It may look sparse, but spring in the mountain meadows eventually brings young leaves of glacier lilies, stinging nettles, violets, mountain candytuft, and spring beauties.
Figuring out your jive with nature and a habitual routine for gathering wild plants for food and preservation will pay off in the years to come. Start small and don’t overwhelm yourself with trying to find every edible plant in the forest. Meet and greet a few plants each season and visit them throughout the harvesting year to memorize when they first sprout, flower, or fruit. Eventually, you will have dried berries, herbs, or other preserved wild foods from the previous years’ harvests to go along with the flowers and fresh greens of a new spring forage.
It is good practice to have your own journal of foraging locations, keeping notes of plants by name and date, and taking pictures of their stages of growth. This will help with future harvest planning, knowing the seasons by what you experience, not by what a book tells you. Due to the extreme elevation variability of the mountain west, seasons “happen” at equally variable times; plants know only what the weather is telling them. Spring may start in March in some places, while it will not truly arrive until late May in others. Continue to visit the same locations over and over again throughout the year, a few times each season. This is how you learn the plants and their life cycle.
Make a plan on a winter’s day, plotting out the plants you already know and welcoming a few new ones to find come spring. Learn to recognize where the plants grow, and when they put forth shoots, leaves, and flower buds. Stalk the wooded hills with wide eyes and a slow pace.
Early spring in the Rockies can be a toss-up—full of snowstorms or unbelievably warm days. Luckily, collecting from trees can be done in any kind of weather. Spring catkins, twigs, and barks are at the perfect stage for harvesting. The spring sap is running through the trunk and limbs, getting ready to turn buds into leaves and flowers.
The lowlands and deserts of the mountain west provide young yucca stalks that look like giant asparagus. Young rosettes of mustard leaves and tasty roots like salsify are best while the plant’s energy is localized close to the earth. Flowers are beginning to blossom a few thousand feet lower than where the snow is still lingering in high mountains. Forests and open meadows harbor more tubers, budding flowers, and unfurling young leaves prime for harvesting.
It may look sparse, but spring in the mountain meadows eventually brings young leaves of glacier lilies, stinging nettles, violets, mountain candytuft, and spring beauties.
blue mustard: leaves, stalks, flowers
Brandegee’s onion: leaves, flowers, bulbs
burdock: shoots, leaves, stalks, roots
chicory: leaves, roots
dandelion: leaves, flower buds, flowers, roots
filaree: leaves, roots
glacier lily: leaves, bulbs
lamb’s quarters: leaves
mallow: leaves, stems, roots
mountain candytuft: leaves, stalks, flowers
mountain parsley: leaves, roots
nodding onion: leaves, stalks, bulbs
orache: leaves
ox-eye daisy: leaves
pennycress: leaves, flowers
pepperweed: leaves
plantain: leaves
salsify: shoots, leaves, roots
shepherd’s purse: leaves, flowers, seedpods
tansy mustard: leaves, flower buds, seedpods
tumble mustard: leaves, flower buds
white clover: leaves
whitetop: leaves
wild hops: shoots
wild lettuce: leaves
wild licorice: shoots, roots
wild strawberry: leaves, flowers
yarrow: leaves
balsamroot: leaves, stems, roots
juniper: leaves, fruit
Mormon tea: stems
piñon: needles, resin
prickly pear: pads, flower buds, flowers
yucca: stalks
asparagus: shoots
cattail: shoots, roots
cottonwood: buds, bark, twigs
stinging nettle: shoots, leaves
veronica: leaves
watercress: leaves
wild mint: leaves
wintercress: leaves
aspen: buds, bark, twigs
chickweed: leaves, stems, flowers
Douglas fir: needles, resin
fir: needles, resin
fireweed: shoots
pine: needles, resin
spring beauty: leaves, roots
spruce: needles, resin
sweet root: roots, leaves
thimbleberry: shoots, leaves
violet: leaves
wood sorrel: leaves
The rivers are raging at this time of year. Mid- to late spring is when peak runoff flows from the winter’s melting snow. Riparian areas swell with the flood of water, and the leaves of young plants are crisp for harvesting. Many of theses plants tend to get bitter and tough or dry up during the summer months, an example being dock. Many flowers—dwarf bluebells, mountain parsley, prickly pear, and others—have blossomed.
Asparagus spears may be growing past their prime, while thimbleberry shoots can still be sought in the wooded mountains. Find tasty Brandegee’s onion bulbs and gather spruce tips while the weather is still cool at night but warming more and more each day.
A basket of Douglas fir tips gathered in late spring, while they are soft, sweetly citrus flavored, and a shade of neon green.
alfalfa: leaves
amaranth: leaves
beebalm: leaves
bistort: leaves, roots
bluebells: leaves, flowers
blue mustard: leaves, stalks, flowers, seedpods
Brandegee’s onion: leaves, flowers, bulbs
burdock: leaves, roots
chicory: leaves, roots
crabapple: flowers
dandelion: leaves, flowers, roots
dock: leaves, roots
filaree: leaves, roots
glacier lily: leaves, flowers, bulbs
lamb’s quarters: leaves, stems
lilac: flowers
linden: leaves
mallow: leaves, flowers, roots
mariposa lily: flowers, bulbs
mountain candytuft: leaves, stalks, flowers, seedpods
mountain parsley: leaves, roots
mulberry: leaves
nodding onion: leaves, stalks, bulbs
orache: leaves
ox-eye daisy: leaves
pennycress: leaves, flowers
pepperweed: leaves, seedpods
plantain: leaves
raspberry: leaves
red clover: leaves, flowers
salsify: shoots, leaves, roots
sheep sorrel: leaves
shepherd’s purse: leaves, flowers, seedpods
showy milkweed: shoots
stonecrop: leaves, stems
strawberry blite: leaves
sweet clover: shoots, leaves
tansy mustard: leaves, flower buds, seedpods
thistle: stalks
tumble mustard: leaves, flower buds
white clover: leaves
whitetop: leaves, stalks, flower buds
wild chives: leaves, flower buds
wild hops: leaves
wild lettuce: leaves
wild licorice: shoots, roots
wild strawberry: leaves
yarrow: leaves
alpine sorrel: leaves
balsamroot: leaves, stems, roots
juniper: leaves
king’s crown: shoots
Mormon tea: stems
piñon: needles, resin
prickly pear: pads, flower buds, flowers
yucca: stalks
angelica: roots
cattail: shoots, flower spikes
cottonwood: bark, twigs, catkins, cambium
stinging nettle: shoots, leaves
twisted stalk: shoots
veronica: leaves, stems, flowers
watercress: leaves, flowers
wild mint: leaves, stems
wintercress: leaves
aspen: bark, twigs
chickweed: leaves, stems, flowers
chokecherry: flowers
cleavers: leaves, stems
cow parsnip: leaves
Douglas fir: young tips, needles, resin
elderberry: flowers
fir: young tips, needles, resin
fireweed: shoots, leaves
northern bedstraw: leaves, stalks
pine: needles, resin, pollen
spring beauty: leaves, stems, flowers, roots
spruce: young tips, needles, resin
sweet root: leaves, flowers, roots
thimbleberry: shoots, leaves
violet: leaves, flowers
wild grape: leaves, tendrils
wild rose: flower buds
wood sorrel: leaves, flowers
The heat of summer is welcome in the high Rockies, where the growing season is a mere three months. At lower elevations, the arid heat of the summer months provides a longer growing season for wild plums, feral apples, and other fruit trees.
Monsoon season sweeps in; daily rains occur in the high country during July, giving the plants the boost they need for fruiting berries. It is best to wake up with the sun and gather while it is dry in the morning, as it can become a muddy mess by mid-afternoon. Be careful of lightning storms while hiking high in the mountains and flash floods while in canyon lands. In certain places it is not uncommon to see a snow shower on the mountain peaks in early July.
Wildflowers are breathtaking, making it more than enjoyable to hike through meadows in search of wild strawberries and nodding onion. Aromatics of plants like beebalm, pineapple weed, and hyssop are superior during the height of summer.
alfalfa: leaves, flowers, seeds
amaranth: leaves, seeds
beebalm: leaves, flower buds, flowers
bistort: leaves, flowers, roots
black walnut: green hulls
bluebells: leaves, flowers
blue mustard: seedpods
Brandegee’s onion: leaves, flowers, bulbs
burdock: stalks
chicory: flowers
dandelion: flowers
goldenrod: leaves, flower buds, flowers
ground cherry: fruit
lamb’s quarters: leaves
linden: flowers, nuts
mallow: leaves, flowers, seedpods
mariposa lily: flowers, bulbs
mountain parsley: leaves
mulberry: fruit
nodding onion: leaves, stalks, flowers, bulbs
orache: leaves, seeds
ox-eye daisy: leaves, flower buds, flowers
pennycress: seedpods
pepperweed: seedpods, roots
pineapple weed: leaves, flowers
plantain: leaves, seeds
purslane: leaves, stems, flowers, seeds
raspberry: leaves, flowers, fruit
red clover: leaves, flowers
salsify: shoots, leaves, flower buds
serviceberry: fruit
sheep sorrel: leaves
showy milkweed: flower buds, flowers, seedpods
smooth sumac: fruit
sow thistle: shoots, flower buds, leaves
stonecrop: leaves, stems, flowers
strawberry blite: leaves, flowers
sunflower: flower buds
sweet clover: leaves, flowers, seeds
thistle: stalks
tumble mustard: seedpods
western blue flax: seeds
white clover: leaves, flowers
whitetop: flowers, seedpods
wild caraway: leaves, flowers, seeds, roots
wild chives: leaves, flowers
wild hops: leaves, strobiles
wild lettuce: stalks, flower buds
wild strawberry: fruit
yarrow: leaves, stalks, flowers
alpine sorrel: leaves
balsamroot: seeds
cota: leaves, stems, flowers
juniper: leaves
king’s crown: leaves, flowers
Mormon tea: stems
Oregon grape: fruit
prickly pear: pads, fruit
piñon: needles
skunkbush: fruit
yucca: flower buds, flowers, seedpods
angelica: stalks, seeds
cattail: shoots, flower spikes, pollen
stinging nettle: leaves, seeds
veronica: leaves, stems, flowers
watercress: leaves, seedpods
wild mint: leaves, flowers
blueberry: fruit
chickweed: leaves, stems, flowers
chokecherry: bark, twigs, fruit, nuts
cleavers: leaves, stems, seeds
cow parsnip: stalks, flower buds, seeds
Douglas fir: needles
elderberry: flowers, fruit
fir: needles
fireweed: stalks, flower buds, flowers
golden currant: fruit
gooseberry: fruit
hawthorn: fruit
hyssop: leaves, flowers
miner’s lettuce: leaves, stems, flowers
mountain gooseberry: fruit
New Mexico locust: flowers
northern bedstraw: leaves, flowers
pine: needles
spruce: needles
sweet root: leaves, seeds
thimbleberry: fruit
violet: leaves
wax currant: fruit
wild grape: fruit
wild plum: fruit
wild rose: flower buds, flowers
Wolf’s currant: fruit
wood sorrel: leaves, flowers, seedpods
Fall either creeps in slowly, with changing leaves of aspen and currants, or rushes in with blistering frosts occurring in August. Crabapples abound while berries become limited; and seeds are ripe for stripping. Fall reminds us that it’s time to hunker down and prepare for the long cold winter.
Once again roots can be dug; they are best after a frost happens, sending all the sweet sugars downward. Hawthorn and mountain ash berries also become sweeter with the plummeting night temperatures.
Do not wait too long before visiting the scrub oaks: acorns are stowed away quickly by animals—surely, no one wants to miss out on an opportune harvest. Young chickweed and shepherd’s purse can be found sprouting again for a last harvest of fresh greens.
Skunkbush berries ripen as summer gives way to autumn. Find some pink-lemonade-tasting berries lingering well into October.
alfalfa: seeds
amaranth: seeds
apple: fruit
black walnut: nuts
burdock: roots
chickweed: leaves, stems, flowers
chicory: roots
cow parsnip: seeds
crabapple: fruit
dandelion: roots
dock: seeds, roots
ground cherry: fruit
lamb’s quarters: seeds
mallow: seedpods, roots
mountain parsley: roots
pepperweed: seedpods, roots
shepherd’s purse: leaves
smooth sumac: fruit
strawberry blite: roots
sunflower: seeds
tumble mustard: seedpods
wild caraway: seeds
wild hops: strobiles
wild licorice: roots
yarrow: leaves
cota: leaves, stems, flowers
juniper: leaves, fruit
Mormon tea: stems
piñon: needles, nuts, resin
prickly pear: pads, fruit
scrub oak: nuts
skunkbush: fruit
angelica: seeds, roots
bullberry: fruit
cattail: roots
cottonwood: bark, twigs
hackberry: fruit
stinging nettle: seeds
twisted stalk: fruit
watercress: leaves, seedpods
aspen: bark, twigs
chokecherry: bark, twigs, fruit, nuts
cleavers: seeds
Douglas fir: needles, resin
elderberry: fruit
fir: needles, resin
golden currant: fruit
gooseberry: fruit
hawthorn: fruit
hyssop: seeds
mountain ash: fruit
mountain gooseberry: fruit
northern bedstraw: seeds
pine: needles, resin, nuts
spruce: needles, resin
sweet root: roots
wax currant: fruit
wild grape: fruit
wild plum: fruit
wild rose: fruit
Wolf’s currant: fruit
A quiet still descends. Blankets of snow cover the highlands, tucking the plants in against the long winter squall. In the midst of negative temperatures, we can turn to the evergreens for a winter’s forage; they continue to provide us with their needles and resin. Even better would be the luck of finding a piñon cone with sweet nuts inside. Mormon tea can be gathered in the desert, and rosehips can be plucked throughout the land. All is not frozen in the mountain west.
During this respite we can pull out our stash and indulge in the harvest of prior seasons, using our jams, cordials, and plant-infused oils, butters, and honey. Winter presents us with many opportunities to use the dried herbs of summer to blend teas and spices for nourishing our families. Add stored nutrient-dense herbs such as alfalfa leaves or the roots of dandelion and burdock to simmering broths.
amaranth: seeds
dock: seeds
juniper: leaves, fruit
Mormon tea: stems
piñon: needles, resin
bullberry: fruit
cottonwood: buds, twigs
watercress: leaves
aspen: buds, twigs
Douglas fir: needles, resin
fir: needles, resin
mountain ash: fruit
pine: needles, resin
spruce: needles, resin
wild rose: fruit
