The Verdant HoursHerbal gathering almanac

A world of different seasons

North America.

From northern nettles to tropical American culantro, this is a continent of different growing seasons. The Caribbean and Central America are included here. Begin with a flora for your state, province or island.

75 profiles in this edition

North America

Woodlands, meadows & tropical gardens

Read the season

Track snowmelt, new leaves and local flowering in temperate areas. In tropical areas, follow rainfall and plant development. Elevation can shift a season substantially.

Before gathering

Learn poison hemlock and the local Cicuta species before considering any wild carrot-family plant.

Browse this region’s plants

American pokeweedPhytolacca americanaToxic · do not eat American wild mintMentha canadensisStudy first BorageBorago officinalisExtra care needed Butterfly peaClitoria ternateaCulinary reference Castor beanRicinus communisToxic · do not eat ChicoryCichorium intybusCulinary reference ChokecherryPrunus virginianaExtra care needed CleaversGalium aparineStudy first Common blue violetViola sororiaCulinary reference Common chickweedStellaria mediaCulinary reference Common comfreySymphytum officinaleStudy first Common hawthornCrataegus monogynaExtra care needed Common hopHumulus lupulusStudy first Common juniperJuniperus communisExtra care needed Common mallowMalva sylvestrisCulinary reference Common mulleinVerbascum thapsusStudy first Common purslanePortulaca oleraceaExtra care needed Common sorrelRumex acetosaCulinary reference Common yarrowAchillea millefoliumStudy first CulantroEryngium foetidumCulinary reference Curly dockRumex crispusExtra care needed DandelionTaraxacum officinaleCulinary reference Deadly nightshadeAtropa bella-donnaToxic · do not eat EpazoteDysphania ambrosioidesStudy first FennelFoeniculum vulgareExtra care needed Field horsetailEquisetum arvenseExtra care needed FireweedChamaenerion angustifoliumCulinary reference FoxgloveDigitalis purpureaToxic · do not eat Garlic mustardAlliaria petiolataCulinary reference Giant hogweedHeracleum mantegazzianumToxic · do not eat GlasswortSalicornia europaeaCulinary reference Greater burdockArctium lappaExtra care needed Greater plantainPlantago majorCulinary reference Green false helleboreVeratrum virideToxic · do not eat Ground ivyGlechoma hederaceaExtra care needed HuacatayTagetes minutaCulinary reference Japanese knotweedReynoutria japonicaExtra care needed JimsonweedDatura stramoniumToxic · do not eat Lamb's quartersChenopodium albumCulinary reference LantanaLantana camaraToxic · do not eat Lemon balmMelissa officinalisCulinary reference Lily of the valleyConvallaria majalisToxic · do not eat Meadow death camasToxicoscordion venenosumToxic · do not eat Miner's lettuceClaytonia perfoliataCulinary reference MugwortArtemisia vulgarisStudy first OleanderNerium oleanderToxic · do not eat PawpawAsimina trilobaCulinary reference PerillaPerilla frutescensCulinary reference Poison hemlockConium maculatumToxic · do not eat Prickly pearOpuntia ficus-indicaCulinary reference Purple passionflowerPassiflora incarnataExtra care needed RampsAllium tricoccumExtra care needed Red cloverTrifolium pratenseStudy first Red raspberryRubus idaeusCulinary reference Ribwort plantainPlantago lanceolataCulinary reference RoselleSabdariffa gossypiifoliaCulinary reference Saskatoon serviceberryAmelanchier alnifoliaCulinary reference SelfhealPrunella vulgarisStudy first Sheep sorrelRumex acetosellaExtra care needed Shepherd's purseCapsella bursa-pastorisCulinary reference Sour figCarpobrotus edulisCulinary reference Spotted spurgeEuphorbia maculataToxic · do not eat Spotted water hemlockCicuta maculataToxic · do not eat St John's wortHypericum perforatumExtra care needed Staghorn sumacRhus typhinaCulinary reference Stinging nettleUrtica dioicaCulinary reference TamarindTamarindus indicaCulinary reference Three-cornered leekAllium triquetrumCulinary reference ValerianValeriana officinalisExtra care needed WatercressNasturtium officinaleExtra care needed Wild bergamotMonarda fistulosaCulinary reference Wild carrotDaucus carotaExtra care needed Wild oreganoOriganum vulgareCulinary reference Wild strawberryFragaria vescaCulinary reference Yellow wood sorrelOxalis strictaExtra care needed

All six regions

These are editorial collections, including native, introduced and cultivated plants. They are not distribution maps or local gathering permissions. Country-level coverage, local names and specialist field review are still expanding. No Antarctic gathering collection is offered.