Edible

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Jan Phillips' award-winning book, Wild Edibles of Missouri, was published in 1979 and is now out of print. We've preserved it here as a PDF. Download it to learn how to turn wild Missouri plants into biscuits, fritters, jellies, juices, pancakes, pies, salads, soups, wines and more. Color illustrations help you identify plants that are poisonous or have poisonous parts. -Check it out!

Always be cautious when eating edible mushrooms. Make a certain ID and only eat a small amount the first time you try it to avoid a reaction.

Mushrooms

Photo of an alcohol inky mushroom cut in half lengthwise.

Alcohol Inky

Coprinopsis atramentaria (formerly Coprinus atramentarius)
fork and knife icon

Edible

Photo of two ash tree boletes, tan pored mushrooms, one overturned showing pores

Ash Tree Bolete

Boletinellus merulioides
fork and knife icon

Edible

Photo of bearded tooth, white round beardlike mushroom growing from tree trunk

Bearded Tooth

Hericium erinaceus
fork and knife icon

Edible

Photo of beefsteak polypore, a rust-colored bracket fungus growing on tree base

Beefsteak Polypore

Fistulina hepatica
fork and knife icon

Edible

Photo of Berkeley's polypore, fresh, young specimen.

Berkeley’s Polypore

Bondarzewia berkeleyi
fork and knife icon

Edible

Photograph of a black morel mushroom

Black Morel

Morchella angusticeps (formerly M. elata)
fork and knife icon

Edible

Photo of two black trumpets, dark brown vase-shaped mushrooms on mossy ground

Black Trumpet

Craterellus cornucopioides (C. fallax)
fork and knife icon

Edible

Photo of black-staining polypore, a mushroom with tan, wavy, fan-shaped caps

Black-Staining Polypore

Meripilus sumstinei (formerly M. giganteus)
fork and knife icon

Edible

Blewits

Blewit

Lepista nuda (Clitocybe nuda; Tricholoma nudum)
fork and knife icon

Edible

Image of smooth chanterelle

Chanterelles

Cantharellaceae (various members of family)
fork and knife icon

Edible

Photo of a cinnabar chanterelle, vase-shaped red-orange mushroom

Cinnabar Chanterelle

Cantharellus cinnabarinus
fork and knife icon

Edible

Photo of two comb tooth mushroom clusters growing on a fallen log.

Comb Tooth

Hericium coralloides (formerly H. ramosum)
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Edible

Photo of cluster of common laccaria, small brownish pink mushrooms, in grass

Common Laccaria

Laccaria laccata
fork and knife icon

Edible

Photo of cluster of pinkish crown-tipped coral mushrooms growing on rotting log

Crown-Tipped Coral

Artomyces pyxidatus (formerly Clavicorona pyxidata)
fork and knife icon

Edible

Top-view photo of three dryad's saddles, a tan bracket fungus, growing on wood

Dryad’s Saddle

Polyporus squamosus
fork and knife icon

Edible

Photo of eastern cauliflower mushroom, tan and white cauliflower-like mushroom

Eastern Cauliflower Mushroom

Sparassis spathulata (S. herbstii)
fork and knife icon

Edible

Photo of an elegant stinkhorn mushroom, a pink column covered with brown slime

Elegant Stinkhorn

Mutinus elegans
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Edible

Photo of many tan fairy ring mushrooms, some uprooted, growing in grass

Fairy Ring Mushroom

Marasmius oreades
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Edible

Photo of a fawn mushroom, which is a brownish gray, gilled, capped mushroom

Fawn Mushroom

Pluteus atricapillus (formerly P. cervinus)
fork and knife icon

Edible

Photo of two Frost's boletes, red mushrooms with pores, at different angles

Frost’s Bolete

Boletus frostii
fork and knife icon

Edible

Photograph of cluster of mature gem-studded puffball mushrooms

Gem-Studded Puffball

Lycoperdon perlatum
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Edible

puffball mushroom

Giant Puffball

Calvatia gigantea (Langermannia gigantea)
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Edible

Photo of golden chanterelles, yellow and white vase-shaped mushrooms

Golden Chanterelle (Girolle)

Cantharellus cibarius
fork and knife icon

Edible

Photo of green cracking russula, greenish-capped, gilled mushroom

Green Cracking Russula

Russula virescens
fork and knife icon

Edible

Photograph of a half-free morel mushroom

Half-Free Morel

Morchella punctipes (formerly M. semilibera)
fork and knife icon

Edible

Photo of three hedgehog mushrooms, two show tan cap, third shows teeth under cap

Hedgehog Mushroom

Hydnum repandum (Dentinum repandum)
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Edible

Photo of hen of the woods, large round mass of grayish mushrooms

Hen of the Woods (Maitake)

Grifola frondosa
fork and knife icon

Edible

Photograph of several hexagonal-pored polypores, tan bracket fungi

Hexagonal-Pored Polypore

Polyporus alveolaris (formerly Favolus alveolaris)
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Edible

Photo of young, yellow-phase honey mushrooms.

Honey Mushroom

Armillaria mellea
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Edible

Photo of indigo milky, bluish gilled mushroom, with cuts bleeding blue sap

Indigo Milky

Lactarius indigo
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Edible

Photo of ling chih, a shiny, hard, rust-colored bracket fungus, growing on tree

Ling Chih (Lingzhi; Reishi Mushroom)

Ganoderma sessile (formerly G. lucidum)
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Edible

Photo of lobster mushroom, which is orange-yellow and finely bumpy

Lobster Mushroom

Hypomyces lactifluorum
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Edible

Photo of two meadow mushrooms, at different angles, white with pinkish tan gills

Meadow Mushroom

Agaricus campestris
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Edible

Photo of mica cap cluster, bell-shaped, brown, capped mushrooms

Mica Cap

Coprinellus micaceus (formerly Coprinus micaceus)
fork and knife icon

Edible

Photo of common morels growing on forest floor

Morels

Morchella species
fork and knife icon

Edible

Photo of an old man of the woods, a grayish, pored mushroom with a shaggy cap

Old Man Of The Woods

Strobilomyces floccopus
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Edible

Photo of oyster mushrooms growing on a tree trunk

Oyster Mushroom

Pleurotus ostreatus and P. pulmonarius
fork and knife icon

Edible

Photo of pale chicken of the woods.

Pale Chicken of the Woods

Laetiporus cincinnatus
fork and knife icon

Edible

Photo of two pallid boletes, tan mushrooms, one upturned to show pores under cap

Pallid Bolete

Boletus pallidus
fork and knife icon

Edible

Photo of a parasol mushroom.

Parasol

Macrolepiota procera (Lepiota procera)
fork and knife icon

Edible

Photo of many crowded pear-shaped puffballs growing on a stump.

Pear-Shaped Puffball

Lycoperdon pyriforme (Morganella pyriformis)
fork and knife icon

Edible

Photo of 2 peppery milkies, white, gilled mushrooms, on ground

Peppery Milky

Lactarius piperatus
fork and knife icon

Edible

Photo of several purple-gilled laccarias, tan-lavender mushrooms

Purple-Gilled Laccaria

Laccaria ochropurpurea
fork and knife icon

Edible

Photo of an aging Ravenel's stinkhorn, a column-shaped fungus with dark spores

Ravenel's Stinkhorn

Phallus ravenelii
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Edible

Photo of several reddening lepiota mushrooms, one showing gills and stem ring.

Reddening Lepiota

Leucoagaricus americanus (Lepiota americana)
fork and knife icon

Edible

Photo of resinous polypore, a bracket fungus with rust-colored top

Resinous Polypore

Ischnoderma resinosum
fork and knife icon

Edible

Photo of young, golden cluster of ringless honey mushrooms on forest floor

Ringless Honey Mushroom

Armillaria tabescens (Armillariella tabescens)
fork and knife icon

Edible

Photo of rooted collybia, tan, thin-stalked gilled mushroom

Rooted Collybia

Xerula furfuracea (Collybia radicata var. furfuracea)
fork and knife icon

Edible

Photo of scarlet waxy cap, a small mushroom with reddish conical cap

Scarlet Waxy Cap

Hygrocybe coccinea (Hygrophorous coccineus)
fork and knife icon

Edible

Photo of shaggy mane cluster, rounded cylindrical mushrooms growing in grass

Shaggy Mane

Coprinus comatus
fork and knife icon

Edible

Photo of smooth chanterelles, vase-shaped yellow and white mushrooms

Smooth Chanterelle

Cantharellus lateritius
fork and knife icon

Edible

Chicken of the Woods

Sulfur-Colored Chicken of the Woods

Laetiporus sulphureus
fork and knife icon

Edible

Photo of big cluster of turkey tails, bracket fungus with concentric color rings

Turkey Tail

Trametes versicolor
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Edible

Two-colored Bolete

Two-Colored Bolete

Boletus bicolor
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Edible

Photo of three voluminous-latex milkies, tan mushrooms, of different sizes

Voluminous-Latex Milky

Lactarius volemus
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Edible

Photo of witches' butter, a yellow gelatinous bloblike fungus

Witches’ Butter

Tremella mesenterica
fork and knife icon

Edible

Photo of wood ear mushroom, which looks like a brownish human ear stuck to a log

Wood Ear (Tree Ear)

Auricularia auricula (formerly A. auricula-judae)
fork and knife icon

Edible

Photo of common morels growing on forest floor

Yellow Morel (Common Morel)

Morchella esculentoides (formerly M. esculenta)
fork and knife icon

Edible

Trees, Shrubs and Woody Vines

Illustration of American basswood leaves, flowers, fruits.

American Basswood (American Linden)

Tilia americana
fork and knife icon

Edible

Illustration of American black currant leaves, flowers, fruits

American Black Currant

Ribes americanum
fork and knife icon

Edible

Illustration of American hazelnut leaves, flowers, fruits.

American Hazelnut

Corylus americana
fork and knife icon

Edible

Illustration of autumn olive leaves, flowers, fruit.

Autumn Olive

Elaeagnus umbellata
fork and knife icon

Edible

invasive icon

Invasive

Illustration of black cherry leaves, flowers, fruits.

Black Cherry

Prunus serotina
fork and knife icon

Edible

Illustration of black gum flowers and fruits.

Black Gum

Nyssa sylvatica
fork and knife icon

Edible

Illustration of black haw leaves, flowers, fruit.

Black Haw

Viburnum prunifolium
fork and knife icon

Edible

Illustration of black hickory compound leaf and fruit.

Black Hickory

Carya texana
fork and knife icon

Edible

Illustration of black walnut compound leaf and nuts.

Black Walnut

Juglans nigra
fork and knife icon

Edible

Illustration of bristly greenbrier leaves, flowers, fruit

Bristly Greenbrier

Smilax hispida (syn. S. tamnoides var. hispida)
fork and knife icon

Edible

Illustration of butternut compound leaf and nuts.

Butternut

Juglans cinerea
fork and knife icon

Edible

Illustration of catbrier leaves, flowers, fruits

Catbrier

Smilax bona-nox
fork and knife icon

Edible

Illustration of chinkapin oak leaf.

Chinkapin Oak (Chinquapin Oak)

Quercus muehlenbergii
fork and knife icon

Edible

Illustration of common blackberry leaves, flowers, fruits.

Common Blackberry

Rubus allegheniensis
fork and knife icon

Edible

Illustration of hackberry leaves, stem, fruit.

Common Hackberry

Celtis occidentalis
fork and knife icon

Edible

Illustration of deerberry leaves, flowers, fruits

Deerberry

Vaccinium stamineum
fork and knife icon

Edible

Illustration of dewberry leaves, flowers, fruits.

Dewberry

Rubus flagellaris
fork and knife icon

Edible

Illustration of downy serviceberry leaves, flowers, fruits.

Downy Serviceberry

Amelanchier arborea
fork and knife icon

Edible

Illustration of farkleberry leaves, flowers, fruits

Farkleberry

Vaccinium arboreum
fork and knife icon

Edible

Illustration of fragrant sumac leaves, flowers, fruits.

Fragrant Sumac

Rhus aromatica
fork and knife icon

Edible

Illustration of frost grape leaves, flowers, fruit

Frost Grape

Vitis vulpina
fork and knife icon

Edible

Illustration of golden currant leaves, flowers, fruits

Golden Currant

Ribes odoratum (syn. R. aureum)
fork and knife icon

Edible

Illustration of greenbrier leaves, flowers, fruits

Greenbrier

Smilax glauca
fork and knife icon

Edible

Illustration of lowbush blueberry leaves, flowers, fruits

Lowbush Blueberry

Vaccinium pallidum (syn. V. vacillans)
fork and knife icon

Edible

Illustration of Missouri gooseberry leaves, flowers, fruits

Missouri Gooseberry

Ribes missouriense
fork and knife icon

Edible

Illustration of New Jersey tea leaves, flowers, fruits.

New Jersey Tea

Ceanothus americanus
fork and knife icon

Edible

Illustration of overcup oak leaf.

Overcup Oak

Quercus lyrata
fork and knife icon

Edible

Illustration of pawpaw leaves, flowers, fruits.

Pawpaw

Asimina triloba
fork and knife icon

Edible

Illustration of pecan leaf and fruit.

Pecan

Carya illinoinensis
fork and knife icon

Edible

Illustration of persimmon leaves, branch, fruit.

Persimmon

Diospyros virginiana
fork and knife icon

Edible

Illustration of pignut hickory leaf and fruits.

Pignut Hickory

Carya glabra
fork and knife icon

Edible

Illustration of prickly gooseberry leaves, flowers, fruits

Prickly Gooseberry

Ribes cynosbati
fork and knife icon

Edible

Illustration of red grape leaves, flowers, fruit

Red Grape

Vitis palmata
fork and knife icon

Edible

Illustration of red mulberry leaves and fruits.

Red Mulberry

Morus rubra
fork and knife icon

Edible

Illustration of riverbank grape leaves, flowers, fruit

Riverbank Grape

Vitis riparia
fork and knife icon

Edible

Illustration of round-leaved catbrier leaves, flowers, fruits

Round-Leaved Catbrier

Smilax rotundifolia
fork and knife icon

Edible

Illustration of sand grape leaves, flowers, fruit

Sand Grape

Vitis rupestris
fork and knife icon

Edible

Illustration of shellbark hickory leaf and fruits.

Shellbark Hickory

Carya laciniosa
fork and knife icon

Edible

Illustration of smooth sumac leaves, flowers, fruits.

Smooth Sumac

Rhus glabra
fork and knife icon

Edible

Illustration of spicebush leaves, flowers, fruit.

Spicebush

Lindera benzoin
fork and knife icon

Edible

Photo of smooth sumac.

Sumacs

Rhus spp.
fork and knife icon

Edible

Illustration of summer grape leaves, flowers, fruit

Summer Grape

Vitis aestivalis
fork and knife icon

Edible

Illustration of swamp chestnut oak leaf.

Swamp Chestnut Oak (Basket Oak)

Quercus michauxii
fork and knife icon

Edible

Illustration of white mulberry leaves and fruit

White Mulberry

Morus alba
fork and knife icon

Edible

Leaves of riverbank grape in a thick growth of the vines

Wild Grapes

Vitis species
fork and knife icon

Edible

Illustration of wild plum leaves, flowers, fruits.

Wild Plum

Prunus americana
fork and knife icon

Edible

Illustration of winter grape leaves, flowers, fruit

Winter Grape

Vitis cinerea
fork and knife icon

Edible

Wildflowers, Grasses and Other Nonwoody Plants

Photo of American ginseng plant with ripe berries

American Ginseng

Panax quinquefolius
fork and knife icon

Edible

Photo of lotus in pool at Duck Creek CA

American Lotus

Nelumbo lutea
fork and knife icon

Edible

Photo of bastard toadflax plant with flowers

Bastard Toadflax

Comandra umbellata (formerly C. richardsiana)
fork and knife icon

Edible

Photo of beefsteak plant showing upper leaves and flower cluster

Beefsteak Plant

Perilla frutescens
fork and knife icon

Edible

invasive icon

Invasive

Photo of black mustard flower cluster

Black Mustard

Brassica nigra
fork and knife icon

Edible

Photo of Bradbury beebalm plant with pale flowers

Bradbury Beebalm

Monarda bradburiana (sometimes M. russeliana)
fork and knife icon

Edible

Photo of a bull thistle flowerhead.

Bull Thistle

Cirsium vulgare
fork and knife icon

Edible

Photo of Carolina false dandelion flowerhead.

Carolina False Dandelion

Pyrrhopappus carolinianus
fork and knife icon

Edible

Photo of several cattail flowering stalks

Cattails

Typha spp.
fork and knife icon

Edible

Photo of a chicory plant.

Chicory

Cichorium intybus
fork and knife icon

Edible

Common dandelion flower head viewed from above

Common Dandelion

Taraxacum officinale
fork and knife icon

Edible

Photo of common dayflower flower and buds.

Common Dayflower

Commelina communis
fork and knife icon

Edible

Photo of common evening primrose, closeup of flowers.

Common Evening Primrose

Oenothera biennis
fork and knife icon

Edible

Photo of common ground cherry flower

Common Ground Cherry

Physalis longifolia
fork and knife icon

Edible

Common purslane plant growing on bare, dry soil

Common Purslane

Portulaca oleracea
fork and knife icon

Edible

Photo of common reed plants in large colony

Common Reed

Phragmites australis australis
fork and knife icon

Edible

invasive icon

Invasive

Photo of common sunflower

Common Sunflower

Helianthus annuus
fork and knife icon

Edible

Photo of common violet

Common Violet

Viola sororia
fork and knife icon

Edible

Photo of corn salad plant flower clusters showing arrangement of buds.

Corn Salad

Valerianella radiata
fork and knife icon

Edible

Photo of dittany flowers

Dittany

Cunila origanoides
fork and knife icon

Edible

Photo of eastern prickly pear plant with flowers

Eastern Prickly Pear

Opuntia humifusa (formerly O. compressa)
fork and knife icon

Edible

Photo of English plantain flowers

English Plantain

Plantago lanceolata
fork and knife icon

Edible

Photo of Florida lettuce flower closeup with syrphid fly

Florida Lettuce (Woodland Lettuce)

Lactuca floridana
fork and knife icon

Edible

Photo of garlic mustard plant with flowers

Garlic Mustard

Alliaria petiolata
fork and knife icon

Edible

invasive icon

Invasive

Photo of ground plum, top of plant, showing flowers and several leaves.

Ground Plum (Milk Vetch)

Astragalus crassicarpus (formerly A. mexicanus)
fork and knife icon

Edible

Photo of henbit plants with flowers

Henbit

Lamium amplexicaule
fork and knife icon

Edible

Photo of the upper portions of two Jerusalem artichoke plants.

Jerusalem Artichoke (Sunflower Artichoke)

Helianthus tuberosus
fork and knife icon

Edible

Image of Johnny-jump-up.

Johnny-Jump-Up (Field Pansy)

Viola bicolor
fork and knife icon

Edible

Photo of a huge mass of kudzu vines covering trees and ground

Kudzu

Pueraria montana
fork and knife icon

Edible

invasive icon

Invasive

No photo available

Lamb's quarters (Pigweed)

Chenopodium album
fork and knife icon

Edible

Photo of mayapple colony looking like numerous green umbrellas on forest floor

Mayapple

Podophyllum peltatum
fork and knife icon

Edible

Photo of midwestern arrowhead male flowers and buds.

Midwestern Arrowhead

Sagittaria brevirostra
fork and knife icon

Edible

Photo of Ohio horsemint inflorescence

Ohio Horsemint

Blephilia ciliata
fork and knife icon

Edible

Photo of orange day lily flower

Orange Day Lily

Hemerocallis fulva
fork and knife icon

Edible

Photo of blooming passionflower

Passion Flower

Passiflora incarnata
fork and knife icon

Edible

Photo of dense stand of prairie blazing star or gayfeather at Pawnee Prairie

Prairie Blazing Star (Gayfeather)

Liatris pycnostachya
fork and knife icon

Edible

Photo of a Queen Anne's lace flower cluster, seen from the top

Queen Anne’s Lace (Wild Carrot)

Daucus carota
fork and knife icon

Edible

Closeup side view of rough blazing star flowerhead

Rough Blazing Star (Rough Gayfeather)

Liatris aspera
fork and knife icon

Edible

Photo of self-heal flower head

Self-Heal (Heal-All)

Prunella vulgaris
fork and knife icon

Edible

Photo of shepherd’s purse plant and flowers

Shepherd's Purse

Capsella bursa-pastoris
fork and knife icon

Edible

Photo of slender mountain mint flowers

Slender Mountain Mint

Pycnanthemum tenuifolium
fork and knife icon

Edible

Photo of smooth spiderwort flowers being visited by beelike syrphid flies

Smooth Spiderwort

Tradescantia ohiensis
fork and knife icon

Edible

Photo of Solomon’s seal flowers and leaves

Solomon's Seal

Polygonatum biflorum
fork and knife icon

Edible

Photo of a spatterdock flower held against a leaf

Spatterdock (Yellow Pond Lily)

Nuphar advena (formerly N. lutea)
fork and knife icon

Edible

Photo of spring beauty plants and flowers

Spring Beauty

Claytonia virginica
fork and knife icon

Edible

Photo of spring cress flower clusters

Spring Cress (Bitter Cress)

Cardamine bulbosa
fork and knife icon

Edible

Photo of woolly sweet cicely flower clusters

Sweet Cicely (Anise Root)

Osmorhiza claytonii and O. longistylis
fork and knife icon

Edible

Photo of tall thistle plants with flowers

Tall Thistle

Cirsium altissimum
fork and knife icon

Edible

Photo of toothwort plant with flowers

Toothwort

Cardamine concatenata (formerly Dentaria laciniata)
fork and knife icon

Edible

Photo of water shield showing leaves and a flower

Water Shield

Brasenia schreberi
fork and knife icon

Edible

Photo of watercress flowers

Watercress

Nasturtium officinale (syn. Rorippa nasturtium-aquaticum)
fork and knife icon

Edible

Photo of wild bergamot or horsemint plant with lavender flowers

Wild Bergamot

Monarda fistulosa
fork and knife icon

Edible

Photo of wild ginger flower

Wild Ginger

Asarum canadense
fork and knife icon

Edible

Photo of wild hyacinth flower cluster

Wild Hyacinth

Camassia scilloides
fork and knife icon

Edible

Photo of pink wild onion flower clusters

Wild Onion

Allium stellatum
fork and knife icon

Edible

Photo of wild potato vine flowers and leaves

Wild Potato Vine

Ipomoea pandurata
fork and knife icon

Edible

Photo of wild strawberry plant with flowers

Wild Strawberry

Fragaria virginiana
fork and knife icon

Edible

Photo of wood nettle leaves at top of plant.

Wood Nettle (Stinging Nettle)

Laportea canadensis
fork and knife icon

Edible

Photo of yellow rocket flower clusters

Yellow Rocket

Barbarea vulgaris
fork and knife icon

Edible

Photo of yellow violet plant with flower

Yellow Violet

Viola pubescens (formerly V. pensylvanica)
fork and knife icon

Edible

Photo of yellow wood sorrel plant showing flowers and leaves.

Yellow Wood Sorrel

Oxalis stricta
fork and knife icon

Edible

Photo of soapweed, a type of yucca

Yuccas (Spanish Bayonet; Soapweed)

Yucca smalliana, Y. glauca, and Y. arkansana
fork and knife icon

Edible