Wild onion and garlic – edible wild plant – how to find, identify, prepare, and other uses for survival.
Wild onion and garlic (Allium species) Allium cernuum and Allium canadense are examples of the many species of wild onions and garlics, all easily recognized by their distinctive onion-like or garlic-like odor. Many have leaves located at the base that wither away as the flowers begin growing but the main…
Wild grape vine – edible wild plant – how to find, identify, prepare, and other uses for survival.
Wild grape vine (Vitis species) The wild grapevine climbs with the aid of “tendrils” on stems that are hairy when young but grow into hairless vines. Its bark is twining. The tendrils that are used for support grow opposite the leaves. Most grapevines produce deeply lobed leaves, alternately arranged, broad…
Wild gourd or luffa sponge – edible wild plant – how to find, identify, prepare, and other uses for survival.
Wild gourd or luffa sponge (Luffa aegyptiaca, Luffa cylindrica) The luffa sponge (also known as Smooth Luffa, Egyptian Luffa, or Wild Squash) is widely distributed and fairly typical of a wild squash. There are several dozen kinds of wild squashes in tropical regions. Like most squashes, the luffa is a…
Wild fig – how to identify figs and prepare for food
Wild fig (Ficus species) Collectively known as “fig trees” or “figs”, there are nearly 1,000 species of Ficus ranging from woody trees to shrubs and vines. Most are of the “strangler” variety, with aerial root systems, and hence easy to identify. The sticky seeds are spread by birds to other…
Wild dock and wild sorrel – edible wild plant – how to find, identify, prepare, and other uses for survival.
Wild dock and wild sorrel (Rumex crispus and Rumex acetosella) Wild dock (also known as Curly Dock, Yellow Dock, Sour Dock, and Narrow Dock) is a stout plant with most of its leaves at the base of its long stem that is commonly 15 to 30 centimeters (6 to 12…
Wild crab apple or wild apple – edible wild plant – how to find, identify, prepare, and other uses for survival.
Wild crab apple or wild apple (Malus species) Wild apple, also known as Crab Apples or Crabs, are a tree that grow to 13-39 feet tall with a dense, twiggy crown. Wild apple varieties are much smaller than cultivated kinds; the largest kinds usually do not exceed 5 to centimeters…
Water lettuce – edible wild plant – how to find, identify, prepare, and other uses for survival.
Water lettuce (Ceratopteris species) Water Lettuce, also known as Water Fern or Watersprite, is an aquatic or subaquatic fern buoyed via internal air pockets in its fronds. The soft, pale green to brown (color depends upon how much light it receives) leaves of water lettuce are much like lettuce and…
Tropical almond – edible wild plant – how to find, identify, prepare, and other uses for survival.
Tropical almond (Terminalia catappa) The Tropical Almond tree, also known as Indian Almond, Seas Almond Tree, and False Kamani, grows up to 35 meters (115 feet) tall. The tree has a smooth or grooved trunk and a symmetrical crown with horizontal branches and broad, glossy dark green leaves that are…
Tree fern – edible wild plant – how to find, identify, prepare, and other uses for survival.
Tree fern (Various genera) Tree ferns are tall trees with long, slender trunks that often have a very rough, bark-like covering. The fronds unfold and are large and multiple-pinnate (feather like). Large, lacy leaves uncoil from the top of the trunk. The leaves may be covered in scales with spore…
Ti – edible wild plant – how to find, identify, prepare, and other uses for survival.
Ti (Cordyline terminalis or Cordyline fruticosa) The ti plant (also known as Cabbage Palm, Good Luck Plant, and Palm Lily) is a woody, palm-like plant that has unbranched stems with strap-like leaves often clustered at the tip of the stem. The leaves vary in color and may be glossy green,…
Taro, cocoyam, elephant ears, eddo, dasheen – edible wild plant – how to find, identify, prepare, and other uses for survival.
Taro, cocoyam, elephant ears, eddo, dasheen (Colocasia and Alocasia species) All plants in these groups have large, arrowhead or heart shaped leaves (8-50 inches long), sometimes up to meters (6 feet) tall, that grow from a very short stem. The large rootstock (corn) is thick, fleshy, and filled with starch. …
Tamarind – edible wild plant – how to find, identify, prepare, and other uses for survival.
Tamarind (Tamarindus indica) The tamarind (also known as Tamon) is a medium to large, densely branched tree. It grows up to 25 meters (75 feet) tall. The crown of the tree has a vase-shaped outline of dense foliage. Its has pinnate leaves (divided like a feather) that are bright green…
Sweetsop – edible wild plant – how to find, identify, prepare, and other uses for survival.
Sweetsop (Annona squamosa) This tree is small, seldom more than 6 meters (18 feet) tall, with many irregularly spreading, light brown branches growing off a short trunk. The branches have visible leaf scars with twigs that become brown with small, oval, rounded, light brown spots on the stem or branch…
Strawberry – edible wild plant – how to find, identify, prepare, and other uses for survival.
Strawberry (Fragaria species) Strawberry is a small, low growing plant with a three-leaved growth pattern with coarsely serrated edges growing on short, scaly stalks. The terminal tooth on the leaf will be smaller than the other serrated teeth. It has small, white flowers, typically with 5-6 petals, growing solitary on…
Sterculia – edible wild plant – how to find, identify, prepare, and other uses for survival.
Sterculia (Sterculia foetida) Sterculias, also known as jangli badam, bastard poon trees, hazel sterculia, and wild almond tree, are tall, straight trees, rising in some instances to 30 meters (90 feet). Branches are arranged in a circular or spiral pattern and spread horizontally. Their leaves are crowded at the end…
Prickly pear cactus – Surprise! All parts of this plant are edible!
Prickly pear cactus (Opuntia species) The Prickly Pear (or Paddle) cactus has flat, padlike stems that are green. The Prickly Pear has two kinds of spines – hard, fixed spines and small, hairlike prickles that easily penetrate the skin and detach from the plant. The plants grow in dense, tangled…
Pokeweed – the edible plant that also makes an excellent poison (good for dye and maybe even arthritis too)
Pokeweed (Phytolacca americana) The Pokeweed plan, also known as Virginia Poke, American Nightshade, Cancer Jalap, Coakum Garget, Inkberry, Pigeon Berry, Pokerood, Pokeberry, Redweed, Scoke, and Red Ink Plant, may grow as high as 3 meters (9 feet). It has a large white taproot and green or pinkish red (as it…
Pine trees – pine provides a bounty of uses in survival situations
Pine (Pinus species) Pine trees are easily recognized by their needle-like leaves grouped in bundles. Each bundle may contain one to five needles, the number varying among species. They are a resinous tree growing up to 250 feet tall. The tree's odor and sticky sap provide a simple way to…
Papaya or pawpaw – edible wild plant – how to find, identify, prepare, and other uses for survival.
Papaya or pawpaw (Carica papaya) The papaya is a large, tree-like plant growing 5 to 10 meters (16 to 33 feet) tall, with a soft, hollow trunk. When cut, the entire plant exudes a milky juice. The trunk is rough and scarred (where leaves and fruit were borne). Its large…
Mulberry – edible wild plant – how to find, identify, prepare, and other uses for survival.
Mulberry (Morus species) The Mulberry tree has alternate, simple, often lobed leaves with rough surfaces. The tree rarely grows over 33-49 feet tall. The leaves are alternately arranged, simple, often lobed, and serrated on the edges, and typically rough on top. The flowers are held on short, green nondescript catkins.…
Manioc – edible wild plant – how to find, identify, prepare, and other uses for survival.
Manioc (Manihot utilissima) Manioc, also called Cassava, Yuca, Mandioca, and Kamoting Kaoy, is a perennial woody shrubby plant, 1 to 3 meters (3 to 9 feet) tall, with jointed stems and deep green, fingerlike leaves. It has long, fleshy, tapered rootstocks encased in a detachable rind which is rough and…
Daylily – edible wild plant – how to find, identify, prepare, and other uses for survival.
Daylily (Hemerocallis fulva) The Daylily plant has unspotted, tawny blossoms that open for 1 day only. It has long, swordlike, green basal leaves. Its root is a mass of swollen and elongated tubers. Its flowers are orange-red with a pale central line. The fruit is a three-valved capsule which splits…
Coconut – edible wild plant – how to find, identify, prepare, and other uses for survival.
Coconut (Cocos nucifera) The versatile Coconut palm tree (or cocoanut as it used to be spelled) has a single, narrow, tall trunk with a cluster of very large leaves at the top. Each leaf may be over 6 meters (20 feet) long with over 100 pairs of leaflets. Old leaves…
Chufa – edible wild plant – how to find, identify, prepare, and other uses for survival.
Chufa (Cyperus esculentus) This very common plant has a triangular stem and grass-like leaves that are very tough and fibrous. It grows to a height of 20 to 60 centimeters (8 to 24 inches). The mature plant has a soft, distinctive fur-like bloom, with a cluster of flat oval seeds,…
Cattail – this edible plant is also an excellent source of weaving material, tinder, and insect repellent
Cattail (Typha latifolia) Cattails (also known as Bulrush, Common Bulrush, Broadleaf Cattail, Common Cattail, Great Reedmace, Cooper's reed,Cumbungi) are grass-like plants with strap-shaped leaves 1 to 5 centimeters (1/4 to 2 inches) wide and growing up to meters (6 feet) tall. They are very densely packed with stiff, strap-like, grayish-green…
