What to Forage in April – The Best Wild Food Plants to Harvest

Discover over forty wild food plants you can forage and harvest in April.

Availability should only be seen as a rough guide. Variations in climate and location will make a difference to what’s available.

BrambleRubus fruticosus agg.
Shoots: Raw, cooked

Brooklime – Veronica beccabunga
Leaf: Cooked

CharlockSinapis arvensis
Leaf: Raw, cooked

ChickweedStellaria media
Leaf: Raw, cooked
Shoots and tips: Raw, cooked

Cow ParsleyAnthriscus sylvestris
Leaf: Raw, cooked
Stem: Raw, cooked

Crosswort – Cruciata laevipes
Leaf: Raw, cooked
Shoots and tips: Raw, cooked

Dandelion Taraxacum spp.
Leaf: Raw, cooked

Darwin’s Barberry – Berberis darwinii
Flowers: Raw

Flowering CurrantRibes sanguineum
Leaf: Raw, cooked
Flowers: Raw, cooked

Garlic MustardAlliaria petiolata
Leaf: Raw, cooked
Shoots and tips: Raw, cooked

Greater Stitchwort – Stellaria holostea
Shoots and tips: Raw, cooked

Ground Elder Aegopodium podagraria
Leaf: Raw, cooked

Ground IvyGlechoma hederacea
Leaf: Raw, cooked
Flowers: Raw

Hairy BittercressCardamine hirsuta
Leaf: Raw, cooked
Shoots and tips: Raw, cooked

HawthornCrataegus monogyna
Leaf: Raw, cooked
Flower: Raw

Hedge MustardSisymbrium officinale
Leaf: Raw, cooked

HogweedHeracleum sphondylium
Leaf: Cooked
Shoots: Cooked

HorseradishArmoracia rusticana
Leaf: Raw, cooked

LimeTilia spp.
Leaf: Raw, cooked

MallowMalva spp.
Leaf: Raw, cooked

Mint – Mentha spp.
Leaf: Raw, cooked
Shoots and tips: Raw, cooked

MugwortArtemisia vulgaris
Leaf: Cooked
Shoots: Cooked

NavelwortUmbilicus rupestris
Leaf: Raw, cooked

NipplewortLapsana communis
Leaf: Raw, cooked
Shoots and tips: Raw, cooked

Orpine – Sedum telephium
Leaf: Raw

Oxeye DaisyLeucanthemum vulgare
Leaf: Raw, cooked
Shoots and tips: Raw, cooked

Pignut – Conopodium majus
Root: Raw, cooked

PinePinus spp.
Shoots and tips: Raw, cooked

Red CampionSilene dioica
Leaf: Raw, cooked
Shoots and tips: Raw, cooked

Red Dead Nettle – Lamium purpureum
Leaf: Raw, cooked
Shoots and tips: Raw, cooked

Sea BeetBeta vulgaris subsp. maritima
Leaf: Raw, cooked
Shoots and tips: Raw, cooked

Shepherd’s-Purse – Capsella bursa-pastoris
Leaf: Raw, cooked
Shoots and tips: Raw, cooked

SorrelRumex acetosa
Leaf: Raw, cooked

Sowthistle – Sonchus spp.
Leaf: Raw, cooked
Shoots and tips: Raw, cooked

Stinging NettleUrtica dicoica
Leaf: Raw, cooked
Shoots and tips: Raw, cooked

TansyTanacetum vulgare
Leaf: Cooked

Violet – Viola spp.
Leaf: Raw, cooked
Flowers: Raw, cooked

White Dead NettleLamium album
Leaf: Raw, cooked
Shoots and tips: Raw, cooked

Wild GarlicAllium ursinum
Leaf: Raw, cooked
Flowers: Raw, cooked
Buds: Raw, cooked

Wild MustardBrassica spp.
Leaf: Raw, cooked
Shoots and tips: Raw, cooked

Wood AvensGeum urbanum
Leaf: Raw, cooked
Root: Raw, cooked

Wood Sorrel – Oxalis acetosella
Leaf: Raw, cooked

YarrowAchillea millefolium
Leaf: Raw, cooked

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