What are some good plants to start learning in the South?

I’d start with a short list rather than trying to learn everything at once. Yaupon holly is worth looking into in areas where it grows. Its leaves are used for tea, but be absolutely certain of the identification and don’t use the berries. Plantain is another common plant to study, though it can be confused with other species if you’re new to identification.

Range and lookalikes vary, so use a regional field guide or local extension resource to check each plant. Don’t eat or brew anything unless you can identify it confidently, and avoid gathering from sprayed lawns, roadsides, or places where you don’t have permission.

If you’re interested in plants for non-food uses, you don’t have to start by ingesting anything. Learn one or two species that are easy to recognize locally, then note where they grow and what they look like through the season. Violets or a local Monarda species could be candidates, depending on your area, but neither is everywhere.

Keep a small field notebook and confirm an identification with more than one reliable reference. Even for external use, skip any plant you can’t confidently identify, and don’t harvest more than you need.