Native Plants
Q. Who is Mr. Smarty Plants?
A: There are those who suspect Wildflower Center volunteers are the culpable and capable culprits. Yet, others think staff members play some, albeit small, role. You can torture us with your plant questions, but we will never reveal the Green Guru's secret identity.
Did you know you can access the Native Plant Information Network with your web-enabled smartphone?
Ask Mr. Smarty Plants
Ask Mr. Smarty Plants is a free service provided by the staff and volunteers at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.
rate this answer
Friday - September 30, 2005
From: Rubicon, WI
Region: Midwest
Topic: Edible Plants
Title: Edible wild plants in Montana
Answered by: Nan Hampton
QUESTION:
Where can I find information about wild edible plants in Montana?ANSWER:
There is an excellent source on the Montana Plant Life webpage. The edible plants are divided into the following categories: Berries, Seeds, Leaves, Stems, Flowers, Roots, and Spices. There is a description of the plant with photographs and the plant's distribution. There is a description of the edible portions (with cautionary notes) and how the plants have been used tradtionally.Here are some print sources for information about edible plants in general and edible plants in the West:
1. Gregory L. Tilford. 1997. Edible and Medicinal Plants of the West. Mountain Press Publishing.
2. Thomas Elias and Peter Dykeman. 1990. Edible Wild Plants. Sterling Publishing.
3. Betty Derig and Margaret Fuller. 2001. Wild Berries of the West. Mountain Press Publishing.
You can read reviews of these and several more titles on the Wild Food Adventures web page.
Here is another list for the wetter areas of the Pacific Northwest.
1. Terry Domico. 1982. Wild Harvest: Edible Plants of the Pacific Northwest. Hancock House Publishing.
2. Carol R. Biggs. Wild Edible & Medicinal Plants: Alaska, Canada & Pacific Northwest Rainforest. Alaska Nature Connection.
You can also find more books in the Native Plant Bibliography on the Wildflower Center web page.
More Edible Plants Questions
Native American barberry with edible fruit in New Mexico
December 06, 2008 - HI I am looking for a native american burberry plant with edible fruit. I love Persian cuisine, and they use the dried fruit of the burberry plant in a rice dish that I would like to recreate. I liv...
view the full question and answer
Raspberries in KS
April 28, 2012 - A friend told me that when he planted golden raspberries next to red and black-raspberries that the golden raspberries did not produce any fruit. He was told that when planted near each other, the go...
view the full question and answer
Information on edible tubers of hog potato from Austin
November 10, 2011 - I inquired a while back about hog potato or Hoffmannseggia glauca. You gave me some information on the plant but no information on when the plant produces the edible tubers. Also how long does it take...
view the full question and answer
Arctostaphylos Hanging Basket for Texas
April 24, 2015 - I would like to plant an Arctostaphylos uva-ursi in a hanging basket with a coco liner. Will this work, or will the roots grow too long? it's the 'Massachusetts' cultivar.
view the full question and answer
Use of cenizo (Leucophyllum frutescens) for tea
February 20, 2006 - Back in the 50's when I spent the summers with my grandmother south of Hondo, Texas, she use to pick leaves from the cenizo (purple sage) bushes, dry them and then brew them for tea. I asked one of m...
view the full question and answer
| Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today. |