South Mountain Edible Plant Hike

The photo above was taken at our last hike and picnic with wild desert foods on February 25th.

Each hike is like a Plant Party as we celebrate the plants that give us tea, food, and medicine. There is hope in this life if we look to Nature and do our part to align with Her.

This hike is suitable for Adults and Children Age 9 and Older who are physically fit.

Cost: Donation amount that you decide.

We'll be taking a new moderately difficult trail on March 11th. I haven't brought the group to this trail before. Thankfully my leg which was hurt 2 years ago and has prevented me from walking far is now healing! This has happened since a NeuroKinetic Therapy session I had last week.

We'll meet 1/2 mile away from the Kelly's Kitchen directions below. I will send you the exact directions via email after you have filled out the waiver form. Please CHECK YOUR SPAM and promotional inbox folders if you don't see my email.

The trail ascends 150 feet. There are rocky, slippery areas. Please wear good hiking shoes, a hat, and bring plenty of water, a snack, and sun screen. Come if you are comfortable with these conditions.

Non-edible Wildflowers we will see: Fiddleneck, Popcorn Flower, Scorpionweed, Ghost Flower, Fremon's Pincushion, Arizona Lupine, California Fatagonia, and Spotted Hideseed (Eucrypta chrysanthemifolia)--the tiny, delicate flower we discovered last week.

Cactus we'll see with edible buds, flowers, or fruits at certain times of the year: Pincusion, Hedgehog, Barrel, Teddybear Cholla, Buckhorn Cholla, and Saguaro.

Medicinal or Tea-making Bushes or Herbs we'll see: Creosote, California Buckhorn, Indian Tea, Brittlebush, White Ratany, and Desert Plantain (rare for this area!).

If we see any invasive Globe Chamomile (Stinknet) we will pull it up. It is just appearing at the foot of this trail and has not spread up the mountain yet so I think we can stop it.

We'll also be on the lookout for White Fountain Grass and Purple Fountain Grass, the invasive and now illegal landscaping plants many people have in their front yards. It spreads via the wind and invades parts of this area, crowding out native plants and causing a fire danger since they burn twice as hot as native vegetation.

Every walk or hike I take is a cleanup event for me. I like to pick up any litter (with gloves) I see and carry it home in a bag. Along with the invasive plants. Feel free to being a bag and join me in this. There is usually very litter on these trails.

Trees with edible fruits (beans) and/or Tea-Making ability we'll see: Ironwood, Velvet Mesquite, Foothill Paloverde, and Elephant Tree (Bursera microphylla).

Tea-making/medicinal bushes we will see are Brittlebush, Bursage, Whitethorn Acacia, Desert Lavender, California Buckwheat,Ephedra Tea, and White Ratany.

I will be interrupting whatever we are doing if a bird introduces himself to us with a nearby call or song. I'll let you know which bird friend this is, her habits and personality. Hopefully we'll see the Redtail Hawk pair who nest in these cliffs, the whistling Curved-bill Thrashers, Bewick's Wren, Say's Phoebe, the Yellow-shafted Flicker, Gila Woodpecker, Costa's Hummingbird, and Gambel Quail.

Learning the names of these plants and birds is just the beginning of a long relationship with them. We can recognize them each time we see or hear them, and watch the way they fly, sing, and eat. We can learn what conditions the plants love or just tolerate.

I've been hiking these trails for 16 years and feel an intimate connection with the landscape and all her plants from miniscule mosses to soaring saguaros. I am forever a grateful student of these wise beings.

Plants have adapted to life on earth with such beauty, helpfulness, and resilience. Humans are still mucking around, thinking that material gain is important instead of love and logic, arrogantly pretending we are dominators of nature.

We could not live without plants giving us air to breathe and food to eat. Such generous providers. We have a responsibility to notice them and care for them. They could live without us but we need them for our very breath and sustenance.

If you change your mind or are unable to attend, please notify me so I can let people on the wait list attend.

Please fill out this liability waiver form online as soon after registering as possible.Here is the Waiver Liability Form for you to fill out electronically on your computer. It is required for all attendees: https://tinyurl.com/cactuskellywaiver.

This must be filled out immediately when you register and with the actual name of each person attending. Otherwise, your spot will be opened for someone on the wait list.

The form asks for your name, email, and cell phone (in case I can't reach you via email and I'd need to text you with event information). There are several boxes to check. Then you put your signature on the bottom by typing in your name. Then make sure to hit the Submit button.

A Reminder: Make sure you read the Confirmation E-mail I'll send with the directions to the plant walk locale--different from "Kelly's Kitchen." Look in your Spam Folder!

Harvesting mesquite beans last year. Look for Mesquite Harvesting Events I'm planning for this June.

Event Venue & Nearby Stays

Kelly's Kitchen, 15202 S. 14th Pl., Phoenix, United States