Backyard foraging- 3 wild plants that grow in our yard!
With spring right around the corner, it seems like every flowering plant in the state of South Carolina is starting to bloom- including those in my own backyard!
About a week ago, I was looking out our kitchen window at all of the dandelions that were puffed up in our yard. I thought it’d be fun to show them to my 5 month old daughter, so out we went! She obviously can’t blow the seeds off the stem yet, but I did it for her and she loved watching them blow away!
I also noticed that we had some rogue strawberry plants growing near the back fence line intermingled with a green, leafy plant that has small purple flowers on it.
After doing some research, I was able to find out what they are and how they can be used- turns out, they’re all completely edible (and medicinal)!
I decided to grab a mason jar and forage the flowers that were freshly bloomed.
In this post, we’ll explore the plants I found in my backyard + a few ways each of them can be used in your home!
I am so excited to use something out of my own backyard! I wasn’t about to miss the chance to pick some and put them to good use!
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As hinted above, there are 3 main plants I found in our yard that are edible/medicinal. I’m sure there are plenty more out there, but I have yet to find them. Here’s to more springtime exploring!
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1: Dandelions (Taraxacum), possibly the most obvious and easily recognizable.
What they are: This common ‘weed’ is actually an incredibly versatile herb that can be used in a variety of ways! Dandelion flowers have antioxidant properties and may help improve the immune system. Commonly used in salads, you may be eating their leaves more often than you think!
At our house, we refuse to use any kind of pesticides. This allows dandelions (and all other wild plants) to flourish in their own ways throughout year. When we let the dandelions bloom (unsprayed, of course!) to feed bees and wildlife around us, they provide my family with natural resources to use for salves, syrups, jellies, infused oils, soaps, lotions, tinctures, teas and more.
Isn’t that such a blessing?!
Some medicinal properties: Dandelions are an excellent source of potassium and electrolytes, and they’re high in antioxidants. The polysaccharides in dandelions are also known to reduce stress on the liver and support its ability to produce bile- in short, they’re an all around favorite when it comes to flowering backyard herbs!
Of course they’re great for humans, but did you know that animals love them as well? Chickens, goats, birds, bees, and many others enjoy the flowers and seeds that pop up… make sure you save some for wildlife when foraging for your own! ☺️
How I plan to use them: Although they still need time to infuse in the oil, I’ve already started making my dandelion concoctions! Once it’s ready to go, I’ll strain the flowers and mix the oil with some local beeswax to make either a salve, chapstick, or lotion bar! (But let’s be honest- I’ll probably end up making all three because I just can’t help myself!)
Baking my own sourdough bread has been a recent hobby of mine, so I also plan on using some of the flowers to decorate a spring inspired loaf! I’ll update this post with pictures once it’s out of the oven. 😉
In the meantime, I may add flowers & leaves to salads, make some tea, or store some for future use.
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2: Purple Dead Nettle (Lamium Purpureum)
What they are: An herbaceous early spring weed native to Europe and Asia. When foraged properly, the flowering leaves can be used for salves, lotions, throat sprays, tinctures, and more!
Some medicinal properties: It’s been used for relieving bites and small cuts/scrapes. You can chew on a fresh picked leaf and then rub the concoction onto your bite for natural relief! This is a great remedy to be aware of, especially if you’re outdoorsy or prone to bites.
Note: If you’re pregnant or nursing, it’s best to avoid internal use of purple dead nettle, unless a qualified healthcare provider recommends otherwise.
When muddled leaves are steeped in high-proof vodka, it can also be used as a tincture to help with allergies! Until I’m confident enough to make my own, we’ll keep using our favorite allergy remedy- Earthley’s Sinus Saver!
But if rubbing freshly chewed plant leaves onto your skin isn’t your thing, I have another natural solution for you! Our favorite Black Drawing Salve Stick– I’ve mentioned it before, but it’s so worth it because of how good it works for our family!
How I plan to use them: Since I’m currently breastfeeding, I don’t plan on ingesting any part of this plant. Instead, I’ll use some of the dried leaves to make a salve or lotion bar!
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3: Mock Strawberry (Potentilla indica)
What they are: Sometimes called backyard strawberries, mock strawberries are a flowering plant with foliage and fruit very similar to that of a true strawberry.
Some medicinal properties: While the fruit and leaves are both totally edible, they don’t taste like much of anything (or so I’ve heard). One way you can put them to use is by adding them to your homemade jams or jellies to ‘stretch’ your fruit. In other words, they won’t add much flavor, but they’ll help add volume to your recipes!
Fresh berries can also be added to salads, and leaves can be steeped for some tea. From a medicinal perspective, they’re full of protein, iron, vitamin C and other healthy elements.
Feel free to do some more research to see how you can get the best use out of them!
Our vines are just starting to flower and itty bitty berries are poking through the greenery. They’re not ready to eat yet, but I’m looking forward to trying them when they’re ripe!
How I plan to use them: This will be the first time I’ve harvested them from our yard, so I’m still trying to decide on how I’ll use them! I may add some of the berries to my smoothies, or slice them up and decorate the top of my sourdough loaf with them!
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- Backyard foraging- 3 wild plants that grow in our yard!With spring right around the corner, it seems like every flowering plant in the state of South Carolina is starting to bloom- including those in my
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Calendula: Although it doesn’t grow wild in my yard, I just planted some calendula seeds to add to the excitement of my own backyard foraging!
(Check out SeedGeeks on Etsy to get your own- they have a huge variety of seeds, from fruits & veggies to plants & soaps!)
Once my seeds sprout and the flowers are ready to harvest, I’ll use the flowers for salve, tea, salads, and more! Like the dandelions on my sourdough loaf, calendula will be the perfect addition to really make bread making an art.
I’ll come back and update this section as soon as I have some beautiful bread to share with you!
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As with any wild plant, you’ll want to use caution triple check that what you’re about to forage is edible and non-toxic! There are plenty of online resources as well as books at your local library to help learn about your local plants- use these to your advantage!
But most importantly… have fun!!
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What are some of the wild herbs/plants that you have in your yard? Do you have any plans to use them in the kitchen to make something of your own? I’d love to hear your ideas!
Happy Foraging!
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