Edible Parts: Leaves
Edible Uses:

Grand rushpink is a useful but modest wild food. Its tender leaves make an excellent potherb with a pleasant, lettuce-like flavor, while its dried latex makes an interesting natural chewing gum. Although far too small to serve as a major food source, it is a worthwhile edible plant for foragers exploring the sandy landscapes of the American Southwest [2-3]. The leaves are edible and are best used as potherbs. Although the flowers, flower buds, and milky latex were sampled, they are not reported to be edible. The dried latex can be chewed as a natural gum [2-3]. Edibility Rating: 3 out of 5 – A pleasant edible green, but too small to provide substantial nourishment. Taste and Preparation: Grand rushpink leaves are tender and palatable, with a mild, lettuce-like flavor. Traditional reports indicate they were always cooked, and they perform especially well as a potherb. You can add the leaves directly to soups without changing the cooking water. Simmering produces a rich green broth that retains much of the plant's food value, making it an excellent base for simple soups and stews. The flowers and flower buds possess an appealing sweetness, although they are covered internally with fine hairs that reduce their culinary appeal. These parts are not reported to be edible. The plant's milky latex dries into a sticky substance that can be formed into chewing gum. The gum has a mild, lettuce-like flavor rather than the sweet taste associated with commercial chewing gums. While edible as gum, it should not be considered a significant food source [2-3]. Seasonality: Grand rushpink typically flowers from May to July. Gather the leaves during the active growing season, before the plants dry out [2-3]. Traditional Uses: Native American use focused primarily on the cooked leaves as a potherb. The dried latex could also be chewed as a natural gum, although this served more as a chewing material than a source of nutrition. Safety: The leaves are considered safe when cooked as a potherb. The flowers and latex are not reported to be edible, although the dried latex has traditionally been chewed as gum. As with all wild plants, positive identification is essential before consumption [2-3]. Leaves - cooked[46, 61, 105]. Used as greens and as a flavouring[161, 212, 216, 257].

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Galactogogue  Salve

The leaves are chewed to increase the milk flow of lactating mothers[216, 257]. The plant sap has been used as a healing salve on the sores caused by sunburn[257].

It is best suited to rock gardens, native plant collections, and xeriscapes where its attractive flowers and drought tolerance can be appreciated. The colourful flowers attract a variety of native bees, butterflies, and other pollinating insects. The plant also contributes to the diversity of native desert wildflower communities.

Special Uses