[Disclaimer: These aren't actual legal rules, but important knowledge to avoid, you know, dying.]
Foraging herbs is an extremely good way to get both food and magik supplies on a budget, but mistakes can be dangerous and even deadly. These are some of the most important rules to follow if you want to be safe.
1. If you aren't entirely sure what a plant is, treat it like it's toxic. Even if you're mostly confident, you need to be absolutely certain before you put anything in your mouth, and ideally before you touch it.
2. Never assume plants away from home are the same as the ones where you usually forage. Generally speaking, once you change climate and/or time zones, at least some plants will change and lookalikes will appear. Also, some plants become more or less toxic with temperature and location changes--white clover is a good example of this.
3. Don't guess the safety of a plant you can't identify. Many extremely dangerous plants look unassuming and pleasant, and a lot of plants that look like murder in a leaf are totally harmless. Also, never consume a herb if you don't know its medicinal properties or if it'll interact with your medication or a health condition. If the name ends in -wort, it probably interacts with anti inflammatory meds, SSRIs, and/or heart medication, but other plants can, too.
4. When you learn a new plant's identification, learn its lookalikes, too. This is especially important for leafy plants, which are more likely to have dangerous lookalikes, but goes for all plants. This helps you know if it's safe to make a mistake (for example, wild blackberries have lookalikes, but they're all nearly identical edible berries), when you can't risk it, and what to compare.
5. Know what parts of a plant are safe, and know if its age affects its use or edibility. Some plants are edible when young, but extremely toxic when mature, or have edible roots but emetic flowers.
6. Know what assumptions you can make. Generally, if you can cook it or breathe it, you can burn it, if you can eat it, you can touch it, etc.
7. Remember that medicine is preferable to herbs for a reason. Herbs produce chemicals in different amounts, can be misidentified, and are generally unreliable. Pills are significantly less likely to accidentally give you an overdose. If you have access to working medication, that's always the first.
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