I get the biggest smile on my face whenever I start one of these vids and see you standing out in nature ready to drop some knowledge on us, always a treat that helps open my eyes to unending beauty of this world. keep it up Adam, you're doing great work :~)
I have to say I don’t subscribe to many channels but yours is one of few. I’m gonna say this as a compliment but you NERD SO HARD on your content and I appreciate that because I share the same enthusiasm and often leave people bewildered by it. It’s refreshing to find a like mind. Thank you for the effort and enthusiasm you put into your content. I’m soaking it up from central missouri.
You know, Staghorn Sumac, it smells like citrus when you peel the bark in the spring. The red fuzzy berries can be used as a spice, and make a pink lemonade like drink.
I live in Central PA and I'm so glad I found this channel!! I've been looking for a good source of outdoorsy information for PA and now there's a whole channel of it! Thank you!
I really enjoyed your videos. You have educated me on many plants in a way that I can understand. You have a pleasant voice and a great big smile! Thank you.
This New York boy has to head out west sometime. There’s a few mushrooms out there on my bucket list. Nature has a broad spectrum and I’m only familiar with one color of it.
You may have solved a ridle for me. Once apon a time I used to be a truck driver and one winter I was out in Utah and Collorodo. The aroma of the smoke from peoples chimnies was magnifacent. I almost stoped driving to knock on somebodies door to find out what they where burning. But alass I had "promises to keep and miles to go before I sleep" :)
Wintergreen proper is actually a low growing ground plant with smooth green leaves and red berries. It was originally difficult to extract due to it needing a fermentation process to release the Wintergreen flavor as well as the small limited volume of plants. This is why they eventually switched to birch trees to produce "Wintergreen" . We used to enjoy picking Wintergreen leaves while hunting up in the mountains near Franklin PA. You would chew them and pack then in your cheek like a tobacco chaw and let them soak. After a breif period they would begin to slowly release the Wintergreen and be nice and refreshing. Regarding the FDA and Sassafras...What a travesty. One of the most retarded things that they ever did. As you mentioned the concentrations that rhey were dealing with were enormous. They used a concentrated syrup similar to maple syrup where they had to boil the sap down like fifty to a hundred gallons to one then noticed a slight increase in carcinogenic behavior....needless to say my one or two glasses of Sassafras tea I enjoy per year is not going to hurt me...i would be much more concerned with the pesticides sprayed on EVERTHING around me!
Not too often you learn something from a TH-cam comment! xD I love adding wintergreen leaves and birch twigs in my tea cup, it makes a very strong brew. I’m jealous of your sassafras findings, I’ve yet to see any in my area of upstate New York. Maybe I’m just not looking in the right areas. One of my friends said she has seen a couple in her time in the woods. Also, I hate the nanny state who placate to the lowest common denominator. Our culture is so sensitive, like our aversion to wild mushrooms and food. Like you said, the FDA does some retarded shit. They want to besmirch wild medicine and strengthen the pharmaceutical industry. Same reason cannabis had such a hard time gaining acceptance. It’s also the reason they want us deathly afraid of Covid, so they can make a trillion dollars on vaccines, but I digress.
I used to pick and eat wintergreen for the early part of my life, too. Until moved out of its range. It grows in Michigan and the northern half of Wisconsin too. I used to like the tender red berries the best. The leaves had a little bitterness to them as well as wintergreen. But the berries were just sweet and wintergreen. 😋
Please never stop making these vids!! I'm obsessed with forests and mushrooms and you have aided in that obsession of mine. You've taught me so much. I forage a couple times a week. I drink various foraged mushrooms in teas daily and i feel so much healthier as a result. Thanks Adam!
I'm glad to see someone talking about smell as a key to identification. I've sometimes seen things about the medicinal/food properties of the elderberry, but rarely does someone mention the smell - which is very distinctive.
Glad to hear you mention the bunk studies on safrole from the 60's. I ran across that info when I was around 12 and looking into how to make traditional root beer and I hardly ever hear anyone mention it.
Great vid. Was waiting on the spice bush to appear. Of note, some folks as allergic to tree of heaven and while just scratching and sniffing might be okay, those with the allergy might be cautious. Take care!
When the time is right, I make a black birtch beer. It is somewhat labersom but totally worth it(12 gallons of sap= 1 gallon of beer). It is like drinking sunshine. Thanks for this video Adam! I learned to help identify 2 trees I didnt know about. I will be looking. Southern Maine. Peace!
I love these types of identifiers. I'll always remember seeing my first Abies concolor (not knowing what it was) and taking a sample back to the landscaping shop I worked at. A new guy saw what I had, pulled off a needle, and chewed on the end. "Definitely Abies concolor", he declared. Concolor spruce needles taste like a piney tangerine. Thanks for the video!
You make learning fun. ❤ are any of the other trees edible? I would really love to learn about what trees are edible and what parts. I hope u do or got a video on that.
Hi Adam. Love your videos. Could you possibly make trips to other parts of our country (A lot to ask I know) to make videos. Specifically the midwest. Where live you mostly have to focus on that area. Would be cool to see you explore and make videos in other parts of North America. Peace ✌
Just found this channel and am delighted. On the subject of smelly trees I'd recommend mention of the Katsura tree. A Japanese import that smells like cotton candy from 30 feet away, but not if you get really close to a stand of them. I'm also an 18th century tour guide on a colonial era farm and Stinging Nettle is a part of my every intro tour.
CorwynGC never really understood or appreciated the smell of trees...until I brought home some birch polypore mushroom and made tea....few weeks later while walking in nature I passed a birch tree and the air I took in was miraculous.was so cool to be able to identify that smell and appreciate nature for giving me opportunity to have such a joyful aroma.
Happy Thanksgiving Adam! I love your videos. You helped me be confident in identifying so many natural foods this year; My favorite was a maitake I found in Harrison Hills (PA). It lasted for weeks! Keep doing what you're doing, it's awesome work.
I actually was able to get a hold of three little Spicebush seedlings this spring. I have them in my veggie garden for winter protection up here in Canada but they will be fine. I'm a USDA 4. I do have to choose their forever home in the spring though since they don't like their roots disturbed. Great video as always, thanks so much.
I guess I'll start to smell the trees i find too :) . I'll try to figure out if there are more trees that have specific smells that allows them to be identified by smell. Thanks for the tip.
I got the buckeye right away because I have one in my front yard. The dead twigs are also extremely light weight and almost crumble in your hand. Most other trees have twigs that remain brittle for a while after they fall, but dead buckeye twigs don't have any snap to them, and you can hardly pick a branch up without it falling apart.
I know of 4 black walnut, sumach, river birch and sassafras I use to think spice bush was a tree. Didn't mean to brag I saw the title and thought of it as a quiz so I put down my comment before watching the video this has been my passion since I was 8 but I don't claim to know it all I have a lot to learn mushrooms are my hardest plant to identify I will not attempt to pick them and I've never hunt
The spice bush I reside always cold and spicewood is also very good to adding to your pot and cooking meat. It is a very good meat tenderizer. When preparing a tough meet like an older groundhog break up or crush several small limbs and added to your pot when boiling or even pre-boiling that tough meat. To savor the flavor pre boil whatever meat then cool or chill so the fat rises for easy removal. Then return your pot back to the stove for making stew and add whatever vegetables. One key ingredient for stews is always chopped potatoes.
I love watching your videos because I am also in SWPA, so I know these plants are in my area and makes me want to go exploring. Would you ever think about doing a foraging class (once the pandemic ends)?
I have been your subscriber for a while now and was excitingly happy and surprised you are in Pittsburgh,where I am right now...I immediately sent email to join your website...waiting for future foraging class and walk....
Adam can you help clarify what trees or mushroom combos to avoid ? I’ve heard of chicken of the woods growing on pine making people sick but also about the how some such as cauliflower mushroom are a delicacy that seem to love pine and not give any issue? It’s very confusing arra
"Smells like the spray of a skunk." ::sniffs again:: And here i thought the Scratch 'n' Sniff was for kids! lol Love your videos, I learn a lot from them and you're a very good teacher. I've been able to identify a number of species in my area (western MA) that share geographical distribution with your area thanks to your videos. (And Tree of Heaven is very, very invasive out here.)
Try Balm of Gilliad, an common tree in the north central states. In the spring it is very pungent, the scent dominates the air when the buds are forming.
Adam I enjoy your videos. I guess I have smelled and tasted all the trees except for the buckeye. I was always told the nuts are poisonous. My Dad told me when times were so hard during the depression that some people ate possum seasoned with spice bush. Turkeys really love the spice bush red berries in the fall.
Bay laurel wood smells like its flowers. I learned this when everything above ground on my 16 year old bay laurel died in the 2021 Texas winter storm. Even 8 months later when I cut wood down it smells like the bay flowers.
I also heard black/yellow birch were possibly used by indigenous people to brush teeth by chewing on a twig to make it a fibrous toothbrush. Interesting stuff.
Tree-of-heaven is an invasive tree species found in much of the United States. The spotted lanternfly, a non-native, invasive, and destructive insect new to the United States, prefers tree-of-heaven as a food source.
I never thought to "scratch n sniff" branches, but I will now, starting with the trees I do know )) Suggestion: vertical branch backed by vertical lines of the jacket make them pretty much invisible. Hold the branches diagonally with this jacket will make them more visible. GOOD closeups!! Try not to shake the samples. They become a whir of "something indistinguishable in your hand". THANKS )))))
Good report, Adam, Thanks! You will not be surprised to know that the ideogram for pleasant-sounding "tree of heaven" in Chinese characters is essentially "tree that smells foul"! Happy Thanksgiving!
I'm glad that I can watch a man sniff twigs for 16 minutes and be completely entertained.
😉😊
😂
That was meant for the previous reply about being entertained
I truly enjoy your videos and have learned much from them. Thanks!
lol so true
I get the biggest smile on my face whenever I start one of these vids and see you standing out in nature ready to drop some knowledge on us, always a treat that helps open my eyes to unending beauty of this world.
keep it up Adam, you're doing great work :~)
Same here!!!
Scratch and sniff foraging booklet on the horizon?
Nice video.
What a wonderful instructor you are, you have a gift of being thorough and accessible, thank you.
I have to say I don’t subscribe to many channels but yours is one of few. I’m gonna say this as a compliment but you NERD SO HARD on your content and I appreciate that because I share the same enthusiasm and often leave people bewildered by it. It’s refreshing to find a like mind. Thank you for the effort and enthusiasm you put into your content. I’m soaking it up from central missouri.
I'll be smelling twigs on my walk in the woods today. Very inspirational video as always. Thanks.
You know, Staghorn Sumac, it smells like citrus when you peel the bark in the spring. The red fuzzy berries can be used as a spice, and make a pink lemonade like drink.
Yes! That is the one I was waiting for, too.
@@anyascelticcreations Yes, and Sycamores have a distinct odor. So do Cottonwood buds, bruised Silver Maple twigs and bruised Boxelder twigs.
this is literally the best thing I've watched lately. can't wait to sniff twigs
I live in Central PA and I'm so glad I found this channel!! I've been looking for a good source of outdoorsy information for PA and now there's a whole channel of it! Thank you!
This was great - thank you! I’d love to see more like this. The more details the better - it’s fun getting to know the personality of each species.
I really enjoyed your videos. You have educated me on many plants in a way that I can understand. You have a pleasant voice and a great big smile! Thank you.
Great informative video! In the Sierra Nevadas of California the Ponderosa Pine has bark that smells like vanilla & it is eatable. It smells lovely!
I absolutely love the smell of Ponderosa bark!
Are you fortunate enough to live in the Sierra Nevadas? Unique, beautiful area!
This New York boy has to head out west sometime. There’s a few mushrooms out there on my bucket list. Nature has a broad spectrum and I’m only familiar with one color of it.
You may have solved a ridle for me. Once apon a time I used to be a truck driver and one winter I was out in Utah and Collorodo. The aroma of the smoke from peoples chimnies was magnifacent. I almost stoped driving to knock on somebodies door to find out what they where burning. But alass I had "promises to keep and miles to go before I sleep" :)
Mcloganator , I’m so glad You have experienced that!
Always professional, informative....a real pleasure.
Wintergreen proper is actually a low growing ground plant with smooth green leaves and red berries. It was originally difficult to extract due to it needing a fermentation process to release the Wintergreen flavor as well as the small limited volume of plants. This is why they eventually switched to birch trees to produce "Wintergreen" . We used to enjoy picking Wintergreen leaves while hunting up in the mountains near Franklin PA. You would chew them and pack then in your cheek like a tobacco chaw and let them soak. After a breif period they would begin to slowly release the Wintergreen and be nice and refreshing.
Regarding the FDA and Sassafras...What a travesty. One of the most retarded things that they ever did. As you mentioned the concentrations that rhey were dealing with were enormous. They used a concentrated syrup similar to maple syrup where they had to boil the sap down like fifty to a hundred gallons to one then noticed a slight increase in carcinogenic behavior....needless to say my one or two glasses of Sassafras tea I enjoy per year is not going to hurt me...i would be much more concerned with the pesticides sprayed on EVERTHING around me!
Not too often you learn something from a TH-cam comment! xD
I love adding wintergreen leaves and birch twigs in my tea cup, it makes a very strong brew. I’m jealous of your sassafras findings, I’ve yet to see any in my area of upstate New York. Maybe I’m just not looking in the right areas. One of my friends said she has seen a couple in her time in the woods.
Also, I hate the nanny state who placate to the lowest common denominator. Our culture is so sensitive, like our aversion to wild mushrooms and food. Like you said, the FDA does some retarded shit. They want to besmirch wild medicine and strengthen the pharmaceutical industry. Same reason cannabis had such a hard time gaining acceptance. It’s also the reason they want us deathly afraid of Covid, so they can make a trillion dollars on vaccines, but I digress.
I used to pick and eat wintergreen for the early part of my life, too. Until moved out of its range. It grows in Michigan and the northern half of Wisconsin too. I used to like the tender red berries the best. The leaves had a little bitterness to them as well as wintergreen. But the berries were just sweet and wintergreen. 😋
Another great video Adam, thank you for sharing your knowledge.
Man your videos are so informative! Nothing unnecessary and all concise and informative!
Adam, I love your channel! I've learned so much from your expertise.
I always imagine you saying "greetings, Earthlings." in your intro. lol
ILove identifying trees! Thank you for giving me another way to do it. You’re awesome😻
Thank you Adam for another great video !! 😊
So great to use multiple senses to identify plants!
You make winter a little better. Thank You
so happy i found this channel ive been wanting to get into botany, specifically in northeast america, and this is perfect....
Please never stop making these vids!! I'm obsessed with forests and mushrooms and you have aided in that obsession of mine. You've taught me so much. I forage a couple times a week. I drink various foraged mushrooms in teas daily and i feel so much healthier as a result. Thanks Adam!
..You're Smile, Makes Me Smile.. 😃 ☺
..thank you♡.
Hi Adam! I love your videos! Thank you for being such a great teacher! Love and blessings brother! ♥️
TOTALLY fun and informative to watch! We are from Western PA. and we learn a lot from watching you.
Thank you Adam for your videos!
AP...Thx 4 sharing ur time and expertise with us!🌻
I'm glad to see someone talking about smell as a key to identification. I've sometimes seen things about the medicinal/food properties of the elderberry, but rarely does someone mention the smell - which is very distinctive.
I live in Southern Quebec in Canada I really love your videos and it has been helping me a lot! Thank you very much.
thank you for making your videos! theyre all so awesome!
Fascinating to hear of this means of identification ,:)Terrific ...👍
You are just full of great and useful information! Thanks!!!
Glad to hear you mention the bunk studies on safrole from the 60's. I ran across that info when I was around 12 and looking into how to make traditional root beer and I hardly ever hear anyone mention it.
Thank you Adam! I always love your videos and learn so much.
Love your channel! Thanks for the knowledge.
How incredibly interesting! Thank you Adam.
I truly appreciate what you are doing with you videos. Please continue. You are doing an excellent job of teaching us.
Thank you for this presentation.
Adam, love all your stuff!
Thank you for sharing this wonderful information!!!
Great vid. Was waiting on the spice bush to appear.
Of note, some folks as allergic to tree of heaven and while just scratching and sniffing might be okay, those with the allergy might be cautious.
Take care!
Happy Friday!
When the time is right, I make a black birtch beer. It is somewhat labersom but totally worth it(12 gallons of sap= 1 gallon of beer). It is like drinking sunshine. Thanks for this video Adam! I learned to help identify 2 trees I didnt know about. I will be looking. Southern Maine. Peace!
Someone told me that Birch sap makes the "champagne of syrups", so it sounds like it also makes the other "champagne of beers". ☺️
I love these types of identifiers. I'll always remember seeing my first Abies concolor (not knowing what it was) and taking a sample back to the landscaping shop I worked at. A new guy saw what I had, pulled off a needle, and chewed on the end. "Definitely Abies concolor", he declared. Concolor spruce needles taste like a piney tangerine. Thanks for the video!
Skunk smell is great. From actual skunk, Marijuanas, etc. What a lovely smell. In the right dosage of course.
3:00 - *Sassafras Albidum* Smells like "Fruit Loops." Safrole for root beer!
5:30 - *Betula Lenta* Black Birch Methyl Salicylate smells like Wintergreen
7:10 - *Betula Alleghaniensis* Yellow Birch Also smells like wintergreen
8:25 - *Aesculus Glabra* Ohio Buckeye Disagreeable like Skunk Cabbage - Fetid Buckeye
10:30 - *Ailanthus Altissima* Tree of Heaven Burnt peanut butter/popcorn - Stink Tree
12:40 - *Lindera Benzoin* Spicebush Smells like PineSol
Thanks for showing us and take care.
I will be in Clearfield this weekend. I will be checking out the camp's woods. Thanks for all the information.
This guy should be labeled a national treasure
You make learning fun. ❤ are any of the other trees edible? I would really love to learn about what trees are edible and what parts. I hope u do or got a video on that.
I make tea with spice bush, yellow and black birch twigs. Spicebush is my favorite, probably because birch is so common.
Making an infused oil or tincture out of mature black birch bark can increase healing by 3x the rate.
Well sassafras used to be used as the root beer flavoring.
Great video. I knew a few of them, but learned some new ones. Thanks for the post.
you have a very organized mind
good show!! jolly good show indeed ⛄🎄
Hi Adam. Love your videos. Could you possibly make trips to other parts of our country (A lot to ask I know) to make videos. Specifically the midwest. Where live you mostly have to focus on that area. Would be cool to see you explore and make videos in other parts of North America. Peace ✌
Just found this channel and am delighted. On the subject of smelly trees I'd recommend mention of the Katsura tree. A Japanese import that smells like cotton candy from 30 feet away, but not if you get really close to a stand of them. I'm also an 18th century tour guide on a colonial era farm and Stinging Nettle is a part of my every intro tour.
What a great idea for a video, identifying trees by smell. Seriously.
CorwynGC never really understood or appreciated the smell of trees...until I brought home some birch polypore mushroom and made tea....few weeks later while walking in nature I passed a birch tree and the air I took in was miraculous.was so cool to be able to identify that smell and appreciate nature for giving me opportunity to have such a joyful aroma.
Terrific video Adam! Hope that you had a nice Turkey Day & that you & your family enjoy the Holidays!
Thanks for such a great video!
Spicebush can get 20-30ft tall in the lower Hudson Valley. Here in the hills of the Finger Lakes it's smallish and often dies out within 10-15 years
First person I've seen show identity by green limb. Hell yeah!! Rock O!!!
Hey man. Nice videos, happy Thanksgiving
Great informative video !
We were waiting for the sweet gum and walnut, 2 fragrant trees.
Enjoyed this video.
Happy Thanksgiving Adam!
I love your videos. You helped me be confident in identifying so many natural foods this year; My favorite was a maitake I found in Harrison Hills (PA). It lasted for weeks!
Keep doing what you're doing, it's awesome work.
I really enjoy your channel sir - thank you!
Love your work Adam! My only suggestion would be to include distribution maps
Excellent resource of incredible information! Tysm🌳🌱☘️
I actually was able to get a hold of three little Spicebush seedlings this spring. I have them in my veggie garden for winter protection up here in Canada but they will be fine. I'm a USDA 4. I do have to choose their forever home in the spring though since they don't like their roots disturbed. Great video as always, thanks so much.
I guess I'll start to smell the trees i find too :) .
I'll try to figure out if there are more trees that have specific smells that allows them to be identified by smell.
Thanks for the tip.
Sycamore. Very distinctive. (London Plane Tree)
I got the buckeye right away because I have one in my front yard. The dead twigs are also extremely light weight and almost crumble in your hand. Most other trees have twigs that remain brittle for a while after they fall, but dead buckeye twigs don't have any snap to them, and you can hardly pick a branch up without it falling apart.
Cool video, include black walnut in part 2!
What do you do to prevent getting ticks Adam?
Thanks for the info. I am living in PNW area and still you contents give me helpful information. Thanks a lot.
Ailanthus altissima is the species n the book A Tree Grows in Brooklyn.
I guessed correctly the first & the last. I always enjoy your videos.
Black walnut is another really good one for our area, I thought I'd see it here.
I know the leaves and husk smelly like lemony furniture polish, is it the same for the buds/twigs?
@@wmluna381 yes, they smell exactly like the hulls, but much more faint
What a fun video! I got some of these right. I was proud of myself. Lol.
Cool!
Cottonwood is a another one
Awesome! woodland scratch & sniff
I know of 4 black walnut, sumach, river birch and sassafras I use to think spice bush was a tree. Didn't mean to brag I saw the title and thought of it as a quiz so I put down my comment before watching the video this has been my passion since I was 8 but I don't claim to know it all I have a lot to learn mushrooms are my hardest plant to identify I will not attempt to pick them and I've never hunt
The spice bush I reside always cold and spicewood is also very good to adding to your pot and cooking meat. It is a very good meat tenderizer. When preparing a tough meet like an older groundhog break up or crush several small limbs and added to your pot when boiling or even pre-boiling that tough meat. To savor the flavor pre boil whatever meat then cool or chill so the fat rises for easy removal. Then return your pot back to the stove for making stew and add whatever vegetables. One key ingredient for stews is always chopped potatoes.
always learn from Adam.
I love watching your videos because I am also in SWPA, so I know these plants are in my area and makes me want to go exploring.
Would you ever think about doing a foraging class (once the pandemic ends)?
So interesting!
I have been your subscriber for a while now and was excitingly happy and surprised you are in Pittsburgh,where I am right now...I immediately sent email to join your website...waiting for future foraging class and walk....
Adam can you help clarify what trees or mushroom combos to avoid ? I’ve heard of chicken of the woods growing on pine making people sick but also about the how some such as cauliflower mushroom are a delicacy that seem to love pine and not give any issue? It’s very confusing arra
"Smells like the spray of a skunk." ::sniffs again::
And here i thought the Scratch 'n' Sniff was for kids! lol Love your videos, I learn a lot from them and you're a very good teacher. I've been able to identify a number of species in my area (western MA) that share geographical distribution with your area thanks to your videos. (And Tree of Heaven is very, very invasive out here.)
Your AWESOME BRO
Try Balm of Gilliad, an common tree in the north central states. In the spring it is very pungent, the scent dominates the air when the buds are forming.
I don't know why, but I love these videos.
Adam I enjoy your videos. I guess I have smelled and tasted all the trees except for the buckeye. I was always told the nuts are poisonous. My Dad told me when times were so hard during the depression that some people ate possum seasoned with spice bush. Turkeys really love the spice bush red berries in the fall.
To me sassafras root smells like root beer. I think it used to be an ingredient in Root beer back in the old days!
Bay laurel wood smells like its flowers. I learned this when everything above ground on my 16 year old bay laurel died in the 2021 Texas winter storm. Even 8 months later when I cut wood down it smells like the bay flowers.
Isnt Yellow Birch used to make root beer or birch beer?
I also heard black/yellow birch were possibly used by indigenous people to brush teeth by chewing on a twig to make it a fibrous toothbrush. Interesting stuff.
Looking forward to a nice hot cup of Pine-Sol, burnt popcorn, stinking buckeye tea with a scone this morning!
Tree-of-heaven is an invasive tree species found in much of the United States. The spotted lanternfly, a non-native, invasive, and destructive insect new to the United States, prefers tree-of-heaven as a food source.
This was fun!
I never thought to "scratch n sniff" branches, but I will now, starting with the trees I do know )) Suggestion: vertical branch backed by vertical lines of the jacket make them pretty much invisible. Hold the branches diagonally with this jacket will make them more visible. GOOD closeups!! Try not to shake the samples. They become a whir of "something indistinguishable in your hand". THANKS )))))
Good report, Adam, Thanks! You will not be surprised to know that the ideogram for pleasant-sounding "tree of heaven" in Chinese characters is essentially "tree that smells foul"! Happy Thanksgiving!