These Native Plants Are Not Only Good for Your Garden, But They Also Have a Bonus Perk

When we talk about native plants, we’re often referring to landscaping, but what about growing your own edible native plant garden? Native plants have adapted to where you live, after all, and unlike, say, your usual tomatoes and strawberries, native edibles have new flavors and scents to try. Meanwhile, planting edible native plants helps to forge a connection between the way we live now, and the way communities in the West have existed for thousands of years. “Just growing these plants is a way to tap into the continuum of time,” says Evan Meyer, the executive director of the Theodore Payne Foundation. “By growing edible plants, your garden can become a much more meaningful place.”   

There are also multiple benefits for the environment and pollinators, who use these plants to survive. “The real food you’re creating is food for native wildlife,” Meyer says. “Think of an edible native garden as serving meals to—and creating habitat for—butterflies, bees, and hummingbirds.” Professional landscape designers, like Jessica Viola, of Viola Gardens, love them, too. “Using edibles is one of the best ways to use gardening space,” she says, “because you’re doing more for native species and the soil.”   

One thing to be aware of, however, is that our tastes have changed over the years. “As we try to reintroduce these foods, a lot of us have lost the palate for them,” says Abe Sanchez, one of the founding members of the Chia Café Collective, which strives to reintroduce Indigenous foods in California. “That’s why we created a cookbook that fuses foods we eat now with, say, acorn or mesquite flour.” Even better, he adds, a lot of native edible flours are low-glycemic.  

So, what, exactly, can you plant in your edible native garden? The list is long, and a simple Google search will give you lists of all the plants that are native to your region. But to whet your appetite, here are some fresh ideas.

Grow a Taste of the West

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Big Saltbush (Atriplex lentiformis)

Native to the southwestern United States, the seeds of Big Saltbush were eaten by native Californians in pinole, while the edible leaves are often described as salty. You can cook the seeds as a substitute for quinoa, or roast and grind them for gluten-free flour.

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Swamp Onion (Allium validum)

Although this species doesn’t actually love swamps (it prefers damp alpine meadows), these onions are easy to grow in places like the Sierra Nevada and Cascade Ranges. Swamp onions can be used in everything from tacos to kimchi, and can be eaten cooked or raw.

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Blue Elderberry (Sambucus Mexicana)

Native from Oregon to Baja to Colorado, this shrub fruits in the summer. Be forewarned: The berries can’t be eaten raw, as the plant has lectin and cyanide in it, which can cause intense stomach and lower intestine issues. That said, cooked blue elderberries taste like a cross between a grape and a cranberry, and can be used to make fruit crumbles, elderberry syrup (known as a natural cold/flu remedy), and pies.

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Miner’s Lettuce (Claytonia perfoliata)

Miner’s lettuce grows in Washington, Oregon, and California. This is an easy-to-grow leafy green that has a light crisp flavor not unlike spinach. It’s best eaten raw in salads and sandwiches.

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Honey Mesquite (Prosopis glandulosa)

Native to the dry climates in states like New Mexico, California, and Arizona, honey mesquite pods were an important part of the diet for Indigenous peoples. The pods can be pounded into flour for pancakes, made into honey-flavored jelly, or roasted for coffee.

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Huckleberries (Vaccinium ovatum)

This native plant grows from Alaska to Wyoming to California. Because they have a flavor profile similar to blueberries, you can use huckleberries to make muffins, cheesecake, cocktails, and more.

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