Find Flora along the Trail
NPS Photo/Wikimedia Commons
In an article about edible wild plants in the State of Alaska, Trails.com offers insights on cottonwood tree bark, blueberries and clover leaves. These wild plants grow along many trails, and if you are in need for quick sustenance---as might be the case during wilderness survival situations---it is wise not to divert from a trail too much in search of nourishment. When you look for edible plants along the trail as you hike, you also have the opportunity to keep up your energy level and not experience sudden drops in blood sugar.
Capitalize on Plentiful Species Offering Multiple Food Options
Richard Sniezko/Wikimedia Commons
The best edible wild plants in any locale are those which are plentiful at the location. Good examples are pines in the State of California. As they grow primarily in areas that are sunny, they are found in virtually any forest area. Since pines offer a number of food sources---you may boil young cones, consume seeds after shelling, strip bark from new twigs for food, and make green pine needles into a tea---it is a great idea to set up camp near them and capitalize on the variety of nutritional intake they offer.
Find the Best Edible Plants in Your Garden
Gareth Davidson Bitplane/Wikimedia Commons
If you are looking for a way to stretch your food budget or introduce some new ingredients into your salad, you may be able to use flowers growing in your garden. Look for English daisies, roses, day lilies and also pansies. Use only flowers that are not marked by illness or pest activity, and wash them carefully. Moreover, avoid flowers that you fertilized or sprayed for pests. Start out with small quantities of the flowers to avoid gastrointestinal upset. Over time, you may increase the amount of edible flowers you include in your daily menu.
Know How to Prepare Edible Wild Plants
(CC) BotBln/Wikimedia Commons
Learn all you can about the flora of the locale in which you live, play and hike. Find out about cooking options and also learn about the limits, when it comes to enjoying raw wild plants. For example, cranberries may taste forbiddingly tart when eaten raw, but when cooked in sugar water, they become quite tasty. Moreover, learn about which parts of the plants are edible. In the case of bignay, only the fruit may be consumed while the rest of the tree is considered from mildly poisonous to downright toxic.
