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Summary

Dicoria canescens is a perennial plant growing up to 0.75 metres tall. It is harvested from the wild for local use as a food. They are native to Arizona, California, Colorado, Mexico Northwest, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah in the US. une dicoria produces edible flowers and seeds, but both are difficult to use and largely unpalatable. Seeds have good flavor but are too small and encased in sharp shells, making them impractical for human food. Best adapted to USDA Zones 7–10; not invasive.

Physical Characteristics

Dicoria canescens is a PERENNIAL growing to 0.8 m (2ft 7in) by 0.8 m (2ft 7in).
See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 8 and is not frost tender. The flowers are pollinated by Wind.
Suitable for: light (sandy) and medium (loamy) soils, prefers well-drained soil and can grow in nutritionally poor soil. Suitable pH: neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils and can grow in very alkaline soils.
It cannot grow in the shade. It prefers dry or moist soil and can tolerate drought.

UK Hardiness Map US Hardiness Map

Synonyms

D. canescens subsp. brandegeei (A.Gray) Kartesz. D. canescens subsp. canescens. D. canescens subsp. clarkiae (P.B.Kenn.) D.D.Keck. D. canescens subsp. hispidula (Rydb.) D.D.Keck. D. canescens subsp. wetherillii (Eastw.) Cronquist.

Plant Habitats

Edible Uses

The flowers and the seed are ground up and eaten[216 ]. Dune dicoria (Dicoria canescens ssp. brandegeei), also called desert twinbugs, is a shrub-like annual of the sunflower family (Asteraceae), native to the Mojave Desert and adapted to sandy habitats. Both the flowers and seeds are edible, though neither is particularly palatable. The small flowers, produced from August to November, are sticky, aromatic, and easily chewed, but their flavor is bitter and resinous, far less pleasant than their fruity, evergreen-like fragrance. Boiling can reduce some of the bitterness, but it also removes much of the pollen and does little to improve palatability. The seeds develop in winter, when few other wild foods are available. They are tiny and enclosed in hard, sharp-edged cypselae that make harvesting and processing very difficult. The sharp wings present a choking hazard if eaten whole, as chewing does not effectively soften them. While the seeds themselves have a good flavor and a pleasant aroma, they are nearly impossible to separate from the tough shells. Charring the cypselae can improve flavor slightly, but overall, this plant is not a practical or reliable food source. For survival, the seeds are probably better left for small animals, which in turn may provide nourishment to foragers [2-3].

References More on Edible Uses

Medicinal Uses

Plants For A Future can not take any responsibility for any adverse effects from the use of plants. Always seek advice from a professional before using a plant medicinally.

None known

References More on Medicinal Uses

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Other Uses

None known

Special Uses

References More on Other Uses

Cultivation details

We have very little information on this species and do not know if it will be hardy in Britain. It is only likely to succeed outdoors where conditions can be made to suit its native desert-like environment[K ]. It the wild is grows in Alkaline soils, desert washes, and flats at elevations of 20 - 1700 metres.

References Carbon Farming Information and Carbon Sequestration Information

Temperature Converter

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Plant Propagation

We have no knowledge of this species and would suggest sowing the seed in spring in a greenhouse in a very well-drained compost. Only just cover the seed, but do not allow to dry out. Pot up the seedlings as soon as they are large enough to handle and grow on in the greenhouse for at least a year before planting out in early summer. Consider giving winter protection for at leat the first couple of winters after the plant has been planted out.

Other Names

If available other names are mentioned here

Dune dicoria (Dicoria canescens ssp. brandegeei), also called desert twinbugs

Native Range

Native to: Arizona, California, Colorado, Mexico Northwest, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah.

Weed Potential

Right plant wrong place. We are currently updating this section. Please note that a plant may be invasive in one area but may not in your area so it's worth checking.

It is not generally considered invasive, though as a hardy desert annual it can spread readily in sandy or disturbed soils within its natural range.

Conservation Status

IUCN Red List of Threatened Plants Status : Not available

Related Plants

Latin Name	Common Name	Habit	Height	Hardiness	Growth	Soil	Shade	Moisture	Edible	Medicinal	Other
Dicoria brandegei			0.0	-		LMH	SN	M	0	0

Growth: S = slow M = medium F = fast. Soil: L = light (sandy) M = medium H = heavy (clay). pH: A = acid N = neutral B = basic (alkaline). Shade: F = full shade S = semi-shade N = no shade. Moisture: D = dry M = Moist We = wet Wa = water.

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Expert comment

Author

A.Gray.

Botanical References

Links / References

For a list of references used on this page please go here
A special thanks to Ken Fern for some of the information used on this page.

Dicoria canescens - A.Gray.