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.

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Wednesday - September 28, 2011

From: Beaumont, TX
Region: Southwest
Topic: Edible Plants
Title: Are the seeds of Amberique bean edible in Beaumont, TX
Answered by: Jimmy Mills

QUESTION:

I found one of these growing in my yard. Strophostyles helvola (L.) Elliott Amberique-bean, Trailing fuzzybean. Are the bean pods edible? I read somewhere that they are. Thanks.

ANSWER:

Mr. Smarty Plants was able to find three sources that indicate the seeds are edible, and that the roots were also used by Native Americans for food.

Ilinois Plant Information Network scroll down to Human Relationship Data, and Human Factor Comments

Department of Anthropology Washington University St. Louis MO.

Wild Edibles of Missouri scroll to page 8. There is even a recipe.

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