Global Regional Plant Guides

Eastern Deciduous Forest & Appalachians Plant Survival Guide

A comprehensive survival plant guide for Eastern Deciduous Forest & Appalachians, covering useful woody materials, land foods, aquatic foods, traditional-use plants and poisonous look-alikes.

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Cover of Eastern Deciduous Forest & Appalachians Plant Survival Guide

Continent: North America
USDA-equivalent zones: 4-8
Köppen climate: Dfa / Cfa
Profiles: 20
Regional biome: Mesic hardwood forest, ridge, cove and river valley

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Useful plants · 5 Land edibles · 5 Aquatic edibles · 3 Traditional-use · 3 Poisonous look-alikes · 4

Useful plants

Wood, fibre, shelter and craft

Hickories

Carya spp.

Useful plants

Identify: Alternate compound leaves; hard husked nuts; strong ridged or shaggy bark depending on species.
Habitat: Eastern North American hardwood forest and river slopes.
Season: Nuts fall; wood year-round.
Field use: Exceptional bow wood, tool handles, wedges and long-lasting coals; selected nuts are edible.
Caution: Some hickory nuts are bitter. Falling limbs are hazardous.
Look-alikes: Walnuts have chambered pith and different husks.

bow woodhandlesfuelfood nut

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Ashes

Fraxinus spp.

Useful plants

Identify: Opposite branching; compound leaves; one-seeded winged keys in clusters.
Habitat: Temperate hardwood forest, floodplain and woodland edge.
Season: Wood year-round; leaves growing season.
Field use: Elastic, shock-resistant wood for bows, spear shafts, wedges, handles and snowshoe frames.
Caution: Emerald ash borer and conservation rules may restrict cutting. Confirm opposite branching.
Look-alikes: Boxelder has opposite compound leaves but maple-type paired keys.

bow woodarrow shafthandleswedges

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Elms

Ulmus spp.

Useful plants

Identify: Alternate asymmetrical toothed leaves; winged samaras; fibrous interlocking wood.
Habitat: Temperate floodplains, hedgerows and mixed forest.
Season: Wood year-round; samaras spring.
Field use: Tough wood for bows, handles, wedges and bent frames; inner bark has cordage history.
Caution: Dutch elm disease leaves brittle standing deadwood.
Look-alikes: Hackberry has three main leaf veins and small drupes.

bow woodcordagehandlesframes

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Basswood / linden

Tilia spp.

Useful plants

Stylized form diagram for Basswood / linden

Identify: Heart-shaped toothed leaves; pale strap-like bract attached to flower and seed clusters.
Habitat: Moist temperate forest, coves and river terraces.
Season: Bark and wood year-round; flowers early summer.
Field use: Inner bark yields excellent cordage; soft wood is premier for bow-drill hearth boards, carving and containers.
Caution: Removing living bark kills sections of the tree. Flowers may trigger allergies.
Look-alikes: Hazel leaves are rounder and lack the distinctive flower bract.

cordagebow drill boardcarvingcontainer

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Dogwoods

Cornus spp.

Useful plants

Identify: Usually opposite branching; arcuate leaf veins curve toward the tip; clustered flowers and drupes.
Habitat: Forest edge, riparian thicket and mountain slope.
Season: Stems year-round; fruit varies by species.
Field use: Dense straight shoots make excellent arrow shafts, skewers and pegs.
Caution: Fruit edibility varies greatly; some species cause stomach upset. Use as material unless species is confirmed.
Look-alikes: Viburnums may have opposite leaves but different veins and buds.

arrow shaftpegsskewers

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Land edibles

Terrestrial food species

Wild roses

Rosa spp.

Land-based edible plants

Identify: Prickly stems; compound toothed leaves; five-petaled flowers; red to orange hips.
Habitat: Open woods, thickets, prairie, dunes and mountain slopes.
Season: Hips late summer through winter.
Field use: Fleshy hip walls are documented food after the irritating hairs and seeds are removed; good for simmering or drying.
Caution: Internal hairs irritate skin and mouth. Avoid sprayed or moldy fruit.
Look-alikes: Hawthorn has simple lobed leaves and woody thorns.

food fruitcordage

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Stinging nettle

Urtica dioica

Land-based edible plants

Stylized form diagram for Stinging nettle

Identify: Opposite sharply toothed leaves; fibrous stems; translucent stinging hairs; green flower clusters.
Habitat: Rich disturbed soil, river terraces, old camps and forest openings.
Season: Young tops spring; fiber later.
Field use: Young tops are documented food after thorough cooking or drying; mature stems yield strong bast fiber.
Caution: Wear gloves; do not eat raw. Internal use can affect medicines and kidney conditions.
Look-alikes: Dead-nettles do not sting and have showier mint-family flowers.

food greencordagefiber

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Lambsquarters / goosefoot

Chenopodium album

Land-based edible plants

Stylized form diagram for Lambsquarters / goosefoot

Identify: Mealy blue-green triangular to diamond leaves; green clustered flowers; ridged stems.
Habitat: Disturbed soil, river deposits, fields and camp edges.
Season: Spring through fall.
Field use: Young leaves and seeds are documented food after correct identification and cooking.
Caution: High oxalate and nitrate levels can accumulate; avoid large amounts and contaminated ground.
Look-alikes: Black nightshade has star-shaped flowers and berries; goosefoot flowers stay green and clustered.

food greenfood seed

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Wild onions and garlic

Allium spp.

Land-based edible plants

Stylized form diagram for Wild onions and garlic

Identify: Narrow leaves or hollow stems; spherical flower heads; clear onion or garlic odor in leaf and bulb.
Habitat: Meadows, rocky slopes, open woodland and stream terraces.
Season: Spring through fall.
Field use: Leaves, flowers and bulbs of positively identified Allium are documented food and seasoning.
Caution: Every sampled part must smell of onion, but odor is not the only test. Avoid unknown bulbs.
Look-alikes: Death camas lacks onion odor and can be fatal.

food greenfood bulb

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Dandelion

Taraxacum officinale aggregate

Land-based edible plants

Identify: Basal toothed leaves; hollow leafless stems with one yellow flower; milky sap; parachute seed head.
Habitat: Disturbed temperate ground, meadow and camp edge.
Season: Spring through fall.
Field use: Young leaves, flower heads and roasted roots have documented food use where uncontaminated.
Caution: Avoid sprayed lawns, roadsides and animal latrines; latex can irritate.
Look-alikes: Catsear has hairy leaves and branched flower stalks.

food greenfood roottinder

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Aquatic edibles

Water-margin food species

Cattails

Typha spp.

Water and wetland edible plants

Identify: Tall flat strap leaves; dense brown cylindrical female flower spike below a narrower male section.
Habitat: Marshes, pond edges, slow channels and wet ditches.
Season: Shoots spring; pollen early summer; rhizomes year-round where lawful.
Field use: Documented food parts include young inner shoots, pollen and processed rhizome starch. Leaves make mats, baskets and thatch; seed down can bulk tinder.
Caution: Water can concentrate sewage, metals and parasites. Raw rhizome requires correct processing; avoid contaminated marshes.
Look-alikes: Yellow flag iris has sword leaves and showy flowers but no brown cattail head.

food shootfood starchbasketrythatchtinder

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Arrowhead / wapato

Sagittaria spp.

Water and wetland edible plants

Stylized form diagram for Arrowhead / wapato

Identify: Arrow-shaped or lance leaves rising from shallow water; three-petaled white flowers in whorls; underground tubers in some species.
Habitat: Shallow ponds, sloughs, marshes and slow streams.
Season: Tubers late summer through winter.
Field use: Tubers of confirmed edible species are documented food after cooking; leaves and flower stalks help locate the bed.
Caution: Never eat raw. Species and tuber production vary. Wetland pathogens and water hemlock are nearby hazards.
Look-alikes: Arrow arum has one large hooded flower and toxic tissues.

food tuber

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Watercress

Nasturtium officinale

Water and wetland edible plants

Identify: Creeping hollow stems; pinnate leaves with a larger rounded terminal leaflet; small white four-petaled flowers.
Habitat: Cold flowing springs and streams, often where nutrient-rich.
Season: Cool seasons.
Field use: Tender tops are documented food and are usually cooked in survival settings.
Caution: Raw watercress can carry liver flukes and sewage pathogens. Avoid downstream of livestock, roads or settlements.
Look-alikes: Water hemlock has divided leaves and umbrella flowers; never rely on habitat alone.

food green

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Traditional-use

Documented traditional medicine

Yarrow

Achillea millefolium

Medicinal and traditional-use plants

Identify: Aromatic finely divided leaves; flat clusters of small white to pink flower heads.
Habitat: Dry openings, trails, grassland, shore gravel and disturbed soil.
Season: Summer through fall.
Field use: Documented traditional external uses include washes and aromatic preparations; dry flower heads make light tinder.
Caution: Possible allergy, pregnancy and anticoagulant concerns. Not a substitute for wound cleaning or medical care.
Look-alikes: Poison hemlock is much taller with hollow purple-spotted stems and true umbels.

medicinetinder

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Broadleaf and ribwort plantains

Plantago major / P. lanceolata

Medicinal and traditional-use plants

Stylized form diagram for Broadleaf and ribwort plantains

Identify: Basal rosette with strong parallel ribs; leafless spikes of tiny flowers and seeds.
Habitat: Trails, camps, meadows and disturbed soil.
Season: Spring through fall.
Field use: Young leaves and seeds are documented food; clean leaves have traditional external use on minor irritation.
Caution: Do not put dirty leaves on open wounds. Seeds swell with water and can obstruct if taken dry in quantity.
Look-alikes: Docks have netted veins; plantain ribs run from the base.

food greenmedicine

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Willows

Salix spp.

Medicinal and traditional-use plants

Identify: Alternate narrow to oval leaves; flexible twigs; catkins; many species root along wet ground.
Habitat: Riverbanks, lake margins, floodplains, tundra valleys and moist forest.
Season: Twigs year-round; leaves and catkins in the growing season.
Field use: Flexible rods for baskets, fish traps, wattle, arrow shafts and repair splints. Dry punky willow and softer species can serve bow-drill hearth boards; denser pieces make spindles. Bark has documented salicylate-related traditional use.
Caution: Species identification is difficult. Do not self-dose bark with aspirin allergy, bleeding risk, kidney disease, pregnancy, or in children with viral illness.
Look-alikes: Alders have cone-like female catkins; some dogwoods have opposite leaves.

arrow shaftbow drill boardbasketrycordagemedicine

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Poisonous look-alikes

Do not eat — verify before harvest

Water hemlocks

Cicuta spp.

Poisonous plants

Stylized form diagram for Water hemlocks

Identify: Wetland perennial with divided leaves, white umbrella flower clusters and thick chambered rootstocks.
Habitat: Marshes, wet meadows, stream edges and ditches across the northern hemisphere.
Season: Spring through fall.
Field use: No survival use. Make wetland root gathering a prohibited activity unless a qualified botanist is present.
Caution: Extremely poisonous; small amounts, especially roots, can cause violent seizures and death.
Look-alikes: Angelica, cow parsnip and other Apiaceae can look similar. Never taste to decide.

poison

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Poison hemlock

Conium maculatum

Poisonous plants

Identify: Tall smooth hollow stems often purple-spotted; glossy finely divided leaves; many white umbels.
Habitat: Roadsides, wet ditches, disturbed fields and riverbanks.
Season: Spring through fall.
Field use: No use. Learn before collecting any wild carrot-family greens.
Caution: All parts are poisonous and sap can contaminate hands or tools. Do not burn in a cooking fire.
Look-alikes: Wild carrot has hairy stems and a compact nest-like fruiting umbel.

poison

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Poison ivy and poison oak

Toxicodendron radicans / T. diversilobum

Poisonous plants

Identify: Leaves in three leaflets; variable lobing; white berries; climbing aerial rootlets or shrub form.
Habitat: Forest edges, dunes, riverbanks and disturbed North American ground.
Season: Growing season; stems year-round.
Field use: No use.
Caution: Urushiol causes dermatitis; oil persists on tools and clothing and becomes dangerous smoke when burned.
Look-alikes: Boxelder seedlings have opposite leaves; Toxicodendron leaves are alternate.

poison

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Baneberries

Actaea spp.

Poisonous plants

Identify: Woodland herb with divided leaves, white flower clusters and red, white or black berries on stout stalks.
Habitat: Moist temperate and boreal forest.
Season: Fruit late summer.
Field use: No food use.
Caution: Berries and roots are poisonous and can affect the gastrointestinal and cardiovascular systems.
Look-alikes: Edible Vaccinium berries grow on woody shrubs with simple leaves.

poison

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