Edible Ecosystems

Fungi perform the essential function of nutrient cycling and decomposition in our land based ecosystems. The “roots” of all fungi called mycelium are the main body of a fungus and secrete a substance that allows them to break down organic material. When they break down organic material, the nutrients get released into the soil and are made available for plants and animals to use. One of the fungi I’d like to introduce you to is one you are familiar with thanks to Super Mario. Amanita muscaria or Fly Agaric is the bright red capped mushroom with white spots. Fly Agaric gets its name for its historical use as a fly trap. In Europe they would crush the mushroom and put it into a bowl of milk which would attract flies and intoxicate them. Today they can be found in almost the entire northern hemisphere in temperate and subarctic forests. You can find them from late summer to early winter, especially next to pines, oaks, spruces, firs, birch and cedars after a good rain. Just like in Super Mario when you eat one of these there’s said to be hallucinogenic effects but I wouldn’t recommend that. Even one cap can cause nausea, vomiting, agitation, disorientation and hallucinations (not the good kind). If you eat around say 15 of the caps, you will probably die within 30-60 minutes. Drying these will make them even more toxic. You can make them safe to eat by boiling them for a really long time, but I wouldn’t chance it and it probably wouldn’t taste very good. Better to use them for melting ice or pdf men in my opinion, or leave them for the insects and other animals who depend on them for food. Happy foraging, and remember to grow food (and medicines) not lawns, f**k ice, free Palestine, and love your neighbors.
Info:https://www.gbif.org/species/113534033, https://www.mdpi.com/2673-8392/1/3/69, https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/amanita-muscaria/, https://carnegiemnh.org/moldly-exploring-fungal-functions/
Photos:https://www.jungledragon.com/specie/666/photos

Before I say the scientific name for this plant I want to say it’s common name first, it’s called the Yaupon Holly. It’s an evergreen shrub native to North America and supports many species of wildlife by providing food, year long shelter/cover, nesting material and it hosts two important pollinators. Henry’s Elfin butterfly and the American Holly Azure butterfly rely on the Yaupon Holly as caterpillars. Now that you know why it’s a great plant, I’ll tell you the scientific name. Yaupon Holly has the unfortunate circumstance of being called Ilex vomitoria. The story goes that European colonizers witnessed indigenous warriors consume a drink made with Yaupon Holly and other herbs which induced mass vomiting. This made them think it was the shrub that induced the vomiting, so they gave it the name vomitoria. It was most likely the other herbs that caused the vomiting because Yaupon Holly leaves make a great tea that can be a substitute for coffee. To prep them for use all you have to do is collect the leaves then dry them in the oven. They have an earthy, smoky flavor and contain 60mg of caffeine per cup. Just like coffee too much can cause an upset stomach so don’t overdo it. The best places to plant Yaupon Holly are in the southern tropical regions of North America. In the States that would be from Florida to Arizona and only as far north as Oklahoma. It grows in clay, loam, or sand, tolerates acidic to basic soil, and likes occasional flooding and will tolerate occasional drought. It's a very hardy plant. Make sure you pick a spot with plenty of sunlight and plant both female and male plants since they need both to produce fruit. The red berries are important food for birds and insects, but don’t eat them because they actually do induce vomiting. It would probably suck to eat a lot of them at once, just saying. Remember, grow food (and medicines) not lawns, f**k ice, free Palestine and love your neighbors.
Info: https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/ilex-vomitoria/, https://botanicgardens.uw.edu/about/blog/2025/06/05/june-plant-profile-ilex-vomitoria/,https://hort.ifas.ufl.edu/trees/ILEVOMA.pdf
Photos: https://www.wildflower.org/gallery/species.php?id_plant=ilvo

Nerium oleander is the scientific name for the popular ornamental plant commonly known as Oleander. While the flowers are bright and beautiful they’re deceiving. All parts of this shrub are toxic and the amount of poison in one leaf is enough to kill an adult. I would not recommend burning the wood either because heating it up doesn’t kill the toxins. In fact the fumes from burning it will harm you if you breathe it in. If you ingest it, it causes vomiting, diarrhoea, dizziness, convulsions and breathing problems and eventually death. Not to worry though, you wouldn’t accidentally eat this anyway because it tastes bitter. If you have Oleander on your land, I’d remove it not only because it's poisonous but because it's considered highly invasive. It’s native to temperate regions of Africa, Asia, and Europe and grows thick, fibrous roots that can be almost impossible to get rid of if they grow too long. To identify Oleander look for thick, narrow, dark green leaves that are 4-7 inches long and less than an inch wide. Oleander will also have white or pink flowers with 5 petals that grow in clusters, and in late summer will have slender seed pods with feathery seeds. It grows best in sun to partial shade, well-drained, fertile soil, and is highly drought tolerant and will grow around 20 feet tall and 6 to 10 feet wide at full maturity. Oleander is really hard to remove so I recommend hiring a tree removal service if you can. If you can’t, you can cut the branches down to the root for a few seasons, which will weaken the roots, and then you can try to dig up the roots while wearing gloves, long sleeves, safety glasses and a mask. What you do with it after that is up to you, the toxins last whether it's fresh or dried. To replace the Oleander I’d recommend a native plant like the Arizona Rosewood. Remember, grow food (and medicines), not lawns, f**k ice, free Palestine, and love your neighbors.
Info:https://poisonousplants.cvmbs.colostate.edu/plant/60, https://poisonousplants.cvmbs.colostate.edu/plant/60,https://www.mcdowellsonoran.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Oleander-Tech-Bulletin-2019-Gardeningknowhow.com_.pdf, https://weeds.dpi.nsw.gov.au/Weeds/Oleander
Photos:https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/nerium-oleander/

Lamprocapnos spectabilis or Bleeding Heart is a popular woodland flower that is among the last to emerge in spring. You can recognize Bleeding Heart by its drooping, heart shaped flowers that are often pink but can be white. Those are the most unique feature but they also have fern-like leaves divided into three leaflets. Bleeding Hearts like to grow in shady gardens with moist, neutral to alkaline, rich soils and can tolerate clay and sand. Many people use them as ground cover because they grow in dense clusters. When they’re done flowering towards the beginning or early summer, the flowers will turn yellow and seed pods will emerge that contain 2-8 seeds. Kind of like bean pods, but I wouldn’t eat these. All parts of Bleeding Hearts are toxic and even touching the leaves with bare skin can give you a rash. To safely remove it or propagate it, wear gloves and long sleeves. If you want to remove it, use a trowel to dig up the roots and then after you dry them they can go into a compost pile. To propagate, divide the clumps of foliage in early spring and plant in the desired area. Bleeding Hearts aren’t native to North America but they also aren’t considered invasive, so I won’t tell you not to purchase them. Keep in mind there are native species of Dicentra that contain the same toxins as the Asian Bleeding Heart. Dicentra eximia or Fringed Bleeding Heart is one of those I would recommend replacing Bleeding Heart with. It has a longer bloom time and thinner, more textured leaves that can be prettier depending on your tastes. Either way, they thrive in shady spots and do especially well with ferns that will cover them as the Bleeding Hearts reach the end of their season. I would not recommend processing it into a tincture and using it as an exploding projectile, but you do you I won’t tell. As always, grow food (and medicines), not lawns, f**k ice, free Palestine, and love your neighbors.
Info: https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/lamprocapnos-spectabilis/, https://hort.extension.wisc.edu/articles/bleeding-heart-dicentra-spectabilis/, https://extension.psu.edu/the-timeless-beauty-of-bleeding-hearts-in-the-garden
Photos: https://calscape.org/plant/Dicentra-formosa-(Bleeding-Heart)/gallery

Convallaria majalis or Lily of the Valley is an eye-catching flower native to Europe and Asia. While it isn’t native to North America it has been naturalized in warmer parts of the States. In cooler climates it’s considered invasive and in some states illegal to grow because it's so aggressive. Lily of the Valley spreads by rhizome which means the roots spread underground horizontally and send up new shoots. In the right conditions they can grow in dense clusters and push out our native species like Wild Lily of the Valley, Wild Oats and Violets. Lily of the Valley grows best in wet, well-drained, rich soils and lots of shade. You can tell them apart from the native species by their upside down bell shaped flowers. Wild Lily of the Valley flowers are in clusters and are more ball shaped with little nodes sticking out. The only other look-a-like plant that you could confuse this with when it doesn’t have flowers are wild garlic and ramps. Both of those will have a distinct smell when you crush the leaves, Lily of the Valley leaves will not have a smell. Since Lily of the Valley is invasive where I live, I will be getting rid of them and replacing them with native plants to my area. To do this I will wear gloves and long sleeves because all parts of Lily of the Valley are poisonous. Even contact with the leaves can irritate the skin. An interesting tidbit about Lily of the Valley, you can’t cook out the toxins that cause heart issues and death. The roots/rhizome contain the most toxins, so be extra careful when handling them. Remember, grow food (and medicines), not lawns, f**k ice, free Palestine, and love your neighbors.
Info: https://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/PlantFinder/PlantFinderDetails.aspx?kempercode=c250, https://www.natickma.gov/1859/Lily-of-the-Valley, https://poisonousplants.cvmbs.colostate.edu/plant/123
Photos: https://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/PlantFinder/PlantFinderDetails.aspx?kempercode=c250

Monkshood or Wolfsbane is a common garden flower found in western North America, Europe and Asia in mountain meadows. Wolfsbane likes moist, rich soils with partial shade. These flowers grow to be 5 feet tall at maturity with broad, pointed leaves and tall thick stems. The flowers of Wolfsbane are most often an intense violet color with a high arching hood at the top. It’s often confused for its look-a-like delphinium, but you can tell them apart by the flowers themselves. Delphinium flowers range from blue to violet to purple and have a distinctive spur where Wolfsbane will always have deep violet flowers and no spur. Wolfsbane reproduce by seed and by rhizome, which means they grow a tuber underground and the tuber grows another plant. When you find one Wolfsbane, you’ll often find a cluster because of this. There are six species native to North America with Aconitum columbianum being the most common. Now to the more interesting part of Wolfsbane, its leaves, roots, stems and tubers contain the deadly toxin aconitine which can cause itching and blistering on skin, and if ingested causes muscle numbness, nausea, vomiting, irregular heart beat, a slowed heartbeat, and in high doses, death. It is not a quick death either, one man ingested a root tea with Wolfsbane in it and died 6 days later after experiencing all the above symptoms. The root of Wolfsbane weighing only 2-4 grams contains lethal amounts of aconinite. Be extremely careful collecting and cultivating this plant. I do recommend planting some because it hosts multiple species of moths and bees. Remember, grow food (and medicines), not lawns, f**k ice, free Palestine, and love your neighbors.
Infohttps://emergencycarebc.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/Plants_Aconitine.pdf,https://www.ivis.org/library/guide-to-poisonous-house-and-garden-plants/aconitum-species-monks-hood, https://www.gbif.org/species/113649765 Photos:https://www.swcoloradowildflowers.com/Blue%20Purple%20Enlarged%20Photo%20Pages/aconitum%20columbianum.htm

This is one of the few times I’m going to give some props to a non-native plant. Today I’m going to talk about Rhubarb, or the pieplant. Rhubarb and its varieties come from Asia and Europe and were brought over by English colonialists in the 1800s. They were prized for their tart taste for the English, and in ancient Chinese culture they were used in medicinal teas to cure fevers and stomach aches. The name Rhubarb comes from the Russians who grew the plant along the Rha River. In North America it is considered a non-native plant but it isn’t invasive because it doesn’t harm the native ecosystem. It grows in bright red stalks with broad leaves and likes rich, well-drained soil that gets full sun. If you want to grow Rhubarb, I’d recommend getting a cutting in springtime from a local garden store or farmers market. The first year it grows, do not harvest anything as this can prevent the roots from establishing. After the second year, harvest no more than a third of the plant. Let some go to flower and it will seed for you. A word of caution, the leaves contain high amounts of the toxin oxalic acid which can cause burning and severe pain if the leaves come into contact with your skin. I’m imagining an oil extract would cause severe burning and even blistering. Wear gloves and long sleeves when handling the plant with the leaves still on it. After the leaves are removed the stalk is edible. For no reason at all, I’ll share a detail I missed about making plant oil extracts. If you use fresh leaves you want to cut them into pieces before putting them into a sealable jar with 190-250 proof alcohol. This lets the oils seep out easier. Could be a good ice melter. Remember, grow food (and medicines) not lawns, f**k ice, free Palestine and love your neighbors.
Info: https://hort.extension.wisc.edu/articles/rhubarb-rheum-rhabarbarum/, https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/002479.htm, https://ag.purdue.edu/department/btny/ppdl/potw-dept-folder/2021/rhubarb.html
Photos: https://plantura.garden/uk/vegetables/rhubarb/rhubarb-overview, https://hort.extension.wisc.edu/articles/rhubarb-rheum-rhabarbarum/

The next plant I’m going to talk about is another you’re probably familiar with. I bet you even know this plant is highly toxic. Common Foxglove is an invasive species in the US that was introduced from Europe. I can guess why. It’s beautiful, deadly, and supports wildlife including pollinators like bees. The tube shaped flowers also indicate it's probably a favorite for hummingbirds. In Europe that’s great, but here in the states we need to make this plant useful while we remove it and replace it with another species. Don’t worry, I have a decent replacement post coming. To safely remove Foxglove, you’re going to need to be able to ID it because it’s easily confused with Comfrey. What gives Foxglove away are the leaves, they will be toothed and slightly more pointed, where Comfrey leaves have smooth edges. The underside of the Foxglove leaf has veins pointing almost parallel to the central stem and go all the way to the edge of the leaf. Comfrey leaf veins point outward. When Foxglove flowers, the petals will have spots or markings on the underside, so you can look for that too. When you go to remove it, wear gloves and long sleeves because even contact with the leaves can irritate the skin. Remove from the root with a trowel. Like Sacred Datura, the seeds of Foxglove contain the most toxins. You can process the seeds with a mortar and pestle, put the powder in a jar with alcohol and wait 2-3 days. Be sure to thoroughly clean tools after to avoid cardiac symptoms like rapid breathing, weak and irregular pulse, and diarrhea. To find Foxglove to remove remember it likes slightly acidic, well-drained, rich soil, and part shade. It's common in gardens and forest edges. Remember, grow food (and medicines) not lawns, f**k ice, free Palestine and love your neighbors.
Info: https://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/PlantFinder/PlantFinderDetails.aspx?kempercode=c530, https://poisonousplants.cvmbs.colostate.edu/plant/59, https://www.poison.org/articles/foxglove, https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/trees-woods-and-wildlife/plants/wild-flowers/foxglove/,
Photos: https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/trees-woods-and-wildlife/plants/wild-flowers/foxglove/, https://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/PlantFinder/PlantFinderDetails.aspx?kempercode=c530

Depending on the region you live in you may call this plant Jimsonweed, Thorn-apple, Angel Trumpet or Sacred Datura. Its scientific name is Datura wrightii and it belongs to the potato family. I wouldn’t eat it if I were you though, all parts of this plant are considered toxic. Historically Sacred Datura provided health benefits to many people because it contains antimicrobial, antidiabetic, anti-inflammatory, and wound healing properties. As with many medicines the dose makes the poison. In high enough doses the medicinal properties become lethal and the negative symptoms outweigh the benefits. The seeds of Sacred Datura are the most toxic part of the plant and even boiling them or drying them out won’t make them safe. Despite Sacred Datura’s toxicity it is an important native host plant for hawkmoths and their larvae. The flowers tend to open at night and are pollinated by the adult hawkmoths. Luckily you would not likely mistake this plant for anything else that grows in North America. Their distinct flower shape and unpleasant odor make them easy to recognize. They like to grow in dry, acidic soils that have regular disturbance. Think along stream banks, roadsides and the edges of forests. They tolerate drought and shade and would make a fine addition to a native garden. Now for the more interesting information, how to make a seed extract. It's similar to making a tincture. Collect seeds from the pods at maturity and crush them with a mortar and pestle or inside a blender. Remember to thoroughly clean both afterwards. Place the powder inside a glass jar with a high proof alcohol and let sit for 2-3 days. What you do with it after that is your business. Remember, grow food (and medicine) not lawns, f**k ice, free Palestine, and love your neighbors.
Info: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8389218/, https://apps.cals.arizona.edu/arboretum/taxon.aspx?id=1113,https://extension.arizona.edu/sites/extension.arizona.edu/files/barnesm/SacredDatura.pdf, https://putahcreekcouncil.org/creekside-neighbors/sacred-datura-datura-wrightii/
Photos: https://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=dawr2

Poison Hemlock may look pretty and harmless, but it is an invasive species native to Europe, Asia and parts of Northern Africa. This plant is HIGHLY toxic to us, livestock and pets and should be removed carefully. In order to remove it effectively it's important to learn what to look for to identify it. Wild Carrot is a look-a-like plant that often gets confused with Poison Hemlock. Poison Hemlock will have the umbrella-like flowers, finely divided “lacy” leaves, hollow stems with no hairs, grow 6-10 feet tall at maturity and exude an unpleasant odor when crushed. It’s very important to check for these identifiers because the look-a-like will appear very similar at first glance. To safely remove Poison Hemlock it's important to wear gloves and long sleeves. When you pull it, pull from close to the ground as close to the root as possible and it should pull up easily. If it’s really tall and thick, you can use a trowel to help dig it up. Once it’s pulled it will not re-root itself, but the seeds will lie dormant for up to six years. Watch for new growth and pull them out early. A good replacement plant would be allium tricoccum or wild ramps if you live in the eastern US, or blue camas if you live in the western US. Both are native and edible. Now, a couple of posts ago I told you how to make tinctures with dried plants. I’m not telling you what to do but this plant is deadly in concentrated amounts if ingested, and will make someone break out in blisters if it comes into contact with their skin. You could make a bottle, just in case…Remeber, grow food (and medicines) not lawns, f**k ice, free Palestine and love your neighbors.
Info: https://extension.umd.edu/resource/poison-hemlock-identification-and-management/, https://bplant.org/plant/69 , https://www.canr.msu.edu/news/poison-hemlock-identification-and-control
Photos: https://www.nwcb.wa.gov/weeds/poison-hemlock

White Baneberry or Actaea pachypoda is a common plant in forests in North America. You may have seen it and wondered what the hell it is because its berries look like eyeballs. The fruit or berries are white bulbs with a black dot in the middle. They grow up to 2 feet tall and produce white flowers. Deer and rabbits stay away from this plant, but birds can and do eat the berries. The reason deer and rabbits steer clear of it is because it's poisonous. The toxin inside all parts of this plant is called ranunculin. In even small amounts it causes vomiting, respiratory paralysis, cardiac arrest and diarrhea. Some indigenous warriors were said to have dipped their arrow tips in the juice of bane berries to add an extra threat during battles. I’m sure it would still be useful today with modern crossbows, spears, and knives. To find them look in forests with creeks or streams as they like wet soils. They also like to be in shady areas, so forests with a lot of heavy shade is your best bet. To turn the berries into juice, you can use a mortar and pestle, oh and the roots contain the toxin as well. White Baneberry would make an excellent addition to any garden, they feed and shelter wildlife, can be used for natural fencing and for self defense. Remember, grow food (and medicines), f**k ice, free Palestine, and love your neighbors.
Info: https://plantfinder.nativeplanttrust.org/plant/Actaea-pachypoda, https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/actaea-pachypoda/,https://assets.press.princeton.edu/chapters/s9668.pdf, https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/gastroenteritis
Photos:https://assets.press.princeton.edu/chapters/s9668.pdf , https://plantfinder.nativeplanttrust.org/plant/Actaea-pachypoda