Neltuma glandulosa
Origin: La Quinta, California
Improvement status: Wild
Seeds per packet: ~20
BOTANICAL SAMPLE - NOT GERMINATION TESTED
Life cycle: Perennial
Native to Southwest US and Northern Mexico, this thorny leguminous tree (sometimes called “Texas mesquite") is an excellent honey plant, but it also has edible pods and a range of medicinal uses. Its hard wood is good for tool-making and construction, and when burned it produces a flavorful smoke beloved for Texas Bar-B-Q. It has white or pale yellow flowers beloved by pollinators in the spring and summer. The bush can make an imposing thicket with its reddish thorns, and long, droopy branches. This also makes it excellent habitat for a range of wildlife, including birds, small mammals, and all sorts of insects.
Mesquite powder is an important foodstuff made from the pods. It’s high in protein, low in carbohydrates, and can be used as a gluten-free wheat substitute in certain foods.
Wikipedia has a good summary of how mesquite is used by Indigenous peoples of the southwest and northern Mexico (with links to citations available at Wikipedia.org): “The indigenous peoples of California and southwestern North America use parts of N. glandulosa as a medicinal plant, food source, building and tools material, and fuel. The Cahuilla eat the blossoms and pods, which were ground into meal for cake. The Pueblo peoples of New Mexico in the southwest United States use the seeds to produce mesquite flour for making traditional horno bread. The thorns of the plant are used as tattoo needles, and the ashes for tattoos, by the Cahuilla and Serrano Indians of Southern California. Its dense and durable wood is prized for making tools and arrow points, and for the unique flavor it lends to foods cooked over it. The deep taproots, often larger than the trunks, are dug up for firewood. This species of mesquite, known as haas (pronounced [ʔaːs]) by the Seri people of northwestern Mexico, is very important for food and nonfood uses. The Seris have specific names for various stages of the growth of the mesquite pod. Historically, it was a very important wild food plant because it fruits even during drought years.”
Our seed, grown in La Quinta, California, comes to us from the good folks at Sheffield's Seeds in Locke, NY.
GROWING TIPS: Pour near-boiling water over the seeds then soak for 24 hours. If this doesn’t cause seeds to imbibe, sulfuric acid treatment may be used. Seeds need no stratification. Sow ¾ inch deep. Of course prefers dry areas, so do not overwater, but you might be surprised at how adaptable the plant is.
NOTE: The two photos showing green pods are from Don A.W. Carlson and are shared under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license. The photo of flowers is from Sonnia Hill and is shared under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license.
