Part 3 Plants of the North American Southwest

    This is the final section of my three part series on the plants of the stone age in the North American Southwest. These illustrations will be included in my children's book, Stone Age Kids Solve a Giant Mystery. All these plants are currently found in the North American Southwest.  
Globe Mallow

        The Globe Mallow is a shrub that grows to 3 feet in height and 2-3 feet in width. The flowers range from orange to a reddish-pink. The plant is non-toxic and edible. The Globe Mallow is used medicinally. Its often taken orally to treat and relieve coughs, colds, flus and diarrhea. The leaves are also placed on wounds, snake bites, and sores as treatment. The plant is a great pollinator and attracts several species of butterfly and moth. It even has a bee named after it! 

Yucca

    There are over 40 species of Yucca. I already covered the Yucca Palm in the first part of this blog series, Part 1. This illustration represents the Soapweed Yucca. It grows to 4 feet in height and spreads to 4 feet wide. Most Yucca shrubs are edible excluding the stems which are toxic. Yucca root has a soapy taste and most consider it unpleasant. I have tried the fruit of the Soapweed Yucca, and it tastes like a delicious bean. There were several legume shaped seeds in each fruit pod. The leaves are spiky and will poke you if you are not careful. Native tribes discovered the foaming nature of Soapweed Yucca roots and utilized this sudsing property as soap. The Soapweed Yucca is also used medicinally to treat a wide range of ailments including, headache, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, inflammation, and stomach problems. The roots are also fat free, making it a very healthy, if not soapy tasting food. 

Grama Grass

    There are about 50 species of Grama Grass in North America. Three of the most common are called Blue, Black and Hairy Grama Grass. They grow in tufts and can spread underground by rhizomes. They also go to seed. Some Grama Grass varieties can reach eight feet in height, but others can grow to around one to three feet tall. Grama grass is an important food source for native animals including bison, mule deer, and elk. Native tribes ground the seeds into flour. The stems can be used in basketry, and when wound with a cord, make a comb for your hair or a broom for your home. 

    This concludes my plants of the North American Southwest. I thank you for your interest and learning with me. Please bookmark this blog to learn more later on how to support my project. Share if you can! 

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