Field Notes
By Matthew Hunter
The magnolia tree is a plant nearly every Southerner is familiar with, at least by name, yet few are aware that it’s a genus with numerous medicinal benefits. The medicinal uses of magnolia trees are well documented and widespread throughout the world,...
By Matthew Hunter
Despite its relatively small root, spring beauty was once a major food source eaten by Native American groups all across the United States. From the Bering Sea spring beauty of Alaska, to the lanceleaf spring beauty of the Western mountain states, all the way to the common...
Amaranth is one of the best tasting and most common edible plants in Southern Arizona. Historically its seeds were an important staple crop of the Aztecs, and in times past the plant was considered one of the top two favorite greens of the Pima(the other being purslane)....
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In the late fall and wintertime across the southern half of the U.S.(or anywhere where it doesn’t freeze), the primary edible plants available to the forager are common yard weeds.
When it comes to eating weeds, most people find the idea either very...
Overview
Netleaf hackberry(Celtis reticulata) is a water-loving tree that grows next to rivers and springs in middle elevations across the Southwest. Its small red berries don’t look like much at first glance, but they’re actually a calorie-packed staple food...
Overview
Desert hackberry(also called spiny hackberry) is a common shrub that grows in Southern Arizona and South Texas, in parts of both the Sonoran and Chihuahuan deserts. Its tasty orange berries are produced in the fall, and are high in phosphorus, calcium,...
Introduction
Screwbean mesquite(Prosopis pubescens) is a small tree native to Southern Arizona, where it grows along rivers in the Sonoran Desert. In this article we're going to look at the identification and edible uses of screwbean mesquite, its range throughout our desert,...
Introduction
Have you ever heard of goji berries? They are a "superfood" from China that started gaining popularity in the U.S. around the turn of the century due to their wide range of nutritional benefits. Goji berries are high in antioxidants, and have all kinds of...
Introduction
Desert chia(Salvia columbariae) is our native desert version of store-bought chia (Salvia hispanica), which is a cultivated seed originally from Central America, and is popularly considered a “superfood” for its wide range of nutritional...
Introduction
In this article we're going to look at the edible uses velvet mesquite(Prosopis velutina). Mesquite beans were an extremely to the native inhabitants of the Southwest, providing a staple food that rivaled corn in its importance. There is no doubt that...
