Spring Foraging: 3 Edible Wild Plants that are Incredibly Easy to Find

Spring foraging can be intimidating. Mushrooms and green sprouts are common finds on a hike or walk through your yard, but how do you know what is safe to eat? These three wild edible plants are so incredibly easy to find that almost anyone of any age can identify and enjoy them. Here is a quick read on how you can join in the spring foraging fun!

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What Does Foraging Mean?

Foraging means that you look for wild edible plants available to you in the surrounding environment. These are NOT plants that have been purposefully grown or cultivated. You find them and you eat them. It is that simple. But any forager knows that you have to be careful to identify wild edible plants, not things that could be harmful or toxic. That is why I wanted to point out the easiest of all wild plants that you may not even know are edible.

Spring Foraging – Three Common Wild Edible Plants

Many people consider these three wild edible plants to be “weeds”, but when I I look at them I see beauty and a meal.

In the springtime, they are also incredibly abundant so that you can find them easily in places like your yard, parks, or along trails. It is true that they are a bit invasive, which is why I chose to highlight them as there is no harm in removing these plants from public lands in order to eat. In fact this may be encouraged! Just be careful that where ever you are doing your spring foraging you follow these two rules:

1 – Make sure you have permission to forage in your chosen area. Go to your state Department of Natural Resources, State Parks website, or local municipality to find out the rules.

2 – Do not pick from areas near a farm field or that have been sprayed with chemicals. The last thing you want is a mouthful of toxic substances, especially if you have small children since they are more susceptible to the effects of chemicals.

Dandelions

Dandelions are one of the most widely known plants on Earth. Easily recognized by their saw-toothed leaves and bright yellow flowers. The flowers bring a smile to my face as one of the first signs that we are truly in spring. You may be surprised to find that all parts of a dandelion plant are edible; the roots, leaves, and flowers. The best tasting part, however, are the leaves, which are high in vitamins A, C, and K. They are especially tender and delicious when they first make their appearance in the spring. The longer the plants stick around, the larger and more bitter the greens become. So pick them when they are young to make a dandelion salad. When the plants are more mature, try sautéing the leaves in butter and season with garlic salt. The flowers make a fancy edible garnish, and the roots are often used to make wine or roasted and ground for a coffee substitute. Dandelions should be your first dabble into spring foraging.

Garlic Mustard

Garlic mustard has truly made its mark as one of the most invasive plants in America. It is quickly spreading through state and national parks and you can find lots of volunteer opportunities to help clear park areas of this plant. The great thing about volunteering is that you can be rewarded with an abundance of tasty free food. You can recognize this invasive wild edible by the cluster of white flowers on top and the heart-shaped leaves with teeth that alternate up the stalk of the plant. It is 1 to 3 feet high when full grown and the plants are most commonly found in shady areas along the edge of woods and on the roadside. The leaves, stems, and seed pods have a garlicky flavor that can spice up any salad. The seeds can be harvested and used as a pepper substitute. My favorite way to use garlic mustard is to make a fresh pesto out of the leaves and stems in place of traditional basil.

Click Here for my Pesto Recipe

Common Violets

Violets are almost too pretty to eat! Their purple and white flowers make them easy to spot on a forest floor. Violets are also commonplace in lawns that are not treated with chemicals. These wild edible plants often grow low to the ground around 4 inches high, but can reach heights up to 10 inches. The leaves grow out of the base of the plant and are heart-shaped. The green leaves, stems, and flowers are all edible. The leaves are especially high in vitamins A, C, and K. Violets have a very mild flavor and the flowers are beautiful addition to cakes, salads, garnishes, or frozen into ice cubes. The leaves and stems are also a healthy addition to sneak into a smoothie or mix with other greens in a salad.

Spring Foraging Resources

I hope you are inspired to make the trek out to your yard or a park to try spring foraging for these 3 common wild edible plants. It is such a fun family activity that can convince even the pickiest of eaters to try something new!

If you are interested in learning more about spring foraging, check out these additional resources:

Find out more about seasonal eating here: How to Eat the Seasons

Green Life Philosophy

Spring Foraging: 3 Edible Wild Plants that are Incredibly Easy to Find

What Does Foraging Mean?