Article Overview: Poisonous plants and berries in Alaska
Alaska is one of the few places you can still truly live off the land. The beautifully rugged landscapes of the 49th state are rich in resources and available for anyone willing to learn how to tap into them. Whether you’re looking to enrich your life off the grid, you’re an outdoor enthusiast, or you simply need berries to make a pie; there are few things you should be aware of when foraging in the last frontier. In this article, we’ll cover everything you need to know about the poisonous plants and berries in Alaska.
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My Experience with Poisonous Plants & Berries in Alaska
When I was growing up, I practically lived in the woods. I’d spend all my spare time there, building forts, fishing in ponds, and pretending to John Thornton from “The Call of the Wild.” I picked up a lot of knowledge just by being out there, like figuring out that using poison ivy for “carpet flooring” in my forts was a terrible idea!
While learning through trial and error is valuable, sometimes it’s smarter, and less itchy, to learn from those who already know what they’re doing.
After living and working in Alaska alongside professional guides and long time resident hunter-gatherers, I’ve learned a few things about living off the land. Things like how to drive a skiff, catch a halibut, cook a beaver, and avoid the poisonous plants and berries in Alaska. Like, I’ve managed to avoid grabbing a devils club stalk for almost three years now! Baby steps, ya know.
Poisonous Plants & Berries in Alaska
Table of Contents:
Table of contents
- Why Trust Us
- My Experience with Poisonous Plants & Berries in Alaska
- Poisonous Plants & Berries in Alaska
- Poisonous Plants in Alaska
- Poisonous Plants in Alaska: Flowers
- Less Poisonous Plants in Alaska
- Poisonous Plants in Alaska: Berries
- Inedible or Mildly Poisonous Berries in Alaska
- Poisonous Plants & Berries in Alaska (Post Summary)
- Poisonous Plants in Alaska: Conclusion
- Poisonous Plants and Berries in Alaska: Resources & References
Poisonous Plants in Alaska
Alaska certainly has some poisonous plants and berries in it, but compared to other parts of the world, they shouldn’t be your biggest concern. Unless you’re going around eating even plant you see, which I don’t recommend doing outside of a Ruby Tuesday’s salad bar. Anywho, here’s a list of Alaska’s less than friendly flora that you should do your best to avoid.
Devil’s Club (Oplopanax Horridus) – Toxic
This nasty bastard of a poisonous plant has battled me for years. The spiny shrub from hell proliferates throughout Alaska’s landscapes. We often joke that devils club tends to be the only available lifeline when scaling a steep hillside or riverbank. I’ve grabbed more than my fair share of this notoriously poisonous plant in Alaska. It’s barbs break off inside you and can take weeks to work themselves out. Very un-fun for sure.
While some folks claim Devil’s Club has medicinal values, like treating arthritis and digestive issues, its sharp spines and toxic properties make it a plant to avoid for casual foragers. Contact with Devil’s Club can cause painful skin irritation, and ingesting its berries or roots can lead to gastrointestinal distress. If you see this guy, just go the other way.
Water Hemlock (Cicuta Douglasii) – Lethal
Per the USDA, “Water Hemlock is the most violently toxic plant that grows in North America.” It grows in wet areas throughout Alaska, particularly along streams and marshes. Sometimes and unfortunately it is mistaken for edible wild parsnips. The deadly toxin in water hemlock, cicutoxin, can cause convulsions, seizures, respiratory failure, and death. While mature leaves and stems lose most of their toxicity, the entire plant is poisonous and should be avoided.
False Hellebore (Veratrum L.) – Toxic
False Hellebore, white and green, is a perennial herbaceous plant found in damp meadows, seepage areas, and hillsides throughout Alaska. It shoots up out of the snow in spring and flowers towards the end of the summer, in July and August. While mainly a concern for livestock, this poisonous plant in Alaska should be avoided by humans as well.
All parts of the pant are poisonous, the roots being the most toxic. If ingested symptoms can include; nausea, vomiting, slow breathing, irregular heartbeat, coma and convulsions. While certain species of the Veratrum have been used for homeopathic treatments, there isn’t much data to back it up. If you come across false hellebore in Alaska, leave this pretty and poisonous plant alone.
Poisonous Plants in Alaska: Flowers
In nature, pretty often means dangerous, a thorny rose for example. The same is true for these lovely poisonous flowering plants in Alaska.
Monkshood (Aconitum L.) – Lethal
If you’re hiking in Alaska, don’t even touch this purple princess of death, even skin contact with this poisonous plant is dangerous. Monkshood, also known as Wolfsbane or Aconite, is a highly toxic flowering plant found in woodlands, meadows and mid-alpine regions of Alaska. The plant’s distinctive blue-purple flowers and deeply lobed leaves make it easily recognizable, but its alkaloid toxins can cause severe symptoms if ingested, including vomiting, diarrhea, numbness, respiratory paralysis, or even death! Obviously, this poisonous plant in Alaska should be avoided at all costs.
Death Camas (Zigadenus Michx.) – Lethal
The aptly named Death Camas is a highly toxic plant found in various regions of North America, including Alaska. This deceptive little guy contains alkaloids that can cause severe poisoning and may be fatal if ingested. While mostly a concern for grazing livestock, foraging folks should take head as well. All parts of this poisonous plant, including bulbs, leaves, and flowers, contain toxic compounds. Ingestion of Death Camas can lead to symptoms such as gastrointestinal distress, tremors, convulsions, respiratory paralysis, and cardiac arrest.
Arrowgrass (Triglochin L.) – Lethal
Arrowgrass is a poisonous plant species found in the wetland areas across Alaska. While toxic arrowgrass is more of a concern for grazing livestock it can lethal to humans as well. The National parks service warns that “When Arrowgrass is dry, it contains hydrocyanic acid which, when ingested in quantity, can result in death from respiratory failure.”
Less Poisonous Plants in Alaska
Here’s a few more plants that aren’t as poisonous, but should be handled with care or avoided all together.
Cow Parsnip (Heracleum maximum) – Mildly Toxic
Cow Parsnip is a common plant found in wetlands, meadows, and Alaska’s moist, shaded, forest edges. While the plant itself is not typically considered toxic, coming into contact with its sap followed by exposure to sunlight, can cause some severe skin irritation. Nasty stuff like blistering, and discoloration that resembles burns.
While it might sound easy to avoid this strange looking plant that grows over six feet tall, it can catch you by surprise. In my experience the poisonous plant grows together and if you are hiking through a thick area you can find yourself in the middle of a big patch. Best to keep a long sleeve shirt for protection against this poisonous plant in Alaska.
Skunk Cabbage (Lysichiton Schott) – Mildly Toxic
Whenever I’ve been out on a black bear hunt in early spring I always see patches of this stuff half eaten and destroyed. While it seems bears really dig this stuff, I would suggest steering clear. It’s not considered toxic to humans, but all parts of the plant contain calcium oxalate crystals, which can cause irritation and discomfort if ingested raw. The plant’s leaves and roots have historically been used in traditional medicine and as food by indigenous peoples after proper preparation, which typically involves cooking or fermenting to remove the oxalates. Skunk Cabbage emits a strong odor when crushed, hence its name, but it is not harmful when handled.
Water Arum (Calla palustris) – Mildly Toxic
Water Arum, also known as Wild Calla, is a plant species found in wetland habitats across North America, including Alaska. All parts of the plant contain oxalic acid, which can cause irritation, swelling, and discomfort if ingested. It’s said that drying the plant out will neutralize the toxins. The plant’s leaves and roots have historically been used in traditional medicine by indigenous peoples.
Poisonous Plants in Alaska: Berries
Okay, so thankfully there are only a couple really poisonous berries in Alaska, with one notorious berry that is to be taken very seriously.
Baneberry (Actaea rubra) – Lethal
These tiny blood colored berries are the bane of all foraging folks existence. But seriously, the highly poisonous red Baneberry poses the most significant threat out of any berry in Alaska. Despite their attractive appearance, Baneberries are highly toxic! These femme fatales contain cardiogenic toxins that can cause cardiac arrest and other serious health complications.
While, Baneberries are’t typically lethal to humans because most people spit them out after tasting their extreme bitterness, they are a real threat. Ingestion of even small quantities can lead to severe gastrointestinal distress, including nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea, followed by more serious cardiac symptoms such as irregular heartbeat and elevated blood pressure. In extreme cases, consumption of the berries can prove fatal.
Devil’s Club Berries
I know we talked about this at the top, but I just wanted to remind everyone that devils club is an angry old hag of a poisonous plant in Alaska. The stalk, the roots, the leaves, the stem, and yes THE BERRIES should all be avoided like unwrapped candy on Halloween. I hate you devil’s club, I hate you.
Inedible or Mildly Poisonous Berries in Alaska
While these berries in Alaska might not be fatally poisonous, you still don’t want to ingest them. Kinda like those armadillo nachos from that bluegrass festival in bumf*ck Mississippi. They won’t kill you, but you might start growing hair in weird places and be pretty uncomfortable for awhile.
Black Twin-berry (Lonicera involucrata) – mildly toxic
Black Twinberry’s reputation is a real rollercoaster, ranging from “poisonous” to “useful as food” depending on who you ask, talk about mixed signals! Alongside its culinary versatility, it was also prized as a source of dye and boasted a laundry list of medicinal applications across various indigenous tribes. While indigenous populations may have used it for swellings, dandruff, wounds,, sore throats, burns, and itches, the bitter taste and risk of stomach irritation is enough for me to skip this one. But let me know if you’re brave enough to try and how that goes!
Snowberry (Symphoricarpos albus) – mildly toxic
Snowberries are mildly toxic to humans if ingested in large quantities. While the berries may cause gastrointestinal upset, including nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea, they are not typically considered lethal. Symphoricarpos albus, thrives in Alaska’s woodlands, reaching up to 4 feet in height with oval leaves growing up to 3 inches long. Its pink and white bell-shaped flowers bloom in June, followed by white, opaque berries in August. While birds rely on these berries as a winter food source, they are mild toxic to humans in large quantities due the presence of saponins.
This is another berry with a complex spectrum of uses. The St’át’imc people would use the roots and stems in a concoction to treat a spectrum of ailments, ranging from urinary issues to venereal diseases and even the fevers associated with teething sickness. Its so crazy to think about the potential medicines we miss out when we lose different cultures.
Red-Twig Dogwood (Cornus sericea) – unpalatable
Red-Twig Dogwood berries are generally considered non-toxic to humans and wildlife. While the berries are not typically consumed by humans due to their bitter taste and unpalatable texture, they are not known to be poisonous. However, Red-Twig Dogwood berries are considered inedible, bitter, and may cause stomach irritation.
Queen’s Cup (Clintonia uniflora) – unpalatable
Queens Cup berries are another Alaska plant that isn’t considered poisonous, but is generally considered inedible. The tiny blue berries are often eaten by birds and animals but shouldn’t be consumed by humans. While non-toxic they have a foul taste and are considered unpalatable.
Poisonous Plants & Berries in Alaska (Post Summary)
Just to recap, here’s a simple list of all the poisonous plants and berries in Alaska.
- Devil’s Club
- Water Hemlock
- False Hellebore
- Monkshood
- Death Camas
- Arrowgrass
- Cow Parsnip
- Skunk Cabbage
- Water Arum
- Baneberry
- Black Twin-berry
- Snowberry
- Red-Twig Dogwood
- Queen’s Cup
Poisonous Plants in Alaska: Conclusion
Alaska’s vast wilderness is home to a diverse array of plants and berries, some of which are poisonous and should be avoided. So if you plan on foraging in Alaska, familiarize yourself with these problem plants and berries. Always err on the side of caution, avoid consuming unknown plants or berries, and seek medical attention immediately if you suspect poisoning from a toxic plant or berry. With proper knowledge, some common sense, and awareness, you can navigate Alaska’s flora with confidence. Stay stay y’all and never top exploring!
Poisonous Plants and Berries in Alaska: Resources & References
We didn’t study botany at the University of Fairbanks and we certainly didn’t taste test all of the different flora in Alaska in order to come up with this list of poisonous plants and berries. However, we did do our research both on the ground with local resident foragers, and with the help of long trusted Alaska guides and resources. Here’s a list of some of our resources and references.
United States Department of Agriculture
USDA Agricultural Research Service
North Carolina Extension Gardner
Native American Ethnobotany Database
Alaska’s Wild Berries and Berry-like Fruit by Verna E. Pratt.
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