Sunday Wild Edible Plant Walk

From left to right, Melissa Amberson, Mr. and Mrs. Steve Grayson, Pat Forester,
Katarina Karjala, Christine Orr, Sheila Murray, and Amy Caldwell

On Sunday, Sheila Murray, who is a research botanist from the Arboretum let a walk from Willow Bend to the Rio de Flag to review wild edible natives in the Flagstaff area. This was a follow-up to last weeks CMGA talk on the topic. We found many plants on our short walk. A variety of sumac, pines, cheeseweed, lamb's quarters, amaranth, dandelion, purslane, wax current, juniper, Oregon grape, curley dock, roses, oaks, monarda, to name a few that have edible properties.  It was amazing to see how many wild and native plants are in a place so close to downtown Flagstaff. We didn't have time but a walk around Willow Bend's building is also fun. If you do a walk be sure you watch for poison ivy - we saw many large plants.

Here are a couple of resources mentioned on the walk. Medicinal Plants of the Mountain West by Michael Moore (I bought my copy at the Arboretum but I think MNA also has it.) Laura Davis has also established a Michael Moore Native Medicinal garden at the gardens at Olivia White Hospice. It runs along Switzer just past the corner at Turquoise. Many plants are marked. It is done in sections depending on regions. You should see this before it is moved. The city is putting in a circle next year and most of the garden will have to be moved to NAU near the forestry building,  Sheila also mentioned a new book from John Slattery https://www.amazon.com/Southwest-Foraging-Flavorful-Edibles-Regional/dp/1604696508.