Salsify

Scientific Name(s): Tragopogon dubius, Tragopogon porrifolius
Abundance: uncommon
What: root, young leaves
How: root cooked, pickled; young leaves cooked
Where: sunny, disturbed areas, borders, fields
When: fall, winter, spring
Nutritional Value: calories, vitamin C
Dangers: don't mistake poisonous Groundsel for Salsify

Leaf Arrangement: The leaves are arranged alternately along the stem.

Leaf Shape: The leaves are long, narrow, and grass-like, typically measuring about 10 to 15 inches in length and 0.2 to 0.5 inches in width.

Leaf Venation: The venation is parallel, typical of grass-like plants.

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

Leaf Color: The leaves are a blue-green to gray-green color.

Flower Structure: The flowers are large and showy, borne singly at the end of long stalks. Each flower has a typical daisy-like structure with a central disk and surrounding petals.

Flower Color: Tragopogon porrifolius typically has purple flowers, while Tragopogon dubius has yellow flowers.

Fruit: The plant produces a large, dandelion-like seed head 4"across, with fluffy seeds.

Seed: The seeds are attached to fine, hair-like structures that aid in wind dispersal.

Stem: The stem is erect, slender, and can grow quite tall.

Hairs: There are no significant hairs on the leaves or stems.

Height: Salsify plants can grow to a height of 2 to 3 feet.

The taproot of salsify, though this one was harvested to early and is too small to eat. Note the slenderness of the leaves and white sap.


Salsify flowers look like dandelion flowers but with brown markings on their stamens and several green, radial spikes.




The plants themselves grow to over two feet tall with narrow leaves partially clasping the stems.




Once the flower has been pollinated it (technically "they") close up for a few days to grow the seeds.


The "puffball" seedbeds are huge compared to other members of the dandelion family!


The seedbeds are easily 4" across.


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.


Every summer I drive from Texas up to my parent's place in Minnesota and see pale, green Salsify lining the ditches the whole way. They are another "nurse plant" who's job is to rapidly expand across bare soil, covering it to keep it from being washed away in rain and adding organic matter back into the soil with its thick, long taproots. These "weeds" need full sun, even in Texas and so won't grow if shaded. Like dandelions, Salsify forms a "puffball" when it goes to seed but these puffballs are massive, being three inches across. My mom used to collect Salsify puffballs and spray paint them for use in floral arrangements. A cut/broken plant will bleed white sap which oxidizes to a brown color.

The leaves of Salsify are used like dandelion leaves to handle their somewhat bitter flavor. The yellow flower petals have a pleasant, mild flavor similar to dandelion flowers and can be eaten raw or brewed into tea. Note that the leaves are slender and lack the lobes of other members of the dandelion family. The biggest leaves can grow to over 15" long with bases over 1" across where they clasp the stem.

Salsify taproots are the best part, with Tragopogon porrifolius being preferred over Tragopogon dubius. These pale, who roots can be eaten raw or cooked like carrots. Harvest them when the above ground portion has just turned brown. These roots lose their flavor relatively soon after harvesting so use them right away.

Edible Dandelion Mimics:
Dandelion
Cat's Ear
Chicory
Japanese Hawkweed
Salsify
Sow Thistle
Texas Dandelion
Wild Lettuce


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.

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.

Sassafras

Scientific name: Sassafras albidum
Abundance: uncommon
What: twigs, roots, leaves
How: drinks, candy
Where: forest edge
When: all year though roots are most flavorful if harvested in late winter
Nutritional Value: none
Dangers: My lawyer says I have to warn you that drinking sassafras tea could harm you even though the compound thought to be dangerous, safrole, is destroyed by the boiling water.

Leaf Arrangement: Leaves are alternately arranged along the stems.

Leaf Shape: The leaves are variable, featuring three distinct shapes on the same tree—oval, mitten-shaped, and three-lobed.

Leaf Venation: The venation is pinnate.

Leaf Margin: Leaf margins are smooth.

Leaf Color: The upper surface of the leaves is shiny green, while the underside may have a paler hue.

Flower Structure: Small, yellow-green flowers are arranged in loose clusters.

Flower Color: The flowers are typically yellow-green and are found on separate male and female trees.

Fruit: The fruit is a dark blue-black drupe borne on a red stalk.

Seed: The seeds are small, dark, and enclosed within the drupe.

Bark: The bark is smooth and green on younger branches, becoming rougher and brown on mature trunks.

Hairs: The plant may have fine hairs on young stems and leaves.

Height: Sassafras trees can range from small shrubs to medium-sized trees, reaching heights of 20 to 40 feet.

Sassafras leaves



Three types of leaves.


Small sassafras tree.


Sassafras tree bark. As they mature the bark turns from green to grayish.


Here's a bunch of seedlings (greenish trunks) around a mother sassafras tree (brown trunk).


Close-up of Sassafras flowers, which appear in the spring before the leaves. (Picture taken end of February in Houston).


Sassafras berries, appearing in July in East Texas. Photo curtesy of Sassafras Susette Renfro-Taylor.


Close-up of sassafras berry. Photo curtesy of Sassafras Susette Renfro-Taylor.


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.


Easily identifiable small tree, just look for the three types of leaves all on one tree. One leaf has three lobes, one has two lobes that look like a mitten, and the third leaf will be unlobed.

Root beer was originally flavored by the roots of sassafras harvested in late winter. Twigs collected at this time will also supply the root beer flavoring with the most concentrated amounts of flavor is found in the root bark of "suckers" growing around the base of the tree.

Young sassafras leaves are dried, then pounded into a fine Filé powder used in gumbo and other Cajun cooking. Filé powder shouldn't be boiled when cooked as this makes it stringy and alters the flavor. It is better added to the meal in a small serving dish for people to add to the already-cooked gumbo.

Euell Gibbons used to smoke a daily pipe mixture of peppermint, betony and sassafras in hopes that the medicinal properties of these plants would help undo damage done by his daily smoking of tobacco.


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.

Sea Purslane

Scientific Name(s): Sesuvium portulacastrum
Abundance: uncommon
What: leaves, stems, flowers
How: raw or cooked
Where: coastal beaches
When: spring, summer, fall, winter
Nutritional Value: NaCl,
Dangers: can be extremely salty

Leaf Arrangement: The leaves are arranged oppositely along the stem.

Leaf Shape: The leaves are thick, fleshy, and cylindrical to oval, typically measuring about 1 to 3 inches in length.

Leaf Venation: The venation is not distinctly visible due to the fleshy nature of the leaves.

Leaf Margin: The margins of the leaves are smooth (entire).

Leaf Color: The leaves are a bright green, sometimes with a reddish or purplish tinge under stress conditions like high salinity or drought.

Flower Structure: The 5-petaled flowers are small, solitary, and borne in the leaf axils.

Flower Color: The flowers are usually pink or purple.

Fruit: The plant produces a small, capsule-like fruit.

Seed: The seeds are tiny and contained within the capsule.

Stem: The stems are succulent, sprawling, and can root at the nodes.

Hairs: There are no significant hairs on the leaves or stems.

Height: Sea Purslane is a low-growing plant, typically reaching only a few inches in height but spreading widely.

Sea Purslane.


Close-up of Sea Purslane flower.


Sea Purslane leaves.


Texas county distribution, attributed to U.S. Department of Agriculture.

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


Creeping along coastal sand dunes, Sea Purslane is often responsible for the creation of these dunes in the first place. The thick, succulent stems and leaves look like a somewhat over-sized version of the Purslane (Portulaca oleracea) you find growing out of sidewalk cracks in the hottest part of the summer. The two are related which is evident in both their shapes and their ability to handle extreme environments. Sea Purslane seems to thrive in the sun-baked, salty, coastal sand.

All above-ground parts of Sea Purslane are edible. Raw, they are a delicious though somewhat salty snack. If too salty, boiling the plant in 1-2 changes of water removes most of the salt, leaving behind a basic "boiled green" which can be used in any manner such as soups, stews, or any other way one uses a cooked green. They are great in salads or to add salt to any dish. Be sure the sand is clean and uncontaminated.

According to Green Deane, Sea Purslane contains the natural steroid ecdysterone which supposedly helps improve athletic performance. However, scientific testing did not show any increase in ability by test subjects taking ecdysterone.

Effects of Methoxyisoflavone, Ecdysterone, and Sulfo-Polysaccharide Supplementation on Training Adaptations in Resistance-Trained Males
Colin D Wilborn,1 Lemuel W Taylor,2 Bill I Campbell,3 Chad Kerksick,4 Chris J Rasmussen,3 Michael Greenwood,3 and Richard B Kreider corresponding author3
J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2006; 3(2): 19–27.
Published online Dec 13, 2006. doi: 10.1186/1550-2783-3-2-19


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.

Sea Rocket

Scientific Name(s): Cakile edentula, C. maritima, C. geniculata, C. lanceolata, C. constricta

Abundance: common

What: leaves, flowers, seed pods
How: cooked, raw
Where: sandy coastal beaches
When: spring, summer, fall, winter
Nutritional Value: minerals, vitamins, flavonoids, antioxidants
Dangers: wash well before eating to remove sand, older plants may be quit strongly-flavored

Leaf Arrangement: The leaves are arranged alternately along the stem.

Leaf Shape: The leaves are fleshy and lobed, often with a wavy or irregular outline, typically measuring about 1 to 3 inches in length.

Leaf Venation: The venation is not prominently visible due to the fleshy nature of the leaves.

Leaf Margin: The margins of the leaves are irregularly lobed.

Leaf Color: The leaves are a green to bluish-green color, sometimes with a purple tinge.

Flower Structure: The flowers are small and borne in clusters at the ends of the stems or in the leaf axils.

Flower Color: The flowers are usually purple or lavender, sometimes white.

Fruit: The plant produces a segmented, elongated fruit that breaks into one-seeded segments when mature.

Seed: Each segment of the fruit contains a single seed.

Stem: The stem is succulent, branching, and can be slightly hairy or smooth.

Hairs: Stem and leaves lack hairs.

Height: Sea rocket typically grows to a height of about 6 to 18 inches.

A cluster of sea rocket plants along the beach in Galveston.


One stem of a sea rocket plant.


Close-up of new growth of the sea rocket (picture taken in February).


The stem and leaves of the sea rocket (picture taken in February).


Close-up of sea rocket's stem and leaves (picture taken in February).


Sea Rocket in summer (June). Seedpods are the dominate structure.


Close-up of Sea Rocket leaves (picture taken in June).


Close-up of Sea Rocket 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.


Growing out of the sand dunes at the high tide limit, sea rocket plants look almost alien. Their thick stems and leaves help maintain moisture under the hot sun and burning sands. During the winter they are leafy but come summer their seedpods look almost like a weird inland coral or strange cactus.

Those with a well developed "plant eye" would suspect sea rocket falls in the mustard (Brassica) family and they would be right. As with most Brassicas, sea rockets can have a very potent taste. The actual strength of their mustard-flavor does depends on the individual plant's growing conditions.

In summer the plants will display the traditional Brassica flower: four petals in a cross (cruciform) configuration, usually yellow but occasionally white, six stamens (male pollen-producers), and one pistil (female pollen-receiver). The flowers are edible as are the spicy seed pods which follow. As the plants matures the edible succulent leaves become more and more pungent. Sea rockets can be eaten raw and are good with anything you would normally use mustard or horseradish. They add a bit of a kick to salads.


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.

Sargassum Seaweed

Scientific Name(s): Sargassum natans and Sargassum fluitans
Abundance: plentiful
What: all parts
How: cooked
Where: sea shore
When: spring, summer
Nutritional Value: calories and protein
Dangers: sharks and blue-green algae

Medicinal Summary: 

Liver protector

Leaf Arrangement: Not applicable, as Sargassum seaweed does not have true leaves but fronds.

Leaf Shape: The fronds are ribbon-like with a series of leaf-like structures called blades, which can be up to 2 inches long.

Leaf Venation: Not applicable to Sargassum, as it does not have veins but rather a simple blade structure.

Leaf Margin: The edges of the fronds are smooth and often undulate, resembling a ruffled appearance.

Leaf Color: Typically a golden brown to olive green, depending on age and environmental conditions.

Flower Structure: Sargassum does not produce flowers; it reproduces through fragmentation and the release of spores.

Flower Color: Not applicable, as Sargassum does not flower.

Fruit: Sargassum does not produce fruit in the traditional sense but releases spores from receptacles. 

Seed: Does not produce seeds; reproduction is through spore release and fragmentation.

Stem: The stem-like structures are called stipes, which are flexible, tough, and range from a few inches to over a foot in length.

Hairs: No hairs are present; the surface of the fronds and stipes are smooth.

Height: As a floating seaweed, Sargassum does not have a height but can form extensive mats on the water's surface.

Sargassum fluitans


Sargassum fluitans close-up


Sargassum natans




Sargassum natans close-up




Coating the Gulf Coast shores and floating in the Gulf waters, sargassum seaweed is generally considered to be a nuisance by beach-goers and city officials, but it plays a critical role in stabilizing beach sand when washed ashore. The seaweeds drifts in all year round but is heaviest during the summer. The floating clusters of sargassum are home to many creatures including tiny crabs, shrimp and other crustaceans.

Two forms of sargassum wash up on shores from Florida to Texas. To the untrained eye they look almost identical and since they are both edible, one doesn't have to be precise in their identification...though you should be. Sargassum fluitans generally has wide, short-stalked "leaves" and its pods usually are not tipped with small spikes. Sargassum natans has long, narrow "leaves" and its pods generally do have a single, tiny spike at the end opposite that attached to the main body.

All parts of sargassums are edible, including the numerous crustaceans that make this seaweed their home. It has a somewhat bitter flavor and is not considered to be as desirable as many of the more northern Pacific and Atlantic seaweeds. However, it is quite plentiful and a decent source of calories. Traditionally it is chopped up and cooked in many ways including boiled, steaming, and sautéing in hot oil. Experiment until you find a method and flavor you like.

The sargassum seaweed will be at its most fresh when plucked from the water rather than collected from shore but watch out for sharks in the water. Perhaps more of a threat is the possibility of contamination with toxic blue-green algae so if the sargassum isn't brown to reddish in color avoid it.

Please remember that sargassum is a vital part of a healthy, biologically diverse shoreline and on Galveston Island a permit is generally required to harvest any there.

Liver-protective properties: Quintal-Novelo C, Rangel-Méndez J, Ortiz-Tello Á, Graniel-Sabido M, Pérez-Cabeza de Vaca R, Moo-Puc R. A Sargassum fluitans Borgesen Ethanol Extract Exhibits a Hepatoprotective Effect In Vivo in Acute and Chronic Liver Damage Models. Biomed Res Int. 2018 Dec 20;2018:6921845. doi: 10.1155/2018/6921845. PMID: 30671467; PMCID: PMC6317085.


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.