Foraging is a great, free way to find nutrients and sustenance in the wild. If you live in a city, you probably find it hard to believe that anything that grows in your neighborhood would be safe, even healthy, to consume. Well, there are in fact plenty of plants that grow in urban environments that are nutritious and delicious!
Being able to identify edible plants in urban areas is your first step to urban foraging. Do your research, and, when in doubt, do not eat something you are unsure of. It is much better to continue on and identify and gather plants that you know are edible. Many plant species look similar and this can be confusing, so bring a guidebook with photos or a specialist from your area to help you until you are confident in your identification skills.
If the plant you would like to harvest is on someone’s property, always ask for permission (and confirmation on the plant species, when possible) before harvesting someone else’s bounty! Some people don’t want strangers traipsing through their yard without asking first. Be respectful and mindful of those around you, and don’t fret – there are plenty of edible plants on public lands as well as private.
An important thing to remember while foraging in urban areas is to gather only what you can consume. Excess fruit will go bad and end up in the trash when someone else could have foraged it. If a plant is on private property and you have permission to harvest some of it, take what you need and leave the rest for the owner. They are doing you a favor by allowing you to forage their garden, so do them a favor and leave some for them too.
Fruit Trees
The most easily identifiable edible plants are fruit trees. Apple and pear trees can grow in a wide variety of climates throughout North America, and if you’ve ever seen an apple or a pear, they’re pretty simple to identify. Fruit trees provide an abundance of fruit each year, and there should be plenty for foraging. Pears and apples are fantastic fruits for cooking with, as they are very versatile, and can be baked, grilled, or made into preserves
Fig Trees are also commonly found in North America and the fruit is ripe for the picking from June through September or October. Rich in fiber, vitamin B6, and potassium, figs are one of the healthiest foods you can eat and can be found in backyards, on tree-lined streets, and city parks all over the country. Fresh figs should be refrigerated as soon as possible and will stay fresh for two to three days.
Berries
Blackberries, blueberries, elderberries, and raspberries can be grown practically anywhere. The berries are at their ripest and sweetest when they pluck off the plant with very little or no effort at all.
Leafy Greens and Weeds
Lambsquarters is a rambunctious weed that grows abundantly throughout the United States and Canada. From a distance, this plant looks as if it has a dusty, white coating on the leaves, which is an important identifier for it. The leaves can be used in salads, sautéed, or steamed. The dusty coating on the leaves, as well as any purplish spotting you might see on them, is completely harmless. Lambsquarters is described as bitter. It is similar to spinach, collard greens, and kale and can be substituted for them in a lot of recipes. And it happens to grow wildly in most climates! The seeds can also be boiled and eaten like quinoa.
Dandelions are very nutritious flowers that grow in grassy patches, yards, and public parks throughout the country. The petals can be picked and thrown into a salad, and the greens, which are full of antioxidants and vitamins, and can also be added to a salad, sautéed, or included in a soup. These little yellow flowers are annoying to property owners, and they may just thank you for removing them from their lawn.
Related: Edible Plants and Insects
Urban foraging can save you a lot of money and will better acquaint you with your natural surroundings. It is always important to ask for permission to forage from private property, and to be safe and thoughtful when harvesting. Never harvest anything from the side of the road or a heavily trafficked area, as the plant may be contaminated with salts, oils, or other chemicals that may come from cars or pedestrians. Also, never harvest or eat anything that has been sprayed with pesticides.