Plants for Edible Plants — Bay Area Native Plants

Alameda County Thistle

Cirsium quercetorum

perennial herb

Young shoots cooked as vegetable; roots eaten

Bay Area native

Alameda Manzanita

Arctostaphylos pallida

shrub

Berries made into cider drink, traditional Indigenous use

Bay Area native Keystone species

Alpine Self-heal

Prunella vulgaris var. lanceolata

perennial herb

Leaves used fresh or dried in herbal tea or as food garnish

Bay Area native

American Black

Solanum americanum

perennial herb

Berries eaten cooked; traditional Indigenous food when properly prepared

Bay Area native

American Bulrush

Schoenoplectus americanus

grass

Tubers eaten raw or roasted; traditional Indigenous food

Bay Area native

American Cow-parsnip

Heracleum maximum

perennial herb

Young petioles and stems raw or cooked; traditional Indigenous use

Bay Area native

American Garlic

Allium unifolium

geophyte

Bulbs and entire plant eaten raw or cooked; traditional Indigenous garlic substitute

Bay Area native

American Glasswort

Salicornia pacifica

perennial herb

Succulent stems eaten raw or pickled; salty vegetable

Bay Area native

American Licorice

Glycyrrhiza lepidota

perennial herb

Roots used as licorice substitute; chewed or made into tea/extract

Bay Area native

Amphibious Bistort

Persicaria amphibia

perennial herb

Roots and shoots eaten cooked; traditional food

Bay Area native

Andrew's Clintonia

Clintonia andrewsiana

geophyte

Bulbs cooked and eaten; berries eaten fresh

Bay Area native

Angelica

Angelica tomentosa

perennial herb

Root used in traditional food preparation

Bay Area native

Annual Agoseris

Agoseris heterophylla

annual

Roots eaten raw or cooked; young leaves used in salads

Bay Area native

Apache-beads

Anemopsis californica

perennial herb

Roots eaten raw or cooked; traditionally used as food by Indigenous peoples

Bay Area native

Arctic Butterbur

Petasites frigidus var. palmatus

perennial herb

Leaves eaten cooked; traditionally used as food by Indigenous peoples

Bay Area native

Bald-hip Rose

Rosa gymnocarpa

shrub

Rose hips used for tea, jams, and syrups; high in vitamin C

Bay Area native Keystone species

Barberry

Berberis pinnata subsp. pinnata

shrub

Berries eaten raw or cooked into preserves. Tart flavor

Bay Area native

Beach Saltbush

Atriplex leucophylla

perennial herb

Seeds eaten raw or cooked; leaves used as salt substitute

Bay Area native

Beaked Filbert

Corylus cornuta subsp. californica

shrub

Nuts eaten fresh or roasted, traditional Indigenous food

Bay Area native Keystone species

Bearberry Honeysuckle

Lonicera involucrata var. ledebourii

shrub

Berries eaten fresh, traditional Indigenous food

Bay Area native

Bigberry Manzanita

Arctostaphylos glauca

shrub

Berries made into cider drink, traditional Indigenous use

Bay Area native Keystone species

Bigcone Pine

Pinus coulteri

tree

Seeds eaten raw or roasted

Bay Area native Keystone species

Bishop Pine

Pinus muricata

perennial herb

Pine nuts (seeds) eaten raw or roasted; nutritious and traditional food

Bay Area native Keystone species

Bitter-berry

Prunus virginiana var. demissa

tree

Berries eaten fresh or cooked. Traditional Indigenous food source

Bay Area native Keystone species

Bladder Desert-parsley

Lomatium utriculatum

perennial herb

Seeds ground into flour; roots cooked; traditional Indigenous food

Bay Area native

Blue Elderberry

Sambucus nigra ssp. caerulea

tree

Berries cooked for jams, syrups, and elderberry beverages

Bay Area native

Blue Flax

Linum lewisii

perennial herb

Seeds used to extract linseed oil; seeds edible whole or ground

Bay Area native

Blue Violet

Viola adunca

perennial herb

Flowers and leaves eaten raw or cooked; petals used in salads

Bay Area native

Blue oak

Quercus douglasii

tree

Acorns leached and ground into flour for traditional Indigenous food

Bay Area native Keystone species

Bracken

Pteridium aquilinum var. pubescens

fern

Young fiddleheads eaten cooked; traditional food

Bay Area native

Bright Green Dudleya

Dudleya virens

perennial herb

Leaves eaten fresh or cooked; traditional Indigenous food.

Bay Area native

British Columbia Wild Ginger

Asarum caudatum

perennial herb

Rhizome used as spice or flavoring; traditional Indigenous food

Bay Area native

Brittleleaf Manzanita

Arctostaphylos crustacea subsp. crustacea

shrub

Berries made into cider drink, traditional Indigenous use

Bay Area native Keystone species

Broad-leaf Cattail

Typha latifolia

grass

Young shoots and rhizomes eaten raw or cooked; traditional food

Bay Area native

Bush Seepweed

Suaeda nigra

perennial herb

Young leaves and stems eaten raw or cooked as potherb; traditional Native food

Bay Area native

Butterfly Mariposa Lily

Calochortus venustus

geophyte

Bulbs eaten raw or roasted; traditional Indigenous staple food

Bay Area native

California Balsamroot

Balsamorhiza macrolepis

perennial herb

Seeds eaten raw; roots eaten cooked; traditional Indigenous food

Bay Area native

California Barley

Hordeum brachyantherum subsp. brachyantherum

grass

Seeds harvested and ground for flour; traditional grain

Bay Area native

California Bay Laurel

Umbellularia californica

tree

Leaves used as culinary seasoning (small amounts)

Bay Area native

California Black Oak

Quercus kelloggii

tree

Acorns leached and ground into flour for traditional food

Bay Area native Keystone species

California Chia

Salvia columbariae

annual

Seeds eaten whole or ground into flour; traditional Indigenous food

Bay Area native

California Golden Violet

Viola pedunculata

perennial herb

Flowers and leaves eaten raw or cooked; petals used in salads

Bay Area native

California Grape

Vitis californica

vine

Grapes eaten fresh; used for juice, wine, or preserves

Bay Area native Keystone species

California Hedgenettle

Stachys bullata

perennial herb

Tubers eaten cooked; traditional Indigenous food source

Bay Area native

California Indian Breadroot

Pediomelum californicum

perennial herb

Tubers eaten raw or roasted; traditional Indigenous food

Bay Area native

California Juniper

Juniperus californica

tree

Seeds eaten raw or roasted

Bay Area native Keystone species

California Live-oak

Quercus chrysolepis

tree

Acorns leached and ground into flour for traditional food

Bay Area native Keystone species

California Lomatium

Lomatium californicum

perennial herb

Seeds ground into flour; roots cooked; traditional Indigenous food

Bay Area native

California Spikenard

Aralia californica

perennial herb

Roots eaten as vegetable; young stems cooked like asparagus

Bay Area native

California Wild Rose

Rosa californica

shrub

Rose hips made into tea, jams, and syrups (high in vitamin C)

Bay Area native Keystone species

California Yampah

Perideridia californica

perennial herb

Tubers eaten raw or cooked; traditional Indigenous food

Bay Area native

California blackberry

Rubus ursinus

shrub

Berries eaten fresh or made into jam

Bay Area native Keystone species

California bulrush

Schoenoplectus californicus

perennial herb

Tubers/corms boiled or roasted; traditional Indigenous food

Bay Area native

California sunflower

Helianthus californicus

perennial herb

Seeds eaten raw or roasted; oil extracted from seeds

Bay Area native Keystone species

Canyon Gooseberry

Ribes menziesii

shrub

Berries eaten fresh, traditional Indigenous food

Bay Area native

Cascade Barberry

Berberis nervosa

perennial herb

Berries eaten fresh or cooked

Bay Area native

Chaparral Currant

Ribes malvaceum

shrub

Berries eaten fresh or cooked

Bay Area native

Checker Lily

Fritillaria affinis

geophyte

Bulblets and bulbs roasted; traditional Indigenous food use

Bay Area native

Chile Tarweed

Madia sativa

annual

Seeds pressed for oil; traditionally used as food by Indigenous peoples

Bay Area native

Chilean Sweet-cicely

Osmorhiza berteroi

perennial herb

Roots eaten raw or cooked; sweet licorice-like flavor

Bay Area native

Cliff Maids

Lewisia cotyledon

perennial herb

Leaves and corms eaten raw or cooked; traditional Indigenous food.

Bay Area native

Coast Black Gooseberry

Ribes divaricatum var. pubiflorum

shrub

Berries eaten fresh, traditional Indigenous food

Bay Area native

Coast Live Oak

Quercus agrifolia

tree

Acorns leached and ground into flour for traditional food

Bay Area native Keystone species

Cobwebby Thistle

Cirsium occidentale var. venustum

annual

Young shoots eaten cooked; traditionally harvested as food plant

Bay Area native

Common Horsetail

Equisetum arvense

fern

Young fertile shoots boiled and eaten like asparagus; traditionally harvested

Bay Area native

Common Meadow foam

Limnanthes douglasii

annual

Seeds eaten raw or roasted; traditionally used by Indigenous peoples

Bay Area native

Common Muilla

Muilla maritima

geophyte

Bulbs eaten raw or cooked; traditional Indigenous food

Bay Area native

Common Viburnum

Viburnum ellipticum

shrub

Berries eaten raw or cooked; used in jams and traditional foods

Bay Area native

Common sunflower

Helianthus annuus

annual

Seeds eaten raw or roasted; oil extracted from seeds for cooking

Bay Area native Keystone species

Cosmopolitan bulrush

Bolboschoenus maritimus

perennial herb

Tubers harvested and eaten raw or cooked; traditional Indigenous food.

Bay Area native

Coyote Mint

Monardella villosa

shrub

Leaves and flowers brewed as aromatic tea; used fresh or dried

Bay Area native

Creeping Oregon Grape

Berberis aquifolium var. repens

shrub

Berries eaten fresh or cooked; traditionally foraged for food.

Bay Area native

Creeping Sage

Salvia sonomensis

shrub

Leaves used as culinary and medicinal herb; aromatic seasoning

Bay Area native

Creeping Spikerush

Eleocharis macrostachya

grass

Tubers eaten raw or cooked; traditional Indigenous food

Bay Area native

Cupido Mariposa Lily

Calochortus uniflorus

perennial herb

Bulbs eaten roasted or boiled; traditional Indigenous food

Bay Area native

Dense Sedge

Carex densa

grass

Tubers eaten cooked; traditional Indigenous food source

Bay Area native

Dotted Smartweed

Persicaria punctata

perennial herb

Young leaves and shoots eaten raw or cooked as potherb

Bay Area native

Douglas' Thistle

Cirsium douglasii var. douglasii

perennial herb

Young shoots cooked as vegetable; roots eaten

Bay Area native

Dunn Oak

Quercus palmeri

tree

Acorns leached and ground into flour for traditional food

Bay Area native Keystone species

Durango Root

Datisca glomerata

perennial herb

Roots eaten cooked; traditional Indigenous food

Bay Area native

Eastwood's Manzanita

Arctostaphylos glandulosa subsp. glandulosa

shrub

Berries made into cider drink, traditional Indigenous use

Bay Area native Keystone species

Evergreen Violet

Viola sempervirens

perennial herb

Flowers and leaves eaten raw or cooked; petals used in salads

Bay Area native

False Solomon's Seal

Maianthemum stellatum

perennial herb

Berries eaten raw or cooked; traditional Indigenous food

Bay Area native

False Solomon's-seal

Maianthemum racemosum

perennial herb

Berries eaten raw or cooked; young shoots eaten as greens

Bay Area native

Flowering Currant

Ribes sanguineum

shrub

Berries eaten fresh or cooked

Bay Area native

Fool's-onion

Triteleia hyacinthina

geophyte

Corms cooked and eaten as traditional food

Bay Area native

Fragrant sumac

Rhus aromatica

shrub

Berries dried and ground into spice; used for flavoring by Indigenous peoples

Bay Area native

Fuchsia-flowered Gooseberry

Ribes speciosum

shrub

Berries eaten raw or cooked; tart, seedy fruits used in preserves

Bay Area native

Giant Wildrye*

Elymus condensatus

grass

Seeds ground into flour; traditional food source

Bay Area native

Golden Currant

Ribes aureum

shrub

Berries eaten fresh or cooked

Bay Area native

Goose-foot Yellow Violet

Viola purpurea subsp. quercetorum

perennial herb

Flowers and leaves eaten raw or cooked; petals used in salads

Bay Area native

Gray Pine

Pinus sabiniana

tree

Seeds eaten raw or roasted

Bay Area native Keystone species

Groundcover Rose*

Rosa spithamea

shrub

Rose hips used for tea, jams, and syrups; high in vitamin C

Bay Area native Keystone species

Gypsum Springbeauty

Claytonia gypsophiloides

annual

Leaves eaten raw in salads or cooked as potherb

Bay Area native

Hairy Water Clover

Marsilea vestita

perennial herb

Fronds eaten raw in salads or cooked as greens; fern-like leaves

Bay Area native

Hardstem Bulrush

Schoenoplectus acutus var. occidentalis

grass

Tubers eaten raw or roasted; traditional Indigenous food

Bay Area native

No photo

Harford's Sedge

Carex harfordii

grass

Tubers eaten cooked; traditional Indigenous food source

Bay Area native

Harvest Brodiaea

Brodiaea elegans

geophyte

Corms roasted or boiled; traditional Indigenous food

Bay Area native

Hillside Gooseberry

Ribes californicum var. californicum

shrub

Berries eaten fresh, traditional Indigenous food

Bay Area native

Hind's Black Walnut

Juglans hindsii

tree

Nuts cracked and eaten; traditional Indigenous food

Bay Area native

Hoary Manzanita

Arctostaphylos canescens

perennial herb

Berries eaten fresh or made into cider; traditional Indigenous use

Bay Area native Keystone species

Hollyleaf cherry

Prunus ilicifolia

tree

Pits (kernels) cracked and eaten or processed for oil; used as traditional food

Bay Area native Keystone species

Hooker's Fairybells

Prosartes hookeri

perennial herb

Berries eaten raw or cooked; traditional Indigenous food

Bay Area native

Hooker's Onion

Allium acuminatum

geophyte

Bulbs eaten raw or cooked; traditional Indigenous food

Bay Area native

Huckleberry

Vaccinium ovatum

shrub

Berries eaten fresh or cooked

Bay Area native Keystone species

Indian Thistle

Cirsium brevistylum

annual

Young shoots and roots eaten cooked; traditionally harvested as food plant

Bay Area native

Interior Live Oak

Quercus wislizeni

tree

Acorns leached and ground into flour for traditional food

Bay Area native Keystone species

Ithuriel's Spear

Triteleia laxa

geophyte

Corms eaten roasted; traditional Indigenous food use

Bay Area native

Jeweled Onion

Allium serra

geophyte

Bulbs eaten raw or cooked; traditional Indigenous food, onion-flavored

Bay Area native

Kellogg's Yampah

Perideridia kelloggii

perennial herb

Tubers eaten raw or roasted; traditional Indigenous food

Bay Area native

Kings Mountain Manzanita

Arctostaphylos regismontana

perennial herb

Berries eaten fresh or made into beverages; traditional Indigenous food source

Bay Area native Keystone species

Knobcone Pine

Pinus attenuata

tree

Seeds eaten raw or roasted

Bay Area native Keystone species

Large-flowered Agoseris

Agoseris grandiflora var. grandiflora

perennial herb

Roots eaten raw or cooked; leaves used as salad greens

Bay Area native

Leather Oak

Quercus durata

shrub

Acorns leached and ground into flour for traditional Indigenous food

Bay Area native Keystone species

Leopard Lily

Lilium pardalinum subsp. pardalinum

geophyte

Bulbs cooked and eaten as traditional Indigenous food

Bay Area native

Lesser Water-parsnip

Berula erecta

perennial herb

Roots and young stems eaten cooked, traditional Indigenous food

Bay Area native

Madrone

Arbutus menziesii

tree

Berries eaten fresh or cooked

Bay Area native Keystone species

Many-flowered Brodiaea

Dichelostemma multiflorum

geophyte

Corms roasted or boiled; traditional California Indigenous food.

Bay Area native

Mariposa Lily (Yellow)

Calochortus luteus

geophyte

Bulbs roasted; traditional Indigenous food

Bay Area native

Mariposa Lily*

Calochortus pulchellus

geophyte

Bulbs eaten raw or roasted; traditional Indigenous staple food

Bay Area native