Skip to main content

You may find these types of edible weeds in your garden

We tend to think of fruit and vegetable gardens as the only way to grow our own food, but edible plants are all around us. You don’t need to go out into the woods to forage, though. Many of the plants that we label as weeds and strive to get rid of started off as valuable food sources. We’ll tell you all about six edible weeds you can add to your meals. Before harvesting any of them, though, be sure you know that the plant you’re eating is the plant you think it is, wash them before eating, and don’t harvest from any part of your yard or garden where chemicals have been sprayed.

Dandelions

Dandelions are often one of the first weeds people turn to when they begin eating weeds, and it’s no mystery why. Dandelions are easy to recognize, they grow everywhere, and every part of them is edible. The leaves can be added to a salad, and are especially tasty and tangy if picked when they’re young and tender. The flowers can be eaten raw, but the texture is often off-putting for people. Instead, try cooking them into a jelly, jam, or wine. The roots are most often boiled into tea, but can also be added to coffee. The seeds can be eaten raw, processed into seed milk, or ground into a flour-like dust.

Wood sorrel with yellow flowers

Wood sorrel

Wood sorrel is another tangy green you can add to any salad or soup. It can be found in any state, but does go dormant when it gets cold, so northern states may have a smaller harvesting window. Wood sorrel has leaves that resemble clover leaves, but with small, five-petaled flowers. The most common variety of wood sorrel has yellow flowers and green leaves, but it can also have pink, purple, or white flowers, as well as leaves that are darker green, purple, or both. The leaves and flowers are both edible, whether cooked or raw, and it makes an excellent garnish.

A patch of chickweed

Chickweed

Chickweed has small, round leaves and tiny white flowers. If you look closely at the flowers, the petals are shaped like the letter “v,” making them easy to identify. Chickweed grows in every state, and it often grows in thick patches. You can eat the flowers, seeds, leaves, and stems of chickweed. It has a very fresh taste, which is often compared to grass, corn silk, or spinach. You can add it to your stir fry, soup, or salad, as it can be eaten cooked or raw. Chickweed typically grows in cooler weather, so, while it may be found in abundance year round in some northern climates, it’s typically harvested in winter and spring.

Several stems of purple dead nettle

Dead nettle

Despite its name, dead nettle is very much alive in almost every state. You may have difficulty finding dead nettle if you live in an area that’s particularly dry or prone to droughts, but otherwise you’ll likely find plenty of this weed. It’s mostly found in late winter and early spring, when the weather is still cool but any snow on the ground is beginning to thaw. Dead nettle has small, heart-shaped leaves that are soft and green. They grow short stems with tiny, trumpet-shaped purple flowers that peek out between layers of leaves. As they reach maturity, their leaves begin to turn purple. The stems, leaves, and flowers of dead nettle are edible both cooked and raw, and have a flavor that’s often described as reminiscent of mushrooms.

A broadleaf plantain growing in sandy soil

Plantain

Not to be confused with the type of banana that shares its name, the plantain you’ll find in your yard is easiest to recognize by its green flower spike. Both broadleaf and narrowleaf plantains are common in yards and gardens. The leaves and flowers are both edible, with the leaves having a fresh, leafy taste and the flowers having an earthier, more mushroom-like flavor. When harvested young, the leaves are tender. Mature leaves, particularly of the broadleaf plantain, are somewhat thicker than typical salad greens, which can be off-putting for some people.

Purple wood violets

Violets

Violets are often grown in edible flower gardens, but did you know you can also eat the smaller, wild violets that pop up in yards from time to time? Wood violets have a sweet, mild flavor. They work well as garnishes, can be candied and used to decorate desserts, or added to beverages. However, they’re also mild enough that they can be added to savory dishes, giving the dish a pop of sweet without being overwhelmingly floral. They strongly resemble their larger, more decorative cousins, with smooth, heart-shaped leaves and purple or white flowers. Both the leaves and flowers are edible.

There’s a wide world of edible plants out there for you to try, but these six are a great place to start. Remember to triple check that you have the right plants, wash them before eating, and don’t harvest from areas that are sprayed with chemicals or popular sites for animals to visit. As long as you’re being safe, you can forage in your own backyard all year round.

Editors' Recommendations

Cayla Leonard
Cayla Leonard is a writer from North Carolina who is passionate about plants.  She enjoys reading and writing fiction and…
Blazing stars will fill your summer garden with color: A liatris care guide
Growing and caring for liatris
Tall purple liatris (blazing star) with butterflies

There are many wonderful plants you can add to your summer flower garden for stunning color, from tall and bright sunflowers to short and sweet zinnia. If you’re planning your garden now, you should definitely consider adding liatris, also called blazing star, to the mix! This tall, drought-tolerant, native perennial has stunning purple flowers. It’ll even attract butterflies. Here’s everything you need to know about planting and caring for liatris.
Planting liatris
You can plant liatris bulbs in the spring or fall, but you can transplant mature plants during any season. Choose a location with full sun and well-draining soil to plant your liatris in. Blazing stars can tolerate some light shade, but they won’t thrive unless they get at least 6 hours of sun each day. Spacing is important when planting liatris, as they can grow to 2 feet high and 1.5 feet wide. Plant your liatris bulbs 12 to 15 inches apart so they have plenty of space to grow.

In addition to having well-draining soil, it should also be average or poor. Many plants prefer soil that's rich with organic matter, but liatris has an unusual quirk! The flower stalks will sometimes bend or flop over if the soil is too rich.

Read more
Take advantage of hydrangeas’ color-changing quirk – how to get beautiful blue hydrangeas
Make your soil acidic to turn your hydrangeas a beautiful blue color
Hydrangeas with blue flowers

Hydrangeas are known for two things -- impressive, showy flowers and their tendency to change color based on the pH of the soil. This makes them highly appealing, but also unpredictable. If you don’t take the soil into account, your bright blue hydrangeas could turn out to be pink or purple instead. With careful planning, you can take advantage of this quirk to ensure your hydrangeas are the striking shade of blue you want them to be.
Getting started
First, check what variety of hydrangeas you have. Not all hydrangeas change color! Bigleaf hydrangeas, especially the mophead and lanceleaf cultivars, are the ones that change color. However, white hydrangeas of any variety will not change color.

Test the soil’s pH before you get started. This lets you know how much you’ll need to change it, or if you need to change it at all. If your soil pH is already between 5.5 and 4.5, it’s acidic enough to turn your hydrangeas blue.

Read more
Texas sage: This colorful shrub can withstand almost anything
Here are tips on caring for Texas sage
A black and blue butterfly on a Texas sage shrub

If you’re in need of a beautiful, hardy shrub that can withstand almost anything, then Texas sage is a great place to start. With silvery leaves and purple flowers that resemble true sage, this robust shrub looks amazing on its own or as part of a larger garden. If you want to add this lovely flowering shrub to your garden, then you’re in the right place. Here’s a simple care guide to help get you started.
Planting Texas sage
Texas sage is tolerant of poor soil, heat, and cold, so it’s typically not an issue to grow it outdoors. However, if you’re lacking in space or want to liven up your home, it can also grow in a container. In fact, its tolerance of poor soil makes it easier to grow in a container than many plants, as it doesn’t need fresh soil as often. A container that's around 12 inches in diameter is typically big enough for a Texas sage plant.

Whether indoors or out, you’ll need to make sure it has proper drainage. The most common problems with Texas sage come from overwatering or poor drainage, but you can avoid this by testing your soil’s drainage or choosing a container with drainage holes.

Read more