• Wood sorrel is a common edible plant in Pennsylvania.redwood sorrel image by Carbonbrain from Fotolia.com
  
  People have always looked to the land for sustenance, from ancient indigenous people to America's early colonists. With a humid continental climate and diverse topography, Pennsylvania is home to a wide variety of edible plants and animals that have served foragers for hundreds of years. The largely mountainous state receives consistent moisture year-round through snow melt and summer rainfall, creating a perfect growing environment for a veritable pantry of wild plants and, as a result, abundant wildlife.
  
  

Plants

• Sometimes called pigweed, purslane is a low-growing, herbaceous plant that is readily identifiable by its fleshy, broad-tipped leaves and yellow flowers, which have five petals. The leaves, seeds and stems are edible raw but can also be cooked.
  
  Also called groundnut, spring beauty is a one-foot-tall, thin-stemmed perennial that grows in damp soil, often in marshy areas. Only the corm, or bulb, is edible and can be used as a potato substitute.
  
  A commonly found wild and garden plant, common violet is recognizable by its sweet-smelling blue flowers and large heart-shaped leaves. Only the young leaves and flowers of violet are edible. The seeds, rhizome and fruit are poisonous.
  
  Also called ramp or wild onion, wild leeks are members of the lily family that enjoys growing in moist, humus-rich soil. Leeks grow upright and reach one foot in height. They have flat, sword-shaped leaves. A tall flower stalk emerges in midsummer with white or pink blooms. The leaves and bulbs of wild leeks are edible. Take care when harvesting wild leek as they resemble certain highly poisonous plants in the region and should only be eaten if a strong onion-like smell is present.
  
  One of the most common plants in Pennsylvania, wood sorrel resembles clover with yellow five-petaled flowers. The young leaves can be eaten raw, although only in small amounts, since larger amounts can have an adverse effect on the kidneys.
  
  

Berries

• Strawberries grow readily in the humid landscape of Pennsylvania, although the wild plants are generally smaller and have fewer berries than cultivated varieties. The plants are easily recognizable and have many of the same characteristics as garden varieties, such as groupings of three-toothed leaves, prickly stems and white flowers. Flowering occurs in late spring and fruit is set in midsummer.
  
  Also called checkerberry and teaberry, wintergreen is a creeping herb that grows in acidic soil, generally in moist woods. The plant has shiny, evergreen leaves with white five-lobed flowers. An easy way to identify wintergreen is to crush the leaves, which produces a strong mint or eucalyptus smell. The leaves and fruit are edible, but those sensitive to aspirin should avoid consuming wintergreen, as it may irritate sensitive stomachs.
  
  The large, bright-red fruit of the cranberry is its most distinguishing characteristic, but it can be identified by its trailing growth habit and small, ovular leaves, which are leathery and dark-green in color. Cranberries are generally found in bogs or marshes and wherever water and acidic soil is plentiful.
  
  

Animals

• The most common animals hunted for their meat are white-tailed deer, eastern cottontail rabbits and elk, although many other animals have been hunted in the past for sustenance, such as muskrat, squirrel and beaver.
  
  Edible birds in Pennsylvania include wild turkey, pheasant and pigeon. Pennsylvania has many edible species of fish, as well, including walleye, trout, musky, panfish, steelhead and bass, as well as bluegill and crappie.