Edible plants of the sonoran desert book

The sonoran desert may appear to be barren to the unacquainted eye, but surprisingly it has around 540 edible plants. Each species entry lists recorded names and describes indigenous uses, which often include nonfood therapeutic and commodity applications. This volume presents information on nearly 540 edible plants used by people of more than fifty traditional cultures of the sonoran desert and peripheral areas. Food plants of the sonoran desert by wendy hodgson. Along with this, we will discuss simple plant adaptations and survival tactics that allowed the plants to survive in such an extreme environment.

Saguaro cactus carnegiea gigantea if youve ever enjoyed the antics of coyote and roadrunner, youve probably also seen a cartoon rendering of a saguaro cactus. Trends and traditions 2009, sonoran desert food plants 20112017, southern california food plants 20, wild edible plants of texas 2016, medicinal plants of the western mountain states 2017, wild edible plants of arizona 2019, wild edible plants of new mexico 2019. Understanding the tropical dry forest and thornscrub of sonora facilitates comprehending the ecology of the sonoran desert. You may not get fat from them but you will stay alive, which is all that matters in a survival situation. Founded in 1987, desert gatherings is a family owned business providing a wide assortment of gifts and souvenirs that are guaranteed to capture the experience, beauty, and magnificent flavors of the american southwest. Founded in 1987, desert gatherings is a family owned business providing a wide assortment of gifts and souvenirs that are guaranteed to capture the experience, beauty, and magnificent flavors of. Dec 01, 2015 hodgsons book falls into the latter category, and i think it is the best such book ever written, at least for any part of north america. How to prepare foods and teas cooking and storage and make equipment in a primitive or survival situation, as well as historic accounts of plant uses are also presented. Amazon other buying options home books sonoran desert food. Simmondsiaceae jojoba family arizonasonora desert museum. Over a period of two years, dave gained unexpected expertise in desertadapted plants as he persistently hunted down and shot many thousands of images of our 224 plants along with some that looked an awful lot like them but werent quite. A yearround guide to natures blooms this beautiful book is especially dear to me because some of my very own.

Oct 22, 2014 top 10 edible plants, cactus, and trees for the arizona desert. Learn about sonoran desert foraging and what is available in the summer in this sparse but beautiful desert region. Ive spent hundreds of hours crossing this most inhospitable place, and i can tell you. Food plants of the sonoran desert book pima county. Of these, many are edible desert plants which, in some areas, are popular. Author of medicinal plants of the american southwest, sonoran desert food plants, southern california food plants, wild edible plants of texas, herbal medicine. We feel that we can learn to use these plants as they were intended without harming the plants or the environment they live in. The best regional books for plant identification and foraging. Health event in phoenix, az by blue wind school of botanical studies on saturday, march 21 2020 with 6. The best way to begin desert foraging is to go with an experienced forager who can show you, not only which plants are edible, but what parts of the plants can safely be eaten. The seemingly inhospitable sonoran desert has provided sustenance to indigenous peoples for centuries. Apr 09, 2018 spring is happening here in the sonoran desert and there are plenty of plants both medicinal and food plants that are ready to be foraged. The yellowishgreen male flowers are borne in clusters. While rooted in the sonoran desert, this book also offers a template for harvesting and cooking throughout the americas.

In the first column, clicking on the family name will bring up pages of all plants belonging to the family discussed here. In this video jake mace shows you his top 10 edible sonoran desert plants, bushes, cacti cactus, and trees for the phoenix. The desert is a wondrous gift for all to enjoy, appreciate, and protect. Sonoran desert food plants 20112017, southern california food plants 20, wild. She loves experimenting with seeds, plants, and berries.

Though the desert may look barren and desolate, it has much to offer than meets the eye. Jean groen is the author or coauthor of 7 books about plants in the sonoran desert. Chicago distribution centerthe seemingly inhospitable sonoran desert has provided sustenance to indigenous peoples for centuries. The best regional books for plant identification and. The sonoran desert has been inhabited by native americans almost since forever. This is a typical western apache household called a wickiup. Illustrated with hodgsons pen and ink drawings and black and white photos, the book s plant catalogue is organized around botanical categories and families based on the plants scientific names although hodgson does provide some synonyms. Spring is happening here in the sonoran desert and there are plenty of plants both medicinal and food plants that are ready to be foraged. The best tasting cactus fruit comes from the saguaro, prickly pear, and barrel cacti. Although it is to all appearances a land bereft of useful plants, fully onefifth of the desert s flora are edible.

Spiked brightgreen pads are roasted over a crackling fire pit. There are many more desert plants that provide food, medicine, and flavor. A comprehensive field guide focused exclusively on native and naturalized vascular plants of californias southeastern deserts, including the mojave desert, sonoran desert, and southern great basin including the white mountains. A member of the milkweed family ascplediaceae, pleurisyroot grows in welldrained soils in prairie fields or canyon bottoms. One of the more edible agaves, agave deserti has been extensively harvested by desert peoples. Sonoran desert naturalist field guide sonoran desert plant families. Its been great to work with web folks who are also fellow water advocates and plant people. The plants of the desert served the indian in so many ways, medically, physically, and spiritually. Due to popular misconceptions, you might consider a desert to be a barren wasteland with only sand, heat and scurrying scorpions. Some of the best plants in the desert for food are those that provide some kind of edible fruit or seed. The goal of the workshop is to share information about the edible plant species of the desert.

Although to all appearances the land is bereft of useful plants, fully onefifth of the desert s flora are edible. Food plants of the sonoran desert book pima county public. You can replicate meals made more than a thousand years ago from plants growing in arizonas sonoran desert. Searching for, gathering, and preparing desert plants for eating. Known as the bane of desert hiking to some, cholla produces edible flower buds, seeds and fruit. May 06, 2012 the great sonoran desert might look barren and lifeless to the unfamiliar eye, but over 540 edible and medicinal plants thrive in this hottest of north american deserts more than in any other region on earth. His plant knowledge, ethics, and practices are becoming more relevant, if not necessary, for our collective survival. A guide to identifying, preparing, and using traditional medicinal plants. The first sentence of our publication was inspired by text from growing desert plants from windowsill to garden by theodore b. Edible and medicinal plants trees, flowers, grasses their uses, where to find them along the rivers and in the canyons of the utah desert are discussed. The prickly pear cactus is made up of green, connected. No one has advanced wild foraging in the desert southwest as much as john slattery. Medicinal plants of the american southwest 200620092011, herbal medicine. Vascular plants of southeastern california by margriet wetherwax.

A special thanks to our intrepid and talented photographer, dave seibert. Which plants native to the sonoran desert are edible by. Health event in tucson, az by blue wind school of botanical studies on saturday, october 31 2020 with 2. The primary desert in the us is the sonoran desert and there are more than 540 edible plants that natives have been using to survive and thrive for hundreds of years. The desert museum has been actively involved in research in southern sonoras tropics since the 1960s. Sep 21, 2017 due to popular misconceptions, you might consider a desert to be a barren wasteland with only sand, heat and scurrying scorpions. Index of plant families sonoran desert field guide. Traditionally, the apache were a seminomadic group with a wide range of territory including this sonoran desert in southwestern arizona. Some plants in the desert are better as aids in taking care of our other survival needs, such as fire or shelter. Found only in the sonoran desert, the mighty saguaro pronounced sahwaro around these parts is. I have started a collection of books about the finding and uses of plants in the sonoran desert. The great sonoran desert might look barren and lifeless to the unfamiliar eye, but over 540 edible and medicinal plants thrive in this hottest of north american deserts more than in any other region on earth. Klinger book award the seemingly inhospitable sonoran desert has provided sustenance to indigenous peoples for centuries.

Food plants of the sonoran desert university of toronto. Wildflower and plant books southeastern arizona wildflowers. Edible plants in the arizona desert in scottsdale official travel site. The sonoran desert has amazing plants, which provide a lot of edible foods for humans and animals, and is like living on a garden or farm, without having to plant or water anything. To learn more, take an early morning nature walk in. Edible desert plants page this page provides an index to plants used for food by the native people of the sonoran desert. For an exhaustive book on desert edibles in the sonoran desert, check out food plants of the sonoran desert. While it may not seem like there is much to forage in the desert, there are quite a few edible and medicinal plants that have been used throughout history.

Food plants of the sonoran desert covers hundreds of speciesall or virtually all that are known or strongly suspected to be used or have been used previously for food in this region. Hodgson, author food plants of the sonoran desert, herbarium curator and research botanist at the desert botanical garden. It extends beyond the desert into the coastal mountain ranges of southern california. Here are just a few of the many native southwest plants that have medicinal qualities. Its full of photos, when, where, and how to find each plant, and what parts are edible and or medicinal. Native arizonan cultures have been harvesting these plants for food and nourishment for hundreds of years. Charles w kane covers 50 common wild sonoran desert food plants. Theres a lot of desert edibles that are ready for eating during these summer months. Winner of the society for economic botany s mary w. Hodoba, with permission from the author and the publisher, red crane books.

This page provides an index to plants used for food by the native people of the sonoran desert. Gary paul nabahn, director of the center for regional food studies, university of arizona. Edible plants southeastern arizona wildflowers and plants. Opuntia engelmannii and opuntia phaeacantha are abundant in the sonoran desert bioregion, but there are at least eighteen species total, some of which are hybrids. Native cultures have been harvesting these plants for food and medicinal purposes for. Edible plants are quite common here in the sonoran desert, and many of them have traditionally been gathered and used by this areas native americans. View photos and uses of the edible and medicinal plant cylindropuntia acanthocarpa buckhorn cholla, profiled in the book sonoran desert food plants and southern california food plants. In the arizona highlands where i live, a transition zone between the sonoran desert and colorado plateau, i find both books very useful. Barnes and nobles has botany books and southwestern books youtube is a great place to get step by step instructional. In fact, cactus fruits, in general, are known for being high in vitamins a and c, while other parts of desert plants provide good sources of protein. This list is only a small selection of what the desert has to offer. Trends and traditions 2009, sonoran desert food plants 20112017, southern california food plants 20, wild edible plants of texas 2016, medicinal plants. Knowing your plants can also help lead you to water, the deserts most precious and elusive resource. Compare this with the 30 inches 760 mm of rain in southern sonoran tdf.

This hydrating plant can be found thriving on hillsides, lower desert basins, and canyon bottoms. Sonoran desert food plants is specifically designed for the outdoor enthusiast whom is in need of a concise, nononsense booklet instructing on the collection, preparation, and utilization of 58 regional edible plants. Trees, flowers and grasses of the southwest desert edible. Edible uses for the deserts wild bounty by charles w. Although it is to all appearances a land bereft of useful plants, fully onefifth of the deserts flora are edible. Sonoran desert food plants is specifically designed for the hiker, camper, hunter, or survivalist who is in need of a concise, nononsense booklet instructing on the collection, preparation, and utilization of 50 regional edible plants. They were food for southern paiute and puebloan peoples. Spanning southwestern arizona and southeastern california and reaching all the way across the western half of sonora, mexico. Klinger book award the seemingly inhospitable sonoran desert has provided sustenance to indigenous. Food plants of the sonoran desert includes not only plants such as gourds and legumes but also unexpected food sources such as palms, lilies, and cattails, all of which provided nutrition to desert peoples.

Jojoba occurs throughout the sonoran desert where annual average rainfall exceeds 5 inches 125 mm. Many desert plants protect themselves with spines, sharp leaves andor toxins. Jul 09, 2019 while it may not seem like there is much to forage in the desert, there are quite a few edible and medicinal plants that have been used throughout history. The seemingly inhospitable sonoran desert has provided.

Plants bloom in winter and female plants ripen their acornshaped and sized seeds in summer. Cylindropuntia acanthocarpa buckhorn cholla edible and. Note all cactus fruit is edible, but some does not taste good. Master gardener and sonoran plant expert jean groen will be here to tell us more about where to find edible plants, and how they were historically used by native americans as medicine and food. Sonoran desert edible plants april 27, 2011 sonoran news. While that may be true within reason, it is also true that deserts do have considerable plant life in some areas. Sweet red fruit rests on the arm of a prickly saguaro. Top 10 edible plants, cactus, and trees for the arizona desert. The safest way to learn to identify and experience eating desert plants is with a trained. Listed here are some of the southeastern arizona edible plants, the native and introduced plants with edible parts such as their flowers, fruit, leaves, or roots. I have coauthored 7 books about plants of the sonoran desert two of which are childrens books and im here to tell you there is lots of.