A Texas Herbal

Cacti

CACTI

Agave, Century Plant
Agave americana

Location: Native to Mexico, cultivated in Texas and escapes in West Texas
Culinary use: The sap can be made into mescal or tequila. Mescal is made by cutting the central bud just before blooming and a hollow is made in the stalk, almost bowl shaped. The exuded sap is collected and allowed to ferment till milky. If allowed to ferment further, it will become vinegar. Tequila is made by taking the fermented sap and distilling it.
Medical use: Fresh juice is a laxative and diuretic. Leaves are counter irritant Gum can be used like gum arabic

Agave, Harvard
Agave havardiana

Location: scattered over the foothills and slopes of western Texas in the Chisos, Davis, and Sierra Blanca Mountains.
Culinary use: Mescal was made by baking crowns by either pit baking or refuse heap baking and then allowing them to ferment.

Agave, New Mexico
Agave neomexicana

Location: In the vicinity of Pine Springs, just below the New Mexico line, on the slopes of the Guadalupe Mountains.
Culinary use: used by the Mescalero and Chiricahua Apache for food. Mescal is prepared by baking in a stone lined pit 10-12 ft in diameter and 3-4 ft deep. A large stone is set in the center and a charcoal cross drawn on it. A fire of oak and juniper is built in the morning and usually dies down by noon, then moist Bear grass Nolina microcarpa is laid on top and a small ceremony held. The tops are then added and covered by more moist grass and soil so that none of the steam can escape. Allowed to bake about 8-12 hours the pit is opened and checked to ensure even cooking and then covered and allowed to cook the rest of the day and into the next morning. The cooked tops can be made into meal or an alcoholic drink. To make the drink the inner portion is pounded and put into a pouch then buried for 2 days. The juice was then squeezed out and allowed to ferment for 2-3 more days. Another drink could be made by macerating the centers in water and allowing to ferment several days, then straining and boiling down the liquid to make a powerful alcoholic drink.

Cactus, Deerhorn
Peniocereus greggii

Location: Dry alluvial soil at altitudes of 2,000-4,000 feet in western Texas
Identification: Slender stemmed and with erect or sprawling branches 1-3 in number, rarely found larger than 6 feet and is easily overlooked. Stems are very weak and fragile.
Culinary use: In Mexico the large turnip-like tubers, weiging between 5-15 lbs., are sliced and fried.
Medical use: Slices of the cactus are bound to the chest for chest colds

Cholla, Walking Stick
Opuntia imbricata

Location: Found in the dryer parts of Texas ranging from the Big Bend area, north through Oklahoma, and south and west through New Mexico.
Identification: A large cacti sometimes ataining a height of 9 ft and a trunk diameter of 10 in, with a short woody trunk and many candelabrum like branches that average 3/4 - 1 1/4 in in diameter that are flatened laterally and very spiny.
Fruits: Yellow and dry, usually between 1 - 1 1/2 inches long.
Other uses: In Mexico the fruits are collected, chopped into small pieces, and boiled to produce a setting agent for cochineal dye. It is a very acidic mordant. Stems are sometimes cut, cleaned, and dried to make intresting looking canes.

Prickly Pear, Lindheimer
Opuntia lindheimeri

Location: central south, and southern Edwards plateau
Fruit: July-September
Culinary use: The pads and joins can be eaten after burning off the spines, trimming the thick skin off, cutting the pads into strips, rincing in cold water are known as "napolata's". The prepared strips can be either used in dishes, boiled, or breaded in cornmeal and fried. Syrup can be made by boiling the ripe fruit and straining off the seed The boiled and fermented juice is known as "colonche" When the juice is boiled down to a paste it is known as "melcocha" Queso de tuna tuna cheese is prepared from a pulp of the fruit seed
Medical use: Poultice of young joints reduces inflammation, and a decoction of the joints is good for pulmonic and pleurutic afflictions. Tea made from the fruit -or- tuna helps gallstones
Other use: Juice of the joints is boiled with tallow to make hard candle wax.

	Cacti CACTI Agave, Century Plant Agave americana Location: Native to Mexico, cultivated in Texas and escapes in West Texas Culinary use: The sap can be made into mescal or tequila. Mescal is made by cutting the central bud just before blooming and a hollow is made in the stalk, almost bowl shaped. The exuded sap is collected and allowed to ferment till milky. If allowed to ferment further, it will become vinegar. Tequila is made by taking the fermented sap and distilling it. Medical use: Fresh juice is a laxative and diuretic. Leaves are counter irritant Gum can be used like gum arabic Agave, Harvard Agave havardiana Location: scattered over the foothills and slopes of western Texas in the Chisos, Davis, and Sierra Blanca Mountains. Culinary use: Mescal was made by baking crowns by either pit baking or refuse heap baking and then allowing them to ferment. Agave, New Mexico Agave neomexicana Location: In the vicinity of Pine Springs, just below the New Mexico line, on the slopes of the Guadalupe Mountains. Culinary use: used by the Mescalero and Chiricahua Apache for food. Mescal is prepared by baking in a stone lined pit 10-12 ft in diameter and 3-4 ft deep. A large stone is set in the center and a charcoal cross drawn on it. A fire of oak and juniper is built in the morning and usually dies down by noon, then moist Bear grass Nolina microcarpa is laid on top and a small ceremony held. The tops are then added and covered by more moist grass and soil so that none of the steam can escape. Allowed to bake about 8-12 hours the pit is opened and checked to ensure even cooking and then covered and allowed to cook the rest of the day and into the next morning. The cooked tops can be made into meal or an alcoholic drink. To make the drink the inner portion is pounded and put into a pouch then buried for 2 days. The juice was then squeezed out and allowed to ferment for 2-3 more days. Another drink could be made by macerating the centers in water and allowing to ferment several days, then straining and boiling down the liquid to make a powerful alcoholic drink. Cactus, Deerhorn Peniocereus greggii Location: Dry alluvial soil at altitudes of 2,000-4,000 feet in western Texas Identification: Slender stemmed and with erect or sprawling branches 1-3 in number, rarely found larger than 6 feet and is easily overlooked. Stems are very weak and fragile. Culinary use: In Mexico the large turnip-like tubers, weiging between 5-15 lbs., are sliced and fried. Medical use: Slices of the cactus are bound to the chest for chest colds Cholla, Walking Stick Opuntia imbricata Location: Found in the dryer parts of Texas ranging from the Big Bend area, north through Oklahoma, and south and west through New Mexico. Identification: A large cacti sometimes ataining a height of 9 ft and a trunk diameter of 10 in, with a short woody trunk and many candelabrum like branches that average 3/4 - 1 1/4 in in diameter that are flatened laterally and very spiny. Fruits: Yellow and dry, usually between 1 - 1 1/2 inches long. Other uses: In Mexico the fruits are collected, chopped into small pieces, and boiled to produce a setting agent for cochineal dye. It is a very acidic mordant. Stems are sometimes cut, cleaned, and dried to make intresting looking canes. Prickly Pear, Lindheimer Opuntia lindheimeri Location: central south, and southern Edwards plateau Fruit: July-September Culinary use: The pads and joins can be eaten after burning off the spines, trimming the thick skin off, cutting the pads into strips, rincing in cold water are known as "napolata's". The prepared strips can be either used in dishes, boiled, or breaded in cornmeal and fried. Syrup can be made by boiling the ripe fruit and straining off the seed The boiled and fermented juice is known as "colonche" When the juice is boiled down to a paste it is known as "melcocha" Queso de tuna tuna cheese is prepared from a pulp of the fruit seed Medical use: Poultice of young joints reduces inflammation, and a decoction of the joints is good for pulmonic and pleurutic afflictions. Tea made from the fruit -or- tuna helps gallstones Other use: Juice of the joints is boiled with tallow to make hard candle wax.