Many blooms and berries are more than just attractive—they can also be delectable.
I particularly like to preserve common blue violet blooms, redbud tree blossoms, elderberries, and autumn olive berries. Luckily, I can forage for them near where I live. Most can be found growing wild in many parts of North America and are plentiful enough to be harvested sustainably. One of my favorite ways to preserve their beauty and flavor for winter is to make jelly.
If you, too, want to put up these vibrant wild preserves, first be certain you can properly identify them, and know which parts are edible. If in doubt, get a good identification book, or ask an experienced friend to accompany you on a foraging excursion.
Wild Violet
plants bloom with delicate little bluish-purple flowers in early spring and intermittently throughout summer. Though all of the 100-plus varieties of violets are edible, I find the common blue violet to be the tastiest.
