Foraging For Wild Edibles on the Oregon Coast and Inland Regions

By Nestucca Valley Sporting Goods & Little Nestucca Deli

Foraging The Oregon coastal shores provide seaweed, clams, mussles and much more.  Further inland... I've harvested greens, roots, mushrooms, berries, bark, and seeds... just to name a few.

Chances are... your backyard or a nearby field may be all you need for tomorrow's menu!

This wild thimbleberry plant is very abundant around here.  I dry it to make a powder for tea or my health drink.  Fresh leaves are great in my salad.  And... the berries are out of this world!...

This thimbleberry plant is abundant in late spring and summer (leaves are best at this time)

This thimbleberry plant is abundant in late spring and summer (leaves are best at this time)

Are you looking for practical, regional guidance on searching for and consuming edible wild plants of the Pacific Northwest?"  You've come to the right place!

The Pacific Northwest:  Endless Bounty of Wild Edibles!

Are you looking forward to collecting wild edibles on and near Oregon's beaches?  Great!  From there... travel inland about 10-15 minutes tops... then search the terrain in open areas, along the edges, and in the forests.

• “I've never foraged for wild edibles before... where do I begin?”   When I first started, it didn't take long before I was able to collect a variety of common, unmistakable wild and healthy plants. 
  
  “I'm afraid to forage and eat wild mushrooms.”  After reading our guide about foraging and preparing wild mushrooms... you'll be completely prepared.

• Are you an experienced forager?   If you're keying in on a specific, lesser-known plant or beach treasure... a diversity of microclimates will increase your chances of collecting nature's bounty.  I just found a small patch of wild clevers in our Oregon coast range... common in many other areas but not here (for me!).

These wild plants I harvested in September are very plentiful around here in the Hebo, Oregon coastal inland region...

Wild carrot flowers, dockweed seed, thimbleberry leaves, and plant stems

Wild carrot flowers, dockweed seed, thimbleberry leaves, and plant stems

Here's Just a "Taste" of What You're in For

I could write a zillion pages about the benefits of foraging in our western Oregon outdoors!

Here are just a few...

• Nutrient-loaded:  “Are wild edibles more nutritious than store-bought? Yesirr!  And they're fresher... so they'll last longer in your 'frig
• Probiotic and prebiotic powerhouse:  Keep in mind that all of the plants you pick are loaded with probiotics on their surfaces.  Quit buying those super-expensive probiotic and prebiotic supplements! 
  
  And... fresh store-bought fruits and vegetables have been washed, so only a small amount of healthy organisms still remain on the surfaces
  
  
• Delicious dessert:  Who doesn't crave a wild blackberry cobbler?  Or... just eat them fresh!  I enjoy frozen and partially thawed berries when it's hot outside. Making a fruit smoothie?  Add some blackberries!  A beginner can easily identify the blackberry, a tasty, nutritious snack!
• Good 'ol apples:  Wild apples are super delicious... eat them fresh, in a smoothie, dried or fermented.  I've kept them in the 'frig for months
• Homemade fermented apples (and other plants) still have the “mother.”  It's not filtered out like many store-bought fermented foods. Your homemade fermented fruits and vegetables will last 2-3 months (or more) in the 'frig!
  
  Once you open store-bought fermented foods... some only last maybe a couple of weeks... tops
  
  
• Save tons of money:  Tired of paying $10-$80 an ounce for dried plants (herbs, etc.).  You can pick this stuff (you don't even need to grow it!) and dry it yourself.  I dry mine in the sun... simple!

I'm just about ready to put my fermented apples in the refrigerator after 7 days.  They taste perfect now, so the cold environment...

...will slow down the fermentation process... 

I added some cinnamon and raisins to my ferment (raisins are hidden)

I added some cinnamon and raisins to my ferment (raisins are hidden)

Ten Popular Wild Edibles On Our Oregon Coast and Inlands

Based on my research and what I know... the following forages are probably the most popular.  However... possibly, some might be on this list because they're more available and easier to harvest.

My personal list is quite different because I forage and use just about everything that's edible and thrives here where I live.  I can find a use for every wild plant, even if it's not too tasty.  For instance... in my health drink or fermented (this does wonders!).  Another point...

Blackberries are plentiful... they grow just about everywhere.  They're tasty, nutritious, and easy to store.  I don't understand why they're not on the following list unless they're not "native" to our region!

Maybe I'll post my top 10 (it'll be more) here when I finish this page.  This also applies to our Seasonal Foraging Quick-Reference Guide down below :-)

Blackberries are by far my favorite Oregon coastal and inland region berry.  Other berries are very delicious but not as abundant...

I love to add frozen blackberries to my fruit smoothie!

I love to add frozen blackberries to my fruit smoothie!

Golden Chanterelle (Cantharellus formosus)

• Location:  Chanterelles thrive in the conifer forests of the Oregon Cascade and Coast Range. This mushroom prefers the mossy environment under Douglas fir and hemlock.  Still, don't overlook other areas if you have a hunch!
• Description:  A vibrant yellow-golden color, with a fruity apricot smell, and blunt ridges (false gills) running down the stem... the golden chantrelle is Oregon’s official state mushroom
• Season:  Late summer through winter (peak: October–November)
  
  

Tip:  My brother and a couple of friends forage for chanterelles in our local Tillamook County, Hebo-area hills.

Evergreen Huckleberry (Vaccinium ovatum) & Red Huckleberry (Vaccinium parvifolium)

• Location:  Coastal and inland forests.  The huckleberry prefers rotting logs, coastal trails that are shaded, and along the edges of evergreen woods
• Description:  The red huckleberries ripen in mid-summer.  They are tart and vibrant bright red.  The evergreen huckleberry has a nice, sweet taste.  Growing on leathery-looking leafy shrubs, they are black-blue and small
• Season:  Red huckleberry-mid-July to August.  Evergreen-September into December
  
  

Tip:  "Can I ferment wild huckleberries successfully?"  Yes.  These fruits really come to life when fermented!

Miner's Lettuce (Claytonia perfoliata)

• Location:  Inland river canyons, riparian zones, undergrowth that is shady and damp, and coastal dunes
• Description:  Mature miner's lettuce leaves are rounded and circle the stem with small white or pink flowers.  The young leaves are triangular or sword-shaped. The plant appears as low-lying clumps or trailing vines
• Season:  Early spring through early summer
  
  

Tip:  I read that during the 1800s, soldiers suffered from scurvy... a lack of vitamin C.  They discovered that wild miner's lettuce was loaded with it... problem solved!

Odd... I've only found a few miner's lettuce plants growing in the wild while foraging around the Nestucca River Valley and surrounding areas.

Salmonberry (Rubus spectabilis)

I sun-dried these wild salmonberry leaves...

My salmonberry leaves are a few days old. Store-bought might be 1-3 years old!

My salmonberry leaves are a few days old. Store-bought might be 1-3 years old!

• Location:  I find them abundantly along the edges of logging roads in thick forage.  I've read that they thrive along stream banks in our Oregon wet, coastal forests

• Description:   I've seen them growing as shrubs up to about 5-6' tall. The leaves of the salmonberry plant somewhat resemble a nettle, with jagged edges and pointy tips. The magneta flowers give way to a yellow-orange raspberry-looking berry (the ones around my Oregon coast foothills).  I've read that they appear as reddish-pink as well
• Season:  Fruit - From May to July.  Leaves - I harvest the leaves from May to early August in my area. The berries are tasty as well, but not as abundant as the blackberries

Tip:  The fruits are really delicious, just like the thimbleberry.  Every thimbleberry or salmon berry that I've eaten is super-sweet, if picked when they are soft and ripe.

Stinging Nettle (Urtica dioica)

• Location:  Stinging nettles prefer rich, moist soils, riverbanks, and disturbed forest floors both on the coast and inland valleys
• Description:  Coarsely toothed and covered in tiny, stinging hairs.  With opposite leaves, each stinging nettle grows on an individual stem.  When I dry them, this neutralizes the sting... so does cooking.  The nettle is known as a storehouse of nutrition (I think most wild edibles are!)
  
• Season:  Early spring (I've also harvested them through the summer)

Tip:  I've been harvesting from a patch out in the middle of an open field in direct sunlight at the time of this writing.  Maybe it's a low area that holds moisture?

Salal (Gaultheria shallon)

I harvest salal from this area along our "secret" hiking trail...

I've never seen berries on this stretch of salal due to certain environmental factors

I've never seen berries on this stretch of salal due to certain environmental factors

• Location:  Salal is located along coastal trails, dunes, and conifer forests (inland)
• Description:  Oval, thick, leathery leaves with a pointy tip.  The fruit resembles blueberries and may be purple to black.  You'll notice a distinct 5-pointed star shape on the bottom.  They have a special sweet flavor.  Commonly dried into cakes or makes a great jam
• Season:  Late summer to early autumn
  
  

Tip:  Since the salal leaves stay green all winter, I include them in my wild tea ingredients...

along with my dried plants, fresh fir needles, and ferns.

King Bolete / Porcini (Boletus edulis) Mushroom

• Location:  Coastal spruce/fir forests and high-elevation Cascade mountain conifer regions
• Description: The King Bolete / Porcini is a highly prized, tasty, wild edible fungus. The smooth, brown cap appears small compared to the stem... which is club-like, including a fine netting finish.  Underneath, there's a spongy layer of pores instead of gills
• Season:  Late summer through autumn

Tip:  As with other tasty and somewhat rare wild edibles... I leave no trace. I hunt really early in the day and try not to leave a trail :-)

Redwood Sorrel / Wood Sorrel (Oxalis oregana)

• Location:  Redwood or wood sorrel thrives in partial or full shade... covering the moist floors of coastal redwood and Douglas fir forests
• Description:  Resembles clover leaves that are heart-shaped with purplish-red undersides.  The leaves fold up at night or during stormy weather.  The delicate flowers of wood sorrel have five petals that appear white to pale pink.  When eaten raw, it has a lemony kick to it. 
  
  Note:  You'll read that you should eat in moderation due to oxalic acid.  However...  If you eat a variety of all greens... this should not be a problem.  Lots of vegetables are high in oxalic acid :-)
• Season:  Spring through autumn

Tip:  When I first started foraging, I thought I was harvesting clover.  There are also a lot of dandelion look-alikes, which I harvest as well...

Bullwhip Kelp

• Location:   I've seen this massive, fast-growing species of brown seaweed growing off of the Oregon coast in Pacific City.  It thrives from Alaska down to central California
• Description:  Bullwhip kelp grows up to 100' long and anchors to the ocean floor.  The long, tube-like structure is hollow (stipe) and reaches the ocean surface.  There's a gas-filled bulb at the top of the stipe that keeps the plant upright and captures sunlight. 
  
  Attached to the bulb are long blades that float in the ocean currents.  This is an annual specimen, so the growth rate can reach up to 2' per day!

Note:  I've heard that the long tubes are harvested and made into kelp pickles.  I gather the blades of the bullwhip kelp and eat them fresh in a veggie puree or dry them as well.

• Season:  Year-round.  I harvest it after a storm.  Its roots are torn from the ocean floor, and the entire plant is washed ashore

Tip:  While fishing for sea bass off the Oregon coast in Pacific City, I cast my jig into the kelp beds. The sea bass are hiding under the blades. They'll come out and nail my rubber worm jig!

Extra Tip:  While you're foraging for seaweed off of our Oregon beaches (after a winter storm is best for me)... you might find a real treasure... a vintage Japanese fishing float like the one that I (my dog) found!

I harvested the blades from this bullwhip kelp at our local Cape Kiawanda beach on the Oregon coast.  The seabass I mentioned above were hanging out in the kelpbeds right next to Haystack Rock in the foreground...

I like harvesting this kelp after a winter storm

I like harvesting this kelp after a winter storm

Morels (Morchella spp.)

Location:   Strictly inland, the morel is found near river bottoms, cottonwood stands, in lower valleys, or recent wildfire burns in the Cascade mountains.  Also found on forest floors by broadleaf and coniferous trees

Description:  The cap has a distinct, irregular honeycomb pattern. The mushroom is hollow from the very tip of the cap to the base of the stem

Season:  April through June.  As the snow melts, move up in elevation

Tip:  As with many wild edibles, you'll find look-alikes that are edible or toxic. False morels do not have a hollow interior and are toxic.

Oregon Harvesting Regulations

Before you forage for a particular plant or animal...

...it's best if you check for specific rules and regulations applying to the area you wish to forage and the harvest you are going to collect.

For instance, are you going to harvest mushrooms or berries in an Oregon State park?  You might be restricted to personal use only.  Certain gallon limits may apply, and collecting whole plants and roots may be prohibited.

Check the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife Shellfish Regulations for up-to-date coastal harvesting rules, limits, and closures.

Mention ODFW and U.S. Forest Service permit requirements.

"Hey Daddy... I don't think we can forage too much today..."

This inland Oregon coastal logging road provides some excellent foraging along the edges

This inland Oregon coastal logging road provides some excellent foraging along the edges

Are You Going to Forage on the Oregon Coast or Inland Forest?

Both areas have their own set of rules:

• Inland forest:  US Forest Service or Oregon Department of Forestry
  
  
• Coastal harvesting:  Check with the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife

Foraging on the Oregon Coast

Hunting for Shellfish and Seaweed

• Licenses:  Everyone age 12 and older must buy a valid shellfish license before harvesting clams, crabs, mussels, or other marine invertebrates
• Clams:  The daily limit for bay clams is 20 in total (only 12 can be gapers). Razor clams have seasonal closures, such as July 15 to September 30 north of Tillamook Head
• Crab:  You can keep up to 12 male Dungeness crabs per day, and they must measure at least 5.75 inches across the back.  The daily limit for red rock crab is 24 of any size.
  

Hunting Wild Edibles on the Oregon Coast Beaches, Dunes, and Estuaries

Thanks to the 1967 Oregon Beach Bill, unique access is permitted to Oregon coast foragers on beaches, dunes, and estuaries.

To protect our fragile environments, harvesting wild edible plants, sea vegetables, and marine life in these Oregon coastal ecosystems is tightly regulated.

The regulations depend strictly on the type of organism and the specific ecosystem you are foraging in.

The Oregon Parks and Recreation Department (OPRD) manages the "Ocean Shore" (the land between the extreme low tide and the statutory vegetation line), as well as numerous coastal state parks.

• The Fruit and Berry Rule:  Visitors are allowed to gather wild edible fruits, berries, seeds, and nuts for personal consumption along our Oregon coast
• Quantity Limits:  The daily limit is 1 gallon per person, per day in most state parks (such as Fort Stevens)
• Strict Prohibitions on Wild Edible Roots and Stems:  You cannot uproot living plants or harvest roots, tubers, flowers, or stems (such as fiddleheads) without written scientific or research permits.  Digging up native Oregon dune-stabilizing plants is strictly illegal
• Tribal Exceptions:  Enrolled members of federally recognized Oregon tribes are legally exempt from the root/stem restriction when gathering for traditional, medicinal, or cultural practices

Foraging the Oregon Inland Coastal Region

• State Parks:  You can pick up to 5 gallons of berries, fruits, or mushrooms per person per day for personal use, unless a sign says it is not allowed

• National Forests:  Gathering small amounts of mushrooms (usually under 1 gallon per day) for personal use is free in places like the Siuslaw National Forest.  Rare or commercial harvesting (like Matsutake mushrooms or amounts over 1 pound) requires a paid permit.
• National Parks:  Picking or foraging any plants, berries, or mushrooms is strictly illegal in all National Parks and Monuments
• Private Land:  Always get permission from the landowner before you forage on private property
• Location Rules:  Foraging small amounts of berries and mushrooms for personal use is generally allowed...
  
  ...in state forests and national forests like the Siuslaw National Forest.  Picking is prohibited in marine reserves, state-designated marine gardens, national parks, and designated wilderness areas.
• Sustainability: Take only a small percentage (ideally under 10%) from any single plant patch or mushroom cluster.

I asked permission from the landowner before harvesting from this patch of wild stinging nettles...

To Be a Successful Forager, We'll Cover...

Coastal or Inland Foraging Separately:

• When to forage:  Winter, spring, summer, or fall
• What to forage:  Beginners and experienced foragers
  
• Where to harvest:  Disturbed soil, open fields, and more... on the coast and inland regions
  
• Proper identification for safety:  If you're not sure, don't eat it.  Avoid toxic look-alikes
• Regulations:  Foraging laws and permit requirements
• Storage:  Easy and long shelf life
• Uses:  Teas, remedies, fresh in salads, etc
• Preparation:  Drying, powders, fermenting, etc
• Homemade recipes:  "I never thought that a wild edible could be this delicious!"
• Foraging gear:  Making foraging in Oregon easy and fun
  
• And more
  
  
  

Do You Want to Forage on the Oregon Coast or Inland Regions?

Just click the image link below with the description (not visible yet) for easy and quick access to your preferred Oregon harvesting area...

Then select the wild edible you prefer to harvest!

Harvesting Oregon's Inland Region

Wild edible diversity a few miles east of our central Oregon coast

Harvesting Oregon's Inland Region

Wild edible diversity a few miles east of our central Oregon coast

Harvesting Oregon's coastal region coming soon!

Let's Go... You're All Set to Forage for Wild Edibles!

But don't stop here... there are many reputable books, websites, and videos you can learn from.

Make sure the host has been there and done that.

I've been foraging around the Central Oregon coast and inland areas for many years.  I'm always learning about new wild edibles, preparation, and storage. Furthermore...

I really enjoy making my own teas, dried powders for my health drinks, fermenting, and making delicious salads! 

You'll save money and enjoy the outdoors while collecting plants and other forage that are much more nutritious than store-bought.   And... you don't have to grow them! 

Happy Foraging!

P.S... We've got more great foraging content coming your way, packed with my (and my dogs') own experiences!

Nestucca Valley Sporting Goods and Little Nestucca Deli

31020 US 101 Hebo OR 97122

Phone: 503 392 4269

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