If you dare to leave the trail, you may find plants that scratch, sting, itch, and grab. These are plants I've dubbed, "confrontational flora."
Devil's club (Oplopanax horridus)
Devil's Club is the king of confrontational flora here on the Olympic Peninsula. There are irritating spines on the woody stems and on both the tops and bottoms of the leaves. It can grow up to 10 ft tall with leaves that are over a foot across. It grows as an understory shrub in dense moist evergreen forests. It can create a tall thicket that you really wouldn't want to try to bushwhack through.
Even so, the native peoples used this plant medicinally, as poultices and teas, and ceremonially, making it into face paint. A branch might be hung over the door to ward off evil. It was considered protective, possibly because of its diabolical spines. The roots and inner bark were used to treat arthritis, digestive tract ailments, diabetes, and other health problems. Of course, one would first have to carefully harvest it and scrape off all the spines. Ouch!
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Carefully venture past the tangled thicket for more confrontational plants.
Since I don't want to conflate "confrontational" with anything more negative than need be, I'm going limit my discussion to plants that are native to the Pacific Northwest. We have plenty of non-native and invasive species that also fall into the confrontational category - like the Himalayan blackberry (Rubus discolor).
There are two types of Oregon grape in our woods, the Tall Oregon Grape (Mahonia aquifolium) and the Dwarf Oregon Grape (Mahonia nervosa), both with spikes on the edges of their stiff evergreen leaves.
Oregon Grape (Mahonia aquifolium) with its spiky leaves
Why venture into a thicket of Oregon grape? Both types produce blue edible berries that are said to make good jelly if mixed with sweeter fruit. Shredded bark was used to make a bright yellow dye for decorating baskets. The bark and berries were also used medicinally.
Berry vines make a thorny thicket, but it may be worth fighting the thorns to harvest the berries.
Trailing blackberry (Rubus ursinus) vines
Trailing blackberries, true to their name, crawl across the ground and over stumps and logs. It's easy to get feet tangled in their prostrate vines and clothing hooked by the thorns. The blackberries are delicious. The Coast Salish used not only the berries, some of which they dried for winter, but also the leaves for tea and flavorings and both leaves and roots for medicines.
Salmonberry (Rubus spectabilis)
Our Salmonberry vines are starting to bloom now. This picture shows the lovely pink flower alongside the thorny older stems. I find the fruit mushy and less flavorful than other berries, however they are very early for people looking forward to fresh fruit after a long winter. The tender green sprouts were also eaten raw.
Wild roses, although beautiful, also have thorns.
Nootka rose (Rosa nutkana)
Nootka Rose thorns
Thickets of wild roses are often intentionally planted to make an impenetrable hedge (and then get out of control). Along with the ripe rose hips, the leaves and young shoots were eaten or used for flavorings. A tea from boiled bark was used by the Makah for an eyewash.
Stinging nettles sting, of course.
Stinging nettles (Urtica dioica)
The sting comes from hollow hairs on the leaves that arise from a base that secretes formic acid when the tips of the hairs are broken, leaving an irritating rash. For me, the effects of an encounter with stinging nettles last several days. However, if one can harvest the young shoots without getting stung, the leaves can be cooked and taste like nice mild greens. I've made nettle soup in the springtime (recipe upon request).
Poison Oak (Toxicodendron diversilobum)
I can think of no redeeming qualities for Poison Oak. Just look at the scientific name! All parts of the plant are toxic. Fortunately, I don't have any (that I know of) nearby. This photo was taken on the Oregon side of the Columbia Gorge in the fall and the leaves are very much past their prime. It's our PNW stand-in for poison ivy. Do not attempt to confront this one!
Update: nils o, in a comment below, tells us that poison oak has a redeeming quality after all. Its berries serve as food for Quail.
And then there is Salal (Gaultheria shallon), a lovely, innocent plant with edible berries and evergreen foliage that is valued by florists - no thorns and no poisons. However, it is certain to tangle around your ankles and trip you if you try to walk through a thicket of it which often covers the entire forest floor.
Salal
The berries, fresh and dried, were an important food of the native people and the berries still are harvested for making jam.
I'm sure everyone in every region has their own confrontational flora to discuss. But this is a bucket, so you don't have to restrict your observations to the confrontational kind. What's going on where you are?
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