Fall Foraging: 8 Wild Herbs To Forage In Autumn
Autumn is the perfect time of year to explore the great outdoors and discover wild medicinal plants. The heat of summer is starting to fade, the pests are beginning to retreat for the year, and the wild greenery you’ve been looking at all summer is finally starting to show you who they are.
As the first frost approaches, many wild edibles and medicinal herbs reach their peak potency, bringing with them their peak nourishment and healing properties for the cold season ahead. Let’s dive into the best wild herbs you can forage for during the fall season and their uses.
Goldenrod (Solidago canadensis)
One of the most beautiful, easy to identify, and prolific wild plants to forage in late summer through early fall is Goldenrod. Goldenrod shows off her beautiful yellow flowers that stand out in forest edges and open fields. This medicinal herb is known best for its anti-inflammatory and diuretic properties, making it a highly beneficial herbal remedy for urinary tract infections and respiratory infections. Mixed with local honey and Stinging Nettle, it makes an amazing herbal remedy for seasonal allergies.
- Best Time to Harvest: Late summer to early autumn
- Uses: Herbal teas, tinctures for inflammation, and seasonal and cat allergies
- Parts of the Plant to Use: Flower heads, stems, and leaves
Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale)
Mostly thought of as common weeds, dandelion is actually one of the most prolific and versatile wild medicinal plants. The dandelion root, harvested in the fall season after the first frost, is known for its detoxifying properties and is an excellent hepatoprotectant, which is an herb used to support liver health and digestion. Its fresh greens can be used in many culinary dishes or dehydrated for later use in teas. This small plant packs a powerful punch with its nutritional value and long list of herbal properties.
- Best Time to Harvest: Late fall (for roots and greens)
- Uses: Root tinctures, teas, and in culinary dishes for gut health
- Parts of the Plant to Use: Dandelion root, leaves, yellow flowers
Stinging Nettle (Urtica dioica)
As summer months start to fade, stinging nettle continues to thrive, producing nettle seeds in early autumn. Nettle seeds are an amazing tonic for adrenal support and super helpful for boosting energy levels. The leaves are high in Vitamin C, A, K, several B vitamins, magnesium, phosphorus, sodium, and potassium, as well as many fats, amino acids, and polyphenols the body needs to thrive. Stinging nettles are delicious in herbal teas and can be a key herb in helping to reduce inflammation and boost immune system function.
- Best Time to Harvest: Early autumn for seeds, and throughout the year for leaves and stems
- Uses: Nettle tea, tinctures, or steamed in culinary dishes when the plant is young for nutritional benefits and anti-inflammatory benefits
- Parts of the Plant to Use: Nettle seeds, leaves, stems
Rose Hips (Rosa spp.)
As the rose blooms fade, rose hips begin to ripen into the late fall. They contain huge amounts of vitamin C, making them perfect for supporting the immune system during the cold season. This delicious fruit is a wonderful addition to herbal teas and syrups and blends well with many other herbs.
- Best Time to Harvest: Late fall after the first frost
- Uses: Rose hip syrup, tea, jelly, and tincture for immune support
- Parts of the Plant to Use: Rose hips
New England Aster (Symphyotrichum novae-angliae)
As a fall blooming herb, New England aster can be found frequently along forest edges and in fields. This herb is highly beneficial for those with chronic respiratory conditions like asthma. It’s properties are also helpful with respiratory infections and inflammation. The purple flower heads can be used in herbal teas or tinctures to soothe irritated lungs and mucous membranes in the lining of the airways.
- Best Time to Harvest: Early fall
- Uses: Teas and tinctures for respiratory support
- Parts of the Plant to Use: Flower heads and leaves
Plantain (Plantago major)
This herb is considered a common weed and sadly is sprayed and destroyed in most areas. But she’s a hardy one and plantain is a powerhouse of healing during the autumn months. It’s a must have herb for insect bites, skin wounds, gut damage, lung damage, and inflammation. The young leaves and seed heads can be harvested for tinctures, teas, and poultices.
- Best Time to Harvest: Early autumn
- Uses: Poultices for skin irritations, teas for internal inflammation and damage to mucus membrane linings
- Parts of the Plant to Use: Leaves and seed heads
St. John’s Wort (Hypericum perforatum)
Harvested during late summer into early autumn, St. John’s Wort is popular for its mood-boosting and muscle soothing properties. Its yellow flowers can be infused fresh into oil to create an amazing topical herbal remedy for sore muscles and nerve pain, while the tincture is often helpful with anxiety and seasonal depression during the dark days of winter. Be careful with this one. St. John’s Wort is photosensitive and can create an uncomfortable rash on your skin when the skin is exposed to sunlight. It also comes with warnings with some prescribed medications, so be sure to speak with your healthcare team before using St. John’s Wort internally.
- Best Time to Harvest: Late summer to early fall
- Uses: Topical infused oils for pain relief, tinctures for mood support
- Parts of the Plant to Use: Yellow flowers and leaves
Hawthorn Berries (Crataegus spp.)
A staple in folk medicine, hawthorn berries ripen in the fall season and are loved for supporting heart health. They are super rich in antioxidants and can be beneficial in supporting those with high blood pressure and strengthening the cardiovascular system. These herbal berries make excellent jams, syrups, and teas as well.
- Best Time to Harvest: Late fall
- Uses: Teas, syrups, and tinctures
- Parts of the Plant to Use: Berries
If it’s your first time foraging for wild medicinal herbs, be sure to carry a field guide to help you positively identify plants. My personal rule is before harvesting from any plants I’m not 100% familiar with, I must use 2 reliable sources to get a reliable ID. I use the ‘PictureThis’ app on my phone, as well as my Peterson’s Field Guide specific to my area. For a list of good herbal books and some foraging resources, check out this blog post on the Best Herbal Book Resources.
To harvest, be sure you are taking no more than one-third of the plant. It’s important to be a good steward of the land when foraging, and ensure that the plant can grow and survive into the next year. A brown paper bag or baskets are good options for collecting your herbs, and always ensure you’re harvesting from clean areas free of pesticides, herbicides, frequent animal traffic, and car and road pollution.
Autumn is a great time and truly my favorite time of year to build your herbal apothecary by harvesting these wild edible plants. As any gardener can attest to, there is nothing better than harvesting your dinner and nourishing your family. Foraging wild herbs is no different. Knowing how to identify, harvest, preserve, and use all of the herbal roots and wild greens and flowers to stock your family’s apothecary for the winter months is deeply rewarding and tons of fun for the whole family.
Happy foraging!
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