40 Edible Native Plants!

The Allegheny Onion is a native wildflower that primarily in open woodlands in Appalachia mid-Atlantic states of North Carolina and Virginia. All parts are edible,

Getting a stand of these going will allow them to grow and spread over time by seed and bulb offsets. The strong aroma of the stalks keep most mammals away, allowing it to grow and compete with much surrounding vegetation.

A native shrub that grows well in full sun to part-shade in poorer soils (even clay), it can be found in Appalachia and Piedmont regions of the Southeastern states from Alabama, to Missouri/IL, and east to PA/VA.

Small clusters of nodding yellow flowers in Spring will turn to edible tart fruits in Fall. This shrub can be suckering, so can be used as a hedge.

American Beautyberry is an absolutely lovely native shrub that produces edible fruits in late summer. Native to the Southeastern United States, it can grow 3-6′ tall and wide in full sun to part shade and well-draining soil.

Beside the edible fruit, the leaves contain natural mosquito repellent chemicals when crushed. Careful buying this one in the stores though, as there is a similar-looking Asian species that is often sold. So, be sure to check the latin name!

Native to most of Eastern North America, American Hazelnut is a tall shrub 9-12′ tall that will sucker. Naturally found in woods, forests, it can grow in anything from full-sun to full shade. However, for the best nut production it should be in full sun. And you can expect 1/2″ nuts produced in the fall that are loved by other mammals.

These shrubs are male and female, and as such you should plan on growing multiple as they are not self-fertile.

Native to most of North America. Actually native to all states except California/Nevada/Louisiana, this small tree to shrub grows 10-20′ tall and will sucker. It can form thickets and act as a natural hedge/fence as it has thorns. Fruits can be eaten fresh, made into jam/jelly, or dried and eaten as prunes. However, they are mostly made into jam or prunes.

But it is highly adaptable in that it can grow in full sun to part-shade, and nearly any soil texture from clay to sandy soil.

Native to the coastal regions from from Virginia to Maine, the Beach Plum is a suckering shrub/tree that can form thickets. Preferring moist, sandy soils, it grows best in full sun. Like the American Plum, the Beach Plum also produces fruits that can be eaten raw, but are most often used for jams or prunes.

A deciduous shrub with a curious native range, Beaked Hazelnut can be found in mountainous areas of Appalachia from Alabama to Maine, the upper Midwest and Great Lakes region, and curiously, along the West Coast from British Columbia to Southern California.

It is suckering, and grows best in moist soils that drains well from full sun to part-shade. It can easily be used to form a hedge or barrier, although deciduous, it will produce edible nuts in Fall.

One of the most important native trees, the Black Cherry hosts hundreds of species of insect on it’s foliage. But it also blooms gorgeous flowers in Spring that are followed by edible cherries in late Summer.

The fruits are small and although edible, have historically been used for flavoring liquor or making jams. The pits are toxic and cannot be eaten.

Huckleberry is a shrub native to Eastern North America. I first encountered this along the Appalachian Trail, enjoying the tasty berries. It is naturally found in acidic soils that drain well, typically above 500 m.

A low growing shrub, it generally only gets 3′ tall. When found in the wild, there are usually large colonies. More sun will produce more berries, like all fruiting plants.

Black Raspberry is one of my favorite native fruit-producers. The fruits that ripen in late Spring are delicious, and when you find one vine, there are usually dozens more nearby. The fruits don’t last long once picked, so they should be made into jams or frozen use later in the year. And yes, they are wonderful on vanilla icecream.

Growing 3′ tall, but as a vine that can reach 10′ in length this plant grows best along the edge of the woods in full sun where it can get some shade.

Ahhh, the Black Walnut Tree. The bane of lawnmowers, but for those who don’t mind some work, one can process a lot of protein from a single healthy Walnut tree every fall. The nuts store for years in cardboard boxes when dry, but can also be frozen or used in cakes/pies, and as a topping. But really though, if you are a homesteader, you should strongly consider growing a couple of these or Shagbark Hickory trees just for the free protein that can easily be stored.

Yes, you read that right. Blueberries are native! You can come across them in many environments, and there are forty members of the Vaccinium genus native to North America, so there is bound to be one native to you! If in the East, try V. corymbosum or V. pallidum (low and high bush blueberry).

They need acidic, well-draining soil to have the proper flavor. And, planting in the sun will yield more & larger berries. Just make sure you get these before the birds!

Another shrub, Black Chokeberry is native to the piedmont and Appalachian Mountains in Eastern North America. This one is highly adaptable and suckers freely making it a natural choice for a hedge.

Now, although technically edible, the berries are astringent and well…. you see the common name! But this shrub does have other benefits in that it has pretty flowers in Spring, turns a beautiful red color in Fall, and feeds birds.

The Butternut tree is a medium-sized deciduous tree found in Eastern North America. The nuts are larger, and many say sweeter than it’s cousin, the Black Walnut. Now, although both are members of the Juglans genus, there are some key differences. First, this tree only lives around 100 years, doesn’t get as large, and the nuts are not nearly as messy.

A curious native range, Canadian Burnet is native to both the Pacific North West, and Eastern North America. A lover of moisture, it freely grows in swamps and near water. The leaves are edible, but should be boiled first to remove any bitterness. Really, this isn’t one I would ever consider cultivating for eating, but if it was prolific in property I purchased, well, I may give it a shot.

Canadian Waterleaf is a herbaceous perennial found in Eastern North America. The leaves are edible as a fresh green or can be sauteed or baked.

Found in moist areas with high-organic matter, ie forests of Appalachia. There are stem leaves and basal leaves, and the stem leaves are probably more palatable.

Native to the Southeastern United States, Creeping Cucumber prefers part sun to full shade, and moist soils that drain well. The light green fruits are edible and have a similar taste to cucumber. Caution should be exercised though, as the fruits can act as a laxative.

A member of the mint family, Dittany is native to South Central and Eastern North America from Texas to New York. Unlike many other species on this list, it likes dry and shallow soils, preferring full sun to part-shade.

When it comes to palatability, this plant has a strong fragrance and can be used as a tea, spice or culinary herb. Hence it’s Latin epitaph ‘origanoides’ means “like oregano”.

The ONLY cactus native to the East Coast! The Eastern Prickly Pear ranges from Texas to Manitoba Canada, then East to Florida/New Hampshire.

As one would expect, it loves full sun, sandy soils, and is drought tolerant. The fruits can be eaten raw or dried for future consumption.

I actually have one of these I’ve been keeping in a pot for several years. Basically I don’t know where to put it, as I have kids and a dog! But, it’s been overwintering in my garage just fine.

Oh yes – my favorite flowering tree. The Eastern Redbud has a huge native range in Eastern North America, and is highly adaptable. The only real requirement is that the soil needs to drain well as long as it gets some moisture.

But for food, did you know the flowers can be eaten raw or as a garnish? And the green seed pods can be cooked like pea pods? Well now you do.

One of the toughest trees in North America, the Eastern Red Cedar has some culinary uses. First, the berries are used to flavor gin (yes, they really are). And second, you too can eat the berries. It could be considered a winter food source, as they often persist all winter. But there are warnings that if you eat large amounts of the berries it can cause diarrhea. For practical purposes, most people are going to use this as a garnish or light flavoring if anything.

Black Elderberry is a native shrub with a wide range covering much of North America. It is highly adaptable and suckering, loving full sun and well draining soils. The flowers are edible, and the berries can be used in jams, jellies, and syrup. But it is very important that the berries are cooked to eliminate toxins, as raw berries are poisonous.

The first time I encountered Huckleberries I was hiking the Appalachian Trail. I originally thought – hey, blueberries…Neat! Only to later learn that these were one of the many species of Huckleberry that inhabit North America.

They love acidic, well-draining soil with organic matter. And they can grow in nearly full shade, but the more sun they receive then the more berries they will produce. Fruits can be eaten raw, frozen, or dried for later use.

A perennial sunflower with a somewhat aggressive reputation, the Jerusalem Artichoke gets it’s common name from the tubers it produces (and rhizomes). They can be cooked and eaten like potatoes. Just be sure you know what you are getting into! These can take over small spaces if not harvested in due time.

But they grow well in full sun and moist soils that drain. Deer will eat these plants, as will other herbivores.

More of an herb/spice/garnish, Mountain Mints are native to much of North America. The leaves are very fragrant and can be used for tea, flavoring, or as a garnish.

As members of the mint family, they will spread if not properly contained (I explain how to do this in my article). But there is surely a species that can grow well in your yard!

Is there a tastier fruit native to North America? I don’t think so. The pawpaw is unique in that the flavor is similar to a banana crossed with a mango. What makes it so desirable is that you can’t buy them outside of a few farmers markets as they generally don’t store well.

But this tree likes moisture, and while it can grow in full shade, the more sun it receives then the more (and larger) fruits it will produce. Note – you need at least two trees for cross pollination!

Another tasty fruit-producing tree, the Persimmon doesn’t get nearly enough love. These trees are fast growing (mine are over 4′ tall after two years), like moisture and full sun, and produce some of the more interesting tree barks from an aesthetic point of view.

But the fruits! They are the most bitter things when they first come off the tree (like the picture at right). But if you let them ripen on the counter until they get squishy (approximately 4 weeks), the bitterness disappears and you are left with the most light sweet-citrus-like flavor. Really a treat!

Native to coastal regions of the Southeastern United States, Trailing Wild Bean is a pioneer species in sandy soils. Unique in that it can grow in moist or dry conditions, it produces beans that are similar cultivated green beans.

Wild garlic is sometimes the bane of yard owners, but some native types can be delicious. Just make sure you don’t confuse it with any look-alikes (see death camus)

But these grow roughly 12-18″ tall on grass-like stems, forming clusters of flowers at the top. This can become weedy from seed and bulb offsets, so be aware of that before you plant it.

The bulbs are edible as are the stems, and can be used as you would fresh garlic, onion, or green onions (and like chives). But all parts contain sulfides, so don’t consume them excessively as it can lead to nausea, vomiting, and/or diarrhea.

Another nut producing tree, the Shagbark Hickory will make copious amount of nuts that are edible and tasty. This tree is highly adaptable, easy to start from seed, and the nuts are much cleaner than Black Walnut or even Butternut.

Serviceberry is a berry producing tree native to Eastern North America. It flowers beautiful white flowerheads in early Spring, often before the forests ‘wake up’. And these will yield delicious tasting berries later in late Spring/Summer.

One native shrub I know quite well is the Spicebush. It grows prolifically where I live, and I have learned to grow it from seed. Preferring moist areas, it has several uses. The leaves and young twigs can be used for tea, and the berries (and nuts inside) female plants produce can be eaten raw, dried or frozen for later use, or crushed for a dry rub to season meat. In my experience, it tastes similar to lemon-pepper.

Spikenard is native to Eastern North America, and curiously also the Southwest! But this suckering shrub grows well in full sun and well-draining soil. It produces nice looking flowers in Spring that turn into a berry that can be eaten raw (but note that there will be small seeds inside). Additionally the root and young shoots can be cooked as a potherb.

Native to Central and Eastern North America, Swamp Saxifrage grows well in moist, swampy areas. The leaves and shoots are edible, however, only the shoots taste well (before branching). They can be eaten raw or quickly cooked (with the tops removed),

Perhaps they don’t look that appealing to put in your mouth, but believe it or not thistles are edible! You can eat young leaves, roots, and the inside of the stems. Now, you will give up a lot of material in removing the little thorns/spines, but they taste like celery. As such they can be roasted, pickled, or used in any other way you use celery.

The Thicket Bean is a herbaceous perennial that produces edible beans. These beans are similar to kidney beans, albeit a bit smaller. But that makes sense that it is also known as the ‘wild kidney bean’. It’s native range covers Eastern North America, from Texas to Michigan. It prefers dry areas with well-draining soil, often inhabtiing slopes where it can form colonies.

Wild lettuce is one of those plants that you normally don’t want popping up in a flower garden. However if you happen upon it in the wild or along a ditch or forest edge….well, now that can be a good opportunity for foraging if you are in need of food.

The leaves of wild blue lettuce are edible, but get really bitter when older. So, young, new, or emerging leaves are best for using raw. While older leaves can be used for cooking in casseroles or as a potherb.

Wild Hyacinth is a moisture loving plant that stays relatively short at 2′ or less. It is often found in full sun to part shade in fertile soil, and is not drought tolerant. It’s native range covers most of Eastern North America from Texas-FL to Wisconsin and Ontario.

This plant emerges from an underground bulb, which is edible. It can be baked, boiled, or even eaten raw.

Sometimes grown as a native groundcover, Wild Strawberry produces, well, strawberries. Now, these are very tiny – perhaps 1/2″ diameter. But, a large patch will produce a lot of them. I have inadvertently created a large patch in my ‘nursery’ on the side of my house, and my daughter (and rabbits) love getting them. You need to grow a lot of them, harvest a lot of them, and use them quickly to enjoy this fruit. But, if nothing else you can help your local ecosystem as many mammals make use of this plant.

One of our native Viburnums with many common names, Witherod Viburnum is native in much of Eastern North America, from Texas to Floriday up to Newfoundland, over to the great lake regions.

Also known as Possumhaw or Wild Rasin, it prefers acidic soils near moisture in full-sun to part shade where it can reach 12′ tall. It is naturally found near streams, ponds, or moist areas.

But the berries were used as a food source for centuries by Native American tribes. Often in modern times they are cooked down to make jams or jellies.