Native Plants
Q. Who is Mr. Smarty Plants?
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Ask Mr. Smarty Plants
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Thursday - April 25, 2013
From: Pitcairn, PA
Region: Mid-Atlantic
Topic: Edible Plants, Wildflowers
Title: Native Edible Plants of Pennsylvania Books
Answered by: Anne Van Nest
QUESTION:
What is the best book that you know of for finding wild plant edibles in Pennsylvania?ANSWER:
Mr. Smarty Plants answered a previous question from a hiker in Clearfield about the best resources to identify edible native plants in Pennsylvania. Take a look.
Edible Wild Plants of Pennsylvania and Neighboring States by F. J. Medve and others; Edible Wild Plants of Eastern North America by M. L. Fernald and others; and Field Guide to Edible Wild Plants: Eastern and Central North America by L. Peterson all are excellent references. These books provide you with means to identify the plants, habitat and distribution, which parts are edible, how to prepare the plant, poisonous plants to avoid, etc. A cautionary note: Be sure you know what plant you're about to eat! There are look-alike plants that can give very unpleasant, even dangerous, results if eaten.
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