Warning: Some of these plants have toxic parts or are toxic until prepared properly. (Cherry pits contain cyanide. ) Before you eat any wild plant make sure of its identity and that it has been prepared properly. Some people may have bad reactions to some plants (allergies etc.). This list has some that I have not seen in any wild edible plant book yet. The cardinal edibility rule is "KNOW BEFORE YOU EAT". However do not be afraid of wild edible plants, because it is a fascinating study, but please be wise and careful.
A * by a plant name means there is not agreement, among people who study wild edible plants, on the edibility of this plant.
| Alfalfa medicago sativa | 52 | 6.0 | 0.4 | 12 | 51 | 5.4 | -- | -- | 3,410 | 0.13 | 0.14 | 0.5 | 162 |
| Amaranth Amaranthus spp | 42 | 3.7 | 0.8 | 313 | 74 | 5.6 | -- | 411 | 1,600 | 0.05 | 0.24 | 1.2 | 65 |
| Arrowhead Sagittaria spp. | 107 | 5.0 | 0.3 | 13 | 165 | 2.6 | -- | 729 | -- | 1.60 | 0.40 | 1.4 | 5 |
| Asparagus Asparagus officinalis | 20 | 2.2 | 0.2 | 21 | 50 | 0.6 | 1 | 183 | 900 | 0.16 | 0.18 | 1.4 | 26 |
| Bamboo Bambusa spp. | 27 | 2.6 | 0.3 | 13 | 59 | 0.5 | -- | 533 | 20 | 0.15 | 0.07 | 0.6 | 4 |
| Beechnut, American Fagus grandifolia | 568 | 19.4 | 50.0 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| Beggarticks Bidens bipinnata | 33 | 2.8 | 0.6 | 111 | 39 | 2.3 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| Blackberry Rubus spp. | 58 | 1.2 | 0.9 | 32 | 19 | 0.9 | 1 | 170 | 200 | 0.03 | 0.04 | 0.4 | 21 |
| Blueberry Vaccinium spp. | 62 | 0.7 | 0.5 | 15 | 13 | 1.0 | 1 | 81 | 100 | 0.03 | 0.06 | 0.5 | 14 |
| Burdock, Great arctium lappa | 89 | 2.5 | 0.1 | 50 | 58 | 1.2 | 30 | 180 | -- | 0.25 | 0.08 | 0.03 | 2 |
| Butternut Juglans cinerea | 629 | 23.7 | 61.2 | -- | -- | 6.8 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| Cherry, Sour Red Prunus cerasus | 58 | 1.2 | 0.3 | 22 | 19 | 0.4 | 2 | 191 | 1,000 | 0.05 | 0.06 | 0.4 | 10 |
| Cherry, Sweet Prunus avium | 48 | 0.9 | 0.2 | 15 | 13 | 0.3 | 1 | 130 | 60 | 0.02 | 0.02 | 0.2 | 3 |
| Chestnut Castanea spp. | 194 | 2.9 | 1.5 | 27 | 88 | 1.7 | 6 | 454 | -- | 0.22 | 0.22 | 0.6 | -- |
| Chicory Cichorium intybus | 20 | 1.8 | 0.3 | 86 | 40 | 0.9 | -- | 420 | 4,000 | 0.06 | 0.10 | 0.5 | 22 |
| Chives Allium schoenoprasum | 27 | 2.7 | 0.6 | 83 | 41 | 0.8 | -- | -- | -- | 0.10 | 0.06 | 0.5 | 32 |
| Chufa, or Yellow Nut Grass Cyperus esculentus | 311 | 4.4 | 17.2 | 59 | 155 | 2.4 | -- | -- | -- | 0.90 | -- | -- | -- |
| Crabapple Pyrus spp. | 68 | 0.4 | 0.3 | 6 | 13 | 0.3 | 1 | 110 | 40 | 0.03 | 0.02 | 0.1 | 8 |
| Cranberry, Large Vaccinium macrocarpon | 46 | 0.4 | 0.7 | 14 | 10 | 0.5 | 2 | 82 | 40 | 0.03 | 0.02 | 0.1 | 11 |
| Dandelion greens raw Taraxacum officinale | 45 | 2.7 | 0.7 | 187 | 66 | 3.1 | 76 | 397 | 14,000 | 0.19 | 0.26 | -- | 35 |
| dandelion greens, cooked Taraxacum officinale | 33 | 2.0 | -- | 140 | 42 | 1.8 | -- | -- | 11,000 | 0.13 | 0.16 | -- | 18 |
| Dayflower Commelina spp. | 43 | 2.3 | 0.4 | 210 | 52 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| Day Lily Hemerocallis fulva | 42 | 2.0 | 0.4 | 87 | 176 | 1.2 | 24 | 170 | 3,000 | 0.16 | 0.21 | 0.8 | 88 |
| day lily buds, raw* | 42 | 2.0 | -- | 87 | 176 | 1.2 | -- | -- | 3,000 | 0.16 | 0.21 | 0.08 | 88 |
| Dock Rumex spp. | 28 | 2.1 | 0.3 | 66 | 41 | 1.6 | 5 | 338 | 12,900 | 0.09 | 0.22 | 0.5 | 119 |
| Dock, Curly Rumex crispus | 21 | 1.5 | 0.3 | 74 | 56 | 5.6 | -- | -- | 1,385 | 0.06 | 0.08 | 0.4 | 30 |
| Duckweed Lemna spp. | 18 | 2.1 | 0.3 | 142 | 4 | -- | -- | -- | 560 | 0.06 | 0.13 | 0.6 | 5 |
| Elderberry, Common Sambucus canadensis | 72 | 2.6 | 0.5 | 38 | 28 | 1.6 | -- | 300 | 600 | 0.07 | 0.06 | 0.5 | 36 |
| Fennel Foeniculum vulgare | 31 | 2.9 | 0.5 | 114 | 54 | 2.9 | -- | 338 | 1,566 | 0.12 | 0.15 | 0.7 | 34 |
| Filaree Erodium cicutarium | -- | 2.5 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | 7,000 | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| Filbert, or Hazelnut Corylus americana | 634 | 12.6 | 62.4 | 209 | 337 | 3.4 | 2 | 704 | -- | 0.46 | -- | 0.9 | -- |
| Galinsoga, or Quick Weed Galinsoga parviflora | 42 | 3.2 | 0.5 | 245 | 45 | 7.1 | -- | -- | 1,120 | 0.11 | 0.27 | 2.1 | 30 |
| Garlic Allium spp. | 137 | 6.2 | 0.2 | 29 | 202 | 1.5 | 19 | 529 | trace | 0.25 | 0.08 | 0.5 | 15 |
| Grape, Concord Vitis spp. | 69 | 1.3 | 1.0 | 16 | 12 | 0.4 | 3 | 158 | 100 | 0.05 | 0.03 | 0.3 | 4 |
| Ground Cherry, or Husk Tomato Physalis spp. | 40 | 1.6 | 0.5 | 10 | 34 | 0.9 | -- | -- | 25 | 0.90 | 0.04 | 2.4 | 6 |
| Hickory (nuts) Carya spp. | 673 | 13.2 | 68.7 | trace | 360 | 2.4 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| Honewort, or Wild Chervil Cryptotaenia spp. | 18 | 2.0 | 0.1 | 81 | 45 | 1.8 | 7 | 490 | 488 | 0.15 | 0.20 | 0.5 | 60 |
| Horsetail, Common * Equisetum arvense | 20 | 1.0 | 0.2 | 58 | 93 | 4.4 | -- | -- | 180 | -- | 0.07 | 5.6 | 50 |
| Jerusalem Artichoke (raw) Helianthus tuberosus | 77 | 2.3 | 0.1 | 14 | 78 | 3.4 | -- | -- | 20 | 0.20 | 0.06 | 1.3 | 4 |
| Knotweed Polygonum spp. | 64 | 3.6 | 0.3 | 150 | 48 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| Kudzu (roots) Pueraria lobata | 113 | 2.1 | 0.1 | 15 | 18 | 0.6 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| Lamb's-Quarters (raw) Chenopodium album | 43 | 4.2 | 0.8 | 309 | 72 | 1.2 | -- | -- | 11,600 | 0.16 | 0.44 | 1.2 | 80 |
| lamb's quarters, cooked | 32 | 3.2 | -- | 258 | 45 | 0.7 | -- | -- | 9,700 | 0.10 | 0.26 | 0.9 | 37 |
| Leek, or Ramp (bulbs) Allium spp. | 52 | 2.2 | 0.3 | 52 | 50 | 1.1 | 5 | 347 | 40 | 0.11 | 0.06 | 0.5 | 17 |
| Mallow Malva spp. | 37 | 4.4 | 0.6 | 249 | 69 | 12.7 | -- | -- | 2,190 | 0.13 | 0.20 | 1.0 | 35 |
| Mallow, High Malva sylvestris | 28 | 3.6 | 1.4 | 90 | 42 | 3.7 | -- | -- | 1,989 | 0.17 | 0.29 | 0.5 | 24 |
| Maple (sugar) Acer saccharum | 348 | -- | -- | 143 | 11 | 1.4 | 14 | 242 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| Mexican Tea * Chenopodium ambrosioides | 42 | 3.8 | 0.7 | 304 | 52 | 5.2 | -- | -- | 1,210 | 0.06 | 0.28 | 0.6 | 11 |
| Milkweed * Asclepias syriaca | -- | 0.8 | 0.5 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| Mint Mentha spp. | 32 | 3.0 | 0.7 | 194 | 48 | 3.8 | 2 | 179 | 1,296 | 0.13 | 0.16 | 0.7 | 64 |
| mint Mentha sp., raw | 32 | 3.0 | -- | 194 | 48 | 3.8 | -- | -- | 1,296 | 0.13 | 0.16 | 0.7 | 64 |
| Mugwort, Common * Artemisia vulgaris | 35 | 5.2 | 0.8 | 82 | 40 | 1.5 | -- | -- | 1,284 | 0.15 | 0.16 | 3.0 | 72 |
| Mulberry, White Morus alba | 53 | 1.7 | 0.4 | 30 | 32 | 3.7 | 37 | 152 | -- | 0.03 | 0.06 | 0.7 | 5 |
| Mustard (greens) Brassica spp. | 23 | 2.2 | 0.4 | 138 | 32 | 1.8 | 18 | 220 | 5,800 | 0.80 | 0.14 | 0.6 | 48 |
| mustard greensBrassica sp., raw | 23 | 2.2 | -- | 138 | 32 | 1.8 | -- | -- | 5,800 | 0.80 | 0.14 | 0.6 | 48 |
| bird's rape Brassica rapa | 32 | 3.6 | -- | 252 | 62 | 3.0 | -- | -- | 1,355 | 0.12 | 0.29 | 1.1 | 118 |
| Nettle, Stinging Urtica dioica | 65 | 5.5 | 0.7 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | 6,500 | -- | -- | -- | 76 |
| stinging nettles, raw* | 65 | 5.5 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | 6,500 | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| NEW ZEALAND SPINACH (leaf) Tetragonia tetragonioides | 19 | 2.2 | 3 | 54 | 46 | 1.6 | 159 | 795 | 4300 | 0.04 | 0.17 | 0.6 | 30 |
| Oak (acorns) Quercus spp. | 48 | 0.2 | 0.1 | 12 | 314 | 0.2 | -- | -- | 6 | 0.02 | 0.40 | 0.5 | 0 |
| (dried acorns) Q. lobata. | -- | 4.9 | 5.5 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| (dried acorns) Q. garryana. | -- | 3.9 | 4.5 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| (dried acorns) Q. douglasii. | -- | 5.5 | 8.1 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| (dried acorns) Q. chrysolepis. | -- | 4.1 | 8.7 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| (dried acorns) Q. agrifolia. | -- | 6.3 | 16.8 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| Calif black oak (dried acorns) Q. kelloggii. | -- | 4.6 | 18.0 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| Pawpaw Asimina triloba | 85 | 5.2 | 0.9 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| Pecan Carya illinoinensis | 610 | 11.0 | 84.0 | 86 | 341 | 0.8 | -- | 712 | 150 | 1.00 | 0.15 | 1.1 | 2 |
| Peppergrass Lepidium spp. | 32 | 2.6 | 0.7 | 81 | 76 | 1.3 | 14 | 606 | 9,300 | 0.08 | 0.26 | 1.0 | 69 |
| garden cress Lepidium sp., raw | 32 | 2.6 | -- | 81 | 76 | 1.3 | -- | -- | 9,300 | 0.08 | 0.26 | 1.0 | 69 |
| garden cress, cooked, short time | 23 | 1.9 | -- | 61 | 48 | 0.8 | -- | -- | 7,700 | 0.06 | 0.16 | 0.8 | 34 |
| garden cress, cooked, long time | 22 | 1.8 | -- | 58 | 44 | 0.7 | -- | -- | 7,000 | 0.04 | 0.15 | 0.7 | 23 |
| Persimmon Diospyros virginiana | 127 | 0.8 | 0.4 | 27 | 26 | 2.5 | 1 | 310 | -- | -- | -- | -- | 66 |
| Poke (Cooked Shoots) Phytolacca americana | 20 | 2.3 | 4 | 53 | 33 | 1.2 | -- | -- | 8,700 | 0.07 | 0.25 | 1.1 | 82 |
| Prickly Pear Opuntia humifusa | 42 | 0.5 | 0.1 | 20 | 28 | 0.3 | 2 | 166 | 60 | 0.10 | 0.30 | 0.4 | 22 |
| Primrose-Willow Jussiaea spp. | 41 | 3.3 | 0.4 | 57 | 300 | 12.7 | -- | -- | 3,555 | 0.00 | 0.01 | 2.8 | 3 | Purslane (raw Stems and leaves) Portulaca oleracea | 21 | 1.7 | 0.4 | 103 | 39 | 3.5 | -- | -- | 2,500 | 0.03 | 0.10 | 0.5 | 25 |
| purslane, stems & leaves, cooked | 15 | 1.2 | -- | 86 | 24 | 1.2 | -- | -- | 2,100 | 0.02 | 0.06 | 0.4 | 12 |
| Rape, or Field Mustard Brassica rapa | 32 | 3.6 | 0.6 | 252 | 62 | 3.0 | -- | -- | 1,355 | 0.12 | 0.29 | 1.1 | 118 |
| Raspberry, Black Rubus occidentalis | 57 | 1.2 | 0.5 | 22 | 22 | 0.9 | 1 | 168 | 130 | 0.03 | 0.09 | 0.9 | 25 |
| Raspberry, Red Rubus idaeus | 73 | 1.5 | 1.4 | 30 | 22 | 0.9 | 1 | 199 | -- | 0.03 | 0.09 | 0.9 | 18 |
| Rice, Wild Zizania aquatica | 353 | 14.1 | 0.7 | 19 | 339 | 4.2 | 7 | 220 | -- | 0.45 | 0.63 | 6.2 | 0 |
| Sheep Sorrel Rumex acetosella | 77 | 1.9 | -- | 55 | 82 | 5.0 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| Shephtrd's Purse raw Capsella bursa-pastoris | 33 | 4.2 | 0.5 | 208 | 86 | 4.8 | -- | 394 | 1,554 | 0.25 | 0.17 | 0.4 | 36 |
| Sow Thistle, Common Sonchus asper | 20 | 2.4 | 0.3 | 93 | 35 | 3.1 | -- | -- | 2,185 | 0.70 | 0.12 | 0.4 | 5 |
| Soybean Glycine max | 400 | 35.1 | 17.7 | 226 | 546 | 8.5 | -- | 1,504 | 6 | 0.66 | 0.22 | 2.2 | 0 |
| Strawberry, Wild Fragaria spp. | 37 | 0.7 | 0.5 | 21 | 21 | 1.0 | 1 | 164 | 60 | 0.03 | 0.07 | 0.6 | 59 |
| Sunflower (seed) Helianthus annuus | 560 | 24.0 | 47.3 | 120 | 837 | 7.1 | 30 | 920 | 50 | 2.00 | 0.23 | 5.4 | -- |
| Vegetable Oyster, Salsify Tragopogon porrifolius | 89 | 1.4 | 0.2 | 48 | 50 | 1.4 | -- | -- | -- | 0.04 | 0.04 | 0.3 | 10 |
| Violet (leaves raw) Viola spp. | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | 8,200 | - | - | - | 210 |
| Walnut, Black Juglans nigra | 628 | 20.5 | 59.3 | trace | 570 | 6.0 | 3 | 460 | 300 | 0.22 | 0.11 | 0.7 | -- |
| Watercress (raw) Nasturtium officinale | 19 | 2.2 | 0.3 | 151 | 54 | 1.7 | 52 | 282 | 4,900 | 0.08 | 0.16 | 0.9 | 79 | Water Hyacinth Eichhornia crassipes | 30 | 0.5 | 0.1 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| Water Primrose Jussiaea repens | 43 | 2.5 | 1.0 | 144 | 65 | 8.0 | -- | -- | 1,725 | 0.04 | 0.12 | 0.8 | 87 |
| Water Shield Brasenia schreberi | 10 | 0.7 | 0.2 | 9 | 23 | 2.0 | -- | -- | 6 | 0.03 | 0.03 | 0.3 | 0 |
| Wood Sorrel Oxalis spp. | -- | 0.9 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | 2,800 | --- | -- | -- | -- |
| Yucca (flowers) Yucca aloifolia | 33 | 3.1 | 0.2 | 47 | 73 | 0.5 | -- | -- | 10 | 0.14 | 0.09 | 0.6 | -- |
Most of the data for this table comes from "Mother Earth News 7-8/86" and "Temalpakh".
