Host an Event Volunteer Join Tickets

Support the plant database you love!

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.

Help us grow by giving to the Plant Database Fund or by becoming a member

Did you know you can access the Native Plant Information Network with your web-enabled smartphone?

Share

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.

Search Smarty Plants
See a list of all Smarty Plants questions

Please forgive us, but Mr. Smarty Plants has been overwhelmed by a flood of mail and must take a break for awhile to catch up. We hope to be accepting new questions again soon. Thank you!

Need help with plant identification, visit the plant identification page.

 
rate this answer
1 rating

Friday - September 06, 2013

From: North Ridgeville, OH
Region: Mid-Atlantic
Topic: Edible Plants
Title: Looking for a List of Edible Wild Plants for Ohio
Answered by: Anne Van Nest

QUESTION:

What are some edible wild plants in Ohio?

ANSWER:

There are several good websites that list edible wild plants in Ohio. Take a look at the Seasonal Schedule of Edible Wild Plants in Southeastern Ohio posted on the Ohio University Department of Environmental and Plant Biology website. There’s also some good helpful tips about identification, ecology, preparation and uses on another webpage as well as email contacts for the website co-founder Rebecca Mullany.

Also information about some edible plants in Ohio and recipes to use the ingredients can be found on the www.discoveringohio.com website in an article called Wild, Wonderful, Native Ohio Foods.

As always, make sure that you are 110% certain of the identification of any plants that you plan to ingest and that they are prepared correctly. A mentor would be a great way to learn about edible plants if you have a knowledgeable person in your area that is willing to share their expertise.

 

From the Image Gallery


American pokeweed
Phytolacca americana

Staghorn sumac
Rhus typhina

More Edible Plants Questions

Need information about Pignut (Hoffmannseggia glauca).
November 30, 2009 - I wanted to know a little about Pignut (also called Indian Rush-pea and Hog Potato); botanical name Hoffmannseggia glauca. Is it edible, and at what point does the plant produce a tuber (looks like a ...
view the full question and answer

Dog eats horse herb (Calyptocarpus vialis)
July 14, 2008 - This is not a question but in response to one of your answers. My dog eats horse herb all the time. He seems to use it to calm his stomach or throat from acid indigestion. He had an ulcer and would...
view the full question and answer

Is the fruit of Melothria pendula edible?
November 22, 2014 - Is the fruit of Melothria pendula edible?
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

Can I make my large pecan trees produce larger nuts?
November 14, 2013 - I have 2 older large pecan trees about 40' tall but the nuts are very small, only about 1 1/2". What can I do to get larger nuts?
view the full question and answer

Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today.