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Identifying Edible and Poisonous Wild Plants
Our Hedgerow Guide aims to help you forage for British plants that are relatively common in the wild, easy to find and good to eat – and to avoid those that are inedible or poisonous.
Never rely on one source for plant identification, and never eat anything unless you are 100% sure it is edible. We will not be held responsible for the use of the information in this guide.
Hedgerows are a great place to find most of these plants, but do look around in woods and fields as many grow there too.
You can filter to see what’s in season currently. If you want to learn more about wild food and foraging then why not come one of our courses?
To identify a item from specific characteristics please use our search
Choose a type of hedgerow:
Choose a season of interest:
This guide is here to help keep you safe, however, please ensure that you use multiple sources for identifying plants. Only eat a wild food if you yourself are 100% sure what it is. It should also be noted that there are a couple of plants that you should not touch without gloves. We will not be held responsible for any misidentification, or any other use of the information on this website.
| Photo | Common Name | Scientific Name | Type | Start | End |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
Yarrow | Achillea millefolium |
|
Season start: Mar | Season end: Nov |
 |
Monks Hood | Aconitum napellus |
|
Season start: Mar | Season end: Oct |
 |
Ground Elder | Aegopodium podagraria |
|
Season start: Mar | Season end: Oct |
 |
Fool’s Parsley | Aethusa cynapium |
|
Season start: Mar | Season end: Sep |
 |
Hedge Garlic | Alliaria petiolata |
|
Season start: Jan | Season end: Dec |
 |
Few-Flowered Garlic | Allium paradoxum |
|
Season start: Mar | Season end: Jul |
 |
Three-Cornered Leek | Allium triquetrum |
|
Season start: Jan | Season end: Jan |
 |
Wild Garlic | Allium ursinum |
|
Season start: Feb | Season end: Jun |
 |
Crow Garlic | Allium vineale |
|
Season start: Nov | Season end: Aug |
 |
Wild Chervil | Anthriscus sylvestris |
|
Season start: Mar | Season end: Nov |
 |
Columbine | Aquilegia |
|
Season start: Apr | Season end: Jul |
 |
Burdock | Arctium minus, Arctium lappa |
|
Season start: Sep | Season end: Dec |
 |
Mugwort | Artemisia vulgaris |
|
Season start: Apr | Season end: Oct |
 |
Lords and Ladies | Arum maculatum |
|
Season start: Mar | Season end: Nov |
 |
Asparagus | Asparagus officinalis, Asparagus prostratus |
|
Season start: Mar | Season end: May |
 |
Deadly Nightshade | Atropa belladonna |
|
Season start: May | Season end: Oct |
 |
Purple Rock Cress | Aubrieta deltoidea |
|
Season start: Jan | Season end: Jan |
 |
Wintercress | Barbarea vulgaris |
|
Season start: Dec | Season end: Jun |
 |
Daisy | Bellis perennis |
|
Season start: Jan | Season end: Dec |
 |
Barberry | Berberis thunbergii atropurpurea |
|
Season start: Sep | Season end: Nov |
 |
Sea Beet | Beta vulgaris maritima |
|
Season start: Jan | Season end: Dec |
 |
Silver Birch | Betula pendula |
|
Season start: Mar | Season end: Mar |
 |
Bistort | Bistorta officinalis |
|
Season start: | Season end: |
 |
Good King Henry | Blitum bonus-henricus |
|
Season start: | Season end: |