By Ashlee Simmons
The East Texas Piney Woods are full of native, edible plants that have been used as food sources since before recorded history. It's fun to find and identify edible plants -- and even more enjoyable to consume them.
Common Persimmon
The common persimmon is found mostly in bottom lands but also in forested areas. The plant's sweet fruit can be made into jams, jellies, sauces and baked desserts.
Post Oak Grape
Also known as the pinewoods grape, this fruit is mostly used for wine production but is sometimes seen as a jam or jelly.
Sassafras
Sassafras trees bear fruit, but humans typically use the root bark to make sassafras tea. The leaves are used in a gumbo seasoning called filé.
Southern Dewberry
Southern dewberries grow on thick, ground-covering vines. The berries are used in pies, cobblers, jams and sauces.
Fragrant Sumac
Fragrant sumac is named for its leaves. The shrub's red fruit is steeped and made into what locals call Lemonade Sumac.
Muscadine Grape
Muscadine grapes have long been used to make red wine, but the fruit is also used for jellies, jams and sauces.
Resources
About the Author:
Ashlee Simmons has written professionally for more than 10 years. Her writing focus is travel, equestrian and health and medical articles, but she enjoys writing human interest stories as well. Simmons graduated from The University of Texas at Austin with a liberal arts degree.
