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Woodland Forager @karhunaiti.bsky.social · 06/10/2026

Shaggy ink caps (Coprinus comatus in Agaricaceae family) are a bit past their prime, but I find them visually appealing. When young, they are edible. These gills have turned from white to black, so now they are just decoration. #foraging #fungifriends #photography

Black and white shaggy ink cap mushrooms with conical caps and white scales

The black gills under a shaggy ink cap mushroom.

A shaggy ink cap, looking rough and past its prime.

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Woodland Forager @karhunaiti.bsky.social · 05/10/2026

Who cannot but admire the lovely night-blooming Moonflower vine, calling to moths with its sweet aroma? The Latin name is Ipomoea alba in the morning glory family. Native to the tropical regions of the Americas, it blooms up north only when the days shorten. #photography #gardening #flowers

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Woodland Forager @karhunaiti.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

I believe this little beauty is a young & poisonous Amanita bisporigera, in the Amanitaceae family. Also called the Eastern Destroying Angel, likely because if you eat it, you may meet some angels after your liver is destroyed. I might be wrong. #foraging #fungifriends #mushrooms

A white mushroom leaning to side, may be poisonous Eastern Destroying Angel

The underside of a white mushroom showing gills.

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Woodland Forager @karhunaiti.bsky.social · 15/09/2026

It is chestnut season & the nuts are dropping like crazy. (Latin name is Castaneda sp in the Fagaceae family.) High in carbohydrates & low in fat - get them before squirrels & deer get them. I use mine in a wild rice stirfry or blend with ricotta to make a cheesecake. #foraging #chestnuts #gardening

Chestnut peaking through its spiky husk. Use 2 trowels or VERY THICK GLOVES to open.

Fresh chestnuts - to process, I put in boiling water for 5 min, let cool, score top of nut in an X with a knife, then boil again or roast. The shell will open up at the X, allowing you to pull out nutmeat.

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Woodland Forager @karhunaiti.bsky.social · 12/09/2026

Today I collected some American persimmons (Diospyros virginiana in the Ebenaceae family) in the woods. So sweet, & a nice foraging treat. Don't eat them until they fall to ground on their own. Unripe fruit is very astringent; your mouth will never unpucker. #foraging #photography #wildediblefruit

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Woodland Forager @karhunaiti.bsky.social · 12/09/2026

Another cool carnivorous plant is the purple pitcher plant (Sarracenia purpurea in the Sarraceniaceae family), a North American native. Insects drown in the water in the cup & are digested. Native Americans used the root to treat smallpox. #carnivorousplants #photography #gardening #plantmedicine

Pitcher plant, which has water in its cups that drown insects.

One cup of the pitcher plant with visible hairs that trap insects from exiting.

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Woodland Forager @karhunaiti.bsky.social · 10/09/2026

On a remote beach in Juneau, Alaska, a mossy log hosts a tiny strawberry. #Alaska #photography

A log on a beach in Juneau Alaska with moss and a wild strawberry.

A tiny, wild strawberry growing in moss on a log on a beach in Juneau Alaska.

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Woodland Forager @karhunaiti.bsky.social · 07/09/2026

Cape Sundew is a commonly grown carnivorous plant. A South African native, it readily grows in moist warm conditions, feasting on tiny insects trapped in its sticky gooey leaves. The Latin name is Drosera capensis, in the Droseraceae family. #carnivorousplants #feedmeseymour #gardening #photography

A sundew leaf with tiny sticky nodules that attract and capture insects.

A sundew leaf with captured insects stuck to its gooey nodules.

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Woodland Forager @karhunaiti.bsky.social · 05/09/2026

This cool spiky plant is Oregon grape (Berberis aquifolium in Berberidaceae family), a native northwest shrub. Eat berries raw or cooked; remove seeds first. Beware: eating too many causes vomiting & blood pressure drop. Eat licorice to counter the effects. #foraging #ediblewildfood #photography

Oragon grape, aka Mahonia, a native shrub of washington state and Oregon. It has edible blueberries, and the flowers can be made into a tea.

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Woodland Forager @karhunaiti.bsky.social · 31/08/2026

Lowbush cranberries, aka lingonberries (Vaccinium vitis-idaea in the Ericaceae/heather family) grow all over Alaska & the Yukon. Smaller than our Thanksgiving cranberry, this fruit has long been important to indigenous peoples. Bears love them too. #foraging #photography #wildediblefruit #alaska

Low bush cranberries growing near Denali, Alaska

Three lowbush cranberry fruits hanging from a cranberry stem, in Denali, Alaska.

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Woodland Forager @karhunaiti.bsky.social · 19/08/2026

Perilla, aka shiso (Perilla frutescens in mint family) is an Asian vegetable that can be invasive. The leaves are often paired with sushi & have a mild taste between kale & basil. If you let it go to seed, you will have greens to feed an army the following year. #eattheinvasives #foraging #gardening

Perilla leaves in a garden. This variety is red in color.

Grren perilla leaves - they make a tssty pesto!

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Woodland Forager @karhunaiti.bsky.social · 16/08/2026

Pawpaw season is almost here! In a couple weeks they will ripen & start falling. Pawpaws (Asimina triloba in the Anona family) are native to Appalachia & are the largest American fruit. Most Americans have never heard of it. Delicious chilled; scoop out with spoon. #foraging #nativefruit #gardening

Almost ripe pawpaws on a tree. Once they ripen, they will fall to ground. They don't travel well for export to other regions, so they are best eaten locally.

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Woodland Forager @karhunaiti.bsky.social · 13/08/2026

This pretty little herb is Indian tobacco, Lobelia inflata, a native annual Campanulaceae (bellflower) family member. The plant can be used as a strong purgative & respiratory stimulant. Be careful using this plant. Don't experiment on yourself. #foraging #medicinalplants #photography #gardening

Indian tobacco plant with tiny pale purple flowers

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Woodland Forager @karhunaiti.bsky.social · 10/08/2026

Check out this georgous mountain mint in bloom! Bees & other pollinators love this plant. Pycnanthemum muticum is the Latin name, in the mint family. It is native to the eastern US. You can make a nice mint tea from the leaves or bracts. #foraging #photography #gardening

Pale green and showy, mountain mint flowers attract bees, butterflies and other pollinators.

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Woodland Forager @karhunaiti.bsky.social · 03/08/2026

Pennyroyal (Mentha pulegium) is a lovely mint family member, native to the Mediterranean. Leaves are used in salads or teas. The tea relieves fevers & stimulates menstruation. Pregnant women, if they want to stay pregnant, should avoid this plant. #emmenagogue #herbalmedicine #photography #gardening

Pennyroyal in bloom with a round cluster of purple flowers.

A pot of pennyroyal mint growing in a garden.

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Woodland Forager @karhunaiti.bsky.social · 29/07/2026

With recent rains, these tiny pleated inkcaps (Parasola plicatilis in the Psathyrellaceae family) are popping up around town. They are inedible, but non-poisonous. After it releases spores, this cutie will dissolve into a pile of goo (aka self-digestion). #fungifriends #photography #iheartmushrooms

A cute little gray pleated inkcap (Parasola plicatilis in the Psathyrellaceae family) growing in a lawn.

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Woodland Forager @karhunaiti.bsky.social · 26/07/2026

Burdock (Arctium lappa in the aster family) is a tall biennial herb with purple flowers. It is much despised because of the burrs. But it's edible! Peel/boil & eat 1st-year roots or 2nd year flower stalks. Root & leaf wash can treat skin problems. #foraging #photography #wildflowers #edibleweeds

A tall second year burdock plant with emerging purple flowers.

Purple burdock flowers emerging on a second-year plant

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Woodland Forager @karhunaiti.bsky.social · 21/07/2026

Rose mallow, aka dinner plate hibiscus, is a native perennial (Hibiscus moscheutos) in the Malvaceae family. Most parts are edible, like many in the mallow family. Make tea with the flowers; eat the young leaves & flower buds. Leaf tea can help with a cough. #foraging #photography #edibleflowers

A large red rose mallow blossom graces a garden and attracts butterflies and honey bees.

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Woodland Forager @karhunaiti.bsky.social · 19/07/2026

Eastern tiger swallowtail (Papilio glaucus in Papilionidae family), a native beauty, enjoying a meal from the aptly named butterfly bush (Buddleja davidii in Scrophulariaceae / figwort family), a Chinese import. Neither are edible; both lovely to look at. #gardening #butterflies #photography

Yellow and black Eastern Swallowtail butterfly on a purple flower of the butterfly bush.

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Woodland Forager @karhunaiti.bsky.social · 17/07/2026

Rose of Sharon is a non-native Asian bush, Hibiscus syriacus, in Malvaceae (hibiscus) family. You can find purple, pink, & white varieties. They proliferate easily via seeds & can be invasive. Leaves & flowers are edible raw or cooked. Flowers make a nice tea. #foraging #photography #edibleinvasives

White and purple Rose of Sharon flowers. This is a hybrid variety with fluffy flowers.

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Woodland Forager @karhunaiti.bsky.social · 14/07/2026

The Venus flytrap, a native of Appalachia, is a fascinating plant. Latin name: Dionaea muscipula in the sundew family. Tiny hairs trigger the jaws to snap shut on bugs. Here is a giant ant being slowly dissolved by Venus's digestive juices. #carnivorousplants #feedmeseymour #photography #gardening

A Venus flytrap has trapped a large ant in one of its claws.

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Woodland Forager @karhunaiti.bsky.social · 09/07/2026

Look at this brilliant orange butterfly weed! Bees & butterflies find it irresistible, as do I. Latin name: Asclepias tuberosa, in the dogbane family, which explains its toxicity. The boiled roots were used to treat diarrhea, back in the day. #foraging #photography #gardening #bees

Orange butterfly weed flower with a bee.

A cluster of orange butterfly weed flowers with bees.

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Woodland Forager @karhunaiti.bsky.social · 07/07/2026

Cool things about cotton (Gossypium hirsutum), a tree in the hibiscus family: It is related to okra & cacao; it is illegal to grow in some US states without heavy regulation to control the boll weevil; It has been used for >7,000 years; & its oil is edible. #usefulplants #gardening #photography

Creamy yellow colored cotton tree fllower

A yellow cotton tree flower surrounded by leaves

Cotton bolls after ripening and bursting with cotton fibers

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Woodland Forager @karhunaiti.bsky.social · 07/07/2026

Iris domestica, aka leopard lily, is in the iris (not lily) family. Its showy bright flower gives way to an interesting seed pod with black seeds inside. Leaves grow in a tall fan-like fashion. Not edible but it has been used in traditional Chinese medicine. #gardening #photography #medicinalflowers

Leopard lily plant with orange spotted blossoms and a tall stalk with flattened leaves.

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Woodland Forager @karhunaiti.bsky.social · 01/07/2026

An almost perfect false parasol mushroom (Chlorophyllum molybdites in the Agaricaceae family) will cause you to question your life choices should you mistake it for one of its edible cousins & take a bite. But it is a delight to look at. Always be sure of ID. #fungifriends #foraging #photography

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Woodland Forager @karhunaiti.bsky.social · 01/07/2026

Invasive wild parsnip (Pastinaca sativa in the carrot family) is a biennial plant with sweet taproots if eaten before it flowers. Be careful with ID: some related plants (like hemlock) are poisonous. Sap causes blisters; use gloves & long sleeves when harvesting. #foraging #photography #edibleweeds

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Woodland Forager @karhunaiti.bsky.social · 23/06/2026

Prairie Spiderwort (Tradescantia virginica in the Commelinaceae family) is a tall native perennial. The leaves are edible raw or cooked. Use flowers as an edible garnish. A root poultice can treat stings, while root tea treats constipation. #foraging #medicinalwildplants #photography #gardening

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Woodland Forager @karhunaiti.bsky.social · 16/06/2026

Who among us does not love wild strawberries (Fragaria vesca in the rose family)? These tiny sweet gems hiding in grass are much sweeter than cultivated ones. Swedish differentiates wild (smultron) from garden-grown (jordgubbe). I agree; they are not the same. #foraging #wildediblefruit #photography

Tiny wild strawberry hiding in the grass.

Small red wild strawberry, growing among the grass.

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Woodland Forager @karhunaiti.bsky.social · 15/06/2026

Wild four o'clocks, tall native perennials with magenta flowers (Mirabilis nyctaginea in the Nyctaginaceae family), are in bloom in Minnesota. The root has been used as a poultice for burns & sores; root tea is used for fever and to expel worms. #foraging #photography #plantmedicine

Magenta flower of a wild 4 o'clock., blooming in the sunlight.

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Woodland Forager @karhunaiti.bsky.social · 06/06/2026

The invasive, noxious & unloved Japanese knotweed (Fallopia japonica, in the Polygonaceae family, same as buckwheat) is almost impossible to kill. Once established, abandon all hope. Only redeeming factor: young stems can be cooked like rhubarb. #foraging #edibleplants #photography #gardening

Japanese knotweed growing in a Maryland park

Japanese knotweed growing near Rock Creek Park in Maryland.

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Woodland Forager @karhunaiti.bsky.social · 05/06/2026

Serviceberry (Amelanchier sp), aka saskatoon & juneberry, is a delicious wild native fruit. A Rosaseae family member, it is prone to cedar-apple-rust fungus, which disfigures the fruit but won't kill the tree. Apples, roses, cedar & juniper are all susceptible. #foraging #wildberries #gardening

Serviceberry with cedar apple rust fungus on one of the berries.

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Woodland Forager @karhunaiti.bsky.social · 03/06/2026

Feverfew (Tanacetum parthenium in the Asteraceae family) can brighten a garden with its daisy-like flowers. Native of the Balkans, feverfew can treat migraines, fevers, inflammation, act as a sedative, & to regulate menses. The dried plant is safer than fresh. #photography #gardening #medicinalherbs

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Woodland Forager @karhunaiti.bsky.social · 29/05/2026

I never write about insects, but this horned passalus beetle (Odontotaenius disjunctus in the Passalidae family) is so cool to ignore. These beauties can get over 3" long, & also fly, which may induce nightmares should they head toward your face, but prefer to crawl. #photography #gardens #insects

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Woodland Forager @karhunaiti.bsky.social · 27/05/2026

A cute little brown mushroom is growing between rocks in my flower pot. I have no idea what species it is yet, but it is welcome to enjoy my garden. (The plant is pennyroyal, a mint family member. I will write more on that after it flowers.) #fungifriends #gardening #photography #littlebrownmushroom

A tiny brown mushroom growing in a pot of pennyroyal.

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Woodland Forager @karhunaiti.bsky.social · 26/05/2026

Rue is an old-fashioned herb used for culinary & medicinal purposes. Ruta graveolens is the Latin name, in the citrus (Rutaceae) family. This Mediterranean native also can repel insects. Toxic in large quantities so use sparingly or you will rue the day. #foraging #gardening #photography

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Woodland Forager @karhunaiti.bsky.social · 24/05/2026

Beautiful & eye-catching European smoketree (Cotinus coggygria), often grown as an ornamental, is in the sumac (Anacardiaceae) family. Leaves may be edible, but not palatable. Inner bark can treat fever, eye ailments & stimulate bile discharge. #foraging #photography #trees #gardening

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Woodland Forager @karhunaiti.bsky.social · 22/05/2026

Amaryllis (Hippeastrum genus in Amaryllidoideae family) is native to tropical America. Popular as winter flower, some species have been used medicinally. It's toxic so don't experiment on yourself & try to self-heal. Store bulbs in dark basement to replant next year. #photography #gardening #flowers

Hippeastrum blossom, pink with white streaks

A cluster of red Hippeastrum (amaryllis) flowers.

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Woodland Forager @karhunaiti.bsky.social · 21/05/2026

Partridge berry (Mitchella repens in coffee family) is a tiny native evergreen vine with pink flower buds, white flowers & red edible berries. Tea is used to aid childbirth but be careful; tea early in pregnancy can cause miscarriage. Berry tea is sedative. #foraging #medicinalplants #photography

Tiny partridge berry vines with two white flowers and a pink flower bud growing on a bed of moss.

A mat of partridge berry growing on moss.

One white partridge berry flower and two pink flower buds.

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Woodland Forager @karhunaiti.bsky.social · 20/05/2026

Lyre feaf sage (Salvia lyrata) is a mint family member, native to the eastern US, with square stems, distinct leaf shape & tall flower stems. Not edible; leaves & root can be made into a salve to treat skin sores. Vigorous growth makes it a nice native ground cover. #foraging #photography #gardening

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Woodland Forager @karhunaiti.bsky.social · 17/05/2026

Who does not love marigolds, with bright flowers that both repel pests & draw pollinators? Native to Mexico, Tagetes erecta & T. patula are shown, in aster family. Petals & leaves are edible; drink tea for indigestion & constipation. Flowers can color food & cloth. #foraging #photography #gardening

Three orange and yellow marigold flowers in a pot.

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Woodland Forager @karhunaiti.bsky.social · 13/05/2026

Rattlesnake hawkweed (Hieracium venosum, in the aster family) is a perennial native herb with distinct red-veined leaves. Its yellow flowers come later in summer. The root is used to treat bowel complaints. The round-leaf plant next to it is partridge berry. #foraging #nativeplants #plantmedicine

Rattlesnake hawkweed, with red-veined leaves, growing in a Maryland forest along with partridge berry.

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Woodland Forager @karhunaiti.bsky.social · 06/05/2026

Creeping thyme with white flowers (Thymus sp. in the mint family) graces a garden, providing culinary greens, spice, & medicinal tea. Use leaves in salads & soups for flavor. Seep leaves in hot water for tea to treat respiratory & digestive problems. #herbalmedicine #foraging #photography

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Woodland Forager @karhunaiti.bsky.social · 03/05/2026

Wild yams (Dioscorea villosa in Latin, in the Dioscoreaceae family) grow abundantly in the forest - 5 heart-shaped leaves in a whorl. Notice the 3-leaf poison ivy nearby? Wild yam is used as a contraceptive & an anti-inflammatory, among other uses. #foraging #herbalmedicine #photography

Wild yam plant surrounded by poison ivy.

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Woodland Forager @karhunaiti.bsky.social · 02/05/2026

Wild geranium, a lovely little native perennial, grows in eastern woods. Latin name is Geranium maculatum, in the Geraniaceae family. The root is antiseptic & astringent, used to treat diarrhea, IBS, toothaches, & hemorrhoids, among others. #foraging #wildplantmedicine #photography

Wild geranium flower growing in the woods in Maryland

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Woodland Forager @karhunaiti.bsky.social · 01/05/2026

Today is May Day, a pagan celebration of the start of a new growing season. It also has become a celebration of labor rights. So let's enjoy the changing seasons, the power of workers, and a buttercup (Ranunculus repens, in the Ranunculaceae family). #mayday #wildflowers #photography #laborrights

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Woodland Forager @karhunaiti.bsky.social · 29/04/2026

Columbine, aka aquilegia, is a perennial wildflower in the buttercup (Ranunculaceae) family. Hybridization results in some spectatular varieties. This lovely prolific wildflower has long been used in Asia, Europe, & America as a natural medicine. #wildflowers #photography #gardening #herbalmedicine

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Woodland Forager @karhunaiti.bsky.social · 29/04/2026

Pink daisy fleabane (Erigeron annuus, in the aster family), is a cute native wildflower popping up in lawns & fields; much beloved by bees, butterlies, & other pollinators. Settlers believed drying plants would deter fleas. Boil young leaves for a spring green. #foraging #wildflowers #photography

Pink daisy fleabane in bloom and enjoying the day.

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Woodland Forager @karhunaiti.bsky.social · 29/04/2026

Peony bud with ant - Paeonia officinalis, in the Paeoniaceae family, is a European native & widely grown across North America. Ants eat the nectar coating the buds while keeping aphids & other pests away. Infused petals make a nice tea. Root is used in Chinese medicine. #photography #gardening

Pink peony flower just starting to open up.

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Woodland Forager @karhunaiti.bsky.social · 26/04/2026

One of my favorite native bushes is blooming right now - Carolina Allspice,l (Calycanthus floridus in the Calycanthaceae family). Small red flowers line the stems, staging their spring show & emitting a sweet smell. The bark can be used as a cinnamon substitute. #foraging #photography #nativeshrubs

Lovely red Carolina Allspice flowers putting on a show.

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Woodland Forager @karhunaiti.bsky.social · 25/04/2026

A showy jack-in-the-pulpit (Arisaema triphyllum) nestles among spring greenery. Also called Indian turnips because Indigenous people knew how to eat by removing toxic oxalic crystals. In same botanical family (Araceae) as taro, skunk cabbage, & corpse flower #foraging #photography #wildflowers

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