* = pressing collected

^ = edible (do not attempt)

A Note From Dimitri on the Uses of These Plants

This page is a work in progress! The sources I have used are as follows:

Edible and Useful Plants of California by Charlotte Bringle Clarke

Early Uses of California Plants by Edward K. Balls

Most of the uses of these plants stem from traditional ecological knowledge that has been developed and passed down for hundreds of years by Indigenous people and tribes within California. I have cited specific tribes when they are mentioned in the books that I read, which is significantly less often than one would hope. Once I exhaust the public library of its sources, I plan on doing more in-depth research regarding specific tribes that implemented these uses.

Trees and Shrubs

Ericaceae Family

Arbutus menziesii | Pacific Madrone*

- Tea brewed from root bark or leaves used to treat colds

- Tea brewed from bark which peels and falls off every year to treat stomachache

- Lotion made with leaves and bark to quickly heal sores and cuts on humans and animals

- Berries either eaten fresh or cooked or ground

- Wood used as digging sticks

- Charcoal historically used in making of gunpowder

Arctostaphylos glandulosa | Eastwood Manzanita*^

Arctostaphylos hispidula -- Hairy Manzanita*^

A note on manzanitas in general.

- Spanish colonizers preferred using the green berries to make into drinks and jellies, however native Americans collected the ripe fruit

- The Miwok people ground the berries, poured hot water over them, then strained using a basket to extract flavor. The seeds were separated and ground into flour. This flour was then made into mush or shaped into thin patties and baked in hot ashes.

- Wash and lotion made from leaves to treat poison oak

- Drink made from leaves to treat headaches

- The Maidu people chewed a poultice made from leaves to treat sores

- Tonic made from leaves to cure severe colds. It was boiled down into a deep yellow brown extract and then used as a wash for the body and head.

- The Karuk and Cahuilla people used the wood to make pipes and utensils

- The blossoms of some manzanitas can be steeped into tea

- Manzanitas are excellent shelter for birds and small mammals, help prevent erosion, and some species can sprout from their burls following a fire.

Recipe for Manzanita Cider: Cover green berries with water in a saucepan and simmer until soft, about 15 minutes. Bruise berries but do not crush and let stand overnight. Decant liquid, let the sediment settle, then decant again.

Recipe for Manzanita Jelly: Cover ½ gal of manzanita berries with water and crush them. Add ½ lemon peel and a cinnamon stick. Simmer for 15 minutes, then strain. Bring the juice back to a boil and for every 5 cups of juice add 4 cups of sugar. Boil rapidly until the liquid sheets off of a spoon. Seal in a jar.

Fabaceae Family

Lupinus albifrons -- Silver Bush Lupine*

Pickeringia montana -- Chaparral Pea*

Fagaceae Family

Quercus agrifolia | Coast Live Oak

- One of the most highly prized oaks for its acorns. They are slowly dried out and stored – sometimes in shell, sometimes not. The shell is removed, then the meat is ground and leached to remove the tannins. Can leach with cold water, which can take most of the day. The middle of the resulting dough can be used to bake bread, while the rest of it can be used to make atole.

Notholithocarpus densiflorus | Tanoak*

- The tannins extracted from the wood are valuable in preparation of sole leather.

Quercus durata | Leather Oak*

Quercus kelloggii | Black Oak

- Bark burns long and slow with minimal flame, so it was valued as the primary fuel for parching seeds.

Garryaceae Family

Garrya fremontii -- Fremont's Silktassel*

Lauraceae Family

Umbellularia californica -- California Bay Laurel*^

- susceptible to fire - sprouts from base and stems - chemicals fromf foliage are suspected of inhibiting germination of some herbacious species - foliage palatable to deer and birds, seeds eaten by small mammals - wood used in furniture, cabinets, and variety of novelty items - NA used as insect repellent and to treat headaches and rheumatism - early spanish settlers pulverized leaves for condiment - NA used medicinally - to cure headache, piece of leaf was placed inside nostril or several leaves on forehead - tea made from leaves drunk for headache and stomach ailments - hot bath using leaves used for rheymatism - white settlers combined oil from leaves with lard and rubbed on body - mendocino county NA used leaves to repel fleas and burned boughs to fumigate lodgings against colds - small branches are sometimes placed in chicken coops to prevent lice - NA parched or roasted nuts in ashes, then cracked and ate - today leaves are used as flavor additive to soups stews and meat dishes - resemble european bay leaf, but much stronger flavor - wood can be used to make bowls bay stewed tomatoes (combine 6 tomatoes with salt and 3 1/2 cups water. cover and bring to boil. simmer 15 mins. drain and reserve juice. put juice from tomatoes, 2 tbsp butter, 2 tbsp minced parsley, 1 small chopped onion, and 1 bay leaf to pan. cook down to half. add tomatoes, papper, 1/2 tsp worcestershire sauce, and salt to taste. 2 lb can of tomatoes can be ysed instead of fresh (omit initial simmering and begin with drained juice).

Namaceae Family

Eriodictyon californicum -- California Yerba Santa*^

-NA and early settlers used leaves as remedy for colds, grippe, asthma - smoked or made into tea by miwok, pomo, yuki - both leaves and flowers were steeped for tea for above ailments as well as stomachache and rheumatism - also warmed and used as poultice on aching or sore areas - mashed leaves often applied to cuts wounds abrasions and fractured bones to keep swelling down and aid in mending and rleief pain tea (tear up 2-3 fresh or dried leaves and pour boiling water over them. cover and let steep) can chew fresh leaves

Phrymaceae Family

Diplacus aurantiacus -- Sticky Monkeyflower*

Pinaceae Family

Pseudotsuga menziesii -- Douglas Fir^

- one of the most important lumber trees in north america - used extensively by NA's for lumber, harpoon shafts; roots used in weaving baskets - tea made from fresh needles used by Yuki - BC young twigs boiled to make tea - often sold as xmas trees - seeds eaten by western tree squirrel, douglas chickaree, red tree mouse - needles and cones are winter food of blue grouse - old growth forests are host to rare/threatened species; northern spotted owl and marbled murrelet

Rhamnaceae Family

Ceanothus integerrimus -- Deerbrush*

Ceanothus parryi -- Parry Ceanothus*

Rosaceae Family | Rose Family

Adenostoma fasciculatum -- Chamise*

Heteromeles arbutifolia -- Toyon*

Rosa spithamea -- Ground Rose

Taxaceae Family

Torreya californica -- California Nutmeg*

Herbaceous Plants

Apiaceae | Carrot Family

Torilis arvensis | Common Hedge Parsley

Asparagaceae | Agave and Allies Family

Chlorogalum pomeridianum | Soaproot

Brodiaea leptandra | Narrow-flowered California Brodiaea

Triteleia laxa | Ithuriel's Spear

Asteraceae Family | Sunflowers, Daisies, Asters, and Allies

Silybum marianum | Milk Thistle

Boraginaceae | Borage Family

Eriodictyon californicum | California Yerba Santa

Brassicaceae | Mustard Family

Hirschfeldia incana | Shortpod Mustard

Fabaceae | Pea Family

Deerweed | Acmispon glaber

Gentianaceae | Gentian Family

Slender Centaury | Centaurium tenuiflorum

Hypericaceae | St. John's Wort Family

Hypericum concinnum | Goldwire

Iridaceae | Iris Family

Sisyrinchium bellum | Western Blue-eyed Grass

Lamiaceae | Mint Family

Marrubium vulgare | Common Horehound^

- since ancient times around the world horehound has been used to make a bitter candy used for soothing sore throats and coughs - tea used bu cahuillas for flushing kidneys - plant can be boiled or dried without losing flavor - one cup of fresh leaves or 1/4 cup dried boiled in 2 cups water for 10 mins will make strong concentrate. concentrate can be diluted with 2 pts water to 1 pt concentrate for tea. one pt concentrate can be added to 2 pt sugar or honey, pinch of cream of tartar, brought to hard crack, amd pored into buttered plate for old fashioned cough drop candy. lemon added at last minute improves flavor. cough syrup can be made of 1 part concentrate and 2 parts honey.

Monardella purpurea | Serpentine Monardella

Liliaceae | Lily Family Family

Lilium rubescens | Chaparral Lily

Orobanchaceae | Broomrape Family

Castilleja foliolosa | Wooly Paintbrush

Poaceae | Grasses Family

Nassella lepida | Foothill Needle Grass

Elymus multisetus | Big Squirreltail