The Rocky Mountains hold true treasures. Wild edibles, especially berries, are one of those treasures that cover our landscape. You can find all the wild edibles listed below in just about every Mountain range along Western Montana and the rest of the Rockies. Foraging for wild edibles can be the sole purpose of hiking, something you stumble upon, or means of fuel if you ever run out on a long expenditure. (DON’T let this happen!)
Huckleberry
Season- Summer & early fall
Edible Portions- berries
Nutritive Value- Flavones in these berries provide anti-oxidative benefits to our body including anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial, & anti-cancer activity.
Chokecherry
Season- early spring as flowers and through summer as berries
Edible Portions- flowers, fruit (spit the pit out! It’s poisonous unless cooked), bark
Nutritive Value- Lycopene in these berries are an antioxidant providing benefits to reduce inflammation, cancer risk, & cardiovascular disease risk.
Stinging Nettle
Season- Spring to early summer
Edible Portions- leaves (use these greens as you would cooked spinach or kale) Must cook this green for consumption!
Nutritive Value- This wild edible contains fiber & chlorophyll. Fiber helps our bodies rid excess cholesterol &provides gastrointestinal motility. Chlorophyll is the green pigment in this plant and functions in the body as an antioxidant fighting against radicals that may cause inflammation, cancer, etc.
Lambs-quarter
Season- Spring to Summer
Edible Portions- Leaves, seeds, stems
Nutritive Value- This plant contains a good source of vitamins A, C, B6. Vitamin A is the powerhouse player for our eye health and function. Calcium is also present is this plant which is good for maintaining our bone density.
Nodding Onion
Season- summer to fall
Edible Portions- Bulb, Stalk, Leaves, Flowers (spring)
Nutritive Value- Anthocyanin is also an antioxidant that can improve visual and neurological health.
Mountain Sorrel
Season- Spring into Summer
Edible Portions- leaves (Use as a herb as the flavor is potent)
Nutritive Value- Do not consume this plant if you are dehydrated or have kidney problems. This plant contains oxalic acid which binds to vitamins and minerals and prevents absorption. Consumption of excess oxalates is not recommended.
Gooseberry
Season- Late summer to fall
Edible Portions- berries
Nutritive Value- Flavones in these berries provide anti-oxidative benefits to our body including anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial, & anti-cancer activity.
Weeds
Dandelion, Purslane, Thistle, Clover, Mustard, Burdock root
Fruit
Elderberry, Rosehips, Feral Plums, Hawthorn, Juniper Berry
Mushrooms
Morels, Oyster, Hedgehog
Plants
Wild Rose, Pine Needles, Pine Nuts, Amaranth, Mint, Yarrow, Watercress, Violets