Field Garlic and Onions (Allium vineale): At this time of year, field garlic and onions are going to seed. The immature seed cloves (shaped like a globe at the top of a scape) can be used like seasoning, just like garlic or onions.
Lamb's Quarters (Chenopodium berlandieri): A delicious, prolific, and nutritious spinach substitute.
Spicebush twigs and leaves (Lindera) : the twigs and leaves of this fragrant bush make excellent tea. Just don't dry them out - they'll lose their flavor.
Wood Sorrel (Oxalis acetosella): This tender, sour green is a favorite among the youngest foragers. Best eaten raw in a salad, but also makes fantastic pesto or lemonade.
Mulberries (Morus): a sweet, early berry that colors our city streets in purple splotches. Great for snacking on raw, or adding to ice cream, smoothies or granola. Also makes a great pie.
Sweet Cicely/Anise Root (Osmorhiza): a native root that smells and tastes like licorice when injured. Great in any dish or drink that would benefit from some anise-like flavors:
Elderberry flowers (Sambucus): elder flowers, which precede the berries, are fragrant and delicate in taste - great for desserts and drinks.
Cattail hearts (Typha): a versatile and delicious wild vegetable. At this time of year, the edible parts are the tender centers or hearts of new shoots. Eat them raw or lightly cooked - they taste like a mix of cucumber and squash.
Grape leaves and tails (Vitis): the leaves are great for preserving and stuffing - like dolmas - and the little curly tails the grapes use to climb make a great tart snack or salad addition.
Common Mallow (Malva neglecta): a very common invasive with edible leaves, flowers, seed pods (called cheeses) and roots. Mallow is nutty and nutritious and acts a bit like okra when cooked (a thickener).
Milkweed buds (Asclepias syriaca) : blanch or steam first to get rid of the bitter latex. Then, treat like you would a broccoli or pickle as a great caper substitute!