Now
16°C · Partly cloudy
Today
16° / 8°
Rain, 7 days
6 mm
Season
Fall · frost in ~17 d
Foraging around Yellowknife
AI field guide · refreshed weeklyYellowknife Foraging: Early Fall Harvest (September)
In season now
Labrador Tea (Rhododendron groenlandicum)
Where: Dry tundra, open woodlands, and peat bogs throughout the region
Evergreen shrub with narrow, leathery leaves (rolled edges, rusty underside); harvest leaves year-round but best before frost. Steep fresh or dried leaves for a mild, slightly minty tea.
Look-alikes: Bog rosemary (Andromeda) has similar leaves but lacks the rusty underside and is less aromatic; safe to confuse but less flavorful.
Cloudberry (Rubus chamaemorus)
Where: Wet tundra, muskeg, and boggy areas across the tundra
Low herbaceous plant with palmate leaves; golden-amber berries ripen in late August through September. Eat fresh or preserve; tart and aromatic.
Look-alikes: Baked-apple berry (Rubus arcticus) is smaller and darker (red-purple); both are edible but cloudberry is more prized.
Crowberry (Empetrum nigrum)
Where: Tundra, rocky outcrops, and open woodlands
Tiny evergreen shrub with needle-like leaves; small black berries persist into fall. Eat fresh or dried; slightly tart and resinous.
Look-alikes: None dangerous; easily identified by tiny black berries and needle foliage.
Lingonberry / Partridgeberry (Vaccinium vitis-idaea)
Where: Dry tundra, rocky areas, and open boreal forest
Low evergreen shrub with small oval leaves; bright red berries ripen September through October. Eat fresh, cook into jam, or dry; tart and slightly sweet.
Look-alikes: Cranberry (Vaccinium oxycoccos) grows in wetter areas and has more delicate stems; both edible but lingonberry is more abundant here.
Fireweed Seedpods (Chamerion angustifolium)
Where: Disturbed areas, roadsides, and open ground throughout the region
Tall plant with narrow leaves and distinctive long seed pods splitting into fluffy down; harvest green pods in early September before they open. Lightly cook or pickle.
Look-alikes: None dangerous; seedpods are distinctive.
Willow Catkins & Young Leaves (Salix spp.)
Where: Streambanks, wetlands, and disturbed areas
Multiple species; young leaves and catkins are edible raw or cooked and rich in vitamin C. Harvest tender growth; catkins appear in spring but young leaves persist into fall.
Look-alikes: None dangerous; all Salix species are edible.
Coming soon
Rose Hips (Rosa acicularis, R. woodsii)
Bright red hips appear after frost and persist through winter; rich in vitamin C. Dry, steep for tea, or make syrup.
Bearberry (Arctostaphylos uva-ursi)
Red berries ripen in late September; mealy texture. Eat fresh or cook; used traditionally for pemmican.
Juniper Berries (Juniperus communis)
Dark blue-black cones ripen in fall; aromatic and warming. Use sparingly in cooking or steep for tea.
Safety in this area
- Grizzly and black bears are active in fall; make noise while foraging, carry bear spray, and never forage alone in remote areas.
- Most land in the region is Crown or Indigenous territory; respect closures and obtain permission before foraging on private land.
- Ticks are present in boreal areas; check yourself and pets after foraging in brush or tall grass.
- Poison ivy does not occur in Yellowknife's subarctic climate, but giant hogweed is absent here; focus on known edibles and use field guides specific to the NWT.
Foraging information is educational. Confirm every identification with a regional field guide or expert before eating anything wild.
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