Oklahoma is just a supermarket of edible plants. They have been utilized throughout the years by
our many Native American tribes to Oklahomans that used them to survive through the Depression
and the Dust Bowl. You may forage edibles just about all year here. Those of us who forage in
Oklahoma noticed about four years ago a change in the times you may find some of our edibles.
We experienced a second growing season for some edibles. Could this be due to the warming
of our climate? We do not have the answers as of yet, but all signs point that way. We have found
that due to the drought the last two years foraging of some edibles was not possible. Now comes
2007, a year for the books! Rain, rain and more rain. This has been so far one of the best years
for foraging. The wild nut crop is more than abundant.
I would not put a edible page up without bring to everyone's attention the importance of proper ID.
Only the very foolish would rely on identification of an edible without the help of a seasoned forager
or better yet a biologist. OU and OSU have the experts to help you with proper ID, we suggest you
seek these individuals out. A good place to start your education on edible plants is to get a field guide.
We have a list below of some of the wild edibles you may find in our state. This is not the
complete list, however these are some of the most common used edibles found in Oklahoma.
You will find all of the Oklahoma Edibles in our e-book along with medicinal plants and mushrooms.
Leaves of this plant are edible when young and I like just a few
added to my salad as they have a stong taste. The seeds are great
ground up and used as a spice. It is a job to collect the seeds.
What I have done is place a brown bag over the seed heads when
they are mature. Every day for a week I will go out and give the
plant a little shake. At the end of the week I collect what seeds
are in the bag. Those seeds left are to reseed for next years
use.
Nutritional:
Vitamin A, B Complex, C, iron and Calcium
Black Walnut(Juglans nigra)
The meat nut of the
black walnut has a unmistakable flavor. The effort to crack this
nut is well rewarded. Oklahoma has many of these trees throughout
Oklahoma. In the fall one will not mistake these for any other type of
nut. Used as dye they will also dye your hands if you are not
careful.
Nutritional:
Good protein source, high calorie and dietary fiber.
Cattail (Typha latifolia)
For one plant this one has many uses. For the edible use you will
find the first shoots of spring excellent. The roots and
pollen make a good flour. My favorite is when they are still young and
green you can prepare the female portion of the plant just like corn on
the cob.
Chicksaw Plum(Prunus angustifolia)
The sand plum as it is called in Oklahoma. From wine to jelly to canning the fruit whole, this is a favorite of my family.The fruit was widely used during the depression.
Nutritional:
Vitamins A,C, magnesium and potassium.
Chickweed (Stellaria media)
This is good in salads and as a pot
herb. I find this one of the easiest plants to ID and it used
widely in rural Oklahoma.
Nutritional: Iron and vitamin C.
Cleavers (Galium aparine)
Young plants are edible raw. It makes a good medicinal tea and the
nuts can be used as a coffee substitute. Leaves can be used as a
seasoning.
Cress
In Oklahoma you may find the following types of Cress:
Eaten in a salad or on a sandwich this is good. The seed can
be ground and used as a mustard. You will find this growing in a few
inches of water on stream beds.
Spring cress leaves are good in salads and the roots may be used just like horseradish roots.
Nutritional Value:
High in Vitamin C
Dandelion
Dandelions have been used from those
first Europeans who got off the ships, they brought them with them.
From a spring tonic to a green and a coffee substitute using the
roots. They do have a bitter taste and a trick you can use with
all bitter greens is to add a pinch of soda while cooking. A few
of these can spice up a spring salad.
Garlic
More than one type of garlic may be found in Oklahoma. Field garlic Hard
neck garlic varieties may be found in Oklahoma. It is believed many of
the types found came from the land rush days. Garlic species may cross
breed, this has lead
to many cross species in Oklahoma. Garlic has many medicinal uses.
These prickly pads will require some preparation
time! I just singe the pads over my propane stove and peel.
From salad to soups these pads have been used by Native Americans.
They are rich in fiber, calcium, phosphorus, iron and
vitamins A, B, and C, they were used by sailors for long voyages, however they will need to be eaten raw.
Big Shagbark Shagbark Shellbark Texas White
Nuts may be used for candy, bred and muffins. My favorite is
hickory butter! You may use hickory butter for flavor while cooking or smoking.
Onion (A. stellatum, adrummondii)
Wild onion and eggs are a standard for
many Oklahoma tribes. Each spring you will find many egg and wild
onion breakfasts throughout Oklahoma. REMEMBER there are other bulbed
plants that look like onions! They might not be edible. If
they do not smell like onion or garlic, leave them where you found them!
Polk Salet (Phytolaccaceae)
What can we say? This is a
southern favorite. In Oklahoma it is eaten in early spring when
the plants are young. Preparation of this plant requires a double
par boil. From use as a green to quiche it is excellent. Here is
a pic from the web I feel shows what it looks like in the field. PIC
Purslane (Portulaca oleracea)
This is just a great addition to a wild spring salad.
Redbud (Cercis canadensis L.)
Blossoms can be used in a salad or in muffins or bread. PIC
Oklahoma Edibles
