Welcome to peak foraging season, Detroit! Here's the Expedition Detroit guide on adding some flavor to your hikes by highlighting seven edible plants for easy foraging in Southeast Michigan (and beyond).
"I'd rather have it and not need it than need it and not have it."
Each of us can probably think of an item or two that pops into our mind after reading that statement. For an outdoor enthusiast, that statement typically enters our vernacular when planning for an extended outing, such as a multi-day backpacking trip, long trail run, or thru-paddle.
"Do I really need that extra pair of socks?" "How much water is too much for this ride?" "Should I pack the snowshoes for these conditions?"
Fortunately, taking the time to learn a few critical survival skills represents an "I'd rather have it and not need it" time investment that can immensely benefit your outdoor experience - with life-saving returns - without adding any weight to your pack. One basic survival lesson includes the "Rule of 3s":
You can generally survive 3 minutes without breathable air while unconscious or in icy water.
You can generally survive 3 hours in a harsh environment (extreme heat or cold) without adequate shelter.
You can generally survive 3 days without drinkable water.
You can generally survive 3 weeks without edible food.
This article, as you've probably guessed by now, focuses on the last bullet: foraging for edible food in the Detroit region's wildest places.
Did you know you might be stepping on something you can eat? There are dozens of edible plants native to Southeast Michigan.
And guess what? A lot of them aren’t hard to find. 🤫 You just need to know where to look!
In this article, you’ll learn about seven easy-to-spot plants you can forage on your next hike.
This article covers:
An introduction to foraging; and
Edible plants that are native to Southeast Michigan
This article is your guide to discovering edible plants throughout the Detroit region's wildest parks and trails - as well as in your own backyard.
What is Foraging?
Foraging is like a treasure hunt in nature. You search for wild, edible plants and mushrooms to harvest and enjoy. It’s an age-old practice that connects us to the land and the natural food sources around us.
In Southeast Michigan, you can forage in:
Forests
Fields
Meadows
Along trails and roadsides
Lawns (aka your own backyard)
When you forage, you're not just collecting food - you're learning to identify plants and understand their growing environments. Foraging provides a fantastic way to spend time outdoors, get some exercise, and bring home fresh AND free ingredients for your kitchen. Plus, it can turn any hike into an adventure.
Edible Plants Native to Southeast Michigan
Let’s dive into seven edible plants that you can easily forage in Southeast Michigan.
For each plant, you’ll discover:
What the species looks like
Where to find them
Best uses for each plant
As an extra bonus, we've provided a "Cheatsheet" for each plant that you'll be able to readily reference while out in the field or in the kitchen.
1. Wild Strawberries (fragaria virginiana)
Wild strawberries are tiny and SUPER cute! 🍓 They’re much smaller than the ones you would find at your local grocery store.
They have small white flowers in the spring that turn into little red berries in the summer. The leaves are trifoliate — which is a fancy way of saying each leaf has three “leaflets” that make up a single leaf.
You can find these little babies low to the ground. Wild strawberries grow in open woods, meadows, hillsides, and along trails. So you may not even have to venture very far to get some.
You can use strawberries in a variety of recipes, or they can be eaten on their own!
WILD STRAWBERRY FORAGING CHEATSHEET |
fragaria virginiana (wild strawberry) Identification: Small white flowers, tiny red berries, trifoliate leaves with serrated edges Location: Open woods, meadows, hillsides, along trails Season: Summer Best for: Eating fresh, preserves, desserts, salads |
2. Dandelions (taraxacum officinale)
We can say with almost 100% confidence that you’ve seen dandelions before. They stand out with their distinctive bright yellow flowers and jagged, tooth-like leaves.
They can grow pretty much anywhere. You can find dandelions in lawns, gardens, fields, roadsides, and other disturbed areas. Early spring to fall is the best time to harvest.
The entire plant can be eaten too. Nothing goes to waste.
You can use the leaves for salads and pestos. And you can make dandelion tea with the flowers. 🍵
DANDELION FORAGING CHEATSHEET |
Taraxacum officinale (dandelion) Identification: Bright yellow flowers, jagged leaves with tooth-like edges growing at the base of the plant, hollow leafless stems hold the flowers Location: Lawns, gardens, fields, roadsides, disturbed areas Season: Early spring to fall Best for: Teas, salads, pesto |
3. Wild Garlic (allium vineale)
Wild garlic looks a lot like other plants — but you can smell the difference. Because (duh) it smells like garlic!
Wild garlic has long, narrow leaves that grow from the base of the plant. And small, greenish-white flowers that grow in clusters at the top. Look for wild garlic in fields, meadows, lawns, roadsides, and other disturbed areas. The best time to forage for them is from late winter to late-spring.
You can cook with wild garlic the same way you would cook with chives or green onions.
WILD GARLIC FORAGING CHEATSHEET |
allium vineale (wild garlic) Identification: Long and narrow leaves/stems growing from base of plant, strong garlic odor, and small greenish-white flowers Location: Fields, meadows, lawns, roadsides, and disturbed areas Season: Late winter to late spring Best for: Culinary uses similar to chives or green onions |
4. Wild Blackberries (rubus allegheniensis)
Wild berries just hit different, right? Let's take Exhibit A, wild blackberries. What starts as a reddish colored, bitter fruit perfectly ripens into black, savory, and delicious berries.
You can find wild blackberries in thickets, at the edge of the forest, roadsides, and open fields. The leaves are made up of three to five leaflets with serrated edges. The best time to look for ripe berries is from mid to late-summer.
You can pop these straight into your mouth after you pick them (our go-to method). Or, like strawberries, they can be used in a variety of dishes.
BLACKBERRY FORAGING CHEATSHEET |
rubus alleghenienis (wild blackberry) Identification: 3-5 leaflets with serrated edges, white to pinkish flowers with five petals, berries turn black when ripe Location: Thickets, forest edges, roadsides, open fields Season: Mid to late-summer Best for: Eating fresh, salads, desserts, preserves, beverages, sauces/syrups |
5. Lowbush Blueberries (vaccinium angustifolium)
Wild blueberries are a true end-of-summer treat! These low-growing shrubs are a forager's dream. 🫐
You can easily identify them by their oval-shaped leaves and clusters of white, bell-shaped flowers in the spring. Come mid to late-summer, these blossoms grow into small, round berries that turn a vibrant blue. You'll typically find these tasty gems thriving in open woods, forest edges, meadows, and even in rocky or sandy areas.
Whether you enjoy them fresh off the bush, incorporate them into your baking, whip up some homemade preserves, or create delectable sauces, lowbush blueberries are versatile and delicious!
BLUEBERRY FORAGING CHEATSHEET |
vaccinium angustifolium (lowbush blueberry) Identification: Oval-shaped leaves, white bell-shaped flowers, small and round berries, low-growing shrubs Location: Open woods, forest edges, meadows, rocky or sandy areas Season: Mid to late-summer Best for: Eating fresh, baking, preserves, sauces |
6. Wild Leeks (allium tricoccum)
You can spot wild leeks in early spring with their broad, lance-shaped leaves that have a slightly shiny surface and purplish-red lower stems. One telltale sign that you've found a wild leek is the garlic smell. Give a leaf a gentle crush in your hand to release the aroma.
You can eat wild leeks fresh, sauté them in your favorite dishes, pickle the bulbs, blend them into a pesto, or use them to add a burst of flavor to almost any meal.
WILD LEEKS FORAGING CHEATSHEET |
allium tricoccum (wild leek) Identification: Broad lance-shaped leaves, slightly shiny surface, purplish-red lower stem, garlic smell Location: Rich and moist deciduous forests Season: Early spring Best for: Eating fresh, cooking, pickling, pesto, and flavoring |
7. Morel Mushrooms (morchella spp.)
The Morel Mushroom's unique honey-combed cap and cylindrical stem make this delicacy mushroom very easy to identify in the wild. The top of the mushroom looks like a brain, and its colors can vary from cream and yellow to gray and dark brown.
You'll typically find morels in moist wooded areas — especially around decaying trees, old orchards, and recently burned areas. The mushroom thrives in these environments from spring to early summer.
Morels add a rich, earthy flavor to your cooking. The mushroom is absolutely perfect for enhancing sauces and pasta dishes.
⚠️ WARNING: Watch out for false morel mushrooms. They’re toxic. You can tell it’s a false morel if it is NOT hollow from the base of the stem to the top of the cap, as well as if the top is less egg-shaped and more irregular than a true morel.
As Bear Grylls once said, "When in doubt, spit it out!" 🙅🏽♂️
MOREL MUSHROOM FORAGING CHEATSHEET |
morchella spp. (morel mushroom) Identification: Egg-shaped and honey-combed caps, cylindrical stem, colors ranging from cream to yellow and gray to dark brown Location: Moist wooded areas, around decaying trees, old orchards, burned areas Season: Spring to early summer Best for: Cooking, sauces, pasta dishes |
Ready to Add Some Flavor to your
Next Adventure?
Discovering and harvesting wild plants adds a new layer of adventure to your hikes — from the sweet, tiny wild strawberries to the versatile wild leeks. Foraging lets you connect with the food you prepare more intimately.
If you want to hike with a guide who has in-depth knowledge of Southeast Michigan, check out our guided adventures.
Happy foraging, Detroit! 🍄