Desert Messenger

8 www.DesertMessenger.com January 20, 2021 Gardening with Dennis We also have Exotic Sand Art by William Tabor as well as other unique items LOCATED AT RICE RANCH 55 Kuehn St. #27 Front Row Quartzsite, AZ 601-265-0061 GEODE TREASURE HUNT WE CRACK GEODES Bring This Ad Bring This Ad and Receive and Receive $ 2 2 2 OFF OFF Your Purchase Your Purchase of a of a GEODE! GEODE! Directly from the mines in Mexico You pick 'em from our treasure chest YOU CRACK 'EM!!! EVERY SUNDAY @ 1pm Starting December 6, 2020 HI HI ALI SWAP MEET 123 W. Cowell, across from the Post Office QUARTZSITE, AZ Weekly Auctions Offering a Great Selection of Antiques, Tools, Household, Rocks and Who-Knows-What-Else! THERE WILL BE A LOT OF QUALITY MERCHANDISE FOR SALE TO THE PUBLIC AT EACH AUCTION Cold Drinks & Hot Coffee Will be Available. We Will Practice Social Distancing and Face Masks Are Required. Viewing will be 1 hour prior to the auction. Sales Conducted by Brown's Auction Service TOM BROWN-AUCTIONEER 307-247-4119 AUCTION Hunting the Humble Cactus By Alex Taft In the early spring, one of Den- nis's favorite pastimes was explor- ing the desert for unusual cactus. Dennis hunted for cactus during the weekend with his camera and on Monday, was often in the library showing everyone what he had discovered. In Arizona, all land is protected by either the Bureau of Land Management, the U.S. Military, the Bureau of Recla- mation, an Indian Reservation, the State Trust, county or municipal governments, businesses, non- profi t organizations or individuals. When you fi nd a native plant out in the middle of nowhere, it is still protected and therefore cannot be removed, damaged or destroyed. The Arizona Revised Statutes, Title 3, Chapter 7 outlines exactly what is and is not permitted, regarding native plants. The Arizona De- partment of Agriculture provides information on identifying native plants. So hunting cactus is con- fi ned to photographing or sketch- ing what you discover. Cactus are not just unusual look- ing plants that have adapted to the extreme heat of the desert. They have hidden properties. Many cac- tus are both nutritional and medic- inal. For example, Jumping Cholla is a tree-like cactus that is usually between 3 and 9 feet tall. Like the prickly pear cactus it can be eaten. It soothes gastrointestinal infl am- mation. A tea made from its root acts as a diuretic. Another example is Ocotillo, a semi-succulent that can live up to 150 to 200 years. It has medicinal properties that help to calm a spasmodic cough among other uses. Their bright red-orange fl owers are stunning. The prickly pear cactus is everywhere, but their common presence disguises a food source as well as the ability to reduce blood sugar levels. They can also be used topically to treat tissue that has not fully healed. In addition to cactus there are many so-called weeds to be found in the desert that are potent medicinal treatments. The best reference for more information on native plants and cactus, their nutritional and medicinal value and how to pre- pare them for use is in the book, "Herbal Medicine of the American Southwest" by Charles W. Kane. Both Dennis and I have used this book as a reference for informa- tion on native plants. The book has beautiful photographs of many of the plants and cactus discussed. The Quartzsite Public Library has two copies, one for reference and one available for check-out. It is wonderful to see that many of the yards in Quartzsite have cac- tus and other native plants in their landscaping. They blend well with other low-water use plants and make for really interesting land- scapes. An integrated landscape with native plants and cactus, and plants from the nursery create a wonderful and exotic environment that has mysteries to tell and can weather the climate. The most humble of plants are often the most rich in nutritional and medicinal value. They have learned how to survive in an extreme climate which is more than I can say for some of us, but they are sensitive to excessive sun exposure and have learned how to protect themselves by growing near other plants that offer shade and by growing tena- cious thorns that seem to act like a magnet to anyone walking by them. Like every living thing, they need water. During the drought we are currently experiencing it is good to water the cactus occasionally. It is not a substitute for rain and mon- soons but it will help keep cactus from shrinking and encourage them to bloom in a drought year. As spring approaches, so too does the time for hunting cactus and the joy that their discovery brings.

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