Kudzu is a fairly recent addition to the Southern landscape. We all know it’s invasive, but how exactly did it get here? Ironically, kudzu is a rare and treasured plant in its native Japan. It’s cultivated as an ornamental vine in gardens and prized for its purple blooms.

This week’s plant for #WildEdibleWednesday is Rhus typhina, or Staghorn Sumac. Dramatic and exotic-looking with its bright red fruiting bodies, sumac is part of the Anacardiaceae family of plants that includes cashews, mangoes, and pistachios, as well as Brazilian pepper, poison ivy, and poison oak.

“If you’ve ever taken one of our courses at SARCRAFT, there’s a 100% chance we’ve at least mentioned Plantain, if not shown you how to use it. We’ve always said that if you’re going to learn one edible and medicinal plant, it should be this one.”

“One of the most important, yet most neglected, aspects of wilderness living is personal hygiene. In our experience, most guys behave like unwashed heathens in the woods and won't shower, shave, or brush their teeth for weeks at a time if they don't have to, but that's a recipe for trouble.”

“Henbit season is actually tapering off – it prefers cooler temperatures and rarely thrives in the hottest parts of summer except in cool, moist areas. But it’s still out there, so if you want to try it this year, get it while the getting’s good! Like so many of the plants we’ve covered, check your lawn first.”

“Primitive shelters ain't all they're cracked up to be. If you've studied many "survival tips" websites or quick reference guides, you get the impression that simple debris huts are all you need to stay warm and dry in any conditions. If you've ever slept in one, though... well, that's a different matter.”

“So named because the flowers bloom and die in a day, it’s probably a familiar plant to most of us. I think almost everyone had a grandmother who grew them in her garden, and even if not, you’ve certainly seen them on summer roadsides. They bring back happy memories for me of speeding down unkempt backroads in early summer with the windows rolled down…. “

“Last week we showed you how to use a wooden toggle as a quick-release system for hanging your tarps... but that's just the tip of the toggle iceberg. Like a shemagh, or a poncho, a wooden toggle is a blank canvas that is only limited by your imagination.”

“The Greeks dedicated the flower to Artemis, the goddess of femininity, as it was useful for treating women’s issues and was thought to bring fertility. Even today, it’s considered good luck in some circles for women who are trying to get pregnant to leave daisies at the ruins of temples dedicated to Artemis.”

“Tarp, ponchos, and emergency blankets are three of the most crucial elements of modern, fast-action shelters. And for those shelters to be effective, they need to be built correctly. But hanging them can be a pain if you don’t have much experience with it.”

“Most of our students do well under our instruction. They fill a hole in their skill set, come to a course every now and then, and wish us well. That’s okay. And then there are those who are here every time the doors are open, those who bring an already respectable skill set to the table and build it into something truly remarkable. That’s Stephen Hendrix.”

“As medicine advances and more and more compounds are synthesized from natural sources, maybe it’s time we humbled ourselves and realized that the ancients knew what they were talking about.”

“Just like everything else, there's a right way and a wrong way to baton wood. Or to put it differently, there's a more efficient way and a less efficient way. Even something as simple as this can still be optimized and done better.”

“It goes by a weird plethora of alternate names, including Creeping Charlie, Gill-Over-the-Ground, Hedgemaid, Tun-hoof, Runaway Robin, Lizzy-Run-Up-the-Hedge, Catsfoot, and Alehoof. No, not kidding. And don’t ask me how half those names came to be, other than people in the British Isles got bored.”

“They won’t catch a spark, but if you have an open flame, they’ll burn easily. Lighting one is like starting a mini tire fire. Even the small ones will burn for 10-15mins in all conditions, including rain and high winds, and they're virtually impossible to put out.”

“Once you have purslane on your property, you’ve got it forever. There’s no getting rid of it, and the harder you try, the more it spreads. It’s fire-resistant, pretty indifferent to most herbicides, and pulling it only breaks the roots into fragments that turn into more plants. So the moral of the story is… if you can’t beat it, eat it!”

“While processing firewood this way is more work on the front end than just gathering it up and trying to burn it, the rewards are well worth it. You’ll be blessed with fires that are easier to start, less likely to die, don’t smoke as much, and put off more heat.”

“Although it sounds like an alt-metalcore band name (at least to me), purple dead nettle is another common “lawn weed” that you’ve probably walked by every day without knowing what it was. Closely related to Henbit (which we’ll feature in a few weeks) purple dead nettle has a great range of edible and medicinal uses.”

“While you can certainly carry a 9-volt battery and steel wool into the woods (there are a few pieces of gear left that still take 9-volts), I consider this to be more of a MacGyver skill.”

“Vetch has fed humans for thousands of years. It’s been a forgotten companion to us that helped us leave the nomadic lifestyle of the stone age, settle down, and build civilizations. Although it’s rarely eaten in the modern era, you owe it to your ancient ancestors to give it a shot and eat it at least a time or two.”

“But you only have so many pockets, and your pack is usually full of stuff already. So like any good marsupial, you need a pouch. The solution to this is to carry a military mag dump pouch (or a carpenter's nail pouch) with you so you can easily collect resources as you go.”

“Our belief is that there are no masters in this field, only students. And the greatest experts are the ones who realize this, are the most committed to their own growth and development. Such is the case with our brother Bill Reese.”

“The violet had great significance to the ancient Athenians, who wove necklaces and garlands out of European sweet violet blossoms for revelers to wear at their wild, wine-fueled spring equinox festivals. They believed violet moderated anger, strengthened the heart, and helped prevent “wine fumes” and next-day hangover headaches. “

“Need water but can't locate a good source? In certain areas (rarely in GA, but it happens) you might be a good ways away from a creek or stream, or it might be a time of drought and sources may be dried up. If that's your situation, consider the grapevine.”

“Redbud seems to have taken root in the culture of whatever area it grows in. For most native tribes, the charcoal from redbud wood was the color of choice for their black war paint, which symbolized power and aggression.”

“When we’re kids, we know that down is south and up is north. Where a compass points is where Santa lives, and it’s at the top of the map. Life is simple. But when we become men (and women), start doing land nav, and put away childish things, it gets a little more complicated.”

“Chickweed is one of the hardiest and most common plants on earth. Native to northern Europe, it has naturalized on every continent – even Antarctica.”