Flora

Traveling in the Southwest in the spring was a great to watch the desert come alive.

We saw all kinds of beautiful desert flowers.  It was also amazing to learn how the Native Americans used plants.

This is a Cholla (ch is h and ll's are y)

... I'm beginning to understand the code-talker phenomenon ...

Both fruit and flower buds were eaten raw and cooked.

This is an Octillo (you pronounce the ll's as a y)

The roots had many uses.  As a powder it was applied to swellings and used as a dye.

A decoction is a method of extraction by boiling plant material, which may include stems, roots, bark and rhizomes. A decoction involves first mashing, and then boiling in water to extract oils, volatile organic compounds, and other chemical substances.

A decoction of octillo was used to relieve aching feet. 

Octillo is actually not a cactus, but a deciduous  shrub.  It usually grows leaves in the spring and drops them in the fall.  It the season is dry, they may drop and regrow leaves as many as five times.  The leaves are rain dependent, as opposed to season dependent.  When it receives sufficient rain, green leaves sprout and red blossoms appear at the ends of the canes.

I was so glad we got to see them in bloom.  When we first saw these plants in Southern New Mexico they were very dead looking and the thorns were quite impressive.  Several weeks later we saw them again in Southern California and they were all green and in bloom - just beautiful!!!

I think that the Octillo was one of my favorites ... they have character.  When you first see it in bloom, you think ... what in the world is that.  What a creative God!!!

We saw at least three different kinds of Yukka.  They grow everywhere!!!!

The one on the left is a banana yukka.

One of the most useful plants - its flowers, flower stalks, buds and fruit were used for food.  The leaves provided fibers for ropes, mats and sandals.  Roots were mashed and used for soap and medicine. 

Algerita

Berries were eaten raw.  A concoction was made to treat sores and a yellow dye was made from its roots.  The leaves are sort of shaped like an oak leaf and they have spikey points on the ends.

Sotol

The leaves have teeth like a saw blade.

Hearts and flower stalks were roasted and eaten.  Leaves were used in weaving baskets, mats and sandals.

Catclaw Acacia

Seed and flowers were ground into a flour for making a meal called pinole.  It was eaten as mush, or made into cakes.  The flowers provide nectar for desert bees, so wild honey was also eaten.

Littleleaf Sumac

This plant produces little red berries that would be used to make a drink similar to lemonade. The fibers would be used to make baskets.

Texas Walnut

Walnuts were used for food, raw or ground into flour.  The wood was used for bows and fuel.

Broom Snakeweed

Used as a medicine for gastric issues.
Hmmmm ... would this work for Tom ......

I find it amazing that Native Americans discovered all of this.  There are so many plants that are poisonous ... what made them decide to mash something up and eat it ... how did they determine who was going to try it ... did they have a Mikey?????