Guide to Wild Manzanita

By Christopher Nyerges
Published on April 21, 2014
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Ripe wild manzanita berries.
Ripe wild manzanita berries.
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Wild Manzanita flowers and leaf.
Wild Manzanita flowers and leaf.
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"Guide to Wild Foods, Second Edition" comes from Christopher Nyerges, a leading voice for the promotion of the health and lifestyle benefits of wild edibles.

More than a listing of plant types and general facts, Guild to Wild Foods and Useful Plants, Second Edition (Chicago Review Press, 2014) is full of fascinating folklore, personal anecdotes, and tasty recipes perfect for anyone who is interested in living closer to the earth. Christopher Nyerges — co-director of the School of Self-Reliance — offers hikers, campers and foragers an array of tips for harvesting and consuming wild edibles. This excerpt provides valuable information about the Wild Manzanita flower, once a food staple of Native American tribes in what is now Southern California.

You can purchase this book from the MOTHER EARTH NEWS store: Guide to Wild Foods and Useful Plants, Second Edition.

Manzanita Arctostaphylos spp.
Heath Family: Ericaceae

Most Prominent Characteristics of Wild Manzanita

Overall Shape and Size: Most varieties appear as shrubs or small trees with crooked branches. At least one species is a vining plant.

Stalks and Stems: Perhaps the most characteristic feature of the manzanita is the striking maroon-colored bark that appears smooth and polished.

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