Mala Mujer or Cnidoscolus angustidens is an interesting plant in Euphorbiaceae, the spurge family. It’s found in southeastern Arizona and south into Sonora on rocky slopes from 2,500′ to 5,000′ in elevation. What makes it interesting, at least to me, are the green maple-like leaves covered in white dots that are actually little mounds, each holding up a stinging hair. They do sting and some folks have a bad reaction to the sting. As you can see from the photo I clasped the stems and yes I got stung (very cool!), but I didn’t a bad reaction. Sometimes native plant nurseries will have this euphorb in stock, so it’s well worth asking your favorite nursery person if they grow it….what am I thinking?…I think we’ll start growing this cool plant at Spadefoot! Go native my friends.
These are my photos…proof that I did get out on a muggy monsoonal morning to find mala mujer.
Berberis fremontii is in the Barberry family or Berberidaceae…that’s fun to pronounce. Fremont barberry has quite a range north of the Salt River in...
When I was a kid growing up in Kentucky a lot of folks called sweet potatoes yams. Even in the grocery stores they were...
Autumn is the season of migration for many avian species and in the borderlands of southern Arizona hummingbirds are passing through, sparrows are arriving...