Join Charles for a Tucson (East Side) Edible and Medicinal Plant Walk

When: Saturday, November 11th, 9am-12noon

Where: East side of Tucson

Meet-up: At 9am we’ll assemble in the Safeway parking lot (the far end, next to Broadway). Safeway address: 10380 E Broadway Blvd, Tucson, AZ 85748. From here (parking lot), we’ll caravan a couple of miles to the on-foot point.

Additional: We’ll in and around the eastern cusp of the Greater Tucson Basin. As a repository of Sonoran Desert plant life, the area is supportive of an array of edible and medicinal plants.

A number of desert cacti of the region are well-represented: Saguaro, Barrel, Pincushion, and various Cholla species. Most have established (and tasty!) food uses. A few have lesser-known medicinal uses (Cholla roots).

More than the just the edible cacti, other fruit providers frequent the area. Wolfberry, Mesquite, and Paloverde abound. With the knowledge of how (and when) to gather/process the latter two (the ‘bean tree’ staples), smart plant utilitarians will be able to fall back on these in times of supply-chain disruption.

Creosote bush thrives in the region. A medicinal powerhouse, its therapeutic use is noteworthy: venomous insect bites (check), sun-damaged skin (check), certain autoimmune inflammations (check), a number of viral conditions (check).  However, its internal use should not be considered carefree.  Learn how to use the plant, intelligently and safely.

Ratany and Sangre de drago with their strong tannin-based astringencies, Ocotillo with its non-polar compounds, and Bursage, with its interesting lactone set, are all here. Each has a unique medicinal influence.

All in all, I’ll touch on 20-25 edible/medicinal/poisonous plants.

Mini Book Signing: After we finish, I’ll have a book signing at the cars for anyone who wants to purchase a book (or bring your own copy for me to sign). I’ll have these titles available to sign/purchase:

• Medicinal Plants of the American Southwest (covers low elevation SW plants)
• Medicinal Plants of Western Mountain States (covers high elevation SW/Western plants) (Mt. Lemmon)
• Sonoran Desert Food Plants (low elevation wild edibles, Arizona)
• Wild Edible Plants of Arizona (high elevation Arizona) (Mt. Lemmon)

Join Charles for an Oracle Edible and Medicinal Plant Walk

When: Sunday, October 15th, 8am to 11am.

Where: Oracle vicinity.

Meet-up point: 8am, meet up next to the Circle K, in the dirt lot/pull-off, west of the store (west side of Rockliffe blvd.).

Additional: With cooler weather arriving, morning temperatures will be in the 70s. It’s nice for us, but the plants too are getting a bit of a break. Before it dips below freezing at night, let’s see what the high desert of southeastern Arizona has to offer.

This is the best time of year to see an important seed-edible, that of Amaranth. Annual Devil’s claw, with its edible pod, is also available, at least to inspect (it’s a little late in the season to sample).

Of course no area walk-about would be complete without mentioning Chaparral (aka Creosote bush). A dominant long-lived perennial, in some circles, its medicinal application borders on panacea. However, with the use of critical thinking (and research application) we can clarify and refine the good (therapeutic) from the bad (toxic).

The internally poisonous plants, Wild tobacco and Datura are present. However, when used topically they are medicinal: antiinflammatory and pain-reducing. We may even encounter sprouting Nettlespurge, a chemically complex plant of the Spurge family. Its tuberous roots are somewhat cyanogenic, tending to be tortuous to the gut (and other areas) if ingested.

Not to forget the perennial edibles, Mexican elder is found here and there. Various parts have medicinal properties; however, its blue-black fruit make a tasty dried item. Two Hackberry species are present – the bush and tree. The more palatable (berries) of the two (Celtis pallida) is beginning its cycle of leaf-flower renewal. Last but not least, Pale wolfberry and Little leaf sumac, dot the flats. Both are red when ripe, but their taste-tones greatly diverge. Wolfberry’s mild tomato-like sweetness is no match for Sumac’s lemon-like burst.

All in all I’ll discuss or touch on 20-30 species.

Mini Book Signing: After we finish, I’ll have a book signing at the vehicles for anyone who wants to purchase a book (or bring your own copy for me to sign). I’ll have these titles available to sign/purchase:

• Medicinal Plants of Western Mountain States (covers high elevation SW/Western plants)
• Medicinal Plants of the American Southwest (covers low elevation SW plants)
• Wild Edible Plants of Arizona
• Sonoran Desert Food Plants

Join Charles for an Edible and Medicinal Plant Walk in the Tucson Mountains

When: Sunday, November 5th, 9am-12noon

Where: Tucson Mountains (eastern slope)

Meet-up: At 9am we’ll assemble in the Fred Archer Neighborhood Center’s parking lot (southwest corner, next to La Cholla Blvd).

Fred Archer Neighborhood Center address: 1665 S La Cholla Blvd, Tucson, AZ 85713.

Additional: The Tucson Mountains is a small, low-lying range that rests on the western edge of Tucson. As a repository of Sonoran Desert plant life, the chain is supportive to an array of edible and medicinal plants.

A number of desert cacti of the region are well-represented: Saguaro, Barrel, Pincushion, and various Cholla species. Most have established (and tasty!) food uses. A few have lesser-known medicinal uses (Cholla roots).

More than the just the edible cacti, other fruit providers frequent the area. Wolfberry, Mesquite, and Paloverde abound. With the knowledge of how (and when) to gather/process the latter two (the ‘bean tree’ staples), smart plant utilitarians will be able to fall back on these in times of supply-chain disruption.

Chaparral (aka Creosote bush) is a dominant long-lived perennial of the region. In some circles, its medicinal application borders on panacea. However, with the use of critical thinking (and research application) we can clarify and refine the good (therapeutic) and bad (toxic).

Ratany and Sangre de drago with their strong tannin-based astringencies, Ocotillo with its non-polar compounds, and Heartleaf bursage, with its interesting lactone set, are all here. Each has a unique medicinal influence.

All in all, I’ll touch on 20-25 edible/medicinal/poisonous plants.

Mini Book Signing: After we finish, I’ll have a book signing at the cars for anyone who wants to purchase a book (or bring your own copy for me to sign). I’ll have these titles available to sign/purchase:

• Medicinal Plants of the American Southwest (covers low elevation SW plants)
• Medicinal Plants of Western Mountain States (covers high elevation SW/Western plants) (Mt. Lemmon)
• Sonoran Desert Food Plants (low elevation wild edibles, Arizona)
• Wild Edible Plants of Arizona (high elevation Arizona) (Mt. Lemmon)