Prosopis glandulosa – Native Plant Search

Native Range

A native plant refers to a species of plant that has naturally evolved and grown in a particular geographic area without any human intervention or introduction. These plants have adapted to the local climate, soil, and ecological conditions over an extended period of time, often thousands of years. Because of this co-evolution with their specific environment, native plants have developed characteristics that make them well-suited to the local ecosystem and provide essential resources for local wildlife.

Native plants play a crucial role in maintaining the ecological balance of an area. They provide food and habitat for native wildlife, support pollinators like bees and butterflies, and contribute to the overall health of the ecosystem. Additionally, native plants often require fewer resources like water and fertilizers compared to non-native or exotic plants that may not be well-suited to the local environment.

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Native Continent

Northern America

United States, Kansas (southwest), Oklahoma, New Mexico, Texas, Arizona, California (south), Nevada (south), Utah (southwest), Mexico, Baja, Chihuahua, Coahuila de Zaragoza, Nuevo León, Sonora, Tamaulipas, Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave, Yucatán,

Natural Habitat

Edible Uses

Edible Portion: Seeds, Honey, Fruit, Flower nectar, Vegetable. The pods and the gum from the bark are edible. Seedpods - raw or cooked. The immature seedpods are eaten like string beans. A sweet flavour. The seedpods can be 8 - 20cm long and 7 - 13mm wide, containing 5 - 18 seeds. The seedpods and seeds are cooked, ground, water added, then allowed to ferment and used as a beverage. The immature seedpods are cooked and the juice squeezed out then drunk like milk as a summer beverage. Mature pods can be eaten without any processing and were often pounded into a flour in a mortar and then placed in a vessel, dampened with water, and left for 24 hours to harden. The meal was formed into cakes and eaten dry, made into a mush, or mixed with water for a beverage. The seeds have been ground into a powder and used to make bread, pancakes or a mush. The seeds, made into a fermented pinole, was a favourite intoxicating drink for many native peoples. The brownish seeds are around 6mm long. White resinous secretions used to make candy or chewed like gum. The roots have been used to flavour drinks and make them stronger. The roasted inflorescences are formed into a ball and eaten. The flowers are used to make a tea. Carbon Farming - Staple Crop: balanced carb.