Harvesting Native Gardens

~ Bladderpod ~ Spring entices a burst of bright yellow flowers on our native Bladderpod, attracting hummingbirds, hawk moths, gardeners, and ethnobotanists. Besides being an attractive, fire-resistant, evergreen shrub, Bladderpod produces showy clusters of flowers and inflated seed pods that can be eaten if cooked. We’ll share with you how to prepare these treats below. ♦♦♦ Part of my appreciation of our native desert plants comes from the indispensable gifts that these plants have provided for millennia to humans, wildlife, birds, insects, soils, and […]

Plant of the Month: Jan. 2013

Bladderpod Peritoma arborea (Formerly Isomeris arborea)   Plant Form: Evergreen Shrub Water Use: Very Low Mature Size: 4’-6’ tall & wide Exposure: Full Sun Bloom Time: Year-round; heaviest bloom Feb – June Native to: California Hardiness: Cold Hardy to 25° F   Bladderpod is a hardy, drought-tolerant, evergreen shrub with lacy gray-green leaves. This relative of capers produces showy, yellow snapdragon-like flowers year-round with only occasional water. Bladderpod derives its name from its seed pods that are shaped like small […]