Author: Trevor Hohenthaner

Entering private property without permission is considered trespassing. 

Foraging involves both entering the land and taking something from it, which makes permission essential.

In Michigan, we have our own Recreational Use Statue, MCL – Section 324.73301 off of the Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Act.

Simply put, this law provides significant legal protection to landowners in Michigan when they allow people onto their private property for free to engage in specific recreational activities, including activities relevant to foraging.

In this post, I’ll be covering what that looks like as part of a plan to forage in unique areas not owned by the state.

1. Know the Boundaries: Research property boundaries through public land records.
2. Identify the Landowner: Use county records to determine who owns the land parcel. If a name is listed, look for contact information online.
   1. Each county has their own way of providing land ownership information.
   2. You should always ask permission to enter private land, even if there’s signage stating that the land is “open”, or if the land is for sale.
      1. Foraging on land requires consent before you can walk on it.

Alright, you’ve found several pieces of possible land, you know where those land boundaries are, and for each piece of land, you know who owns it and what their contact information is.

It’s time to ask.

3. Ask in Advance: Increase your chances of getting a “yes” by asking weeks or months before you plan to forage.
   1. Reach out during the landowner’s off-season, so February to early spring, when they are less busy with farming, hunting leases, yard work, etc.
4. Phone Calls vs Emails vs Letters: The best approach is a personal one.
   1. If possible, call ahead or visit in person to set a time to stop by. If a face-to-face or phone call isn’t immediately feasible, a handwritten letter can go a long way. Keep any written request concise and professional. In either case, your goal is to set up a personal meeting or conversation, as a handshake beats a text message or cold call every time.
5. Be Kind: Ask if it is a convenient time to talk.
   1. Keep a polite and respectful tone and don’t make demands.
6. State Your Intentions: Introduce yourself and clearly state that you wish to forage for edibles on their land.
   1. Be upfront and honest about your intentions.

Here are some possible questions they may ask when you first reach out, and what I would say myself. 

I suggest taking the time to read through these and come up with your own way of answering:

What exactly are you looking to forage for? Are we talking about berries, mushrooms, greens, roots?

(This will vary depending on the type of ecosystem, what you’re hoping to forage, and the time of year that you’re wanting to forage in.) Greens such as young leaves, young shoots, and young ferns, nettles and fiddlehead ferns. No mushrooms and no roots. 

What is your experience level? Do you have formal training or experience in safe and sustainable foraging?

I have a lot of experience in sustainably foraging on state and private land. I’m a gardener who studies wild plants and land stewardship.

How often and for how long do you intend to be on the property?

Once per month and an hour at most during the early afternoon, that way I can also pick up any trash that I see along the public road right-of-way. There would never be a time when I would not text, call, or email you and ask for permission without entering, two weeks ahead of time. I would also never enter without your expressed permission. If I don’t hear from you within 48 hours, I would consider it a denial of entry for that month.

Where would you park?

I was hoping to park where I wouldn’t be in your way, and where I’m not close to passing traffic. I’m open to any suggestions you may have.

Where specifically do you plan to forage? Do you have a map or a rough idea of the areas you’re interested in?

I do carry a local map with me along with a compass, but during this visit, I would only be foraging near the ditch, away from the main road. That way I can safely collect any trash I come across and focus on plants free of pollution. I don’t forage to sell and I only forage 10-25% of each plant for personal consumption.

What measures will you take to ensure you don’t damage the property, disturb any wildlife, or harm any of the non-edible plants?

I always make sure to wipe down my shoes before entering anyone’s property, I leave all wild animals alone, and I know exactly what to look for based on experience and field guides that I carry with me. I bring small clippers to make sure I don’t damage the plant while foraging, along with a collection bag. I would not be bringing anything used to dig because I have no intention of digging.

I also have questions about liability. If you were to get hurt on my property, who would be responsible? Do you have your own insurance, or are you part of an organization that does?

I understand your concerns about liability. That’s incredibly important to me as well. I want you to feel completely protected, too. To make sure you’re covered, I’m happy to show you proof of my existing renters (or homeowners) insurance; it already comes with liability coverage for when I’m away from home. I’m also happy to sign any written waiver or agreement that says I won’t pursue legal action if I accidentally get hurt while I’m here. If I got injured while on your land, I would personally accept that risk and pay my share, since you were kind enough to let me forage. But if you’d still like more assurance, I can look into getting one of those low-cost, special land liability policies. People who hunt often use them, and they are specifically designed to cover you, the landowner, against those liability fears, which usually makes things much easier.

7. Offer to give back: Giving before you receive is such a great choice.
   1. Ideas for how to give back (depending on your skills) include:
      1. Offer to help cut wood.
      2. Offer to fix fences or mend fences.
      3. Offer to pick up trash.
      4. Offer to help work agricultural land, including tilling ground or stacking hay.
      5. Offer lawn mowing and landscape work.
      6. Offer to pick rocks.
      7. Offer to mark or paint boundary lines.
      8. Offer to help plant trees.
      9. Offer to help repair utility lines.
      10. Offer to look for water leaks.
      11. Offer to repair damage to the property.
      12. Offer to locate underground cables.
      13. Offer to help clean debris or conserve part of the land.
      14. Offer to help clear trash from bodies of water.
      15. Offer to do volunteer work on the land.
      16. Offer to run around and save plants before land cutting or demolition.
      17. Offer to keep an eye on their land while you’re there.
      18. Offer to be a “second set of eyes” by notifying the landowner immediately if you see any unauthorized activity or trespassers.
      19. Offer to share part of the harvest.
      20. Offer baked goods.
      21. If you’re also wanting to take quality photos, offer to share images once they’re edited.
      22. Offer any valuable items that you find on the property.

If they say no on the phone, no is a complete sentence and we’ll be respecting that.

Remember that “no” usually means “not right now” because “I don’t know you” or “you haven’t convinced me”, or both of those things.

It’s all valid and we’ll be respecting that.

It also doesn’t mean you did anything wrong.

But if they say yes to a meeting in-person and you’ve scheduled a time…

8. Be Presentable: You want to appear approachable and friendly.
   1. Taking a shower, wearing clean and non-camouflage clothing, and putting on a bright smile will go a long way toward receiving permission.
      1. Do not appear dirty or in clothes meant for the woods.
9. Provide Contact Information: Give the landowner an index card or business card with your name and contact information.
   1. Landowners are going to want to know exactly who is on their property and how to contact them if necessary.
   2. This also gives them a chance to tell their friends about you, who may also own land.
10. Offer References: You can offer character references from people who know you, such as past landowners you successfully worked with.
    1. Particularly effective if you’ve already built a relationship with a landowner in the same town, so someone they may already know personally.
11. Get Specifics in Writing: Always get specifics in writing.
    1. A written document, formal or informal, is essential for clarity, detailing precisely where, when, and how you may access the property. Having written permission protects both parties and is preferred over verbal consent.
12. Where, When, and How: Clarify all aspects of your time on their property.
    1. Agree on where you can park, when you can be there, and what methods you may use for foraging. 
    2. Write it all down as they’re talking and repeat it to them afterwards, that way they really understand that you were actively listening.
13. Leave No Trace: Just like when camping, avoid causing damage, leave no trash, and be sure to close each gate you go through.
14. Follow Up and Give Back: Show your appreciation by following up after your visit and thanking them again.
    1. It’s also possible that this generosity inspires them to share the experience with their friends, who could be other landowners.

Will you be told no from time to time? Absolutely.

Will they also remember how kind you were when you asked? 

How you offered multiple valuables first like clearing a gate of debris, bringing something that you made at home, or keeping a watchful eye on the land they care about?

Or how gracious you were when you were told no?

Be brave, put yourself out there, and be prepared to be surprised.

Touch grass,

Trevor.

We take a moment before each post to acknowledge that the land we learn from, responsibly take from, and generously give back to, is the traditional and contemporary homeland of the Anishinaabe peoples, specifically the Council of Three Fires (the Ojibwe, Odawa, and Potawatomi Nations), among others.

We pay respect to their ancient stewardship, ecological wisdom, and continued presence here in the Great Lakes region, committing ourselves to learning and practicing the ethics of stewardship and harvesting that they pioneered.

Land is not property, land is a relation.

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Autumn olive (Elaeagnus umbellata), like many other invasives and non-natives, is a unique opportunity for foragers: it is an aggressive invasive species that conservation groups explicitly encourage people to harvest like there’s no tomorrow.

However, even when harvesting a plant like autumn olive, new foragers frequently make mistakes that compromise their safety, how they taste, and foraging ethics. 

Here are the worst mistakes new foragers make when going to town on this abundant, speckled, delicious, terrible plant.

Mistake 1: Relying on a Single Source for Identification

Remember this: the single most critical rule in foraging is to never eat anything that cannot be identified 100%.

Improperly identified wild foods can kill you. 

The great thing about autumn olive for beginner harvesters is that there’s no toxic lookalike in Michigan.

Beginner foragers who have never encountered the autumn olive may assume that because a red berry looks like an autumn olive, it must be safe.

Non-native (and equally invasive) honeysuckles (Lonicera spp.) have red berries too. They’re not safe.

Honeysuckles have opposite leaves and lack the tiny, glistening scales on their leaves or twigs (and they’re not speckled with white or gray dots).

I think you’re more likely to run into a type of honeysuckle than say the buffaloberry (Shepherdia canadensis) in my opinion.

The buffaloberry is in the same family as the autumn olive and has silvery leaves and bright red fruits, but has opposite leaves compared to the autumn olive’s alternate leaf pattern.

Borrowing from another post I wrote, here’s how to safely identify the autumn olive:

• Simple leaves: A single, undivided leaf blade, like what you’ll find on trees like oaks and maples.
• Alternate leaves: Only one leaf grows at each node (the point where the leaf stalk joins the stem).
• Wavy margins: The edge of the leaf is kinda wavy and smooth (no “teeth”). 
• Speckled: The upper surface of the leaf is grayish-green with tiny white or gray dots speckled throughout (you’ll see this on the fruit too).
• Stems and twigs: Young stems are silvery or golden brown. Could also be thorny.
• Seasonal visibility: It is often easiest to locate the plant in early spring or late fall because the leaves will grow out earlier and remain later than most native species.

Mistake 2: Harvesting Before the Berries are Actually Ripe

Autumn olive berries are edible raw or cooked. 

Having said that, the quality and flavor of the fruit will change dramatically based on ripeness and climate exposure, leading to a disappointing harvest if rushed.

Wait for the fruit to be fully ripe, which in Michigan is around September to October before the first frost.

Harvesting early isn’t going to harm you (unless tannins give you headaches), but it will certainly make you pucker.

You could wait until after the frost, although by then, wildlife may have had a chance to consume a good amount already, so you hedge your bets.

Foragers say that the berries taste better after a frost or hard freeze. 

This changes the chemistry of the fruit, making them sweeter (reducing the tannins)

Putting a bag of them in your freezer will also achieve the same result. 

Mistake 3: Ignoring Local Laws and Private Property

Hey, listen, I get it.

The temptation to just start foraging what you see regardless of where it is can be strong.

But even when foraging for an invasive species, you must abide by local laws regarding land ownership and the purpose of the harvest.

Yes, land is not property, land is a relation. I agree.

Meanwhile, Jimmy J Cletus the 3rd has a trail cam and a shotgun.

And I’m trying to keep you safe.

So always obtain landowner permission before harvesting from private property. 

Trespassing, even for foraging, is a serious thing in the foraging community.

Don’t be the one that gives foragers a bad wrap.

I would also keep in mind that even if you are on land where you’re allowed to harvest the entire plant (i.e. for firewood), even if it’s invasive, let the landowners know.

Perhaps frame it like, “Hey, I’d like to get rid of an invasive plant for you on your land. Is that okay?” And see what they say.

Heck, you may make a new friend or at least someone who starts their own foraging journey.

Selling what you Forage

If you plan to sell or commercialize your harvest, be aware of legal restrictions. 

For invasive species designated as “Restricted” in Michigan (like the autumn olive), it is unlawful to possess, introduce, import, sell or offer that species for sale as a live organism. 

While the fruit may be processed for personal use (jam, preserves, beer), selling the raw fruit harvested from state lands is typically for personal use only.

Conclusion

Foraging requires humility (hubris can kill you). 

It takes time to gain confidence in identification.

Those apps might be handy in giving you a potential answer quickly, but not only should you not put all your faith in one source, don’t make that one source an app on your phone.

Start slow, check your IDs repeatedly via an app and a book (those two things at the very least), and remember that when you harvest autumn olive, you are contributing not only to your diet, but also to the health of the ecosystem.

So thank you for doing your part.

Touch grass,

Trevor.

We take a moment before each post to acknowledge that the land we learn from, responsibly take from, and generously give back to, is the traditional and contemporary homeland of the Anishinaabe peoples, specifically the Council of Three Fires (the Ojibwe, Odawa, and Potawatomi Nations), among others.

We pay respect to their ancient stewardship, ecological wisdom, and continued presence here in the Great Lakes region, committing ourselves to learning and practicing the ethics of stewardship and harvesting that they pioneered.

Land is not property, land is a relation.

---

Sometimes we get things wrong, like introducing an invasive species on purpose.

Yeah, we did that.

Enter the autumn olive plant (Elaeagnus umbellata). 

We had our reasons: soil improvement and agroforestry, structure and land use, wildlife habitat.

And guess what? It did all of those things.

And then it got suuuuuper out of control.

It threatens biodiversity and ecological structure by shrub encroachment, forming dense thickets that make it difficult to traverse through.

It’s harmful to low-nutrient adapted communities by fixing (increasing) nitrogen in the soil (great for communities that require high-nutrients to thrive, but terrible for the others that don’t).

It threatens a number of our natural communities through aggressive reproduction, its ability to chemically alter the soil, and its capacity to outcompete native vegetation (which we fight hard to keep healthy and abundant).

Bad. Stuff.

But hey.. what if I told you that you could eat the berries it produces (incredibly nutritious)?

And what if I told you that you could turn the wood into a great source of fuel (firewood)?

And what if I told you that by consuming high nutrient berries and sourcing high quality firewood, you’d be helping many critical natural communities in Michigan?

A win, win, win.

You see, there are SO MANY different plants that you could forage, but only a select number of them where foraging with the intent of eradicating is encouraged.

Now I’m not saying that foraging alone is going to solve this issue. It’s not.

Even if we harvested all of the autumn olive’s seed-bearing fruit from an area, we would still have the plants to contend with.

And even if we harvested all the wood from the plants, cutting down the shrub will only stimulate vigorous resprouting from the root crown.

Here’s the bottom line.

Autumn olive is more difficult to control than many other species of invasive shrubs, and is near impossible to eradicate completely from an area once it has become thoroughly established.

And such is the necessity for herbicide (I know.. big and scary, but we’ll get to that).

The Beginning of the Autumn Olive in Michigan

The autumn olive, native to Asia, was introduced to America in the 1830s.

Throughout the 40s and the 70s, it was extensively planted for wildlife habitat and food, and for use as a land stabilizer and windbreaker.

We didn’t observe its invasive traits until it was too late.

Like 2012 too late.

At that time, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources formally recognized and listed autumn olive as a restricted, invasive species.

Both “prohibited” and “restricted” are legal designations for invasive species in Michigan.

A prohibited species is not widely distributed in the state, and management or control techniques are often not available.

A restricted species (like the autumn olive) is established in the state, and management practices are usually available for them.

Either way, it is illegal to possess, introduce, import, sell, or offer these as a live organism, unless under certain circumstances.

It’s very controlled.

Killing Autumn Olive

We’ve covered how it’s more difficult to reign in than many other shrubs.

And this is why management of it is so intensive.

We’ve also talked briefly about how herbicides are necessary in its management.

But even herbicides aren’t enough.

Mandatory monitoring is needed as they may still resprout.

Follow-up treatment is needed as well to ensure depletion of the seeds in the seed bank, which is a natural reserve of viable, non-germinated seeds in the canopy above or the soil below.

How long a seed is viable in the ground varies quite a bit, ranging anywhere from germinating immediately after reaching soil, to several hundred years.

Or in one fascinating case, the Judean date palm (Phoenix dactylifera), which successfully sprouted after being stored for 2,000 years! 

I mean there’s also the Silene stenophylla being brought back after 32,000 years, but that was by plant tissue and not by seed (still very, very incredible).

When it comes to the autumn olive seed and how long it can remain viable in the soil seed bank, it’s approximately three years.

That does depend on things like moisture, temperature, and soil conditions.

A single mature autumn olive tree can begin to bear fruit at 3 to 5 years and can produce 2-8 lbs. of seed per year.

That’s one plant.

This is ridiculous! Just light it on fire!

Attempting to kill an established autumn olive simply by burning it is like trimming a multi-headed hydra with a lighter.

Tell Hercules to just do better.

You’ll for sure get rid of the visible parts above ground, but what you’re really doing is stimulating the root system to send up multiple, more robust resprouts.

It is highly resilient to fire.

Okay, then dig it up!

You can for the smaller infestations, for sure.

Assuming you also remove the entire root system.

But it is not effective for established or larger plants due to the risk of leaving behind the resilient root crown.

Once the plant is big enough and established well enough, manual digging becomes impractical and carries a high risk of failure.

Any root fragments left behind will cause the plant to resprout vigorously, necessitating chemical follow-up treatment anyway.

Thanks, I’m depressed now.

Don’t be!

Public awareness, the development of management plans, and identifying and planting native alternatives all work together to combat it.

Let’s do our part and talk about what we can do together.

Autumn Olive as Food and Fuel

From bush to bush, the tartness will vary.

The tartness will also vary depending on the time of year you harvest.

Just a heads up, that tartness is tannic acid.

Ew. Heachaches. I know.

But check this out: You can “blet” them (lol).

By bletting them for a few months, you’re using your freezer to make the fruit think that winter has come.

Because before the first frost, they can be pretty tart.

It’s also smart because after the first frost, wildlife will be going bananas over them, potentially leaving you with very little.

If you don’t want to wait for so long, you can also boil them by cooking and straining or leaching them in water.

A lot of recipes have you do that anyways.

Freezing is great for having them over the winter.

Conclusion

I’ll be covering each of these things in depth soon.

The point of this post was to just introduce you to the plant, how bad the situation is, what we could harvest from it, and what we can do to fight it.

Touch grass,

Trevor.

We take a moment before each post to acknowledge that the land we learn from, responsibly take from, and generously give back to, is the traditional and contemporary homeland of the Anishinaabe peoples, specifically the Council of Three Fires (the Ojibwe, Odawa, and Potawatomi Nations), among others.

We pay respect to their ancient stewardship, ecological wisdom, and continued presence here in the Great Lakes region, committing ourselves to learning and practicing the ethics of stewardship and harvesting that they pioneered.

Land is not property, land is a relation.

---

The autumn olive (Elaeagnus umbellata) is an invasive shrub that poses a significant threat to native ecosystems across the central and northeastern United States, Michigan being no exception.

If you don’t care about harvesting anything from them (the fruit is delicious and the firewood is exceptional) I get it.

More effort than it may be worth (as enticing as “free resources” may be).

If you want to go straight to reporting it so that wildlife officials are aware, they could possibly address what you find (i.e. take care of your problem for you, if they can).

My advice is to not think about self-reporting as a way to get someone else to take care of your problem (because money and manpower are stretched thin for stuff like this).

Instead, my advice is to think of self-reporting as a way of making them aware of it so they can prioritize infected sites (plus more reasons that we’ll cover down below).

Someone could also financially help you get rid of your infestation too, which we’re going to be talking about as well.

Because the species is so aggressive and difficult to eliminate once it gets going, reporting a widespread infestation is the important first step towards triggering a large-scale, coordinated management effort.

Here’s how you can confirm the species and report a significant colonization to the authorities responsible for invasive species management.

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1. Why Reporting Widespread Infestations Matters

First, I want to cover the ‘why’.

When an autumn olive population is characterized as “widespread” or “well-established,” it is often considered “almost impossible to eradicate completely from a region”.

That doesn’t mean we don’t give it everything we’ve got.

Invasive species respect no jurisdictional boundaries, so mitigating their severe impact requires support and collaboration from landowners throughout the area where the infestation occurs. 

(Could be a great way of getting to know your neighbors. Just sayin’.)

The goal of reporting is to enable local authorities to:

1. Prioritize sites based on severity: Resources for invasive species control are limited, so prioritizing sites based on how bad off they are is essential. Widespread infestations require complex, integrated, multi-year control programs, which you can absolutely undertake yourself.
2. Prevent Seed Production: The primary goal of control programs is to prevent the seed production and dispersal that fuels repeated invasion so it doesn’t get worse.
3. Ensure Legal Compliance: In Michigan, the classification of autumn olive is “Restricted”, meaning it’s unlawful to possess, introduce, import, sell, or offer this species for sale as a live organism.

2. Quick Identification Checklist for Confident Reporting

Before reporting, make sure you have correctly identified the plant, as monitoring and control efforts depend on accurate data.

Better to not waste anyone’s time if you’re wrong on the ID.

Autumn olive is a deciduous shrub or small tree that can grow up to 20 feet (6 m) high (insane, I know). 

When conducting a survey, look for these distinctive features:

• Simple leaves: A single, undivided leaf blade, like what you’ll find on trees like oaks and maples.
• Alternate leaves: Only one leaf grows at each node (the point where the leaf stalk joins the stem).
• Wavy margins: The edge of the leaf is kinda wavy and smooth (no “teeth”). 
• Speckled: The upper surface is grayish-green with tiny white or gray dots speckled throughout (you’ll see this on the fruit too).
• Stems and twigs: Young stems are silvery or golden brown. Could also be thorny.
• Seasonal visibility: It is often easiest to locate the plant in early spring or late fall because the leaves will grow out earlier and remain later than most native species.

Once you successfully identify it, you’ll immediately identify them pretty quick in the future.

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3. Step-by-Step Guide on How to Report

To formally document a widespread Autumn Olive infestation on a landscape scale, authorities rely on detailed mapping and communication tools:

A. Make use of MISIN for Reporting

The suggested tool for tracking the spread of invasive species is the Midwest Invasive Species Information Network (MISIN for short).

1. Go to https://www.misin.msu.edu/login/register/? And create a free account.
2. Click on “My MISIN” at the top.
3. Click on “Report Invasive Species”.
4. Click on the “Common Name” drop-down menu and select “autumn olive”.
5. Type in the address of where the infestation is.
6. For the Project, select “MISIN (Public Reporting)” (unless you’re part of a group already that’s listed as an option).
7. Fill out the remaining information, including size of infestation, date of observance, density, etc.
8. You can add photos, but it’s not necessary.
9. Once you submit, you have the option of printing your report for your records.

B. You can also contact local invasive species management organizations

In Michigan, numerous governmental and environmental agencies coordinate invasive species management, often working with local groups like the Invasive Species Network (ISN).

• Invasive Species Network (ISN) Contact: The ISN provides resources ranging from ID and reporting tools to treatment options and cost-share opportunities (funding programs where a government agency or organization provides a portion of the money needed for a project, requiring the landowner or recipient to pay the remaining percentage).
  • You can contact them directly at 231-252-4148.
  • Address: 3334 Veterans Drive Unit A, Traverse City, Michigan 49684.
• Michigan DNR & MDARD: Organizations like the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD) are heavily involved in plant health and invasive species programs.
  • 517-284-6367 (or 517-284-7275 for Parks and Rec, if applicable)
  • DNR-Director@Michigan.gov (or DNR-ParksAndRecreation@Michigan.gov)
  • Could also try their Wildlife department:
    • 517-284-9453
    • DNR-Wildlife@Michigan.gov

C. Contribute to Distribution Records

When autumn olive is first found in a county where it has not been documented, submitting a specimen to a place like the University of Michigan Herbarium can serve as an authoritative record of its plant distribution.

It’s not going to help you get rid of it faster, but it serves as an important resource for local botanists and researchers.

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Reporting a widespread infestation makes sure that efforts can be prioritized for high value sites, of which yours (or one that you find) may be.

Effective control requires a lot of resources and typically mandates the strategic use of  herbicides (yes, herbicides) as well as other control methods to kill established plants and prevent resprouting.

Getting rid of an autumn olive infestation is hard enough as it is.

Hopefully this guide helped you in getting it rid of quicker if you can’t do it on your own.

In the meantime, you could always take advantage of the fruit (it’s delicious and super nutritious).

Touch grass,

Trevor.

We take a moment before each post to acknowledge that the land we learn from, responsibly take from, and generously give back to, is the traditional and contemporary homeland of the Anishinaabe peoples, specifically the Council of Three Fires (the Ojibwe, Odawa, and Potawatomi Nations), among others.

We pay respect to their ancient stewardship, ecological wisdom, and continued presence here in the Great Lakes region, committing ourselves to learning and practicing the ethics of stewardship and harvesting that they pioneered.

Land is not property, land is a relation.

—

I believe that foraging for dandelions is where you should start on your foraging journey.

I’m going to tell you the history of dandelions, what to be cautious of, how to forage for dandelions, how to use dandelions for food and medicine (I’m not a doctor).

Dandelion History

The dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) was known to ancient Egyptians, Greeks, and Romans, and used in traditional Chinese medicine for over a thousand years.

It was brought to North America on the Mayflower for medicinal benefits and as a garden vegetable crop.

Being a plant that is non-native to America, the dandelion was not a traditional element of the pre-colonial diet, medicine, or ceremonies of native peoples, though they did begin to use the plant for food and medicine after it was brought over.

There are native species of Taraxacum like the tundra dandelion (T. ceratophorum) in North America, so it wasn’t this entirely foreign species when T. officinale came on the scene.

Are Dandelions Poisonous?

Allergies

While dandelions aren’t generally poisonous, there are instances where consumption or contact may lead to mild reactions for sensitive individuals.

Dandelions may cause mild allergic reactions for particularly sensitive people when consumed or when they come into contact with the plant.

Contact Dermatitis

Also of note, if you’ve ever broken the stem, you’ve seen a milky white sap come out. 

That milky white sap is latex, which contains sesquiterpene lactones. 

For people with lactone hypersensitivity, this may cause mild allergic contact dermatitis.

This white sap is found in the main root and the stems.

Pesticide Residue

While not specific to the plant itself, you have to consider where these dandelions are.

People will go absolutely bananas trying to kill dandelions, including using herbicides that could kill people.

Herbicides used on lawns are a serious risk to humans, causing physical harm on contact.

So if you’ve got a home with a yard and a landscaper that mows from time to time, make sure they’re not using any chemicals on the lawn before you forage (also consider getting rid of your lawn).

Animal Waste

If you have a pet that goes to the bathroom on the ground – and this could apply to any plant you’re thinking about foraging – make sure what you want to forage hasn’t come into contact with what comes out of them.

Where I forage my dandelions, it’s on a property that I know for a fact hasn’t been urinated or defecated on, or sprayed with chemicals for that matter.

It seems obvious, but it’s always worth mentioning because the lizard brain goes “me want thing now” and get’s tunnel vision.

You want clean, poop-free food, okay?

Any Dangerous Lookalikes?

The great thing about dandelions is everyone around here knows what they look like, so the issues come from the aforementioned dangers, not necessarily from misidentification.

There is one plant that can have a passing resemblance to the dandelion, and that’s hypochaeris radicata, or the false dandelion (also called “cat’s ear” or “flatweed” depending on the region).

False dandelion will probably do nothing to you because it’s not acutely toxic to humans, but if you have a horse, don’t let it eat these.

False dandelion can cause a disease called stringhalt in horses.

There are two main ways of telling them apart: the leaves and the stems.

False dandelion leaves are hairy and fuzzy, especially on the underside, whereas true dandelion leaves are smooth and hairless.

All of the leaves must grow directly from the base of the plant, lying in a circle (rosette) on the ground.

True dandelions have a single hollow stem with no branches.

Some other plants that may have a loose resemblance are anything in the thistle family, perhaps hawkweed, and maybe wild lettuce.

All three of those are edible too and in various stages, so there’s no danger if you accidentally eat part of one.

Foraging and Preparing Dandelions

As we’ve established, make sure to forage from areas free of chemicals and animal waste, especially for something low to the ground. 

You’re going to want to harvest dandelions in early spring, but really, there’s always a use for dandelions in any season.

Yes, even when they’ve gone to seed as you can use the seeds’ pappus (the “parachute”) for food and as a stabilizer for natural flammable material like pitch from deciduous trees (nature is so metal).

Although if you have access to cattails that have gone to seed, you’ll need a lot fewer cattail “parachutes” than you would for dandelions if you’re using them as a stabilizer.

For spicy brained nerds like me: the pappus creates a specific type of vortex ring that allows the seeds to cover large distances when dispersed, potentially traveling up to 100 kilometers (62 miles), the FARTHEST KNOWN PASSIVE FLIGHT AMONG PLANTS. 

This dispersal mechanism is so effective that it has inspired engineering studies for the development of passive flight technologies and floating wireless sensors. (brain explodes)

As far as food goes, (virtually) the entire dandelion plant and at all stages of life is edible (don’t eat the latex regardless of if you’re allergic to it or not).

Dandelion Leaves

The leaves are the most commonly consumed part of the dandelion and are highly valued for their nutritional content:

1. Vitamins A, B9, C, and K
2. Iron
3. Calcium, Potassium, and Manganese
4. Carotenoids

Dandelion greens contain more Vitamin C than tomatoes and more Vitamin A than spinach.

They can be eaten raw after you’ve given them a thorough rinse, just like you would any salad green.

Mixing them into a salad with sweeter greens will help to offset the bitterness, which happens as the leaves mature and the flowers bloom.

To reduce bitterness, rinse them well in water, possibly using several rinses and soakings, then boil them in up to three separate changes of water.

You can also sauté them and add them to soups.

For German, Amish, and Mennonite communities, dandelion greens are served warm with a sweet-sour dressing made with bacon grease, sometimes topped with chopped hard-cooked egg and crumbled bacon.

You may find Italians who dress them with lemon juice, olive oil, and salt.

Here in the American south, they are traditionally served with a hot bacon dressing (similar to our aforementioned G.A.M. friends).

They are also part of traditional Lebanese, Spanish, Albanian, Slovenian, Jewish, Chinese, Greek, and Korean cuisines (and others).

Dandelion Flowers

Flowering heads can be dipped in batter and fried to make sweet or savory fritters.

Try adding them to pancake batter, broken up and stirred in (adding orange zest and orange juice can enhance the flavor if you do this).

You could also use the flowers in things like ice cream or quiche.

A more notable use for dandelion flower heads is dandelion wine.

Flowering dandelion heads are mixed with sugar and flavorings and allowed to ferment to produce a sweet, clear to yellow-ish alcoholic beverage.

When making wine, most people use just the yellow flowers and remove the bitter green parts from the base of the flowers.

Dandelion Roots and a Word of Caution

Roots are awesome, but require you to dig into the ground to harvest, which not all landowners will be excited about.

You also need to be sure you’re not going to damage anything buried that you weren’t aware of.

Your absolute best bet is to grow them in an area that you know you can dig in.

My advice (if you don’t own the land and aren’t able to cultivate the roots) is to get someone’s permission on private land or stick with the parts above ground.

What I’m not telling you to do is find an abandoned lot somewhere and discretely dig them up.

I’m also not telling you to research guerrilla gardening.

Dandelion taproots are used in beverage substitutes and tonics.

Think coffee substitution by rinsing, dicing, roasting, and brewing.

It’s a caffeine-free alternative to coffee or chicory (which is another powerhouse foragable plant).

Anita Sanchez wrote an interesting book on dandelions back in 2006 called “The Teeth of the Lion”:

“Dandelions are among the most expensive items in the grocery store. The roots are dried and sold as a no-caffeine coffee substitute – for $31.75 a pound. Dandelions out-price prime rib, swordfish and lobster. They appear in produce and other sections, and even at the liquor store.”

$31.75 in 2006 is $49.82 today.

I’m not sure where she was shopping, but I certainly can’t find any real-world examples of dandelion roots being this expensive.

I’m seeing organic, chopped, dried, and pre-roasted roots for $28 a pound at most, though if you’re willing to do some processing yourself, or even are willing to buy non-organic, that price will certainly drop.

Coffee aside, folks in the Ozarks used the roots as a “spring tonic,” roasting, grinding, and brewing it like coffee or preparing it like tea (sometimes mixed with sassafras or chicory).

Something I haven’t tried are dandelion roots sliced up and served on buttered white bread.

The roots are also a source of the sugar substitute inulin, which has potential benefits for individuals with diabetes, but I’m still not a doctor so make sure to speak to a real one about this.

Dandelion Stems and Dandelion Seeds

Although not as often used as their older siblings, the stems and the seeds are great too.

The stems can be boiled in water, strained, and seasoned with ingredients like olive oil, butter, garlic, and salt to create “dandelion noodles”.

The seeds can be collected and sprouted in a jar with a sprouting lid to grow microgreens, which go great in salads and sandwiches.

I have also heard about dandelion seeds being baked into muffins, added to granola, or made into milk (though I’d imagine you’d need quite a bit of the seeds for this).

Conclusion

The dandelion is an exceptionally nutritious plant.

And although it’s non-native, it’s been used for centuries as food, medicine, and even wildcrafting.

Identifying a true dandelion from a lookalike shouldn’t be too difficult, just look for the hollow stem and smooth leaves.

And even if you misidentify, it’s very unlikely that anything bad will happen.

Which is why I truly believe that the dandelion is the safest bet for a beginner forager who does not experience an allergic reaction to the plant.

Touch grass,

Trevor.