Wild Edible Plants in Louisville, Kentucky

Blackberries

• Wild blackberries, similar to the berries found in grocery stores, grow all over Kentucky, including Louisville. Blackberry bushes are perennial, which means their roots live year after year and the stalks and leaves regrow after winter. Blackberries flower and produce fruit twice a year, once in the spring and again in the late summer. Each blackberry is actually a collection of small fruits collected together into one "berry."

Watercress

• Watercress is an herb that has similar properties to arugula. It consists of long stems culminating in tiny round leaves. Watercress grows in streams, lakes and other watery areas. It grows quickly, so if you pick the edible leaves and stalks, they will regrow as long as the roots remain undisturbed. If watercress flowers, the leaves will have a rank taste, so if you search for watercress be sure to find young stalks. Also beware of picking any watercress in polluted streams or ponds, as you may expose yourself to parasites or disease.

Walnuts

• Black walnut trees grow across Kentucky, especially close to rivers and streams like the Ohio river, where they can absorb the extensive water they require. Black walnut trees produce walnuts that mature and fall in the autumn months. A green husk initially covers them; if you see them on the ground, you can remove the husk and extract the nut. With the husk, a black walnut looks similar to a tennis ball, around 2 ½ inches wide. Black walnuts have a strong taste compared to store-bought walnuts.

Dandelions

• Dandelion, found in lawns, fields and other sunny areas across Louisville and other parts of Kentucky, often has a reputation as a weed among homeowners trying to maintain their yards. In fact, their greens are not only edible, they have a high nutritional value. Dandelions taste best in the early spring before they flower, which turns the greens bitter. You can also use the yellow flower petals to make dandelion tea.