Edible & Poisonous Plants

Common Edible & Poisonous Plants of South Dakota & Adjoining States

As discussed in class, great care should be taken during the gathering and consumption of wild plants. Some edible plants are easily mistaken for poisonous species, for example, and the status of some plants as 'safe to eat' may depend on the age or part of the plant consumed, the soil on which the plant grows, or the physiology of the person consuming the material. Plants marked here with an asterisk were not formally introduced during field sessions but may be asked about in a general way on a forthcoming exam.

Part 1. Edible Plants

Plants Used as Sweeteners Box Elder, Acer negundo (Aceraceae) [syrup] Paper Birch, Betula papyrifera (Betulaceae) [syrup] Fruits of assorted species (see below)

Plants Used as Greens, Vegetables, or Sources of Starch: * Pigweed, Amaranthus spp. (Amaranthaceae) [shoot and seeds] Milkweed, Asclepias spp. (Asclepidaceae) [follicle fruit] Thistle, Cirsium spp. (Asteraceae) [entire plant, especially stem and roots] Dandelion, Taraxacum officinale (Asteraceae) [entire plant, especially leaves and flowers] Yellow Goatsbeard aka Salsify, Tragopogon dubius (Asteraceae) [entire plant, especially roots] Jewelweed, Impatiens capensis (Balsaminaceae) [leaves] Watercress, Nasturtium officinale (Brassicaceae) [leaves] Prickly Pear Cactus, Opuntia spp. (Cactaceae) [pad = stem] * Lamb’s Quarters, Chenopodium album (Chenopodiaceae) [shoot] * Prairie Turnip, Psoralea esculenta (Fabaceae) [root] Clover, Trifolium spp. (Fabaceae) [flowers and leaves] * Wild Onion, Allium spp. (Liliaceae) [leaves] * Dock, Rumex spp. (Polygonaceae) [leaves] * Sheep Sorrel, Rumex acetosella (Polygonaceae) [leaves] * Purslane, Portulaca oleracea (Portulacaceae) [leaves] Broad Leaved Cattail, Typha latifolia (Typhaceae) [entire plant] * Stinging Nettle, Urtica dioica (Urticaceae) [leaves]

Plants Eaten for Fleshy Fruits Oregon Grape, Berberis repens (Berberidaceae) Prickly Pear Cactus, Opuntia spp. (Cactaceae) Elderberry, Sambucus spp. (Caprifoliaceae) Buffaloberry, Shepherdia argentea (Elaeagnaceae) Blueberry/Grouseberry/Huckleberry, Vaccinium spp. (Ericaceae) Currant/Gooseberry, Ribes spp. (Grossulariaceae) Hawthorn, Crataegus spp. (Rosaceae) Wild Strawberry, Fragaria virginiana (Rosaceae) Apple, Malus spp. (Rosaceae) * Wild Plum, Prunus americana (Rosaceae) Choke Cherry, Prunus virginiana (Rosaceae) Wild Rose, Rosa spp. (Rosaceae) Raspberry/Thimbleberry/Blackberry, Rubus spp. (Rosaceae) * Ground Cherry, Physalis spp. (Solanaceae) * Black Nightshade, Solanum spp. (Solanaceae) Riverbank Grape, Vitis riparia (Vitaceae)

1 Plants Used to Make Flour: * Prairie Turnip, Psoralea esculenta (Fabaceae) [ground roots] Burr Oak, Fagus macrocarpa (Fagaceae) [ground acorns] Ponderosa Pine, Pinus ponderosa (Pinaceae) [ground inner bark] Broad Leaved Cattail, Typha latifolia (Typhaceae) [pollen]

Plants Used for Flavoring or for Tea (Medicinal or Otherwise): Wild Yarrow, Achillea millefolium (Asteraceae) [leaves] Sage, Artemisia spp. (Asteraceae) [leaves] * Chicory, Cichorium intybus (Asteraceae) [root] Dandelion, Taraxacum officinale (Asteraceae) [root] Juniper, Juniperus spp. (Cupressaceae) [berry-like cones] Wild Licorice, Glycyrrhiza lepidota (Fabaceae) [root] * Anise Hyssop aka Licorice, Agastache foeniculum (Lamiaceae) [leaves] Field Mint, Mentha arvensis (Lamiaceae) [leaves] Bergamot, Monarda fistulosa (Lamiaceae) [leaves] Catnip, Nepeta cataria (Lamiaceae) [leaves] Ponderosa Pine, Pinus ponderosa (Pinaceae) [leaves aka “needles”] * Stinging Nettle, Urtica dioica (Urticaceae) [roots]

Part 2: Poisonous Plants

Highly Poisonous with Immediate Effect * Water Hemlock, Cicuta maculata (Apiaceae) Poison Hemlock, Conium maculatum (Apiaceae) Spreading Dogbane, Apocynum androsaemifolium (Apocynaceae) * White Snakeroot, Ageratina altissima, (Asteraceae) Cocklebur, Xanthium strumarium (Asteraceae) American Bittersweet, Celastrus scandens (Celastraceae) Nuttall Saltbush, Atriplex nuttallii (Chenopodicaceae) [when growing on certain substrates] Creeping Jenny aka Field Bindweed, Convolvulus arvensis (Convolvulaceae) Snow-On-The-Mountain, Euphorbia marginata (Euphorbiaceae) Creamy Poisonvetch, Astragalus racemosus (Fabaceae) * Locoweed, Oxytropis campestris (Fabaceae) * Castor Bean, Ricinus communis (Fabaceae)] * Death Camas, Zigadenus spp. (Liliaceae) * Monkshood, Aconitum columbianum (Ranunculaceae) * Baneberry, Actaea rubra (Ranunculaceae) Pasqueflower, Anemone patens (Ranunculaceae) * Deadly Nightshade aka Belladonna, Atropa belladonna (Solanaceae) * Jimsonweed, Datura stramonium (Solanaceae) Woodbine aka Virginia Creeper, Parthenocissus vitacea (Vitaceae)

Toxic With Long-Term Health Impacts Bracken Fern, Pteridium aquilinum (Dennstaedtiaceae) [leaves aka “fiddleheads”]

Poisonous When Consumed in Excess Sage, Artemisia spp. (Asteraceae) [leaves] * Dock, Rumex spp. (Polygonaceae) [leaves] * Sheep Sorrel, Rumex acetosella (Polygonaceae) [leaves]

2 Potentially Poisonous Under Some Circumstances Milkweeds, Asclepias spp. (Asclepidaceae) [entire plant] * Alpine Sweetvetch aka Wild Potato (Fabaceae) [seeds and roots]

Digestive Effects * Castor Bean, Ricinus communis (Fabaceae) [oil] * Common Buckthorn, Rhamnus cathartica (Rhamnaceae) [fruit]

Psychotropic or Causing Psychophysiological Effects * Peyote, Lophophora williamsii (Cactaceae) [stem aka “buttons”] * Coca, Erythroxylum spp. (Erythroxylaceae) [leaves] * Opium Poppy, Papaver somniferum (Papaveraceae) [sap] * Tobacco, Nicotiana tabacum (Solanaceae) [leaves]