Rachael Blasbalg originally published this article on www.askaprepper.com
When we think of the food we eat today, we often think of food someone has grown or harvested. We are planning for the worst by preparing what we will plant.
In the past, there was no need for large-scale agriculture and supermarkets. People supplemented their diets by eating wild food, which Mother Nature provided.
We have many edible trees and plants in the forest that we can find. Knowing the location of edible trees and plants can help you survive if disaster strikes.
Let's now talk about common edible trees in your state, so you are prepared for anything.
The Lost Book of Remedies contains all of America's medicinal and edible trees.
#1. Alabama
- PawPaw, Hickory, and Pecan Nuts
#2. Alaska
- Birch, Spruce/ Pine
#3. Arizona
- Maple, Birch and Pine, Sycamore, Oak
#4. Arkansas
- Acorns/Oak, Walnut Family, Juniper, Sumac
#5. California
- Holly leaf cherry, Olives. California Hazelnut. Acorns/Oak. Pinyon Pine.
#6. Colorado
- Cherry Pine Cherry/Choke Cherry Pin Cherry Pine
#7. Connecticut
- Maple, Black Cherry Birch, Birch, Birch, Beech, Pine
#8. Delaware
- Black Cherry, Maple and Slippery Elm. Pine
#9. Florida
- Mulberry, Persimmon Oak, Maple, Pine
#10. Georgia
- Oak, Pine and Hickory Maple
#11. Hawaii
- Breadfruit, Papaya and Coconut Palm, Mangos, Noni, Guava
#12. Idaho
- Pines-including Pinyon Pine and Tamarack Pine, Maple, Birch, and Maple
#13. Illinois
- Black Walnut, Oak and Hickory, Pecan American Chesnut, American Chesnut, Linden and Hawthorn
#14. Indiana
- Pawpaw, Mulberry, Mulberry and Mulberry.
#15. Iowa
- Serviceberry, Walnut, Cherry, Oak, Maple, Pine, Hickory, Mulberry, Birch
#16. Kansas
- Mulberry, Pecan and Black Walnut, Hickory and Oak
#17. Kentucky
- Serviceberry, Pawpaw, Persimmon, Pecan, Hickory, Walnut, Oak, Beech
#18. Louisiana
- Palm, Birch, Beech, Oak, Mulberry, Pine, Hickory, Walnut
#19. Maine
- Pine, Birch and Maple, Maple, Oak, Maple, Maple, Oak Cherry, Cherry, Butternut, Hickory
#20. Maryland
- Pine, Oak and Maple, Hickory and Beech
#21. Massachusetts
- Pine, Maple, Oak, Birch, Hickory, Walnut, Beech, Chesnut, Mulberry
#22. Michigan
- Maple, Birch and Birch; Pine, Oak, Hickory
#23. Minnesota
- Pine, Tamarac, Birch, Walnut, Butternut, Beech, Cherry, Hickory, Maple, Oak
#24. Mississippi
- Beech, Birch, Cherry, Pine, Persimmon, Oak, Maple, Walnut. Hickory, Pecan
#25. Missouri
- Birch, Eastern Redbud, Birch and Wild Apples, Birch, Oak, Pine Maple, Walnut, Hickory
#26. Montana
- Pine, Maple and Birch, American Plums, Chokecherry, Oak
#27. Nebraska
- Pawpaw, Persimmon, Hazlenut, Walnut
#28. Nevada
- Pine, Maple, Birch, Serviceberry, Western Chokecherry
#29. New Hampshire
- Pine/Spruce, Beech, Birch, Cherry, Chesnut, Hickory, Maple, Oak, Serviceberry, Walnut
#30. New Jersey
- Oak, Pine and Walnut, Hickory and Chesnut
#31. New Mexico
- Chokecherry. Pine, Oak, Maple
#32. New York
- Serviceberry, Wild Cherry, Wild Apple, Hickory, Butternut, Walnut, Chesnut, Oak, Hazelnut, Pine, Maple
#33. North Carolina
- Pine, Maple and Oak, Hickory, Birch
#34. North Dakota
- Pine/Spruce, Cherry Oak, Maple, Walnut
#35. Ohio
- Maple, Oak, Hickory
#36. Oklahoma
- Black Walnut, Black Cherry Hickory Oak, Pine
#37. Oregon
- Maple, Oak, Pine, Hazelnut
#38. Pennsylvania
- Pawpaw, Hickory and Chesnut, Common Persimmons, Butternut, Red Mulberry. Plum, Cherry, Hazelnut
#39. Rhode Island
- Maple, Oak Birch, Birch, Pine and Black Cherry
#40. South Carolina
- Pine, Oak, Maple, Cabbage Palmetto, Sycamore
#41. South Dakota
- Black Walnut, Oak and Chokecherry. Spruce, Pine.
#42. Tennessee
- Oak, Pecan and Black Walnut, Maple, Sycamore and Hickory
#43. Texas
- Pecan, Persimmon, Walnut
#44. Utah
- Pine, Birch, Linden, Beech
#45. Vermont
- Maple, Pine and Spruce, Oaks, Birch, Chokecherry and Linden
#46. Virginia
- Plum, Persimmons, Mulberry, Pawpaw. Wild Plum, Black Cherry. Pine, Spruce and Black Walnut. Hickory. Birch, Chesnut. Oak. Sycamore. Maple.
#47. Washington
- Pine, Spruce and Birch, Maple
#48. West Virginia
- Oak, Sycamore, Serviceberry, Oak, Maple, Birch, Black Cherry
#49. Wisconsin
- Maple, Slippery Elm and Black Walnut.
#50. Wyoming
- Pine, Spruce and Maple, Birch. Chokecherry, Oak. Linden
Acorns/Oak Trees
Oaks can be found in large parts of the United States, and are an edible tree that is very useful. Oaks can be found in many states of the US, but they are not common in the west.
It's possible that you have heard it before: Acorns can be eaten.
Acorns have been eaten by humans since antiquity. All acorns can be eaten, provided they are properly processed. However, some acorns taste better than others. Acorns made from white oaks, for example, taste better than those made from red oak.
The rounded tips of white oak leaves can distinguish them from other oaks. Because they contain less tannins, white oak acorns are more flavorful. Tannins are responsible for bitter taste. You will need to extract the tannins from red oak acorns before you eat them.
This can be done by either boiling or soaking the shelled nuts for a few days. To enhance their flavor, you can roast the acorns.
After you have prepared your acorns you can either eat them as nuts or grind them into flour. Your flour can be used to make porridge and dough that can then be baked into cakes.
The oak leaves can also be eaten, but acorns are not the only edible part. Wine can also be made from oak leaves
Beech
The beech tree is another tree that bears an edible nut.
Beech nuts, once popular along the East coast of America, have fallen in popularity since industrialization.
Beech nuts are difficult to process because of their small size and spiky shells.
Although beechnuts are safe to eat raw, beechnuts should not be consumed in large quantities. The outer skin of beechnuts contains fagin which is mildly toxic. You can cook the seeds gently and then remove the skin from the kernel.
You can also eat the fruits of the beech tree, just like the oak. The young leaves of the beech tree can be picked in spring and eaten as a source of much-needed greens after a long winter.
The inner bark of the beech tree can also be eaten. If you are in a survival situation, don't take the inner bark from a live tree. If that is the case, you can find a tree that has just fallen and then forage from it.
Birch
You will find birch trees from different species almost everywhere in the US.
Their distinctive white outer bark makes them easily identifiable as an edible tree. Birch trees do not have edible nuts, unlike oak and beech. Don't let this deter you. Many parts of the birch tree are edible. You can add leaves, twigs and bark to your diet.
The leaves should be consumed young. They can be steamed, sauteed, or roasted. The inner bark can be harvested in the same way as beech bark. To reach the soft inner part, remove the outer layer.
You can cut the bark into strips and boil it like spaghetti. Or you can dry it and make flour. If you're really hungry, you can even eat the bark raw. Even the buds, twigs and leaves can be used to make tea with a hint of wintergreen.
Related: Making Fuel from Birch
Last but not the least, you can make syrup from the sap of the Birch Tree.
Birch sap is more watered-down than maple sap, so it's important to collect a lot of birch seed to make any amount of birch syrup.
This syrup was traditionally used to make Birch Beer, a low-alcohol fermented beverage that is similar to root beer and sasparilla.
Maple
Another tree that is well-known is maple. Maple trees are often associated with Canada or Vermont, but there is a native maple species found in every state. Although Japanese dwarf maples are common in Hawaii, they can be grown with proper care.
We all know that maple syrup can be made by boiling down maple sap, but did we know that other parts of maple trees are also edible?
Also edible are leaves, seeds and bark.
When the maple leaves are still young, pick them up in spring. They can be eaten raw or cooked. They are mildly sweetened with maple syrup. If you're feeling really creative, you can fry them in tempura batter as they are in Japan.
The seeds are in the spinny maple helicopters that I used as a child to stick on my nose. Each one contains a tiny seed. Although they are slightly bitter when raw, they will become milder if you roast them.
The bark can also be dried and ground into flour that can be used to thicken soups, make dough, or add to porridge.
Pine
The pine family is large and diverse and has many edible trees. All varieties of nuts are edible, however most are too small for us to harvest. Pinyon Pines, which are more common than others, have larger seeds that are well worth harvesting.
Pine Needles are a great source of vitamin C. However, I wouldn't eat just a few needles. For a spicy, piney kick, you can add small quantities to recipes. You can also make tea from them. Each pine will have its own unique flavor, and some pines are more common than others.
As a flour substitute, you can use pine pollen or pine bark.
Last Thoughts
There are many other edible trees that I haven't included in this list. The nuts of Juglandaceae trees, such as pecans or hickories are all edible. There are also many fruit trees such as PawPaw, Cherry and Mulberry that can be eaten,
You will see that there are many edible trees in the forest if you look around.
Remember to consult an expert when you are foraging. There are many poisonous looks-alikes.
MORE ARTICLES
How to Make a Pain-Relieving Willow Bark Tincture
5 poisonous plants that can be used as medicine when SHTF
8 sugar plant you should use in the wild
A Beginner's Guide to Essential Oils
These are the States with the most medicinal plants. Are You a resident of one of These States?
How To Identify and Use Kratom, The Painkilling Plant That Substitutes Opioids
The article The Most Common Edible Trees in Your State appeared first at Bio Prepper.
—————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————–
By: Rachael Blasbalg
Title: The Most Common Edible Trees Growing In Your State
Sourced From: www.bioprepper.com/2021/09/25/the-most-common-edible-trees-growing-in-your-state/
Published Date: Sat, 25 Sep 2021 15:03:12 +0000