Leighton Photography & Imaging

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  • Fresh Organic Kiwi
    Fresh Organic Kiwi
  • Found throughout most of Canada and the Northern United States, the red elderberry is a very attractive small tree that is important historically for some native American peoples. The small, seedy ripe berries are known to cause nausea and are mildly toxic unless cooked. They are most often used to make jellies or wine. These were found at about 4000 feet in elevation in the North Cascades of Northern Washington.
    Pacific Red Elderberry
  • A healthy and delicious papaya-lime smoothie on a white background.
    Papaya-Lime Smoothie
  • A healthy and delicious papaya-lime smoothie on a white background.
    Papaya-Lime Smoothie
  • American beautyberry is a very common and beautiful shrub in the verbena family found all over the Southeastern United States. It has been used extensively for making medicine, tea, wine, dye, fish poison and the crushed berries can be used to relieve mosquito bites. It has also been known to be a great repellant of flies and fire ants. This super-hardy plant can tolerate drought, heat, floods and can be found growing in many different environments, and is an important food source for wildlife.
    Beautyberry
  • Saskatoons, or western serviceberries (or “pomes” in botanical terms) are apple-like fruits that look very similar to salal berries  and are one of my favorite foraged berries in the Pacific Northwest and Rocky Mountains. Distantly related to apples, they taste like an beautiful mix of blueberry, salal, crabapple and Oregon grape. You can eat them fresh (my favorite!), dehydrate them like raisins, make them into jelly, jam or wine, or bake them into pancakes, pies and pastries. These perfectly ripe beauties were found growing in Montana's Glacier National Park in midsummer.
    Ripe Saskatoons
  • The rosary pea is an invasive vine from Asia and Australia that has found a home in Florida, Georgia, Alabama and Arkansas. While these "peas" may be useful in many shaker-percussion instruments, the black and red fruits are highly toxic. One ingested pea had the potential to be fatal to a healthy adult. This cluster of rosary peas was found in a suburban neighborhood in Fort Myers, Florida.
    Rosary Pea
  • The American strawberry bush - also known by many other names such as the "hearts-a-bustin" and "hearts-bustin'-with-love", this member of the bittersweet family is one of those oddly beautiful plants you find sometimes in autumn while out in some of the more remote places in the Untied States. Found in all of the eastern states (excluding New England), most of the lower Midwest states, and as far west as Texas and Oklahoma, it literally looks like a strawberry growing on a shrub that is bursting with bright red seeds exposed within. As with many red-colored fruits in nature, this is best not to be eaten, as it has been reported to induce severe diarrhea in humans. The leaves, bark and stems are enjoyed by deer and other native wildlife who spread the seeds after consumption. This was found in Florida's Ocala National Forest near Juniper Springs.
    American Strawberry Bush
  • The American strawberry bush - also known by many other names such as the "hearts-a-bustin" and "hearts-bustin'-with-love", this member of the bittersweet family is one of those oddly beautiful plants you find sometimes in autumn while out in some of the more remote places in the Untied States. Found in all of the eastern states (excluding New England), most of the lower Midwest states, and as far west as Texas and Oklahoma, it literally looks like a strawberry growing on a shrub that is bursting with bright red seeds exposed within. As with many red-colored fruits in nature, this is best not to be eaten, as it has been reported to induce severe diarrhea in humans. The leaves, bark and stems are enjoyed by deer and other native wildlife who spread the seeds after consumption. This was found in Florida's Ocala National Forest near Juniper Springs.
    American Strawberry Bush
  • The American strawberry bush - also known by many other names such as the "hearts-a-bustin" and "hearts-bustin'-with-love", this member of the bittersweet family is one of those oddly beautiful plants you find sometimes in autumn while out in some of the more remote places in the Untied States. Found in all of the eastern states (excluding New England), most of the lower Midwest states, and as far west as Texas and Oklahoma, it literally looks like a strawberry growing on a shrub that is bursting with bright red seeds exposed within. As with many red-colored fruits in nature, this is best not to be eaten, as it has been reported to induce severe diarrhea in humans. The leaves, bark and stems are enjoyed by deer and other native wildlife who spread the seeds after consumption. This was found in Florida's Ocala National Forest near Juniper Springs.
    American Strawberry Bush
  • Saskatoons, or western serviceberries (or “pomes” in botanical terms) are apple-like fruits that look very similar to salal berries  and are one of my favorite foraged berries in the Pacific Northwest and Rocky Mountains. Distantly related to apples, they taste like an beautiful mix of blueberry, salal, crabapple and Oregon grape. You can eat them fresh (my favorite!), dehydrate them like raisins, make them into jelly, jam or wine, or bake them into pancakes, pies and pastries. These perfectly ripe beauties were found growing in Montana's Glacier National Park in midsummer.
    Ripe Saskatoons
  • An unusually bright red salmonberry at peak ripeness grows on the edge of Deep Lake near Enumclaw, WA. These native fruits are extremely common throughout the Pacific Northwest and have been important historically as a food source for thousands of years among the different tribes of Native Americans of the region.
    Salmonberry
  • Indian plums ripening in a dark old-growth forest near Enumclaw, WA. The name comes from the fact that local Native Americans historically used these edible small fruits as a food source, as well as the twigs and bark for a number of medicinal uses.
    Indian Plums
  • The American strawberry bush - also known by many other names such as the "hearts-a-bustin" and "hearts-bustin'-with-love", this member of the bittersweet family is one of those oddly beautiful plants you find sometimes in autumn while out in some of the more remote places in the Untied States. Found in all of the eastern states (excluding New England), most of the lower Midwest states, and as far west as Texas and Oklahoma, it literally looks like a strawberry growing on a shrub that is bursting with bright red seeds exposed within. As with many red-colored fruits in nature, this is best not to be eaten, as it has been reported to induce severe diarrhea in humans. The leaves, bark and stems are enjoyed by deer and other native wildlife who spread the seeds after consumption. This was found in Florida's Ocala National Forest near Juniper Springs.
    American Strawberry Bush
  • Saskatoons, or western serviceberries (or “pomes” in botanical terms) are apple-like fruits that look very similar to salal berries  and are one of my favorite foraged berries in the Pacific Northwest and Rocky Mountains. Distantly related to apples, they taste like an beautiful mix of blueberry, salal, crabapple and Oregon grape. You can eat them fresh (my favorite!), dehydrate them like raisins, make them into jelly, jam or wine, or bake them into pancakes, pies and pastries. These perfectly ripe beauties were found growing in Alberta, Canada's Waterton Lakes National Park in midsummer.
    Ripe Saskatoons
  • Saskatoons, or western serviceberries (or “pomes” in botanical terms) are apple-like fruits that look very similar to salal berries  and are one of my favorite foraged berries in the Pacific Northwest and Rocky Mountains. Distantly related to apples, they taste like an beautiful mix of blueberry, salal, crabapple and Oregon grape. You can eat them fresh (my favorite!), dehydrate them like raisins, make them into jelly, jam or wine, or bake them into pancakes, pies and pastries. These perfectly ripe beauties were found growing in Montana's Glacier National Park in midsummer.
    Ripe Saskatoons
  • Saskatoons, or western serviceberries (or “pomes” in botanical terms) are apple-like fruits that look very similar to salal berries  and are one of my favorite foraged berries in the Pacific Northwest and Rocky Mountains. Distantly related to apples, they taste like an beautiful mix of blueberry, salal, crabapple and Oregon grape. You can eat them fresh (my favorite!), dehydrate them like raisins, make them into jelly, jam or wine, or bake them into pancakes, pies and pastries. These perfectly ripe beauties were found growing in Montana's Glacier National Park in midsummer.
    Ripe Saskatoons
  • Fairly widespread across most of North America, excluding the Southeast and the extreme Northeast, the golden currant is a member of the currant and gooseberry family. In early spring, this plant is covered in hundreds of beautiful small bright yellow flowers. By late spring and early summer, the limbs of this small water-loving shrub become heavily laden with golden yellow/orange edible fruits, such as these growing next to Cowiche Creek, just west of Yakima, Washington.
    Golden Currant
  • Wax currants in full flower in Cowiche Canyon in Yakima, WA. While these are particularly beautiful, the fruits may cause a burning sensation when eaten. These are often found growing with the closely-related golden currant which is not only edible, but delicious!
    Wax Currant
  • Although the teddybear colla fruits readily and often heavily, these fruits are usually sterile. The prime method of reproduction is the easily detachable sections of the cactus that are removed by an unfortunate passing animal or a strong wind. Uun dropping to the ground, new roots will bore into the ground starting a new cactus, restarting the cycle.
    Teddybear Cholla Fruits
  • Also known as the holly-leaved Oregon grape, this member of the Mahonia genus can tolerate drier conditions than other native Oregon grape shrubs and is easily recognized by the distinctive waxy, holly-like leaves as well as the height it can grow - almost 9 feet tall! While the fruit can be delicious, tart, pleasing and can be made into delicious jellies, jams and wines, caution must be taken as high doses of Oregon-grapes can cause nose-bleeds, kidney inflammation,  shortness of breath, or worse. This one was was found growing in a forest near Olympia, Washington, heavy with fruit.
    Shining Oregon Grape (Mahonia aquifo..ium)
  • Also known as the holly-leaved Oregon grape, this member of the Mahonia genus can tolerate drier conditions than other native Oregon grape shrubs and is easily recognized by the distinctive waxy, holly-like leaves as well as the height it can grow - almost 9 feet tall! This one was was found growing in a forest near Olympia, Washington, heavy with fruit. While the fruit can be delicious, tart, pleasing and can be made into delicious jellies, jams and wines, caution must be taken as high doses of Oregon-grapes can cause nose-bleeds, kidney inflammation,  shortness of breath, or worse.
    Shining Oregon Grape (Mahonia aquifo..ium)
  • The unexpectedly unusual fruit of the red-flowering currant looks like a dusty, slightly spiky blueberry or huckleberry but can be found in great profusion in particular parts of the Pacific Northwest from the river bottoms to the lower elevations of the Cascade Mountains. Although somewhat sweet but rather mushy, it typically isn't eaten by people but is a great food source for wildlife, especially birds. These pretty clusters of berries were found growing next to the Green River about 20 miles south of Seattle, Washington on a warm summer day.
    Red-flowering Currant Fruit-4.jpg
  • The unexpectedly unusual fruit of the red-flowering currant looks like a dusty, slightly spiky blueberry or huckleberry but can be found in great profusion in particular parts of the Pacific Northwest from the river bottoms to the lower elevations of the Cascade Mountains. Although somewhat sweet but rather mushy, it typically isn't eaten by people but is a great food source for wildlife, especially birds. These pretty clusters of berries were found growing next to the Green River about 20 miles south of Seattle, Washington on a warm summer day.
    Red-flowering Currant Fruit-2.jpg
  • The unexpectedly unusual fruit of the red-flowering currant looks like a dusty, slightly spiky blueberry or huckleberry but can be found in great profusion in particular parts of the Pacific Northwest from the river bottoms to the lower elevations of the Cascade Mountains. Although somewhat sweet but rather mushy, it typically isn't eaten by people but is a great food source for wildlife, especially birds. These pretty clusters of berries were found growing next to the Green River about 20 miles south of Seattle, Washington on a warm summer day.
    Red-flowering Currant Fruit-1.jpg
  • The unexpectedly unusual fruit of the red-flowering currant looks like a dusty, slightly spiky blueberry or huckleberry but can be found in great profusion in particular parts of the Pacific Northwest from the river bottoms to the lower elevations of the Cascade Mountains. Although somewhat sweet but rather mushy, it typically isn't eaten by people but is a great food source for wildlife, especially birds. These pretty clusters of berries were found growing next to the Green River about 20 miles south of Seattle, Washington on a warm summer day.
    Red-flowering Currant Fruit-3.jpg
  • An important food crop of the tropics and the symbol a beach vacation in paradise, these palms are not native to Florida and the United States, but do grow easily from coconuts that often wash ashore. These two coconut palms were loaded with ripening fruit. Be careful when walking under them on a windy day!
    Coconut Palms
  • huckleberry, Angiosperms, background, beautiful, beauty, berry, berries, botany, color, edible, Eudicots, field, flora, flower, flowers, food, food source, fresh, fruit, green, native, natural, nature, plant, Plantae, plants, red, ripe, spring, summer, sweet, tasty, Washington, wild, wildflowers, yummy, flora, forage, foraging, red, Vaccinium parvifolium, red blueberry, red huckleberry, Ericaceae, heath, deciduous, shrub, Plantae, Angiosperms, Eudicots, Asterids, Ericales, Ericaceae, Vaccinium, V. parvifolium, Vaccinium parvifolium, Dicot, Ericaceae, Perennial, red bilberry, red whortleberry, red huckleberry, red whortleberry, red, edible, tasty, foraging
    Red Huckleberry
  • These beautiful bright-red rose hips are the fruit of the native Wood's wild rose (Rosa woodsii), found throughout all of the western states and all of Canada (except the Maritime Provinces). Often ignored by everyone except wild food foragers, these rose hips are high in vitamin C and E and can be used to make excellent teas, jams, jellies, and even wine! I have personally used them along with wild apples to make a delicious autumn compote! These were found nearing full ripeness just outside of Olympia, Washington next to the Henderson Inlet.
    Wild Rose Hips (Rosa woodsii)
  • This interesting perennial native plant to the American Southeast is also a member of the nightshade family, and related to the tomatillo. When the fruit becomes ripe, the large berry is surrounded in a bright orange papery sheath called a calyx. These were found and photographed on Sanibel Island in Southwest Florida.
    Walter's Groundcherry
  • This interesting perennial native plant to the American Southeast is also a member of the nightshade family, and related to the tomatillo. When the fruit becomes ripe, the large berry is surrounded in a bright orange papery sheath called a calyx. These were found and photographed on Sanibel Island in Southwest Florida.
    Walter's Groundcherry
  • Close-up of the fantastically beautiful American beautyberry. These clusters of drupes (think blackberries) each contain a seed and are a very important source of food for many species of birds. The berries are edible to a point, but can be extremely astringent. they are well suited to making jams and wine, however. The roots can be used to make an herbal tea, and it's said that the crushed leaves can repel mosquitos when rubbed on the skin. This perfect example of a beautyberry in fruit was found in Palm Beach County on a cool fall afternoon.
    American Beautyberry
  • The fantastically beautiful American beautyberry in all its glory in its natural habitat. These clusters of drupes (think blackberries) each contain a seed and are a very important source of food for many species of birds, and the foliage is a very important food source for deer. The berries are edible to a point, but can be extremely astringent. they are well suited to making jams and wine, however. The roots can be used to make an herbal tea, and it's said that the crushed leaves can repel mosquitos when rubbed on the skin. This perfect example of a beautyberry in fruit was found in Palm Beach County on a cool fall afternoon.
    American Beautyberry
  • The skunkbush sumac is a very attractive shrub found in all of the states west of the Mississippi River excluding Minnesota, Missouri and Louisiana and can be found in the Canadian provinces of Alberta and Saskatchewan and much of Northern Mexico. When crushed, the leaves emit a strong, unpleasant odor (hence the common name) but the sticky, edible fruit have a sharp, lime-like taste. These berries were found growing in rural Socorro County, about an hour south of Albuquerque, New Mexico on a chilly spring morning.
    Skunkbush Sumac
  • This delicious little wild raspberry is found in most of the western states and in Canada's British Columbia, and if anyone has ever had candy, sno-cones, syrup or any other flavor called "blue raspberry" - this is the berry where that taste was modeled from. Any easy identification tool for this wonderful little fruit is the underside of the leaves, which are white. These were found growing in the Hoh Rainforest on Washington's Olympic Peninsula within sight of the Hoh River. I've personally found both the red and fully ripe black raspberries to be absolutely delicious!
    Western Black Raspberry
  • This delicious little wild raspberry is found in most of the western states and in Canada's British Columbia, and if anyone has ever had candy, sno-cones, syrup or any other flavor called "blue raspberry" - this is the berry where that taste was modeled from. Any easy identification tool for this wonderful little fruit is the underside of the leaves, which are white. These were found growing in the Hoh Rainforest on Washington's Olympic Peninsula within sight of the Hoh River. I've personally found both the red and fully ripe black raspberries to be absolutely delicious!
    Western Black Raspberry
  • This delicious little wild raspberry is found in most of the western states and in Canada's British Columbia, and if anyone has ever had candy, sno-cones, syrup or any other flavor called "blue raspberry" - this is the berry where that taste was modeled from. Any easy identification tool for this wonderful little fruit is the underside of the leaves, which are white. These were found growing in the Hoh Rainforest on Washington's Olympic Peninsula within sight of the Hoh River. I've personally found both the red and fully ripe black raspberries to be absolutely delicious!
    Western Black Raspberry
  • This delicious little wild raspberry is found in most of the western states and in Canada's British Columbia, and if anyone has ever had candy, sno-cones, syrup or any other flavor called "blue raspberry" - this is the berry where that taste was modeled from. Any easy identification tool for this wonderful little fruit is the underside of the leaves, which are white. These were found growing in the Hoh Rainforest on Washington's Olympic Peninsula within sight of the Hoh River. I've personally found both the red and fully ripe black raspberries to be absolutely delicious!
    Western Black Raspberry
  • This delicious little wild raspberry is found in most of the western states and in Canada's British Columbia, and if anyone has ever had candy, sno-cones, syrup or any other flavor called "blue raspberry" - this is the berry where that taste was modeled from. Any easy identification tool for this wonderful little fruit is the underside of the leaves, which are white. These were found growing in the Hoh Rainforest on Washington's Olympic Peninsula within sight of the Hoh River. I've personally found both the red and fully ripe black raspberries to be absolutely delicious!
    Western Black Raspberry
  • This delicious little wild raspberry is found in most of the western states and in Canada's British Columbia, and if anyone has ever had candy, sno-cones, syrup or any other flavor called "blue raspberry" - this is the berry where that taste was modeled from. Any easy identification tool for this wonderful little fruit is the underside of the leaves, which are white. These were found growing in the Hoh Rainforest on Washington's Olympic Peninsula within sight of the Hoh River. I've personally found both the red and fully ripe black raspberries to be absolutely delicious!
    Western Black Raspberry
  • This edible and harmless but mostly tasteless pretty bright red fruit with a velvety texture is the end result of a nondescript native forest lily with tiny white flowers after undergoing natural pollination. It can be found in all of the western states (excluding California) and all of the western Canadian provinces including Ontario. This one was found growing next to a small mountain stream in rural Southwestern Montana in Mineral County.
    Rough-fruited Fairybell Berry
  • sweet, foraging, food, berries, fruit, botany, nature, natural, beauty, beautiful, color, green, beauty, plant, beautiful, blooming, white, flora, wild, plants, fresh, color, plant, botany, native, wildflowers, wildflower, West Coast, flora, hairy, furry, hair, hairs, Gaultheria shallon, leathery, shrub, heather, Ericaceae, native, North America, salal, shallon, Gaultheria, Plantae, Angiosperms, Eudicots, Asterids, Ericales, Ericaceae, Gaultheria, , Gaultheria shallon, dicot, Ericaceae, perennial, shrub, subshrub
    Salal Berries
  • These beautiful bright-red rose hips are the fruit of the native Wood's wild rose (Rosa woodsii), found throughout all of the western states and all of Canada (except the Maritime Provinces). Often ignored by everyone except wild food foragers, these rose hips are high in vitamin C and E and can be used to make excellent teas, jams, jellies, and even wine! I have personally used them along with wild apples to make a delicious autumn compote! These were found nearing full ripeness just outside of Olympia, Washington next to the Henderson Inlet.
    Wild Rose Hips (Rosa woodsii)
  • This interesting perennial native plant to the American Southeast is also a member of the nightshade family, and related to the tomatillo. When the fruit becomes ripe, the large berry is surrounded in a bright orange papery sheath called a calyx. These were found and photographed on Sanibel Island in Southwest Florida.
    Walter's Groundcherry
  • The common snowberry is a found throughout most of central and northern North America and is most commonly seen in lower-elevations mountainous forests where it can form immense thickets. Although it is a staple food source for many birds and mammals such as deer, bears, and bighorn sheep, all parts of the plant and fruit are somewhat toxic to humans if eaten in quantity, although many native tribes used them medicinally. Only the Sqauxin Indians of the Olympia, Washington area are reported to have eaten them regularly. These were found and photographed in the Mercer Sough of Bellevue, Washington.
    Common Snowberry
  • The common snowberry is a found throughout most of central and northern North America and is most commonly seen in lower-elevations mountainous forests where it can form immense thickets. Although it is a staple food source for many birds and mammals such as deer, bears, and bighorn sheep, all parts of the plant and fruit are somewhat toxic to humans if eaten in quantity, although many native tribes used them medicinally. Only the Sqauxin Indians of the Olympia, Washington area are reported to have eaten them regularly. These were found and photographed in the Mercer Sough of Bellevue, Washington.
    Common Snowberry
  • This delicious little wild raspberry is found in most of the western states and in Canada's British Columbia, and if anyone has ever had candy, sno-cones, syrup or any other flavor called "blue raspberry" - this is the berry where that taste was modeled from. Any easy identification tool for this wonderful little fruit is the underside of the leaves, which are white. These were found growing in the Hoh Rainforest on Washington's Olympic Peninsula within sight of the Hoh River. I've personally found both the red and fully ripe black raspberries to be absolutely delicious!
    Western Black Raspberry
  • This delicious little wild raspberry is found in most of the western states and in Canada's British Columbia, and if anyone has ever had candy, sno-cones, syrup or any other flavor called "blue raspberry" - this is the berry where that taste was modeled from. Any easy identification tool for this wonderful little fruit is the underside of the leaves, which are white. These were found growing in the Hoh Rainforest on Washington's Olympic Peninsula within sight of the Hoh River. I've personally found both the red and fully ripe black raspberries to be absolutely delicious!
    Western Black Raspberry
  • This delicious little wild raspberry is found in most of the western states and in Canada's British Columbia, and if anyone has ever had candy, sno-cones, syrup or any other flavor called "blue raspberry" - this is the berry where that taste was modeled from. Any easy identification tool for this wonderful little fruit is the underside of the leaves, which are white. These were found growing in the Hoh Rainforest on Washington's Olympic Peninsula within sight of the Hoh River. I've personally found both the red and fully ripe black raspberries to be absolutely delicious!
    Western Black Raspberry
  • These ripe fruits of the Joshua tree range in size from 2-4 inches, and are clustered on the tall flower "spikes" that can be from 12-60 inches from the center of the rosette where new leaves form. These were photographed from below with a nice morning golden light in the Mojave Desert in Southern California.
    Fruit of the Joshua Tree
  • The chokecherry (Prunus virginiana) is a beautiful shrub or small tree found throughout most of North America except for the southeastern states. While the small beautiful cherries are inedible when ripe (mostly because of the dangerously toxic hydrocyanic acid inside the pits of the ripe berries), the cooked or dried berries are perfectly safe for consumption, and are fantastic for making delicious jams, jellies, syrup, sauces or even beer! These were found growing next to Lake Gulch in rural Baker County, Oregon on a warm summer day.
    Chokecherries-6
  • The chokecherry (Prunus virginiana) is a beautiful shrub or small tree found throughout most of North America except for the southeastern states. While the small beautiful cherries are inedible when ripe (mostly because of the dangerously toxic hydrocyanic acid inside the pits of the ripe berries), the cooked or dried berries are perfectly safe for consumption, and are fantastic for making delicious jams, jellies, syrup, sauces or even beer! These were found growing next to Lake Gulch in rural Baker County, Oregon on a warm summer day.
    Chokecherries-7
  • The chokecherry (Prunus virginiana) is a beautiful shrub or small tree found throughout most of North America except for the southeastern states. While the small beautiful cherries are inedible when ripe (mostly because of the dangerously toxic hydrocyanic acid inside the pits of the ripe berries), the cooked or dried berries are perfectly safe for consumption, and are fantastic for making delicious jams, jellies, syrup, sauces or even beer! These were found growing next to Lake Gulch in rural Baker County, Oregon on a warm summer day.
    Chokecherries-5
  • The chokecherry (Prunus virginiana) is a beautiful shrub or small tree found throughout most of North America except for the southeastern states. While the small beautiful cherries are inedible when ripe (mostly because of the dangerously toxic hydrocyanic acid inside the pits of the ripe berries), the cooked or dried berries are perfectly safe for consumption, and are fantastic for making delicious jams, jellies, syrup, sauces or even beer! These were found growing next to Lake Gulch in rural Baker County, Oregon on a warm summer day.
    Chokecherries-4
  • The chokecherry (Prunus virginiana) is a beautiful shrub or small tree found throughout most of North America except for the southeastern states. While the small beautiful cherries are inedible when ripe (mostly because of the dangerously toxic hydrocyanic acid inside the pits of the ripe berries), the cooked or dried berries are perfectly safe for consumption, and are fantastic for making delicious jams, jellies, syrup, sauces or even beer! These were found growing on the side of a rocky mountain slope just above Petty Creek in Alberton, Montana on a warm summer day.
    Chokecherries-1
  • The chokecherry (Prunus virginiana) is a beautiful shrub or small tree found throughout most of North America except for the southeastern states. While the small beautiful cherries are inedible when ripe (mostly because of the dangerously toxic hydrocyanic acid inside the pits of the ripe berries), the cooked or dried berries are perfectly safe for consumption, and are fantastic for making delicious jams, jellies, syrup, sauces or even beer! These were found growing on the side of a rocky mountain slope just above Petty Creek in Alberton, Montana on a warm summer day.
    Chokecherries-2
  • The chokecherry (Prunus virginiana) is a beautiful shrub or small tree found throughout most of North America except for the southeastern states. While the small beautiful cherries are inedible when ripe (mostly because of the dangerously toxic hydrocyanic acid inside the pits of the ripe berries), the cooked or dried berries are perfectly safe for consumption, and are fantastic for making delicious jams, jellies, syrup, sauces or even beer! These were found growing next to Lake Gulch in rural Baker County, Oregon on a warm summer day.
    Chokecherries-3
  • Considered to be the very best pie and jam blackberry, the native trailing blackberry (also called the Pacific blackberry, Douglas berry or and combinations of <fill-in-the-blank> dewberry, the small but very sweet hiker's treat is usually found low to the ground on vines that seem to grow over everything like logs, rocks and through thick mats of vegetation that can grow up to 15 feet long or more! This not-quite-ripe-yet blackberry was found in an old-growth forest in the Woodard Bay Conservation Area just outside of Olympia, Washington.
    Trailing Blackberry (Rubus ursinus)
  • Considered to be the very best pie and jam blackberry, the native trailing blackberry (also called the Pacific blackberry, Douglas berry or and combinations of <fill-in-the-blank> dewberry, the small but very sweet hiker's treat is usually found low to the ground on vines that seem to grow over everything like logs, rocks and through thick mats of vegetation that can grow up to 15 feet long or more! These were found in an old-growth forest in the Woodard Bay Conservation Area just outside of Olympia, Washington.
    Trailing Blackberry (Rubus ursinus)
  • The highly controversial and extremely invasive Himalayan blackberry is might be considered the classic success story if looked at from the the view of this extremely aggressive invasive plant. Why it is called the Himalayan blackberry is a mystery to me, but it originally comes from Armenia and Iran. Introduced to the East Coast of the United States in 1885, it is believed it was confused with a similar European species of blackberry and with the help of local birds who absolutely love the berries, it had reached reached the West Coast of North America. This plant grows fast, easily outcompetes native foliage and is extremely tough to eradicate. On the plus side, this particular blackberry puts out bumper-crops of blackberries every summer that are absolutely delicious. I often see bushes laid out flat on the ground under the weight of all the berries. These were found growing in the Woodard Bay Conservation Area just outside of Olympia, Washington.
    Himalayan Blackberry (Rubus armeniacus)
  • One of the most delicious wild mountain berries of the Western United States and Canada, these serviceberries (also called the saskatoons) are slightly past their prime - probably as they were just out of reach of the local herd of bighorn sheep that regularly roam this rural mountain slope of Mineral County, Montana. Bad news for the hungry wildlife, but good news for the future serviceberry seedlings!
    Serviceberries aka Saskatoons
  • Looking much like a miniature watermelon, the creeping cucumber is in fact a native cucumber that grows in the American Southeast as far north as Illinois and Pennsylvania and west to Texas and Kansas on long vines with grape-like leaves. While considered edible, it's just one of those things you wouldn't go out of your way to eat. These were found in the Big Cypress National Preserve in Southwest Florida.
    Creeping Cucumber
  • These very beautiful bittersweet nightshade berries found ripening on the vine are native to Europe and Asia, and arrived roughly in the 1860's and were used by the Makah Indians as a medicine for stomach issues. Now naturalized throughout most of North America, this relative to the potato is an invasive weed that can grow in huge thickets and can compete with native plants. This plant is known to be VERY DANGEROUS to both humans and other animals and has caused people to die. It is said that once the berries are fully ripe (when they are bright red) that the amount of solanine - the toxic alkaloid, is greatly reduced. Seeds are spread by the common song sparrow and a few other birds that eat them, who are unaffected by the poisons the berries carry.
    Bittersweet Nightshade
  • These very beautiful bittersweet nightshade berries found ripening on the vine are native to Europe and Asia, and arrived roughly in the 1860's and were used by the Makah Indians as a medicine for stomach issues. Now naturalized throughout most of North America, this relative to the potato is an invasive weed that can grow in huge thickets and can compete with native plants. This plant is known to be VERY DANGEROUS to both humans and other animals and has caused people to die. It is said that once the berries are fully ripe (when they are bright red) that the amount of solanine - the toxic alkaloid, is greatly reduced. Seeds are spread by the common song sparrow and a few other birds that eat them, who are unaffected by the poisons the berries carry.
    Bittersweet Nightshade
  • These very beautiful bittersweet nightshade berries found ripening on the vine are native to Europe and Asia, and arrived roughly in the 1860's and were used by the Makah Indians as a medicine for stomach issues. Now naturalized throughout most of North America, this relative to the potato is an invasive weed that can grow in huge thickets and can compete with native plants. This plant is known to be VERY DANGEROUS to both humans and other animals and has caused people to die. It is said that once the berries are fully ripe (when they are bright red) that the amount of solanine - the toxic alkaloid, is greatly reduced. Seeds are spread by the common song sparrow and a few other birds that eat them, who are unaffected by the poisons the berries carry.
    Bittersweet Nightshade
  • These very beautiful bittersweet nightshade berries found ripening on the vine are native to Europe and Asia, and arrived roughly in the 1860's and were used by the Makah Indians as a medicine for stomach issues. Now naturalized throughout most of North America, this relative to the potato is an invasive weed that can grow in huge thickets and can compete with native plants. This plant is known to be VERY DANGEROUS to both humans and other animals and has caused people to die. It is said that once the berries are fully ripe (when they are bright red) that the amount of solanine - the toxic alkaloid, is greatly reduced. Seeds are spread by the common song sparrow and a few other birds that eat them, who are unaffected by the poisons the berries carry.
    Bittersweet Nightshade
  • These very beautiful bittersweet nightshade berries found ripening on the vine are native to Europe and Asia, and arrived roughly in the 1860's and were used by the Makah Indians as a medicine for stomach issues. Now naturalized throughout most of North America, this relative to the potato is an invasive weed that can grow in huge thickets and can compete with native plants. This plant is known to be VERY DANGEROUS to both humans and other animals and has caused people to die. It is said that once the berries are fully ripe (when they are bright red) that the amount of solanine - the toxic alkaloid, is greatly reduced. Seeds are spread by the common song sparrow and a few other birds that eat them, who are unaffected by the poisons the berries carry.
    Bittersweet Nightshade
  • A Pacific Northwest delicacy! The black huckleberry is an important and nutritious food source for black and grizzly bears, which consume not only the berries but also other plant parts, as well as deer, elk, moose, and ruffed grouse. Commonly reaching 6 feet in height, it is common to understory shrub, dry to moist coniferous forests, and open areas. These were found growing in the Western Olympic Mountains of Washington in the Hoh Rainforest.
    Black Huckleberry
  • The red huckleberry is one of the best-tasting wild berries that can be found in abundance in the Pacific Northwest, and can be found in shaded forests along the Pacific coasts from Central California to Southeastern Alaska west of the Cascades, and can reach a height of 3 to 12 feet - often in association with rotting wood. Tasting a little more like a cranberry than some of the other darker huckleberry varieties, the red huckleberry is sweet with a very pleasing tartness, and is a valuable food source for deer, mountain beavers, mountain goats, and elk - especially in wintertime where many of the late berries persist after the first snow. These were found growing in the Hoh Rainforest in Washington's Western Olympic Mountains.
    Red Huckleberry
  • A Pacific Northwest delicacy! The black huckleberry is an important and nutritious food source for black and grizzly bears, which consume not only the berries but also other plant parts, as well as deer, elk, moose, and ruffed grouse. Commonly reaching 6 feet in height, it is common to understory shrub, dry to moist coniferous forests, and open areas. These were found growing in the Western Olympic Mountains of Washington in the Hoh Rainforest.
    Black Huckleberry
  • The red huckleberry is one of the best-tasting wild berries that can be found in abundance in the Pacific Northwest, and can be found in shaded forests along the Pacific coasts from Central California to Southeastern Alaska west of the Cascades, and can reach a height of 3 to 12 feet - often in association with rotting wood. Tasting a little more like a cranberry than some of the other darker huckleberry varieties, the red huckleberry is sweet with a very pleasing tartness, and is a valuable food source for deer, mountain beavers, mountain goats, and elk - especially in wintertime where many of the late berries persist after the first snow. These were found growing in the Hoh Rainforest in Washington's Western Olympic Mountains.
    Red Huckleberry
  • A Pacific Northwest delicacy! The black huckleberry is an important and nutritious food source for black and grizzly bears, which consume not only the berries but also other plant parts, as well as deer, elk, moose, and ruffed grouse. Commonly reaching 6 feet in height, it is common to understory shrub, dry to moist coniferous forests, and open areas. These were found growing in the Western Olympic Mountains of Washington in the Hoh Rainforest.
    Black Huckleberry
  • A Pacific Northwest delicacy! The black huckleberry is an important and nutritious food source for black and grizzly bears, which consume not only the berries but also other plant parts, as well as deer, elk, moose, and ruffed grouse. Commonly reaching 6 feet in height, it is common to understory shrub, dry to moist coniferous forests, and open areas. These were found growing in the Northern Olympic Mountains of Washington along the Sol Duc River.
    Black Huckleberry
  • This beautiful, long and curve-spined cactus is a small member of the barrel cactus family and is primarily found in the central Chihuahuan Desert near the Rio Grande. Barely reaching a height of twelve inches, this attractive and colorful cactus will produce large three-inch yellow flowers in the springtime. This three-inch beauty was found and photographed below the Chisos Mountains in Brewster County, Texas.
    Turk's Head
  • This beautiful, long and curve-spined cactus is a small member of the barrel cactus family and is primarily found in the central Chihuahuan Desert near the Rio Grande. Barely reaching a height of twelve inches, this attractive and colorful cactus will produce large three-inch yellow flowers in the springtime. This three-inch beauty was found and photographed below the Chisos Mountains in Brewster County, Texas.
    Turk's Head
  • Almost ready to eat! These golden currants are about to burst with tart, fruity goodness along the banks of Cowiche Creek as it flows through the desert steppe in Central Washington.
    Golden Currant
  • Ripening Oregon-grapes deep in the forests in Western Washington - about 40 miles SE of Seattle. Of the two types of Mahonia that grow in the region, this species stays low to the ground, rarely reaching two feet in height. These berries will turn a dusty blue color when ripe. Not even remotely related to grapes, these berries have been used in making tasty jelly and wine. Historically this plant was very important to the native tribes of the area. The berries were an important food source, often made into dried cakes. A yellow dye was made from the roots, and a tea was made for sore throats and upset stomachs.
    Dwarf Oregon-Grape
  • This salmonberry has just been pollinated and lost its petals, as seen in the forest near the Nisqually River Delta at the Puget Sound's southernmost point in Washington State.
    Pollinated Salmonberry
  • The wax currant, also known as the squaw currant, is found accross most of western North America in drier, more arid habitats such as sagebrush steppe or talus slopes. This one was photographed in Cowiche Canyon just outside of Yakima, WA.
    Wax Currant
  • The organ pipe cactus is found throughout much of Mexico and only found in the United States in extreme Southern Arizona. This one was photographed within miles of the Mexican border in the aptly named Organ Pipe National Monument.
    Organ Pipe Cactus
  • Extremely common throughout North America and easily overlooked, this native lily with small nondescript white flowers can be found mostly around mountain forests up to around 9000 feet in elevation. While the berries may be considered edible, some people complain of an upset stomach after eating them. The local Blackfeet Indians have been known to use a powder made of the roots of this plant to treat wounds. These ripe berries were found above Petty Creek in Alberton, Montana on a rocky mountain slope.
    Common False Solomon's Seal Berries
  • Extremely common throughout North America and easily overlooked, this native lily with small nondescript white flowers can be found mostly around mountain forests up to around 9000 feet in elevation. While the berries may be considered edible, some people complain of an upset stomach after eating them. The local Blackfeet Indians have been known to use a powder made of the roots of this plant to treat wounds. These ripe berries were found above Petty Creek in Alberton, Montana on a rocky mountain slope.
    Common False Solomon's Seal Berries
  • Extremely common throughout North America and easily overlooked, this native lily with small nondescript white flowers can be found mostly around mountain forests up to around 9000 feet in elevation. While the berries may be considered edible, some people complain of an upset stomach after eating them. The local Blackfeet Indians have been known to use a powder made of the roots of this plant to treat wounds. These ripe berries were found above Petty Creek in Alberton, Montana on a rocky mountain slope.
    Common False Solomon's Seal Berries
  • Ranging from toxic to poisonous to humans and several species of animals - particularly fish, the common snowberry is an important food source for wildlife. Moose, elk, deer, bighorn sheep, and pronghorns will readily eat the foliage, while bears birds, rabbits and other small mammals can safely eat the waxy white berries. This snowberry bush was found growing next to the Green River about 20 miles south of Seattle, Washington on a warm summer day.
    Snowberry2020-3.jpg
  • Ranging from toxic to poisonous to humans and several species of animals - particularly fish, the common snowberry is an important food source for wildlife. Moose, elk, deer, bighorn sheep, and pronghorns will readily eat the foliage, while bears birds, rabbits and other small mammals can safely eat the waxy white berries. This snowberry bush was found growing next to the Green River about 20 miles south of Seattle, Washington on a warm summer day.
    Snowberry2020-2.jpg
  • Ranging from toxic to poisonous to humans and several species of animals - particularly fish, the common snowberry is an important food source for wildlife. Moose, elk, deer, bighorn sheep, and pronghorns will readily eat the foliage, while bears birds, rabbits and other small mammals can safely eat the waxy white berries. This snowberry bush was found growing next to the Green River about 20 miles south of Seattle, Washington on a warm summer day.
    Snowberry2020-1.jpg
  • Wild coffee is a very beautiful plant found in the southern half of Florida and throughout the Caribbean Islands. While wild coffee is in the same family as true coffee, these bright red berries only look very similar to ripe coffee berries, but they do not contain any caffeine and attempts to roast the dried berries and have only resulted in a headache-inducing beverage with a terrible taste. These were photographed growing wild in West Palm County, Florida.
    Wild Coffee
  • Wild coffee is a very beautiful plant found in the southern half of Florida and throughout the Caribbean Islands. While wild coffee is in the same family as true coffee, these bright red berries only look very similar to ripe coffee berries, but they do not contain any caffeine and attempts to roast the dried berries and have only resulted in a headache-inducing beverage with a terrible taste. These were photographed growing wild in West Palm County, Florida.
    Wild Coffee
  • This is how it all starts: tiny bright yellow-green flowers show before even the first hint of leaves in the massive bigleaf maples. As the spring progresses into summer, the seed pods begin to form, and as fall approaches, we see the first of the falling "whirlie-birds" we all know and love!
    Bigleaf Maple Flower Bud
  • These very beautiful bittersweet nightshade berries found ripening on the vine are native to Europe and Asia, and arrived roughly in the 1860's and were used by the Makah Indians as a medicine for stomach issues. Now naturalized throughout most of North America, this relative to the potato is an invasive weed that can grow in huge thickets and can compete with native plants. This plant is known to be VERY DANGEROUS to both humans and other animals and has caused people to die. It is said that once the berries are fully ripe (when they are bright red) that the amount of solanine - the toxic alkaloid, is greatly reduced. Seeds are spread by the common song sparrow and a few other birds that eat them, who are unaffected by the poisons the berries carry.
    Bittersweet Nightshade
  • These very beautiful bittersweet nightshade berries found ripening on the vine are native to Europe and Asia, and arrived roughly in the 1860's and were used by the Makah Indians as a medicine for stomach issues. Now naturalized throughout most of North America, this relative to the potato is an invasive weed that can grow in huge thickets and can compete with native plants. This plant is known to be VERY DANGEROUS to both humans and other animals and has caused people to die. It is said that once the berries are fully ripe (when they are bright red) that the amount of solanine - the toxic alkaloid, is greatly reduced. Seeds are spread by the common song sparrow and a few other birds that eat them, who are unaffected by the poisons the berries carry.
    Bittersweet Nightshade
  • These very beautiful bittersweet nightshade berries found ripening on the vine are native to Europe and Asia, and arrived roughly in the 1860's and were used by the Makah Indians as a medicine for stomach issues. Now naturalized throughout most of North America, this relative to the potato is an invasive weed that can grow in huge thickets and can compete with native plants. This plant is known to be VERY DANGEROUS to both humans and other animals and has caused people to die. It is said that once the berries are fully ripe (when they are bright red) that the amount of solanine - the toxic alkaloid, is greatly reduced. Seeds are spread by the common song sparrow and a few other birds that eat them, who are unaffected by the poisons the berries carry.
    Bittersweet Nightshade
  • One of the most surprising and unusual fungi species to find in the forests of the Pacific Northwest, this worm-like/coral-like white-to-yellow club fungus was only noticed as I stopped to re-tie a boot's laces in Mercer Slough in Bellevue, Washington. It is reportedly edible, yet also reported to be completely tasteless.
    Fairy Fingers
  • The thimbleberry is one of those often overlooked, highly under-appreciated wild berries that deserves a lot more credit than it gets. Found in all of the western states, and Canadian provinces and all around the Great Lakes, both in the United States and Canada the humble thimbleberry is considered by many to be superior than any raspberry. It is easily recognized in the wild by its large, papery maple-shaped leaves and completely thornless stalks. The tart, intensely fruity, high in Vitamin C berries are used to make some of the best jellies, and are often added to other berries such as blueberries, blackberries and raspberries to kick up the sweetness and flavor. These were found growing on the beach near Neah Bay on Washington's Olympic Peninsula on the Strait of Juan de Fuca.
    Thimbleberries
  • The red huckleberry is one of the best-tasting wild berries that can be found in abundance in the Pacific Northwest, and can be found in shaded forests along the Pacific coasts from Central California to Southeastern Alaska west of the Cascades, and can reach a height of 3 to 12 feet - often in association with rotting wood. Tasting a little more like a cranberry than some of the other darker huckleberry varieties, the red huckleberry is sweet with a very pleasing tartness, and is a valuable food source for deer, mountain beavers, mountain goats, and elk - especially in wintertime where many of the late berries persist after the first snow. These were found growing in the Hoh Rainforest in Washington's Western Olympic Mountains.
    Red Huckleberry
  • A Pacific Northwest delicacy! The black huckleberry is an important and nutritious food source for black and grizzly bears, which consume not only the berries but also other plant parts, as well as deer, elk, moose, and ruffed grouse. Commonly reaching 6 feet in height, it is common to understory shrub, dry to moist coniferous forests, and open areas. These were found growing in the Western Olympic Mountains of Washington in the Hoh Rainforest.
    Black Huckleberry
  • A Pacific Northwest delicacy! The black huckleberry is an important and nutritious food source for black and grizzly bears, which consume not only the berries but also other plant parts, as well as deer, elk, moose, and ruffed grouse. Commonly reaching 6 feet in height, it is common to understory shrub, dry to moist coniferous forests, and open areas. These were found growing in the Western Olympic Mountains of Washington in the Hoh Rainforest.
    Black Huckleberry
  • A Pacific Northwest delicacy! The black huckleberry is an important and nutritious food source for black and grizzly bears, which consume not only the berries but also other plant parts, as well as deer, elk, moose, and ruffed grouse. Commonly reaching 6 feet in height, it is common to understory shrub, dry to moist coniferous forests, and open areas. These were found growing in the Western Olympic Mountains of Washington in the Hoh Rainforest.
    Black Huckleberry
  • The red huckleberry is one of the best-tasting wild berries that can be found in abundance in the Pacific Northwest, and can be found in shaded forests along the Pacific coasts from Central California to Southeastern Alaska west of the Cascades, and can reach a height of 3 to 12 feet - often in association with rotting wood. Tasting a little more like a cranberry than some of the other darker huckleberry varieties, the red huckleberry is sweet with a very pleasing tartness, and is a valuable food source for deer, mountain beavers, mountain goats, and elk - especially in wintertime where many of the late berries persist after the first snow. These were found growing in the Hoh Rainforest in Washington's Western Olympic Mountains.
    Red Huckleberry
  • The red huckleberry is one of the best-tasting wild berries that can be found in abundance in the Pacific Northwest, and can be found in shaded forests along the Pacific coasts from Central California to Southeastern Alaska west of the Cascades, and can reach a height of 3 to 12 feet - often in association with rotting wood. Tasting a little more like a cranberry than some of the other darker huckleberry varieties, the red huckleberry is sweet with a very pleasing tartness, and is a valuable food source for deer, mountain beavers, mountain goats, and elk - especially in wintertime where many of the late berries persist after the first snow. These were found growing in the Hoh Rainforest in Washington's Western Olympic Mountains.
    Red Huckleberry
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