Wildly Nibbling My Way Through 2025
98 more edibles to choose from
Let’s give it up for being half way through the year of 20205 and the Eat Something Wild Everyday Challenge, clap, clap, clap (hey, where are the emojis on substack?)
I set this goal for myself to not only eat something wild everyday of 2025, but to eat something new each day. Sometimes that has meant the same plant/different part, but mostly it’s been a different species. And so far, almost all of them have come from my home at Herb Mountain (what an abundant place- wow!)
It is now Week 26 , and I take a pause every 3 months to review the plants I have shared in the weekly graphics, by giving their botanical names and the best way to consume them and my interpretation of how they taste.
At the end of March on Week 12, I published a post with 84 wild edibles. And since then, I have given you 98 more edibles in graphic form. 98 + 84 already!
Are any of you challenging yourself with eating more wild things? What’s it been like for you? Are you remembering to do it, or does the day fly by and you’ve forgotten? I am in Zone 6 in North America in North Carolina, and I understand that not all of these plants are accessible everywhere, but they are fairly common in the temperate zones. If you are in tropical climes or colder zones, I would love to hear what your ‘go to’ plants are for eating wild.
And remember:
*This challenge doesn’t have to be every single day, so don’t get discouraged if you’ve missed some days or haven’t even started yet! The point is to cultivate ‘eating something wild’ until it turns into a habit.
*You can just nibble, which is what I mostly do, or actually turn the plants into a meal, depending on what you have access to in combo with your time, energy and knowledge.
*Wild? When I say wild, I mean eating a plant that grew on its own free will. This could be native edibles, naturalized edibles, repairers of the breech edibles (my new name for invasives) and even volunteers from plants that were/are cultivated. It can also mean eating insects, wild animals and fungi, but here I am just focusing on the plants.
***Also Note: This challenge is not an identification class, so whatever plants I share, please only eat them if you are 100% sure you can identify them correctly and that they are growing in a toxic-free zone. If you live nearby (Asheville, NC), you can attend my monthly Earth Devotion Gatherings, where we meet, greet and eat wild plants, among other glorious things.
98 edibles from the plant nation:
(all can be eaten raw unless otherwise noted)
Fiddleheads (Matteuccia struthiopteris) You absolutely need to cook these babies!
Sheep Sorrel (Rumex acetosella) As the name suggests, it’s sour! Good in salads.
Sochan/ Green Head Coneflower (Rudbeckia laciniata) Similar taste to celery and great in stir-fry.
Wild Mustard Flowers (Brassica spp.) Garnish salads and soups.
Agrimony (Agrimonia spp.) I just nibble when in the woods. Astringent!
Branch Lettuce (Micranthes micranthidifolia) Lightly steamed is nice.
Sassafras Flowers (Sassafras albidum) Just nibble on the trail- delicious!
Wintercress Seedpods (Cardimine spp.) When I weed ‘em, I eat ‘em.
Maple Samaras (Acer spp.) Peel off outer casing for the seed inside, tastes nutty.
Moneyplant Flowers (Lunaria biennis) For salads.
Jewelweed Sprout (Impatiens spp.) I only nibble a couple of these each year.
Garlic Mustard (Alliaria petiolata) Steam this plant up and serve it to the masses to use it up!
Pawpaw Flowers (Asimina triloba) Just taste a bit of it for fun. Not a food.
Hostas (Hosta spp.) Young leaves can be used as wraps instead of wheat!
Mock Strawberry Flowers (Potentilla indica) Yellow color burst for salads.
Lyreleaf Sage (Salvia lyrata) A little nibble goes a long way;-)
Robin’s Plantain Flowers (Erigeron pulchellus) I suck on them.
Crabapple Blossoms (Malus spp.) So fragrant, garnish a special cake!
Chameleon Plant (Houttuynia cordata) So strong, some like it, I don’t. Don’t make the mistake I did of planting this in your garden.
Wood Sorrel/Sourgrass (Oxalis acetosella) Children’s favorite wild edible to snack.
Green and Gold Flowers (Chrysogonum virginianum) Not the best, but edible!
Wisteria Flowers (Wisteria floribunda) So fragrant and fun to nibble.
Black Birch Catkin Stems (Betula lenta) Gently peel off flowers and a wintergreen, delicious stem remains and will dissolve in your mouth. Very special experience.
Coral Honeysuckle (Lonicera sempervirens) Flowers to sprinkle in soups.
Spicebush Leaves (Lindera benzoin) Look for young ones and chomp.
Blackberry Flowers (Rubus spp.) Nibble
Sweet Cicely (Myrrhis odorata) So licorice-y enjoyable but has deadly look alikes so identify for certain before eating.
Wild Rose (Rosa spp.) Another cake decorator extraordinaire
Hackberry Leaf (Celtis occidentalis) Not much to write about, but it’s in the Cannabis family.
Lyreleaf Sage Flowers (Salvia lyrata) Add to your salad or eat plain.
Black Locust Flowers (Robinia pseudoacacia) I only eat one, and use the rest to make a suntea.
Ramps (Allium tricoccum) Yum yum yum yum, please don’t take the root.
Goldenrod Leaves (Solidago spp.) Get them while young and tender and steam.
Tulip Tree Flowers (Liriodendron tulipifera) Lick the sweet center and nibble the petals which aren’t nearly as sweet.
Wingstem Leaves (Verbesina alternifolia) Get them while young and steam.
Sassafras Leaves (Sassafras albidum) I dry and grind for gumbo.
Spiderwort Flowers ( Tradescantia spp.) Eat it right there and see what you think!
Indian Cucumber Root (Medeola virginiana) Quenches thirst.
White Lettuce (Nabalus albus) Bitter as all get out. Cook in 3 sets of boiling water.
Wood Nettle (Laportea canadensis) Makes a splendid nettle soup!
Mustard Seedpods (Brassica spp.) Chop fine and add to coleslaw.
False Dandelion (Hypochaeris radicata) Raw or cooked.
Giant Chickweed (Myosoton aquaticum) Make it into a pesto.
Valerian Flowers (Valeriana officinalis) I just nibble on these.
Magenta Lambsquarters (Chenopodium album) Raw or cooked.
Wild Grape Leaves (Vitis spp.) Pickle for making dolmas.
Daisy Fleabane Flowers (Erigeron annuus) I suck on them:-)
Golden Alexander Seeds (Zizia aurea) Chew them up right there in the woods.
Honewort (Cryptotaenia canadensis) I eat the tips while looking at the plant.
Yellow Dock Seeds (Rumex spp.) I add these to bread baking.
Mock Strawberry/Snakeberry (Potentilla indica) Flavorless but fun.
Roundleaf Plantain (Plantago major) Excellent dental health herb to eat.
Plantain Flowers (Plantago spp.) Pluck the little things off and eat them.
Pink Evening Primrose (Oenothera speciosa) A real nice addition to anything!
Walnut Flowers (Juglans nigra) You wouldn’t believe how intense these tiny flowers taste! Pull them off of the stem.
Honeysuckle (Lonicera japonica) Lick the nectar from the flower’s center.
Hop Clover Flowers (Trifolium aureum) Nothing to write home about.
Sheep Sorrel Seeds (Rumex acetosella) Sour drops.
Galinsoga/Quickweed (Galinsoga parviflora) I love the taste of this plant but not the hairy texture.
Oxeye Daisy Flowers (Leucanthemum vulgare) Eat the petals and toss the center.
Buckwheat Tips (Fagopyrum esculentum) This whole plant is edible raw or cooked.
Amaranth Tips (Amaranthus spp.) See if you can beat the groundhogs to them.
Wild White Vervain (Verbena urticifolia) So bitter, nibble a little, good for digestion.
Juneberry/Serviceberry (Amelanchier alnifolia) See if you can beat the birds to them.
Red Mulberry (Morus rubra) Oh my god I could eat these till I make myself sick.
White Mulberry (Morus alba) Sweeter than the red, a little too sweet imo.
Black Raspberry (Rubus occidentalis) Phenomenal flavor. Makes great jam!
Daylily Flowers (Hemerocallis fulva) Add petals to salads.
Lesser Ragweed (Ambrosia artemisiifolia) Nibble occasionally for homeopathic support in preventing fall allergies.
Red Clover (Trifolium pratense) Pull apart the pink petals and put in salad.
Dayflower/Commelina (Commelina spp.) Best if swallowed up by lettuce.
Elder Flowers (Sambucus canadensis) Fry these up in fitters- don’t eat raw!
Yucca Flowers (Yucca) These taste terrible (yukka) and I don’t recommend to eat but it’s worth it to taste so you can get a better sense of the plant.
Prickly Pear Paddy (Opuntia spp.) Use caution and gloves, read about processing before eating so you don’t get cactus hairs in your mouth. Delicious!!
Self Heal (Prunella vulgaris) I put a little bit in salad.
Poppy Flowers (Papaver spp.) Only eat a tiny nibble, not to be eaten in quantity.
Hopi Amaranth (Amaranthus cruentus) Add it to stir frys
Yellow Evening Primrose Flowers (Oenothera biennis) I love these petals raw.
Stonecrop (Sedum spp.) There’s many types of these and they are all edible.
Basswood Leaves (Tilia americana) Cut up for salad.
Wild little Violas (Viola spp.) These are like heartsease instead of violets and have a wintergreen flavor.
Wafer Ash Seeds (Ptelea trifoliata) Peel back the seed coating and eat the center.
Buckwheat Flowers (Fagopyrum esculentum) Nibbles and salads.
Purslane (Portulaca oleracea) Super delicious edible raw green.
Mimosa (Albizia julibrissin) Pull apart the silk- like petals and sprinkle in salads. Tastes terrible eaten alone.
Thimble Leaf (Rubus parviflorus) Astringent but decent tasting.
Thimble Flower (Rubus parviflorus) That color going in our bodies has got to be so good for us!
Spikenard Flower Buds (Aralia racemosa) Intense! Try it only if there is an abundant patch.
Hop Hornbeam/Musclewood Seeds (Carpinus caroliniana) Find the little nutlet seed in the hanging hop and eat that. Crunch, crunch!
Jewelweed (Impatiens spp.) Just eat a wee bit, not for making a dish.
Barberry Leaf (Berberis spp.) Pleasantly sour. Kids love to taste this.
Blackberry (Rubus spp.) Ranges from so sour to wonderfully sweet, depending on what species is near you.
Rose of Sharon Flower (Hibiscus syriacus) Eat only the petals and leave the bulky center of female and male parts. The petals feel so good going down.
Shiso (Perilla frutescens) Excellent to add in salads.
Queen Anne’s Lace Flower (Daucus carota) Pick off the tiny white petals and eat them one by one while thinking about something you love.
Downy Wood Mint (Blephilia ciliata) Not great, but you can pluck off the flowers and eat them alone.
Wineberries (Rubus phoenicolasius) My most favorite wild berry of all.
Wood Sorrel Seedpods/Fairy Pickles (Oxalis acetosella) Cute, fun and yum!
Looking for wild edibles with friends~
In this list I don’t even mention the plants’ vitamin, mineral, amino acid, antioxidant and/or medicinal content, but they are rich in gifts for good health.
So… if you haven’t yet today, go outside and look for something you can taste. Grab a plant that you know is safe, and put it in your mouth. Chew it a little to release its essence and stand still in silent praise.
MMS
June 28, 2025
Under a waxing crescent moon in Leo
Weaving Community~
~Do I have any readers here who both love yoga and live locally? If so, you may be interested in joining me for a 4 part series with my yoga mentor Shala Worsley called The Myth of Inanna: Descent into Darkness & Return to Wholeness. We will meet in her studio in North Asheville once per per month: August 26th, Sept 30, Nov 4, Nov, Dec 2 on Tuesdays, 1 - 3:30pm. Cost is $200. Email mary@maryplantwalker.com if interested.
~A dear friend, whose work I love on mothering, has just joined the Substack Community! It’s called After All That, by Beth Berry, naming what’s tender, true, and missing from modern womanhood as motherhood wanes. She’s such a gifted writer! Welcome, Beth!
Amazing list! Thank you, it's a keeper xo
Such a delightful treat to read this list and see some beloved friends (purslane, sochan, sorrel) and some new ideas (hop hornbeam seeds?!) Thank you for your beautiful writings which help re-member us to our rooted kin!