With more than 50 berries indigenous to the Alaskan wilderness, it's little wonder that berries were a large part of the traditional Native Alaskan diet. While berries are by far the most palatable of Alaska's wild plants, certain tree leaves, tree barks and flowers are edible as well.
Blueberries grow wild in Alaska and ripen in late August through late September. Look for dark blue berries during; the darker the blueberry, the riper and sweeter it is.
Raspberry bushes are thorny, and the raspberries are often found behind the leaves of the bush. As with blueberries, the darker the fruit, the sweeter the flavor. Raspberries ripen late summer through early autumn.
Salmonberries are similar to raspberries in appearance, except that the ripe salmonberry is a pinkish-orange, or salmon, color. They are not as flavorful as raspberries. Salmonberries grow best in sunny areas and ripen in late August.
Unlike berries, tree leaves are generally only considered a food source in desperate situations. The young leaves of birch, cottonwood willow, and spruce are edible, as is the inner bark of these trees.
The most palatable of Alaska's edible wild flowers is the dandelion, which can be used in salads or made in to wine. The flowers on berry bushes are edible, as are goldenrod, wild geraniums and clover.
