Native Plants
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Wednesday - July 30, 2008
From: San Antonio, TX
Region: Southwest
Topic: Edible Plants
Title: Edible plants native to Bexar County, Texas
Answered by: Barbara Medford
QUESTION:
What types of edible plants are native to Bexar county?ANSWER:
Much as we hate to admit this, Mr. Smarty Plants doesn't know everything. Nor could we find a list of edible plants just for Bexar County. First, let us refer you to a previous answer by Mr. Smarty Plants, saying that few vegetables are native plants, and only the chile pequin could be considered native to Bexar Co. Two others that spring to mind are Vitis mustangensis (mustang grape) and Opuntia engelmannii var. lindheimeri (Texas pricklypear). We understand that the purple pear of this cactus, also called a tuna, is very tasty and sweet. It is recommended that you make sure all the spines are off before you pop it into your mouth.
Beyond that, we can refer to you a couple of websites where you might be able to get more specific information: Harry T. Cliffe Bexar Regional Herbarium and the Native Plant Society of Texas San Antonio Chapter. Finally, check with the Bibliography below that could provide some more possibilities. If you find an edible plant that you think might be a possibility, check with the USDA Plant Profile with the botanical name for that plant. You can click on the map of Texas and get the specific counties where that plant appears.
More Edible Plants Questions
Black chokeberry edible from Huntsville ON
May 04, 2013 - Can the fruit of the black chokeberry be eaten??
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Grafting to a cherry laurel for edible fruit in Austin
July 01, 2010 - I was the one who asked earlier about grafting to a Cherry Laurel. I will happily graft a local plum on it, say a Mexican Plum or American Plum or one of the naturalized peaches (a friend has an India...
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Use of cenizo (Leucophyllum frutescens) for tea
February 20, 2006 - Back in the 50's when I spent the summers with my grandmother south of Hondo, Texas, she use to pick leaves from the cenizo (purple sage) bushes, dry them and then brew them for tea. I asked one of m...
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Mulching vegetables with straw
June 13, 2007 - I have a small garden with 4 different veggies, tomatoes, hot peppers, squash & cucumbers. which plants is it OK to put straw under? which plants will straw hurt the stalks or other possibilities? tha...
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Smarty Plants on edible and medicinal native plants
October 06, 2004 - I would like a list of edible & medicinal native plants for the San Antonio area.
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