Tribal Nations Botanical Research Collaborative's Journal

A cold front has moved in and northern Arizona is cold out there! Yet, there are still neat plants to observe, even in winter! Banana yucca (Yucca baccata), for instance, occurs throughout Arizona and, because it’s evergreen, we can observe it anytime during the year. Banana yucca received its name because the fruit look like small, green bananas. Unlike most other species of yucca, which have dry fruits, banana yucca’s fruits are fleshy and edible (for preparation instructions/flavor description check out this site: https://www.thespruceeats.com/banana-yucca-aka-yucca-baccata-1337949). Of course, other parts of yucca plants are useful as well – the leaves can be used as natural fiber for weaving into baskets and other products and the roots can be used in natural shampoos or soaps.

In northern Arizona, winter is still in full swing. A little further south, however, the manzanita is blooming! Manzanita berries are edible, consumed by both humans and wildlife. During WWII, manzanita was referred to as ‘Mission Briar’, since the root burls were used to make pipes for smoking tobacco, when briar (Erica arborea), a heat resistant wood traditionally used In pipe-making, was unable to be imported from Europe. We have four species of manzanita in Arizona (Actostaphylos pringlei, Actostaphylos patula, Actostaphylos pungens, Actostaphylos uva-ursi). Pointleaf manzanita (Actostaphylos pungens) is likely to be the species that you will observe in flower at this time of year!

Take care & happy iNaturalisting!