Scientific Name(s): Washingtonia filifera
Abundance: uncommon
What: fruit, seeds, palm heart,
How: fruit raw, dried, cooked, jelly; seeds ground up then boiled; palm heart roasted or pickled
Where: landscaping, dry areas
When: Spring, Summer, Fall
Nutritional Value:
Dangers:
This is a native palm and was utilized by Native Americans. Fruit is blue-black, pea-sized and eaten raw, dried, cooked, or made into jellies. Fruit and seed are dried, ground up, then boiled as porridge. Edible heart (central, youngest leaf bud) is roasted though harvesting the heart kills the palm. Leaf fibers used as cordage.
Buy my book! Idiots Guide Foraging covers 70 of North America's tastiest and easy to find wild edibles shown with the same big pictures as here on the Foraging Texas website.
Merriwether's Guide to Edible Wild Plants of Texas and the Southwest
