South Florida Wild Food Forage

Palm Beach County, Fla.—Wild foraged foods can be tasty. And they can be fun to find. You don’t have to go  deep into a dark wood to find these edibles because many of them are ornamental plants used for landscaping South Florida gardens. So instead of spraying chemicals on them, pick then and have them for your next meal. I'm just going to introduce you to three easy to find edibles. 

Dollarweed underside, South Florida
Copyright 2019 by Helen A Lockey

The first and most abundant wild edible is Dollar Weed (Hydrocotyle spp.)  a.k.a Pennywort. It is a very short, green plant that grows in abundance on lawns that get a lot of water and nutrients. The edible leaves are about the size of a silver dollar and the main stem grows from the center of the leaf. They grow year round and can be eaten fresh (without cooking). 

Firebush berries, South Florida.
Copyright 2019 by Helen A Lockey

Firebush (Hamelia patens) is a popular Florida native butterfly and hummingbird attraction plant, which is often used for hedges. It produces and orange to red colored clustered flowers that when pollinated produce edible waxy, dark purple to black colored berries that grow in clusters. The berries have an unpleasant bitter aftertaste if eaten raw. They are better cooked and are often used to make jellies and chutneys. They grow year round. 

Cabbage Palm Tree edible seeds, South Florida
Copyright 2019 by Helen A Lockey

Cabbage Palm Tree (Sabal palmetto) is a very common Florida native plant species that grow anywhere from 40-90 feet in height. When they are young the berries, that grow in clusters, on stems near the heart of the tree, are edible. They are black with crunchy outer shell, soft dry interior and big seed. The berries of have a taste that is a cross between dates and instant hot chocolate powered with a bitter aftertaste (from the skin). They are in season late October to November.

With any wild food you want to be 100 percent sure you know what you are eating. Correct plant identification is very important, as many Florida plants require cooking before eating them. 

Take a very little bite and wait at least an hour before consuming more. This way if it is poisonous, or you are allergic to it, the effects will be minimal. If you don't experience any adverse reactions, then take another bite.

Also be mindful of the wild plants you find. You want to be able to source the wild edible again in the future and if you pull them up with their roots of take every plant you find there will be nothing left. 

Hopefully this post will give you some edibles to enjoy on your next trip through the woods or your backyard.