Harvesting wild edibles requires knowledge and care. You must be careful where and how you collect the plants. Plants growing at polluted sites, like within 25 feet of a paved road, can soak up harmful chemicals that could transfer to you when consumed. It is also important to confirm that the plants were not treated with pesticides. Refer to our poster labels, this field guide, and the website for additional cautions and links to further information.

Never harvest and consume anything unless you are 100% sure you’ve identified it correctly. Two of our featured plants, wild carrot and wild parsnip, have two related species that are deadly even in small amounts: water hemlock and poison hemlock. The SRNE recommends that if you are not absolutely certain what a plant is, don’t eat it!