Tag: Native american ethnobotany

Pacific Madrone berries serve as a crucial food source for a variety of birds and mammals, including cedar waxwings and raccoons. This fact stands in stark contrast to the persistent myth that asks, "are madrone berries toxic?". The berries are, in fact, edible for humans in moderation, but a high tannin content gives them an unpleasant astringent taste and can cause stomach cramps if too many are eaten.

For centuries, Native American tribes across the West have utilized the edible roots of nine leaf biscuitroot (Lomatium triternatum). A long-standing staple food, the plant is still appreciated today for its mildly sweet, starchy root, and aromatic leaves and seeds. However, foragers must exercise extreme caution due to its membership in the Apiaceae family, which also contains deadly poisonous plants.