Edible Sierra Nevada Plants
Monocotyledon Genera Descriptions
How To Use The Descriptions For Further Research
You may research other species listed by selecting the italicized links.
You can press each picture to see where it is credited to and, in many cases, to see other pictures of the species.
You can also check out other information that I have included under each picture.
Liliaceae - Lily Family
Mariposa-lily
Calochortus albus, C. amoenus, C. coeruleus,
C. invenustus, C. leichtlinii, C. marcocarpus,
C. minimus, C. nudus, C. superbus, C. venustusThe bulbs are edible raw or cooked or dried and ground into flour. The seeds are also edible. These plants possess one of the most beautiful flowers in the Sierra and should be eaten only in emergencies.
Camas
Camassia leichtlinii, C. quamash breviflora
Bulbs are edible and best when steamed for 24 hours. Care should be taken in collecting the bulbs, for death-camas (Zigadenus) will often be found in the same location.
Soap Plant
The bulbs may be roasted and eaten, uncooked they have lather producing qualities.
Fairy Bells
Disporum hookeri var. trachyandrum
Berries are edible and sweet.
Adder's Tongue/Fawn Lily
Corm and herbage is toxic when raw but edible after cooking.
Lily
Lilium humboldtii, L. kellyanum, L. pardalinum,
L. parvum, L. washingtonianumThe bulbs of all species are edible raw or cooked.
California Greenbrier
The roots may be used in soups or stews or dried and ground into flour. The flour mixed with water and sugar makes a good drink. The young shoots in early season may be eaten raw or cooked. Berries are edible raw or cooked.
Wake Robin/Trillium
the stems and leaves may be boiled as greens.
Bear Grass/Indian Basket Grass
The fibrous root is best eaten roasted or boiled.
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