August 26, 2026

Lancaster Review

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How Well Do You Know Lancaster County's Edible Plants?

The Lancaster Edible Plants Quiz

Eleven wild edibles that grow right here in Lancaster County. Can you name them all?

An Important Warning: this quiz is for fun. Never eat a wild plant unless you are completely certain of what it is. Several of the plants below have lookalikes that will make you very sick. When in doubt, leave it alone.

pawpaw
This is the largest edible fruit native to the United States, and it ripens in Lancaster County floodplains every September. What is it?(Required)

ramps
Ramps (wild leeks) come up in damp Lancaster County woods every April. Which poisonous plant is most often mistaken for them?(Required)

persimmon
Bite an American persimmon at the wrong moment and your whole mouth puckers. When is it actually ready to eat?(Required)

dandelion
Pennsylvania Dutch families have a spring tradition built around this plant. What is the classic Lancaster County dish?(Required)

elderberry
Elderberries grow in hedgerows all over the county. What is the one rule everybody who picks them needs to know?(Required)

wineberry
These glowing red berries take over Lancaster County hedgerows every July. What is the twist?(Required)

groundcherry
This papery-husked little fruit turns up at farm stands across the county and in a classic Amish dessert. What is it?(Required)

black walnut
Black walnut trees are everywhere in Lancaster County. What do old-timers warn you about when you hull the nuts?(Required)

stinging nettle
Stinging nettle is a genuinely great spring green. What makes it safe and pleasant to eat?(Required)

spicebush
Early settlers in this region dried and ground the red berries of this native shrub to replace which imported spice?(Required)

purslane
Most Lancaster County gardeners yank this out of their vegetable beds and throw it away. Why shouldn't they?(Required)

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