Mast producing trees and shrubs are most often valued for their beauty and wildlife uses, but many types of hard and soft mast are also edible by humans. Among the most popular native edible fruits and nuts are:
- black walnuts
- pecans and hickory nuts
- wild plums and cherries
- blackberries and raspberries
- blueberries, huckleberries, and cranberries
- elderberries
- currants and gooseberries
- mulberries
- pawpaws
- persimmons
Some native edible species have been largely replaced by more prolific cultivated species from Eurasia, including many of North America’s native apples, hazelnuts, and chestnuts.
Other native edible species were widely used by American Indian tribes for food, but are lesser known as edible plants today, including oaks, serviceberries, chokeberries, salal, and some viburnums.
For a large and growing collection of fruit and nut recipes online, check out our Delicious account: Fruit and Nut Recipes.
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