California Wild Food & Medicine Through the Seasons

California is a veritable food and medicine forest, pulsing through the seasons in an incredibly rich symphony of plants seeding, leafing out, fruiting, and falling back for the year. Below is a compilation of what is commonly available around the Bay Area through the seasons. Plants are listed with those in flower on the top, followed by seed and fruit, then leaf and stem, and ultimately root and rhizome. Remember: the plant part that’s developing now is what is in season for food and medicine. These lists are not comprehensive - isn’t that amazing? There is SO much glorious bounty here just waiting to be enjoyed, tended, fallen in love-with, and developed into relationships that will last lifetimes.

 

Springtime

  • Cattail Pollen (Typha latifolia - Broadleaf Cattail is most widespread) 

  • Pine Pollen (Pinus radiata - Monterey Pine is very common, though pollen could be from other pines too) 

  • Violet Flower (Viola purpurea ssp. venosa) 

  • Common Sorrel Flowers (Oxalis pes-caprae) 

  • Pineapple Weed flowers (Matricaria discoidea) 

  • Rose flowers (Rosa californica) 

  • Dandelion Flowers (Taraxacum officinale) 

  • Elder flowers (Sambucus nigra ssp. cerulea) 

  • Wild fennel fronds and pollen (Foeniculum vulgare) 

  • Monkey Flower (Mimulus guttatus) 

  • Nasturtium leaves and flowers (Tropaeolum majus) 

  • California Poppy leaves and flowers (Eschscholzia californica) 

  • Black Hawthorn leaves and flowers (Crataegus douglasii) 

  • Chickweed (Stellaria media) 

  • Wild Mustard (Brassica nigra) 

  • Miner’s Lettuce (Claytonia perfoliata) 

  • Wild Onions (Allium triquetrum) 

  • Lemon balm leaves (Melissa officinalis) 

  • Lambs Quarters Leaves (Chenopodium album)  

  • Cleavers (Galium aparine) 

  • Mullein leaves (Verbascum thapsus) 

  • Coltsfoot leaves (Tussilago farfara) 

  • Hedgenettle leaves (Stachys bullata) 

  • Wild Peppermint leaves (Mentha piperita) 

  • Wild Chervil (Anthriscus sylvestris) 

  • Stinging Nettle Leaves (Urtica dioica) 

  • Milk thistle leaves (Silybum marianum) 

  • Horsetail (Equisetum arvense) 

  • Self heal leaves (Prunella vulgaris) 

  • Yarrow leaves (Achillea millefolium) 

  • Roberts Geranium leaves (Geranium robertianum) 

  • Wormwood leaves (Artemisia absinthium) 

  • Mugwort leaves (Artemisia douglasiana) 

  • Linden leaves (Tilia americana) 

  • Cattail shoots and rhizomes (Typha latifolia) 

  • Yellow Dock Roots (Rumex crispus) Summer 

Autumn

  • Acorns (Quercus agrifolia - Coast Live Oak is prevalent, but many oaks exist) 

  • Manzanita Berries (Arctostaphylos manzanita) 

  • Pine Nuts (Pinus sabiniana - Gray Pine has large nuts) 

  • Rose Hips (Rosa californica) 

  • Nettle seeds (Urtica dioica) 

  • Cow Parsnip seeds (Heracleum lanatum) 

  • Black Walnuts (Juglans californica) 

  • California Bay Laurel leaves and nuts (Umbellularia californica) 

  • Hawthorn Berries (Crataegus douglasii) 

  • Plantain leaves and seeds (Plantago major) 

  • Wild Grapes fruit (Vitis californica) 

  • Purslane leaves (Portulaca oleracea) 

  • Wild Radish leaves (Raphanus raphanistrum) 

  • Yerba Buena leaves (Clinopodium douglasii) 

  • Mugwort leaves (Artemisia douglasiana) 

  • Yellow Dock root (Rumex crispus) 

  • Shepherd's Purse (Capsella bursa-pastoris) 

  • Wild Carrot (Daucus carota) 

  • Yerba Santa (Eriodictyon californicum) 

  • Soaproot (Chlorogalum pomeridianum) 

  • Dandelion Roots (Taraxacum officinale) 

Summer

  • Chamomile flowers (Matricaria chamomilla) 

  • St. John's Wort flowering tops (Hypericum perforatum) 

  • Self heal leaves and flowers (Prunella vulgaris) 

  • Mullein flowers (Verbascum thapsus) 

  • California Poppy leaves and flowers (Eschscholzia californica) 

  • Wild Rose hips (Rosa californica) 

  • Yarrow leaves and flowers (Achillea millefolium) 

  • Jewelweed leaves, stems, flowers (Impatiens capensis) 

  • Elderberry flowers (Sambucus nigra ssp. cerulea) 

  • Thimbleberry fruit and leaves (Rubus parviflorus) 

  • Currant fruit (Ribes sanguineum - Red-flowering Currant is one option) 

  • Prickly Pear Cactus pads and fruit (Opuntia ficus-indica - Indian Fig Opuntia is common) 

  • Elder berries (Sambucus nigra ssp. cerulea) 

  • Fig fruit (Ficus carica) 

  • Blackberry fruit (Rubus ursinus) 

  • Gooseberry fruit (Ribes uva-crispa) 

  • Salal berries (Gaultheria shallon) 

  • Aralia Berry (Aralia racemosa) 

  • Wild Strawberry berries (Fragaria vesca) 

  • Salmonberry berries (Rubus spectabilis) 

  • Western Hazelnut nuts (Corylus cornuta var. californica) 

  • Yellow dock seed (Rumex crispus) 

  • California Sagebrush leaves (Artemisia californica)

  • Lamb's-quarter (Chenopodium album) 

  • Purslane leaves (Portulaca oleracea) 

  • Wild lettuce leaves (Lactuca virosa & serrata) 

  • Wild Fennel seeds (Foeniculum vulgare) 

  • Yerba Buena leaves (Clinopodium douglasii) 

  • Mugwort leaves (Artemisia douglasiana) 

  • St. John’s Wort flowering tops (Hypericum perforatum) 

  • Miner’s Lettuce (Claytonia perfoliata) 

  • Wild Mint (Mentha arvensis) 

  • Chicory leaves (Cichorium intybus) 

  • Sea Rocket (Cakile maritima) 

  • Cow Parsnip leaves (Heracleum maximum) 

  • Stinging Nettle leaves (Urtica dioica) 

Wintertime

  • Toyon berries (Heteromeles arbutifolia) 

  • Wild Mustard leaves and flowers (Brassica nigra) 

  • Ceanothus (Ceanothus thyrsiflorus - Blueblossom is common) 

  • Sorrel leaves and flowers (Rumex acetosa) 

  • Nasturtium leaves, flowers, and capers (Tropaeolum majus) 

  • Field Mint leaves (Mentha arvensis) 

  • Lemon Balm  leaves(Melissa officinalis) 

  • Chickweed leaves (Stellaria media) 

  • Cleavers aerial parts (Galium aparine) 

  • Nettle leaves, seeds, and roots (Urtica dioica) 

  • Horsetail aerial parts (Equisetum arvense) 

  • Blue Gum Eucalyptus leaves (Eucalyptus globulus) 

  • Watercress leaves (Nasturtium officinale) 

  • Arroyo Willow Bark (Salix lasiolepis) 

  • Yellow Dock root (Rumex crispus) 

  • Chicory root (Cichorium intybus) 

  • Evening Primrose root (Oenothera biennis) 

  • Wild Ginger (Asarum caudatum) 

  • Aralia (California Spikenard) root (Aralia californica)

  • Oregon Grape root (Mahonia aquifolium) 

  • Dandelion root and leaves (Taraxacum officinale) 

  • Miner's Lettuce leaves and roots (Claytonia perfoliata) 

  • Common Mallow leaves, roots, flowers (Malva neglecta)