Native Plants
Q. Who is Mr. Smarty Plants?
A: There are those who suspect Wildflower Center volunteers are the culpable and capable culprits. Yet, others think staff members play some, albeit small, role. You can torture us with your plant questions, but we will never reveal the Green Guru's secret identity.
Did you know you can access the Native Plant Information Network with your web-enabled smartphone?
Ask Mr. Smarty Plants
Ask Mr. Smarty Plants is a free service provided by the staff and volunteers at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.
rate this answer
Monday - November 30, 2009
From: Austin, TX
Region: Southwest
Topic: Edible Plants
Title: Need information about Pignut (Hoffmannseggia glauca).
Answered by: Jimmy Mills
QUESTION:
I wanted to know a little about Pignut (also called Indian Rush-pea and Hog Potato); botanical name Hoffmannseggia glauca. Is it edible, and at what point does the plant produce a tuber (looks like a potato when you dig it up)?ANSWER:
With a common name like Hog potato, you might expect it to be edible by something.
Hoffmannseggia glauca (Indian rushpea) is a perennial plant in the Fabaceae (pea family), and is found largely in arid environments from Texas to California and south into Mexico. It produces a bean-like fruit as well a tuber-like underground storage organ, both of which are utilized as food by wildlife. Since the uderground swellings are part of the root system, they are called root tubers. The plant is a perennial and the "tubers" are used to store food. When growing conditions are favorable, the plant develops the "tubers" to store food which it can use when growth conditions are not as favorable.
Several Native American tribes used the tuber as food, both cooked and raw, but I found nothing that indicated that they ate the seed pods.
This website form the Four Directions Institute lists the tribes and the plants that were utilized in the Colorado Culture.
This page from Native American Ethnobotany by Daniel Moerman describes how the tubers were prepared.
And finally, Matt Turner in his recently published Remarkable Plants of Texas gives an interesting account of this little known plant (pp 229-231).
More Edible Plants Questions
Need source for garlic to plant in garden in Fort Worth, TX.
September 30, 2011 - Where can I get or purchase a native Texas garlic to plant in my garden?
view the full question and answer
Native American barberry with edible fruit in New Mexico
December 06, 2008 - HI I am looking for a native american burberry plant with edible fruit. I love Persian cuisine, and they use the dried fruit of the burberry plant in a rice dish that I would like to recreate. I liv...
view the full question and answer
Spots on non-native naval orange trees from Stockton CA
October 20, 2012 - I have two mature Navel Orange trees. One tree has developed spotty chlorophyl depleted areas that were not on the oranges when they were smaller. In addition, the oranges on both trees are smaller ,...
view the full question and answer
Water requirements for fruit trees in California
January 15, 2013 - Dear Sir;
In which of these options (fruit trees) the need for watering in irrigation process is higher than the others:
-Olive tree
-Nectarines and peaches trees
-Hazelnut trees
-Pistachios and ...
view the full question and answer
How to care for blueberries in Oregon
July 11, 2008 - New to oregon and to blueberry bushes - can you tell me the proper way to care for them - location-sandy, Oregon and unsure of which type of blueberry they are
thank you
view the full question and answer
| Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today. |