Edible Species

We’ve found the following wild and feral edible plants in the East Bay urban ecosystem. “Spp.” after a genus name means we found more than one species. Species in bold font are particularly abundant.

Species with edible parts are highlighted in green.

Not all parts of nominally “edible” plants are edible: Parts of some edible plants are toxic.

Edible parts of some nominally “edible” plants require special preparation to be edible. For instance, coast live oak acorns (Quercus agrifolia), California bay laurel nuts (Umbellularia californica), California buckeye nuts (Aesculus californica), bamboo shoots (Bambusa spp., Chimonobambusa spp., Phyllostachys spp.), and pokeweed (Phytolacca americana) range from inedible to toxic unless they are prepared properly. Edible parts of some “edible” plants are edible only at particular stages of their development.

Do not rely on the “common name” to identify a plant: There are different plants with the same common name, some of which are edible and some of which are toxic. For instance, in some parts of the country, Queen Anne’s Lace refers to an edible wild carrot (Daucus carota), and in others it refers to poison hemlock, (Conium maculatum). Mistakes can be fatal.

Calflora has a list of toxic plants according to the California Poison Control System.

Do not consume any part of any plant listed here unless you are quite sure you know what you are doing, even if you are certain that you identified the species correctly.

Achillea millefolium (Asteraceae), yarrow
Aesculus californica (Sapindaceae), California buckeye, California horse-chestnut
Agoseris grandiflora (Asteraceae), large-flower native dandelion
Agoseris apargioides (Asteraceae), seaside dandelion
Allium spp. (Amaryllidaceae), wild onion
Allium cernuum (Amaryllidaceae), nodding onion
Allium lacunosum (Amaryllidaceae), pitted onion
Arbutus unedo (Ericaeae), strawberry Tree
Artemisia californica (Asteraceae), California sagebrush
Artemisia douglasiana (Asteraceae), California mugwort, Douglas’s sagewort
Artemisia dracunculus (Asteraceae), tarragon
Artemisia vulgaris (Asteraceae), mugwort
Athyrium filix-femina (Dryopteridaceae), western lady fern
Anthriscus caucalis (Apiaceae), burr chervil
Bambusa spp. (Bambusoideae), bamboo
Bellis perennis (Asteracea), English daisy, lawn daisy
Borago officinalis (Boraginaceae), borage
Bougainvillea spp. (Nyctaginaceae), bougainvillea
Brassica rapa (Brassicaceae), field mustard
Brassica nigra (Brassicaceae), field mustard
Brassica oleracea (Brassicaceae), wild cabbage
Calamintha sylvatica (Lamiaceae), woodland calamint
Cardamine californica (Brassicaceae), California milkmaids, California toothwort, bitter cress
Cardamine hirsuta (Brassicaceae), hairy bittercress
Carduus pycnocephalus (Asteracea), Italian thistle
Castilleja spp. (Orobanchaceae), Indian paintbrush (flowers only; greens inedible)
Cercis occidentalis (Fabaceae), western redbud
Chenopodium album (Chenopodiaceae), lamb’s quarters, fat-hen
Chlorogalum pomeridianum (Asparagaceae), wavy-leafed soap plant, California soaproot, Amole (leaves, root; requires cooking)
Cichorium intybus (Asteraceae), chicory
Cirsium vulgare (Asteracea), spear thistle, common thistle, bull thistle
Citrus x sinensis (Rutaceae), orange
Citrus x limon (Rutaceae), lemon
Citrus x paradisi (Rutaceae), grapefruit
Citrus spp. (Rutaceae), lime
Claytonia perfoliata (Portulacaceae), miner’s lettuce
Clinopodium douglasii (Lamiacaea), yerba buena
Convolvulus arvensis (Colvolvulacea), field bindweed
Cynara cardunculus var. scolymus (Asteraceae), globe artichoke
Cyperus eragrostis (Cyperaceae), golden nutsedge, tall nutsedge, chufa, edible galingale
Dichelostemma capitatum (Brodiaeoideae), blue dicks
Equisetum arvense (Equisetacea), field horsetail
Eriobotrya japonica (Rosaceae), loquat
Erodium cicutarium (Geraniaceae), redstem filaree, common stork’s-bill, pinweed
Eschscholzia californica (Papaveraceae), California poppy
Foeniculum vulgare (Apiaceae), Fennel
Fragaria spp. (Rosaceae), wild strawberries
Galium aparine (Rubiaceae), cleavers, bedstraw
Geranium molle (Geraniaceae), dove’s-foot geranium, dove’s-foot crane’s bill
Geranium robertianum (Geraniaceae), herb-Robert, storksbill, geranium Robert
Helenium puberulum (Asteraceae), rosilla, sneezeweed
Helminthotheca echioides (Asteracea), bristly ox tongue
Heracleum maximum (Apiaceae), cow parsnip
Hirschfeldia incana (Brassicacae), shortpod mustard, hoary mustard, Mediterranean mustard
Hypochaeris radicata (Asteraceae), Cat’s ear
Juglans regia (Juglandaceae), walnut
Lactuca spp. (Asteraceae), lettuce family
Lactuca canadensis (Asteraceae), wild lettuce
Lactuca ludoviciana (Asteraceae), western wild lettuce
Lactuca serriola (Asteraceae), prickly lettuce
Lactuca virosa (Asteraceae), wild lettuce, bitter lettuce, opium lettuce
Lamium purpureum (Lamiaceae), purple dead nettle
Lapsana communis (Asteraceae), nipplewort
Lathyrus latifolius (Fabaceae), perennial pea
Lavandula angustifolia (Lamiaceae), lavender
Maianthemum racemosum (Ruscacea), false lily of the valley, false Solomon’s seal
Malus domestica (Rosaceae), apple
Malva neglecta (Malvaceae), mallow
Malva sylvestris (Malvaceae), mallow
Marrubium vulgare (Lamiaceae), horehound
Matricaria discoidea (Asteraceae), chamomile, pineapple weed
Matricaria recutita (Asteraceae), chamomile
Medicago polymorpha (Faboideae), burr clover
Melissa officinalis (Lamiaceae), lemon balm
Melitotus alba (Fabaceae), sweet clover
Mentha x piperita (Lamiaceae), peppermint
Mentha spicata (Lamiaceae), spearmint
Monardella villosa (Lamiaceae), coyote mint
Myosotis latifolia (Boraginaceae), broad-leaved forget-me-not
Nepeta cataria (Lamiaceae), catnip
Opuntia spp. (Cactaceae), Nopale, prickly pear cactus
Origanum vulgare (Lamiaceae), oregana
Osmorhiza berteroi (Apiaceae), sweet Cicely
Oxalis articulata (Oxalidaceae), wood sorrel
Oxalis californica (Oxalidaceae), wood sorrel
Oxalis oregano (Oxalidaceae), redwood sorrel
Oxalis pes-caprae (Oxalidaceae), sourgrass, wood sorrel, Bermuda buttercup
Parietaria judaica (Urticaceae), pellitory of the wall, spreading pellitory
Phyla nodiflora var. nodiflora (Verbenaceae), lemon verbena
Passiflora edulis (Passifloraceae), passion fruit
Plantago lanceolata (Plantaginaceae), plantago or plantain
Plantago major (Plantaginaceae), plantago or plantain
Portulaca oleracea (Portulacaceae), purslane or pigweed
Prunus domestica (Rosaceae), plum
Prunus persica (Rosaceae), peach
Prunus armeniaca (Rosaceae), apricot
Prunus avium (Rosaceae), cherry
Pyrus communis (Rosaceae), European pear
Quercus agrifolia (Fagaceae), coast live oak
Raphanus raphanistrum (Brassicaceae), wild radish or jointed charlock
Raphanus sativum (Brassicaceae), wild radish or jointed charlock
Rorippa nasturtium-aquaticum (Brassicaceae), watercress
Rosmarinus officinalis (Lamiaceae), rosemary
Ribes californicum (Saxifragaceae), gooseberry
Rubus armeniacus (Rosaceae), blackberries
Rumex acetosella (Polygonaceae), Sheep sorrel
Rumex crispus (Polygonaceae), curly dock
Rumex obtusifolius (Polygonaceae), broad-leafed dock
Salicornia virginica (Chenapodiaceae), pickelweed, sea beans
Salvia leucophylla (Lamiaceae), purple sage
Salvia mellifera (Lamiaceae), black sage
Sambucus melanocarpa (Adoxaceae), black elderberry
Sambucus callicarpa (Adoxaceae), red elderberry
Satureja montana (Lamiaceae), winter savory
Sidalcea malvaeflora (Malvaceae), common checkerbloom
Silybum marianum (Asteracea), milk thistle
Sinapis arvensis (Brassicaceae), wild mustard
Sisymbrium officinale (Brassicaceae), hedge mustard
Solanum aviculare (Solanaceae), kangaroo apple, New Zealand nightshade
Solanum nigrum (Solanaceae), black nightshade
Sonchus asper (Asteraceae), sow thistle, spiny sow thistle, prickly sow thistle
Sonchus oleraceus (Asteraceae), sow thistle, common sow thistle
Stellaria media (Caryophyllaceae), chickweed
Syzygium paniculatum (Myrtaceae), magenta cherry, magenta lilly pilly
Taraxacum officinale (Asteraceae), dandelion
Teucrium chamaedrys (Lamiaceae), wall germander
Thymus vulgaris (Lamiaceae), thyme
Trifolium repens (Fabaceae), clover, white clover
Trillium chloropetalum (Melanthiaceae), giant trillium
Triteleia laxa (Asparagaceae), Ithuriel’s spear
Tropaeolum majus (Tropaeolaceae), nasturtium
Umbellularia californica (Lauraceae), California Bay Laurel
Urtica dioica (Urticaceae), nettles
Usnea intermedia (Parmeliaceae), beard lichen
Vaccinium ovatum (Ericaceae), huckleberry
Vicia americana (Faboideae), purple vetch
Vicia gigantea (Faboideae), giant vetch
Vicia sativa (Faboideae), common vetch
Vicia villosa (Faboideae), winter vetch, hairy vetch
Wisteria floribunda (Fabacea), Japanese wisteria
Wisteria sinensis (Fabacea), Chinese wisteria

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