venation is observed, with prominent veins running parallel to each other.

Leaf Margin: The leaf margin is toothed, with small serrations along the edges.

Leaf Color: The leaves exhibit a medium green coloration.

Flower Structure: Flowers are tubular in shape and are arranged in dense, terminal, spherical clusters known as inflorescences.

Flower Color: The flowers display lavender to pink-purple coloring.

Fruit: The fruit consists of small nutlets, but it is not often a significant feature for identification.

Seed: Small and irregularly shaped seeds are present but are not typically used for identification.

Stem: The stem is square-shaped and its color can vary from green to purple.

Hairs: Fine hairs can be found on the stem and sometimes on the leaves of this plant.

Height: Monarda fistulosa typically reaches a height of 2 to 4 feet.

Wild Bergamot flowers.






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.


Stands of wild bergamot flowers dot the Texas countryside during summer. They prefer shade and moist soil so look for them under trees along drainage ditches and near ponds. What looks like a single big flower is actually a cluster of many long, tubular flowers...usually swarming with bees! Being a mint, they have the mint family's square, hollow stem and opposite-alternating leaves.

The flower makes a great tea with a sweet, herbal flavor similar to its smell. The flowers can be dried for later use but I prefer them fresh off the plant. A tincture (alcohol extract) made from wild bergamot is supposedly an excellent oral treatment for yeast infections. It also is used medicinally in the same manner as other mints. When smoked it SUPPOSEDLY delivers the antibiotics directly to the lungs to fight lung infections but I can't confirm 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.

Wild Lettuce

Scientific Name(s): Lactuca spp.
Abundance: uncommon
What: young leaves, shoots, flower buds/stalks
How: leaves & shots raw or boiled; flower buds/stalks cooked
Where: woods, fields, disturbed areas, moist areas
When: spring
Nutritional Value: fiber, some minerals

Medicinal Summary:
Sap - sedative, cough suppressant; soothes chronic pain; anti-anxiety (tisane, tincture)

There are twelve different wild Lactuca species, of which I've only found three. These are Lactuca serriola (aka prickly lettuce), Lactuca canadensis, and Lactuca floridana. Lactuca floridana and Lactuca serriola are fairly common in the Houston area while Lactuca canadensis appears more frequently in areas north and east of Houston.

Lactuca canadensis. Note the lobed leaves at the base and unlobed leaves up higher.


Young Lactuca floridana. All leaves are lobed.


Mature Lactuca floridana.




Lactuca floridana 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.


Both the tasty Lactuca canadenesis and the somewhat bitter Lactuca floridana can grow 7-9 feet tall.

Lactuca canadenesis Structural Features:

Leaf Arrangement: Leaves start out as basal rosette and deeply lobed when plant is young then grow alternating along the stem. Leaves higher up the stem are much less lobed than those at the base.

Leaf Shape: The leaves are lanceolate to oblanceolate, measuring 2 to 12 inches in length and 0.5 to 2 inches in width.

Leaf Venation: Pinnate veins system.

Leaf Margin: The leaf margin is typically serrated or toothed.

Leaf Color: Medium to dark green

Flower Structure: Many small (<0.5" diameter), flower heads arranged in clusters at the ends of stems.

Flower Color: The petals of the flower heads are yellow.

Fruit: The fruit consists of small achenes with a pappus (tuft of hairs) for dispersal.

Seed: Achenes are small and brown, often with a pappus attached.

Stem: The stem is erect, branching, and when damaged it produces white sap that very quickly turns yellow.

Hairs: Fine hairs/spines along rib on underside of leaf.

Height: Lactuca canadensis can reach heights of 4 to 9 feet.

Lactuca floridana Structural Features:

Leaf Arrangement: Leaves start out as basal rosette and then grow alternating along the stem. Leaves are deeply lobed in all positions and age.

Leaf Shape: The leaves are lanceolate to oblanceolate, measuring 2 to 12 inches in length and 0.5 to 2 inches in width.

Leaf Venation: Pinnate veins system.

Leaf Margin: The leaf margin is typically serrated or toothed.

Leaf Color: Medium to dark green

Flower Structure: Many small (<0.5" diameter), flower heads arranged in clusters at the ends of stems.

Flower Color: The petals of the flower heads are blue-white.

Fruit: The fruit consists of small achenes with a pappus (tuft of hairs) for dispersal.

Seed: Achenes are small and brown, often with a pappus attached.

Stem: The stem is erect, branching, and when damaged it produces white sap that very quickly turns yellow.

Hairs: Fine hairs/spines along rib on underside of leaf.

Height: Lactuca floridana can reach heights of over 14 feet.

How to tell them apart:

L. canadenesis 
Leaves: deeply lobed at base of plant but much more un-lobed, grass-like at top of plant.
Sap: white at first but quickly turns dark yellowish as it dries.
Flowers: yellow.
Height: 5-9 feet

L. biennis
Sap: stays white even after drying.
Leaves: deeply lobed from base of plant all the way to those at top.
Flowers: blue-white.
Height: up to 16 feet.

The young leaves of L. canadenesis have a slight bitterness, even less than some arugulas, and can be added to salads raw. The flower stalks are tender before the flowers open and can be snapped off and cooked similar to asparagus.

L. biennis is extremely bitter even when very young. Boiling in multiple changes of water helps but most people still don't like it, plus that removes any minerals. On the plus side, the plants produce a LOT of leaves, so you can get a lot of food from it.

There is some record of wild lettuces being smoked for medicinal purposes but it is supposedly a very harsh smoke and must be mixed with other herbs to reduce this harshness.

The sap is collected by pureeing the leaves and stem, squeezing out the juice through a tightly-woven fabric, then boiled down to a black, gooey tar. This tar contains the sedative/pain relieving compounds lactucin and lactucopicrin. The tar is usually taken by dissolving a pea-sized drop of it in a shot of alcohol.


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.