Practical
Plants

Stanleya elata

a perennial member of the Stanleya genus in the family Brassicaceae.

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Taxonomy and growth

Life cycle
perennial
Height
1.5 m
Fertility
Insects
Flower type
hermaphrodite
Pollinators
Insects

Uses

Edible uses

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Seed - cooked. It is used as a piñole. Young leaves and stems - cooked[4][5][1]. A rather bitter flavour, they are washed with cold and boiling water several times before being eaten in order to reduce this bitterness[2]. This treatment will also remove many of the vitamins and minerals[K].

Plant part
Leaves
Plant part
Seed

Environment

Range
South-western N. America.
Habitat
Desert washes and slopes, especially in seleniferous soils, 1300 - 2200 metres in California[6].
Light
full sun
Shade tolerance
no shade
Water
moderate
Hardiness
Zone 7+
Soil textures
sandy, loamy
Soil pH
acid, neutral, alkaline
Drainage
well drained
Tolerances
drought
Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
No
Drought
tolerant

Propagation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Seed - sow spring in a greenhouse. Germination should take place within 3 weeks. Pot up into individual pots as soon as the plants are big enough to handle in order to preserve the root system. Plant out in summer. Division in spring?

Cultivation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Requires a perfectly drained soil in full sun[3]. Plants resent root disturbance and so should be put out into their permanent positions whilst small[K].

References

  1. Tanaka. T. Tanaka's Cyclopaedia of Edible Plants of the World. Keigaku Publishing 1976-00-00

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  2. Yanovsky. E. Food Plants of the N. American Indians. Publication no. 237. U.S. Depf of Agriculture.

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  3. Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-333-47494-5

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  4. Uphof. J. C. Th. Dictionary of Economic Plants. Weinheim 1959-00-00

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  5. Usher. G. A Dictionary of Plants Used by Man. Constable 1974-00-00 ISBN 0094579202

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  6. Munz. A California Flora. University of California Press 1959-00-00

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