Taproots resemble carrots and may be single-rooted or branched, but usually only one plant stalk arises from each root. Tubers are like potatoes and daylilies and you will find these structures either on strings or in clusters underneath the parent plants. Corms are similar to bulbs but are solid when cut rather than possessing rings. A crown is the type of root structure found on plants such as asparagus and looks much like a mophead under the soil's surface. Learn as much as possible about plants you intend to use for food and their unique characteristics.
Some plants have both edible and poisonous parts.
Many are edible only at certain times of the year. Others may have poisonous relatives that look very similar to the ones you can eat or use for medicine. There are many plants throughout the world. Tasting or swallowing even a small portion of some can cause severe discomfort, extreme internal disorders, and even death. Before testing a plant for edibility, make sure there are enough plants to make the testing worth your time and effort.