Complete List of Edible Plants of Albemarle County

DISCLAIMER:

I have yet to go through and  describe which parts of the plants are edible, and how to use them. Plants listed as edible may have poisonous parts, or require processing to render them nontoxic. Please use a reliable Edible Plants Guide to identify them and to learn which parts are edible and how to prepare them. Please don't sue me if you pick one of these, pop the leaves into your mouth raw, and end up in the hospital!

*Also: the plants that have one or more question-marks next to their names are ones whose edibility has not been verified. In other words, they may be edible, but they are not listed as edible by a reliable source or I am unsure as to whether they are truly safe. I would avoid them if you are going out foraging, especially since there are literally hundreds of other edible plants out there that are reliably and verifiably safe for consumption.


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Velvetleaf (Abutilon theophrasti)?

Maple (Acer species)

Yellow & Purple Giant Hyssop (Agastache nepetoides and Agastache scrophulariifolia)

Chocolate Vine (Akebia quinata)

Mimosa (Albizia julibrissin)

Water-plantain (Alisma subcordatum)

Garlic Mustard (Alliaria petiolata)

Wild Garlic/Wild Onion (Allium species)

Yellow Alyssum (Alyssum alyssoides)

Amaranth (Amaranthus species)-- avoid collecting these in fields where nitrogen fertilizer is sprayed.

Serviceberry (Amelanchier species)

Hog Peanut- Amphicarpaea bractata

Groundnut or Hopniss—Apios americana

Lyre Leaf Rock Cress—Aribodopsis lyrata

Mouse-ear Cress—Aridopsis thaliana

Devil’s Walkingstick-- Aralia spinosa

Burdock—Arctium species (Arctium minus and Arctium lappa)

Chokeberry

Wild Ginger (Asarum canadense)-

Asclepias, Milkweed— (Asclepias syriacus)-- I recommend Samuel Thayer's "The Forager's Harvest" for preparation info and in order to figure out the difference between it and toxic milkweeds/dogbane

Pawpaw (Asimina triloba)

Asparagus (Asparagus officinalis)

Oats (Avena Sativa)

Early Winter Cress (Barbarea verna)

Common Winter Cress, Yellow Rocket (Barbarea vulgaris)

Barberry- Berberis thunbergii, Berberis bealei

Yellow Birch (Betula alleghaniensis)

Black Birch (Betula Lenta)

River Birch (Betula nigra)

Paper Birch (Betula papyrifera)

Sicklepod, Canada Rock Cress (Boechera canadensis)

Smooth Rock Cress (Boechera laevigata)

Water Shield (Brasenia schreberi)- differs from yellow pond lily because it does not have a split leaf, and the stem attached to the middle of the oval floating leaf. Lotus has leaves out of water whereas the Water Shield is always floating. Also distinguished from Fragrant Water Lily and Floating Hearts and pond weeds by the clear gel coating on the underside of the leaf and stem.

Field Mustard (Brassica rapa)

Paper Mulberry (Broussonetia papyrifera)

Marsh Marigold (Caltha palustris)—check to make sure it doesn’t have green sepals to avoid the toxic Fig Buttercup lookalike.

Shepherd’s Purse (Capsella bursa-pastoris)

Slender Toothwort (Cardamine angustata)

Cut-leaf Toothwort (Cardamine concatenata)

Spring Cress, Bulbous Bittercress (Cardamine bulbosa)

Wavy Bittercress (Cardamine flexuosa)

Hairy Bittercress (Cardamine hirsuta)

Small-flowered Bittercress (Cardamine parviflora)

Pennsylvania Bittercress (Cardamine pensylvanica)

Spiny Plumeless Thistle (Carduus acanthoides)

Musk Thistle, Nodding Thistle (Carduus nutans)

Canada Thistle (Cirsium arvense)

Field Thistle (Cirsium discolor)

Pasture Thistle (Cirsium pumilum)

Bull Thistle (Cirsium vulgare)

Hornbeam, Ironwood (Carpinus caroliniana)

Hickory (Carya species)

American Chestnut (Castanea dentata)

Allegheny Chinkapin (Castanea pumila)

New Jersey Tea (Ceanothus americanus)?

Common Hackberry, Northern Hackberry (Celtis occidentalis)

Dwarf Hackberry (Celtis tenuifolia)

Cornflower (Centaurea cyanus)

Evening Primrose

Cherry species

Mouse-ear Chickweed (Cerastium vulgatum, Cerastium fontanum), Sticky Mouse-ear Chickweed (Cerastium glomeratum), Gray Mouse-ear Chickweed (Cerastium brachypetalum), Little Mouse-ear Chickweed (Cerastium semidecandrum)

Chickweed—tell from lookalike scarlet pimpernel by round, not square, stems. When flowering, it's easy to tell the difference-- pimpernel has red flower to chickweed's white.

Redbud (Cercis canadensis)

Devil’s Bit (Chamaelirium luteum)

Fireweed (Chamerion angustifolium)

River Oats (Chasmanthium latifolium)

Lady Fern (Athyrium filix-femenina, Athyrium asplenioides)

Bracken Fern (Pteridium aquilinum)

Lamb’s-quarters, Pigweed (Chenopodium album)-- avoid collecting these in fields where lamb's quarters is sprayed.

Woodland Goosefoot, Standley’s Goosefoot (Chenopodium standleyum)

Spotted Wintergreen (Chimaphila maculata)

Pipsissewa (Chimaphila umbellata)

Fringe Tree, Old Man’s Beard (Chionanthus virginicus)

Chicory (Cichorium intybus)

Hardy Orange (Citrus trifoliata)

Spring Beauty (Claytonia virginica)

Wild Basil (Clinopodium vulgare)

Speckled Wood Lily (Clintonia umbellulata) (?)

Bastard Toadflax (Comandra umbellata) (?)

Asiatic Dayflower (Commelina communis)

Slender Dayflower, Erect Dayflower (Commelina erecta)

Virginia Dayflower (Commelina virginica)

Horseweed (Conyza canadensis)

Bunchberry (Cornus Canadensis)

American Hazelnut (Corylus americana)

Beaked Hazelnut (Corylus cornuta)

Hawthorn (Crataegus crus-galli)

Smooth Hawksbeard (Crepis capillaris)

Small-flowered Hawksbeard (Crepis pulchra)

Wild Chervil, Honewort (Cryptotaenia Canadensis)

Dittany, Wild Oregano (Cunila origanoides)

Blue Waxweed (Cuphea viscosissima)- edible oil source

Dodder (Cuscuta) (??)

Queen Anne’s Lace, Wild Carrot (Daucus carota)

Chinese Yam (Dioscorea polystacha)

Wild Yam (Dioscorea villosa)

Persimmon (Diospyros virginiana)

Rocktwist (Draba ramossissima) and Whitlow-grass (Draba verna)—mustard

Epazote, Mexican Tea, Wormseed (Dysphania ambrosioides)

Jerusalem Oak Goosefoot (Dysphania botrys)

Clammy Goosefoot (Dysphania pumilio)

Viper’s Bugloss, Blueweed (Echium vulgare)

False Daisy, Yerba-de-tajo (Eclipta prostrata)

Autumn Olive (Eleagnus umbellate)

Silverthorn (Eleagnus pungens)

Trailing Arbutus (Epigaea repens)—flowers as a trailside nibble

Fireweed, Pilewort, American Burnweed (Erechtites hieraciifolius)

Common Stork’s Bill, Redstem Filaree- Erodium cicutarium

Yellow Trout Lily, American Trout Lily- Erythronium americanum

Dimpled Trout Lily- Erythronium umbilicatum?

Buckwheat- Fagopyrum esculentum—don’t confuse with Mikania scandens, Climbing Hempweed

American Beech- Fagus grandifolia

Wild Buckwheat, Black Bindweed (Polygonum convolvulus, Fallopia convolvulus)

Fennel- Foeniculum Vulgare

Wild Strawberry- Fragaria virginiana

Galinsoga- Galinsoga quadriradiata

Bedstraw (Galium species)

Wintergreen (Gaultheria procumbens)

Black Huckleberry- Gaylussacia baccata

Honey Locust- Gleditsia triacanthos

Witch Hazel (Hamamelis virginiana)

Common Sunflower (Helianthus annuus)

Jerusalem Artichoke (Helianthus tuberosus)

Sunflowers (Helianthus species)

Day-Lily, Tiger-Lily (Hemerocallis fulva)—orange, six petals, bare stem

Dame’s Rocket (Hesperis matronalis)

Hibiscus (Hibiscus species)

Hawkweed? Hieracium?

Jagged Chickweed (Holosteum umbellatum)?

Michaux's Saxifrage (Hydatica petiolaris)?

Virginia Waterleaf- Hydrophyllum virginianum

Cat’s Ear- Hypochaeris radicata

Jewelweed- Impatiens capensis, Impatiens pallida

Wild Potato Vine- Ipomoea

Butternut (Juglans cinerea)

Black Walnut (Juglans nigra)

Summer Cypress, Burning Bush- Kochia scoparia

Golden Rain Tree- Koelreuteria paniculata?

Potato Dwarf-Dandelion- Krigia dandelion

Dwarf-Dandelion, Virginia Dwarf-dandelion- Krigia virginica

Wild Lettuce species- Lactuca species

Henbit- Lamium amplexicaule

Purple Dead-Nettle- Lamium purpureum

Wood Nettle- Laportea Canadensis, Stinging Nettle- Urtica dioica, Urtica gracilis-- don't confuse nettles with False Nettle, which has no stingers along the stem, and which has all the seeds clustered around the stem rather than spreading out like Wood Nettle, or Clearweed (Pilea pumila), or Virginia Copperleaf

Duckweed- Lemna species (chiefly Lemna minor), and (?) Greater Duckweed (Spirodela polyrrhiza)

Field Pepperweed, Field Peppergrass, Cow Cress- Lepidium campestre

Lesser Swinecress- Lepidium didymium

Poor Man's Pepper- Lepidium virginicum

Oxeye Daisy- Leucanthemum vulgare

Canada Lily- Lilium canadense

Turk's Cap Lily- Lilium superbum

Spicebush- Lindera benzoin

Flax species- Linum specoes

Sweet Alyssum- Lobularia maritime

Honeysuckle (Lonicera)—just nibble the sweet nectar

American Bugleweed (Lycopus americanus), Northern Bugleweed (Lycopus uniflorus), Virginia Bugleweed (Lycopus virginicus)

Loosestrife (Lysimachia)?

Osage Orange (Maclura pomifera)?

Canada Mayflower, False Lily-of-the-Valley (Maianthemum canadense)?

False Solomon’s Seal (Maianthemum racemosum)

Apple- Malus pumila

Mallow- Malva neglecta

Pineapple Weed (Matricaria discoidea)

Indian Cucumber-Root (Medeola virginiana)

Spearmint (Mentha spicata)

Peppermint (Mentha x piperita)

Minniebush (Mensiezia pilosa)?

Perfoliate Pennycress- Microthlaspi perfoliatum

Winged Monkey Flower (Mimulus alata), Allegheny Monkeyflower (Mimulus ringens)

Partridgeberry (Mitchella repens)

Carpetweed (Mollugo verticillata)

Monarda species: Monarda clinopodia, Monarda fistulosa, Monarda punctate, Monarda xmedia,

White Mulberry (Morus alba), Red Mulberry (Morus rubra)

Grape Hyacinth (Muscari comosum—Tassel Grape-Hyacinth, Muscari neglectum—Grape-hyacinth)—don’t confuse with the similar Common Hyacinth (Hyacinthus orientalis), which has poisonous bulbs

Watercress (Nasturtium officinale)-

Fragrant Water-Lily (Nymphaea odorata)

Black Tupelo (Nyssa sylvatica)

Evening Primrose (Oenothera biennis)

Southern Sundrop (Oenothera fruticosa)- edible flowers

Cutleaf Evening Primrose (Oenothera laciniata)

Little Evening Primrose, little Sundrops (Oenothera perennis)???

Eastern Prickly Pear (Opuntia humifusa)

Golden Club (Orontium aquaticum)

Sweet Cicely (Osmorhiza claytonia)

Aniseroot (Osmorhiza longistylis)

Hop-Hornbeam (Ostrya virginiana)

Wood Sorrel (Oxalis species)

American Ginseng (Panax quinquefolius)

Field Poppy, Long-headed Poppy (Papaver dubium)?

Pennsylvania Pellitory, Rock Pellitory (Parietaria pensylvanica)?

Passionflower, Maypop (Passiflora incarnata)

Yellow Passionflower (Passiflora lutea)—not too tasty

Paulownia, Princess-tree (Paulownia tomentosa)

Arrow-Arum, Tuckahoe (Peltandra virginica)- time-intensive to make edible

Ditch Stonecrop (Penthorum sedoides)?

Perilla, Beefsteak Plant (Perilla frutescens)

Lady’s Thumb, Spotted Lady’s Thumb (Persicaria maculate, Polygonum persicaria)—don’t confuse with other Smartweeds such as Persicaria pensylvanica, which are inedible

Water Pepper, Marsh-Pepper Smartweed (Persicaria hydropiper)—don’t confuse with Persicaria hydropiperoides

Wild Bean- Phaseolus polystachios

Fall Phlox, Garden Phlox (Phlox paniculata)—don’t confuse with other species of Phlox, which are inedible

Common Reed (Phragmites australis)

Clammy Ground Cherry (Physalis heterophylla)

Longleaf Ground Cherry (Physalis longifolia)

Common Pokeweed (Phytolacca americana)

Pine—Shortleaf Pine (Pinus echinata), Table Mountain Pine (Pinus pungens), White Pine (Pinus strobus), Virginia Pine (Pinus virginiana), Pitch Pine (pinus rigida), and Loblolly Pine (Pinus taeda). Pitch Pine and Loblolly Pine, being higher in turpentine, are not the ones you want to eat.

Blackseed Plantain (Plantago rugelii)—identical to Common Plantain (Plantago major), which does not grow in our area, and many edible plant guides confuse the range of Common Plantain by taking into account places where Plantago rugelii grows, or use the two interchangeably.—don’t confuse this with the hairy Virginia Plantain (Plantago virginica)

English Plantain, Narrowleaf Plantain (Plantago lanceolata)—don’t confuse this with the Virginia Plantain (Plantago virginica).

Sycamore (Platanus occidentalis)

Mayapple (Podophyllum peltatum)

Solomon’s Seal (Polygonatum biflorum)

White Poplar (Populus alba)

Eastern Cottonwood (Populus deltoides)

Bigtooth Aspen (Populus grandidentata)

Quaking Aspen (Populus tremuloides)

Common Purslane (Portulaca oleracea)

White Lettuce, White Rattlesnake-root (Prenanthes alba)—don’t confuse with Cankerweed, Lion’s Foot (Prenanthes serpentaria)

Tall White Lettuce, Tall Rattlesnake-root (Prenanthes altissima)— don’t confuse with Cankerweed, Lion’s Foot (Prenanthes serpentaria)

Self-heal, Heal-all (Prunella vulgaris)?

American Wild Plum (Prunus americana)

Chickasaw Plum (Prunus angustifolia)

Sweet Cherry, Bird Cherry (Prunus avium)

Sour Cherry (Prunus cerasus)

Hortulan Plum (Prunus hortulana)

Mahaleb Cherry, Rock Cherry, Perfumed Cherry (Prunus mahaleb)

Canada Plum (Prunus nigra)

Peach- Prunus persica

Black Cherry- Prunus serotina

Choke cherry- Prunus virginiana

Kudzu (Pueraria Montana)

Carolina False Dandelion (Pyrrhopappus carolinianus)

Pear (Pyrus communis)

Oaks (Quercus spp.)

 Japanese Knotweed (Reynoutria japonica)

Fragrant Sumac (Rhus aromatica)

Winged Sumac (Rhus copallinum)

Smooth Sumac (Rhus glabra)

Staghorn Sumac (Rhus typhina)

Appalachian Gooseberry (Ribes rotundifolium)

Red Currant (Ribes rubrum)

Black Locust (Robinia pseudoacacia)

Marsh Yellowcress (Rorippa palustris)

Stalkless Yellowcress, Sessile-flowered Yellow Cress (Rorippa sessiliflora)

Rose species (Rosa spp.)—Pasture Rose, Carolina Rose (Rosa carolina), Memorial Rose/ Lucie Rose/Dorothy Perkins Rose (Rosa luciae), Multiflora Rose (Rosa multiflora), Swamp Rose (Rosa palustris),

Common Blackberry, Allegheny Blackberry (Rubus allegheniensis), Himalayan Blackberry (Rubus discolor), Pennsylvania Blackberry/Prickly Blackberry (Rubus pensylvanicus)

Dewberry (Rubus flagellaris), Bristly Dewberry/Swamp Dewberry (Rubus hispidus)

Black Raspberry (Rubus occidentalis)

Flowering Raspberry, Purple-Flowering Raspberry (Rubus odoratus)

Wineberry (Rubus phoenicolasius)

Cut-leaf Coneflower, Common Cut-leaf Coneflower, Green-headed Coneflower (Rudbeckia laciniata)—don’t confuse with inedible Rudbeckia triloba, Rudbeckia hirta (Black eyed Susan), or Rudbeckia fulgida

Sheep Sorrel (Rumex acetosella)

Curly Dock (Rumex crispus)

Sassafras (Sassafras albidum)—warning—scientists found that a compound in this plant, safrole, is a carcinogen.

Arrowhead—Broad-leaved Arrowhead, Wapato, Duck Potato (Sagittaria latifolia), Narrowleaf Arrowhead (Sagittaria graminea),

Lyre-leaf Sage (Salvia lyrata), Nettle-leaf Sage (Salvia urticifolia)

Black Elderberry (Sambucus canadensis)—don’t eat Red Elderberry (Sambucus racemosa)

Rye- Secale cereale

Cliff Stonecrop- Sedum glaucophyllum

Stringy Stonecrop- Sedum sarmentosum

Wild Stonecrop, Woodland Stonecrop- Sedum ternatum

Maryland Wild Senna, Southern Wild Senna (Senna marilandica)

Bladder Campion (Silene vulgaris)

Tall Tumble-Mustard (Sisymbrium altissimum)

Hedge Mustard (Sisymbrium officinale)

Eastern Hemlock (Tsuga canadensis)- inner bark dried and ground into flour,

Greenbriers (Smilax species)—Catbrier (Smilax bona-nox), White-leaf Greenbrier, Sawbrier (Smilax glauca), Carrion-flower (Smilax herbacea), Common Greenbrier, Bullbrier, Horsebrier (Smilax rotundifolia)—young shoots, leaves, and tendrils edible raw or boiled.

Eastern Black Nightshade (Solanum ptycanthum)—don’t confuse with toxic nightshades like Solanum carolinense, Solanum dulcamara, Solanum lycopersicum, Solanum rostratum, Solanum sarrachoides

Solidago?????? Tea?????

Spiny-leaf Sow Thistle (Sonchus asper)

American Mountain-Ash (Sorbus americana)

Bladdernut (Staphylea trifolia)?

Chickweed (Stellaria species)—Common Chickweed (Stellaria media), Star Chickweed (Stellaria pubera)

Amberique Bean, Beach Bean, Trailing Wild Bean (Strophostyles helvola) and Pink Wild Bean, Perennial Wild Bean (Strophostyles umbellata) (???????)

Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale)-

Field Pennycress (Thlaspi arvense), Roadside Pennycress (Thlaspi alliaceum)

Basswood, Linden (Tilia americana)

Ohio Spiderwort, Smooth Spiderwort (Tradescantia ohiensis), Virginia Spiderwort (Tradescantia virginiana)

Yellow Salsify, Goat’s Beard (Tragopogon dubius), Purple Salsify, Oyster Plant (Tragopogon porrifolius), Meadow Salsify, Showy Goat’s Beard (Tragopogon pratensis)

White Clover (Trifolium repens), Red Clover (Trifolium pratense)—don’t confuse with Alsike Clover (Trifolium hybridum) or Crimson Clover (Trifolium incarnatum)

Fewerwort, Horse-Gentian, Wild Coffee? (triosteum perfoliatum)

Wheat (Triticum aestivum)

Eastern Hemlock (Tsuga canadensis)

Cattail (Typha latifolia), Narrow-leaf Cattail (Typha angustifolia)

American Elm (Ulmus americana)

Slippery Elm (Ulmus rubra)

Wild Oats/Bellwort???????????? (Uvularia perfoliata, puberula, or: *sessifolia?)

Blueberry (certain Vaccinium species)—Northern Lowbush Blueberry (Vaccinium angustifolium), Highbush Blueberry (Vaccinium fuscatum), Early Lowbush Blueberry/Hillside Blueberry (Vaccinium pallidum)

Deerberry (Vaccinium stamineum)

European Corn-salad, Lamb’s-lettuce (Valerianella locusta)

Beaked Corn-salad (Valerianella radiata)

Tapegrass, Water-Celery (Vallisneria americana)?

Northern Corn-salad (Valerianella umbilicata)

Maple-leaf Viburnum (Viburnum acerifolia), Arrowood (Viburnum dentatum), Downy Arrow-wood (Viburnum rafinesqueanum), Southern Wild Raisin, Possom-Haw (Viburnum nudum)????????????

Black Haw (Viburnum prunifolium)

Violet (Viola species)—do not eat the ones with yellow flowers. The most common one is Viola sororia, the Common Blue Violet found on lawns. Edible species in our area include Viola affinis, Viola bicolor, Viola canadensis, Viola cucullata, Viola fimbriatula, Viola hirsutula, Viola macloskeyi, Viola odorata, Viola pamata, Viola pedata, viola primulifolia, viola sagittata, viola sororia, and viola striata

Wild Grape (Vitis aestivalis, vitis labrusca, vitis riparia, vitis vulpina)

Chinese Wisteria (Wisteria sinensis)

Brazilian Watermeal, Pointed Watermeal (Wolffia brasiliensis), Columbian Watermeal (Wolffia columbiana)

Eastern Turkeybeard, Beargrass (Xerophyllum asphodeloides)???????

Oriental False Hawksbeard (Youngia japonica)

Yucca (Yucca filamentosa)