What to forage in March

Discover over sixty wild food plants you can forage and harvest in March.

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


AshFraxinus excelsior
Seed: Raw, cooked

BeechFagus sylvatica
Leaf: Raw, cooked

BirchBetula pubescens
Sap: Raw, cooked

Bittercress – Cardamine spp.
Leaf: Raw, cooked

Black mustardBrassica nigra
Leaf: Raw, cooked

Bristly oxtongue – Helminthotheca echioides
Leaf: Raw, cooked

BurdockArctium spp.
Petiole: Raw, cooked

Bush vetch – Vicia sativa

Cat’s ear – Hypochaeris radicata
Leaf: Raw, cooked

Chicory – Cichorium intybus
Leaf: Raw, cooked

CleaversGalium aparine
Shoots: Raw, cooked

Cow parsleyAnthriscus sylvestris
Leaf: Raw, cooked

Creeping thistle – Cirsium arvense
Stem: Raw, cooked

Crosswort – Cruciata laevipes
Leaf: Raw, cooked

Cuckooflower / Lady’s smockCardamine pratensis
Leaf: Raw, cooked

DaisyBellis perennis
Leaf/rosette: Raw, cooked

Dame’s violet – Hesperis matronalis
Leaf: Raw, cooked

Dittander – Lepidium latifolium
Leaf: Raw, cooked

Duke of Argyll’s teaplantLycium barbarum
Leaf: Cooked

Garlic mustardAlliaria petiolata
Leaf: Raw, cooked

Ground elderAegopodium podagraria
Leaf: Raw, cooked

Ground ivyGlechoma hederacea
Leaf: Raw, cooked

Hedge bedstraw – Galium album
Shoots: Raw, cooked

HogweedHeracleum sphondylium
Shoots: Cooked

Honesty – Lunaria annua
Root: Cooked

Hop – Humulus lupulus
Leaf: Cooked

HorseradishArmoracia rusticana

Hottentot fig – Carpobrotus edulis
Leaf: Raw, cooked

Lesser celandineFicaria verna
Leaf: Cooked

Mahonia – Mahonia aquifolium
Flower: Raw

MallowMalva sylvestris
Leaf: Raw, cooked

Marsh thistle – Cirsium palustre
Stem: Raw, cooked

MeadowsweetFilipendula ulmaria
Leaf: Raw, cooked.

MugwortArtemisia vulgaris
Leaf: Cooked

NavelwortUmbilicus rupestris
Leaf: Raw, cooked

Nipplewort – Lapsana communis
Leaf: Raw, cooked

Orpine – Sedum telephium
Leaf: Raw, cooked

Oxeye daisyLeucanthemum vulgare
Leaf: Raw, cooked.
Shoots: Raw, cooked

Pink purslane – Claytonia sibirica
Leaf: Raw, cooked

Primrose – Primula vulgaris
Flower: Raw
Leaf: Raw, cooked

Red dead nettle – Lamium purpureum
Leaf: Raw, cooked

Red valerian – Centranthus ruber
Leaf: Raw, cooked

Rock samphireCrithmum maritimum
Shoots: Raw, cooked

Rosebay willowherbChamerion angustifolium
Shoots: Raw, cooked

Rough hawkbit – Leontodon hispidus
Leaf: Raw, cooked

Saxifrage – Chrysosplenium spp.
Leaf: Cooked

Scurvygrass – Cochlearia spp.
Leaf: Raw, cooked

Sea beetBeta vulgaris subsp. maritima
Leaf: Raw, cooked

Sea kale – Crambe maritima
Shoots: Raw, cooked

Sea purslaneAtriplex portulacoides
Leaf: Raw, cooked

Shepherd’s purse – Capsella bursa-pastoris
Leaf/rosette: Raw, cooked

Silver birchBetula pendula
Sap: Raw cooked

Sneezewort – Achillea ptarmica
Leaf: Raw, cooked

Spear thistle – Cirsium vulgare
Stem: Raw; cooked

Springbeauty – Claytonia perfoliata
Leaf: Raw, cooked

Sycamore – Acer pseudoplatanus
Leaf: Raw, cooked

Three cornered leekAllium triquetrum
Leaf: Raw, cooked

Tufted vetch – Vicia cracca
Leaf: Raw, cooked

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

Water mint – Mentha aquatica
Leaf: Raw, cooked

White dead nettleLamium album
Leaf: Raw, cooked

White stonecrop – Sedum album
Leaf: Raw

Wild angelicaAngelica sylvestris
Leaf: Raw, cooked

Wild garlic / RamsonsAllium ursinum
Leaf: Raw, cooked

Winter cress – Barbarea vulgaris
Leaf: Raw, cooked

Wood avensGeum urbanum
Leaf: Cooked
Root: Raw, cooked

Woodruff – Galium odoratum
Leaf: Raw, cooked

YarrowAchillea millefolium
Leaf: Raw, cooked