NATIVE AMERICAN FOOD PLANTS

Only when documentation has been found are specific tribal names given. Only species considered safe to consume and not endangered are included

Acorns (Quercus sp) [Ojibwe: mitigomin]  used by Menominee, Ojibwe, Potawatomi, Dakota, Omaha-Ponca, Winnebago, Pawnee

All acorns are edible, but some are sweeter than others, i.e. swamp oak. The bitterness is from tannin but this can be removed by leaching. After leaching the bitterness with wood ash, burying in mud for eight to twelve months, or repeated changes of water, the acorns were roasted and eaten as is or ground into a meal.

 Arrowhead (Sagittaria cuneata, S. latifolia) used by Ojibwe, Potawatomi, Dakota, Omaha-Ponca, Winnebago, Pawnee, 

corms used like potatoes; MUST be cooked, but can also be dried and ground into flour

Aster (Aster cordifolius, A. macrophyllus, A. nemoralis, A. novae-angliae, A. puniceus)

used by Ojibwe 

leaves were boiled and eaten with fish (unable to determine which species was eaten; all were used for medicine).

 Beech (Fagus grandifolia) used by Potawatomi

nuts eaten raw, roasted, or ground into flour/meal

 Blackberry (Rubus villosus, R. allegheniensis) used by Ojibwe, Potawatomi.  Not only the delectable fruit is edible, so are tender, young sprouts and twigs after peeling them. The leaves are used as an herbal tea and in tea mixtures 

Blueberry (Vaccinium sp) used by Cree, Menominee, Ojibwe, Potawatomi Eaten both raw or dried/charred for winter usage

Bunchberry (Cornus canadensis) used by Ojibwe, Potawatomi

fresh or dried for winter use

Bugleweed (Lycopus asper) [Ojibwe: aandegopin] used by Ojibwe

roots dried and boiled

Bugleweed roots

Cattail (Typha latifolia) 

used by Dakota, Ojibwe, Omah-Ponca, Pawnee, Winnebago

roots, young sprouts, white part of older shoots; green cattail is the immature fruit, which can be boiled and eaten; yellow pollen can be added to any baked good after the pollen has been dried.

Chokecherry (Prunus virginiana) 

used by Dakota, Ojibwe, Omaha-Ponca, Pawnee

when fully ripened, eaten fresh or dried for winter use

Cranberry (Vaccinium oxycoccus) used by Ojibwe, Potawatomi

cooked and sweetened with maple syrup or sugar; dried for winter use

Currant (Ribes spp) 

used by Ojibwe

ripe fruits eaten fresh or dried for winter use


Dandelion (Leontodon taraxicum) 

used by Ojibwe, Mohegan

 Ginger, Wild (Asarum canadense L.) 

used by Chippewa/Ojibwe

used as a seasoning and cooked with food to aid digestion

Hazelnut (Corylus cornuta var. cornuta)

used by Chippewa/Ojibwe, Karok, Menominee, Potawatomi, Sanpoil and Nespelem, Shuswap, Skagit, Snohomish, Squaxin, Swinomish, Thompson, Tolowa, Yuki

Nuts eaten raw, roasted, or dried for winter use

Hemlock (Tsuga canadensis) 

used by Ojibwe

leaves/needles used to make a tea

Jerusalem Artichoke (Helianthus tuberosus) 

used by Ojibwe

tubers eaten raw 

Juneberry,  Saskatoon, Serviceberry or Shadbush (Amelanchier spp) 

used by Ojibwe, Dakota, Omaha-Ponca, Winnebago

berries were used for food

Labrador Tea (Ledum groenlanicum) 

used be Menominee, Ojibwe (Muskeegobug Aniibi,  Potawatomi 

leaves used to make a tea

 Lamb's Quarter (Chenopodium alba) 

used by Dakota, Omaha, Ojibwe, Pawnee

young, tender greens cooked and eaten, seeds used as seasoning, cereal, and ground into flour

Maize or corn (Zea mays) 

used by Dakota, Menominee, Ojibwe, Omaha-Ponca, Pawnee, Potawatomi

main staple grain used fresh roasted, dried and/or parched and ground into flour/meal

 
 

Maple  (Acer saccharum, A. saccharinum) 

used by Dakota, Menominee, Ojibwe, Omaha-Ponca, Winnebago

Used by many tribes, the sweet sap was made into sugar, but also used as a refreshing drink


Milkweed (Asclepias syriaca L., A. exaltata) 

used by Ojibwe, Omaha-Ponca, Pawnee, Winnebago

spring sprouts were boiled and eaten as were the flower buds and young, green pods

 

Raspberry (Rubus strigosus Michx) 

used by Dakota, Ojibwe, Omaha-Ponca, Pawnee, Winnebago

fruits eaten fresh or dried for winter use, twigs and leaves used as a tea

Rose (Rosa virginiana, R. acicularis, R. arkansana, R. blanda)

used by Dakota, Ojibwe, Omaha-Ponca, Pawnee, 

flower buds and rose hips were eaten fresh; fresh and dried hips were used for tea

Spruce (Picca rubra) 

used by Ojibwe

leaves/needles used to make a tea

Strawberry (Fragaria virginiana) 

used by Dakota, Menominee, Ojibwe, Omaha-Ponca, Pawnee, Potawatomi, Winnebago


Wild Rice (Zizania palustris) 

used by Cree, Menominee, Ojibwe [manoomin], Potawatomi [manomin]

main dietary staple, boiled, parched and boiled, combined with meats, vegetables, fruits, or by itself

Winter cress  

Wintergreen, teaberry, checkerberry (Gaultheria procumbens) 

used by Ojibwe

berries were eaten fresh and the leaves were used for tea