This chart lists edible wild plants found in the book Field Guide to Edible Wild Plants by Angier and Foster, 2008, according to the color and number of petals in their flowers. The chart also lists the distribution of some of the plants in the USA and the page on which they are described in the Angier book, to help with identification. In this way, when you see a flowering plant, it is easier to check whether it is edible, and thus learn the edible wild plants faster. Trees are not listed.
David Plaisted, July 2011
wood sorrel (5 petals), Angier p. 266
wild cucumber, maybe 5 petals, Angier p. 246
wild celery, 5 petals, small, clusters, Angier p. 242
spring beauty, 5 petals, Angier p. 216
strawberry, white?, 5 petals, Angier p. 220
miner’s lettuce, 5 petals, Angier p. 136, western USA
lettuce saxifrage, 5 petals, small flowers, Angier p.126
Labrador tea, 5 petals, Angier p. 120, northern USA
chickweed, 5 petals, small flowers, Angier p. 54
water cress, 4 petals, small, Angier p. 238
toothwort, 4 petals, maybe purple or pink, Angier p. 234
shepherd’s purse, 4 petals, very small, Angier p. 204
Horseradish, 4 petals, very small, Angier p. 98, northeastern USA
evening primrose, 4 petals, becoming pink, Angier p. 72
bunchberry, 4 apparent petals, Angier p. 34, north and west USA
arrowhead, 3 petals, Angier p. 12, shallow waters
wild onion, small, Angier p. 252
scurvy grass, very small flowers, Angier p. 200, Canada and Alaska
scotch lovage, many small flowers, Angier p. 198, Canada, Alaska, New England
pokeweed, small whitish yellow flowers, Angier p. 172, south and east USA
New Jersey tea, many small white flowers, Angier p. 152, central and east USA
milkweed, many small flowers, may be other colors, Angier p. 134
cow parsnip, many small flowers, Angier p. 56, has poisonous look-alikes
bugleweed, small white flowers, Angier p. 32
partridge berry, white or pink flowers, Angier p. 160
nanny berry, Angier p. 148
mayapple, Angier p. 132, eastern USA
burdock, attaches to clothing, Angier p.36
American lotus lily, water lily, Angier p. 8, eastern USA
yellow fritillary, maybe 6 petals, also other colors, Angier p. 76, western USA
wood sorrel (5 petals), Angier p. 266
silverweed, five petals, Angier p. 206, northern and western USA
ground cherry, five petals, Angier p. 84
cowslip, 5 or more petals, Angier p. 58
wintercress (4 petals), tiny, Angier p. 260
mustard, 4 petals, Angier p. 146
evening primrose, 4 petals, Angier p. 72
wild lettuce (many petals), Angier p. 250
sow thistle, many petals, Angier p. 212
salsify, many small petals, Angier p. 194
Jerusalem artichoke, many petals, Angier p. 108
Dandelion, yellow, many petals, Angier p. 64
yellow water lily, Angier p. 270
sunflower. Angier p. 226
roseroot, Angier p. 190
prickly pear cactus, Angier p. 180
prickly lettuce, small flowers, Angier p. 178
buffalo berry, small flowers, Angier p. 30
barberry, may be other colors, Angier p. 14
live-forever, 5 petals, possibly other colors too, Angier p. 128
cranberry, 4 petals, very small, may also be white, Angier p. 60, northern and eastern USA
wild onion, Angier p. 252
rose, Angier p. 188
clover, may be white or yellow, Angier p. 52
wild cucumber, maybe 5 petals, Angier p. 246, eastern USA
spring beauty, 5 petals, Angier p. 216
fireweed, 4 petals, also other colors, Angier p. 74, mostly central and western USA
scotch lovage, many small flowers, Angier p. 198, along seashores in northern USA and Canada
bitterroot, many petals, may be pink, Angier p.24, western USA
wood sorrel (5 petals), Angier p. 266
violets (5 petals), may be other colors too, Angier p. 236
thistle (may be white or yellow too), Angier p. 232
salsify, many small petals, Angier p. 194
roseroot, Angier p. 190
burdock, attaches to clothing, Angier p.36
beach pea, found near shorelines, Angier p. 18, northern coastal areas
prairie turnip, Angier p. 176, western USA
chicory, many petals, may also be white or pink, Angier p. 46
chia, small flowers, maybe 4 petals, Angier p. 44, southwest USA
orach, small, Angier p. 154, wetlands
nettle, small flowers, Angier p. 150
mountain sorrel, small. may be crimson, Angier p. 142, Canada, Alaska, mountains in USA
lamb’s quarter, small flowers, Angier p. 122
Indian cucumber root, 6 parts to flower, Angier p. 102, eastern USA
green amaranth, small flowers, Angier p. 82
dock, tiny green flowers, Angier p.66
groundnut, flowers somewhat like peas, fragrant, Angier p. 86
chufa, flowers in clusters, Angier p. 50