| Edible Plants Let me start with a disclaimer that you should never eat a plant because I say it's edible. There is no room for mistakes! If you're interested in foraging, go on a plant identification field trip with an expert from a local preserve or college. Then learn what to do with the plants. Not all parts of plants are always edible; some are edible only when cooked, etc. My two favorite books are The Flavors of Home: a Guide to Wild Edible Plants of the San Francisco Bay Area by Margrit Roos-Collins (order this book from Amazon.com), and Edible and Poisonous Plants of Northern California by James Wiltens (order this book from Amazon.com). Both these books are invaluable. |
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 Salal (Gaultheria shallon), summer, Hammond Road, Big Basin State Park  Salmonberry (Rubus spectabilis), spring, Estero Trail, Point Reyes National Seashore  Pear (Pyrus communis), autumn, Samuel P. Taylor State Park  Persimmon (Diospyros), autumn, Ragle Ranch Regional Park 
Olive, (Olea), spring, Ridgeline Trail, Pleasanton Ridge Regional Park  Cattails, Arastradero Lake, Arastradero Preserve  Blackberries and blossoms, Huckleberry Path, Huckleberry Botanic Regional Preserve  Fig tree, Deer Island Open Space Preserve |
 California hazelnut (Corylus cornuta ssp. californica), summer, Pomponio Trail, Memorial County Park View more hazelnut photos  Thimbleberry (Rubus parviflorus), summer, Año Nuevo Trail, Butano State Park View more photos of thimbleberry  Pomegranate (Punica granatum), autumn, Olompali State Park  Manzanita (Arctostaphylos) berries, autumn, Almaden Quicksilver County Park View more photos of manzanita  Sweet Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare), Burleigh Murray Ranch State Park  Rosehip, autumn, Dry Creek Trail, Garin Regional Park  Curly dock, (Rumex crispus), autumn, Alpine Lake, Skyline Ridge Open Space Preserve |
 Plum (Prunus), summer, Seven Springs Trail, Fremont Older Open Space Preserve  Wood strawberry (Fragaria vesca), late spring, Soda Gulch Trail, Purisima Creek Redwoods Open Space Preserve 
Evergreen Huckleberry (Vaccinium ovatum), autumn,
Huckleberry Path, Huckleberry Botanic Regional Preserve
View more huckleberry photos  Gooseberry (Ribes), summer, Huckleberry Botanic Regional Preserve |
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