Riparian

Arroyo Willow: women made skirts from strips of softened bark, branches used for making large granary baskets, leaves chewed to relieve pain, cradle boards made from willow, contains salicylic acid main ingredient in aspirin; Women who weave willow baskets are said not to get arthritis

Black Cottonwood: Inner bark famine food. Leaves moistened are applied to bruises. Leaves and bark boiled to make a poultice which was applied to cure headaches and other wounds. excellent firewood. wood used to manufacture tools. mushrooms frequently found on dead limbs were a favorite food of Cahuilla Indians.

California Blackberry: Fruit was eaten fresh and dried, occasionally when half ripe soaked in water to make a beverage

birds love the fruit

California Fan Palm: Black berries loved by birds, orioles use threading for nests. Used for thatching. Indians roasted and ate berries, also ground them into flour. Strings from leaves used to weave baskets. Sometimes terminal bud roasted as delicacy, but this kills plant. Trunk sometimes used as building material. Leaves torn almost to middle, 3-6 ft. long.

California Raspberry: Fruit was eaten fresh and dried, occasionally when half ripe soaked in water to make a beverage birds love the fruit

California Sycamore: Limbs and branches are used to make houses, bark boiled with Ephedra tea to treat asthma bowls were shaped from wood with a broken rock, seasoned in water, and greased with meat or oil to prevent splitting

Deer Grass: Stems used by Native Americans to start Juncus and Basket Bush baskets. Seeds collected and ground to make a mush. Favorite browse for deer.

Desert Grape: gathered by Native American women and children to be eaten fresh, cooked in stews, dried as raisins; occasionally made into mush or wine

Mulefat: Legend has it that the Native Americans rubbed Mule Fat leaves on their head to prevent baldness. Since it is one of the few Riparian plants which is not deciduous it was valued by the California miners as year round fodder for their mules.

San Diego Sage Wort: flowers parched and ground, bitter tea for colds and sore eyes, hair tonic, stomach disorders.

San Diego Willowy Mint: Tea for stomach ache or colds. attracts butterflies, grows in all soils

Three leafed Sumac (Squaw Bush): Stems used to make baskets, leaves boiled for an eye wash, astringent properties useful in tanning leather; Indians used to treat small pox, fruit eaten. Looks like poison oak.

Western Cottonwood: Inner bark famine food. Leaves moistened are applied to bruises. Leaves and bark boiled to make a poultice which was applied to cure headaches and other wounds. excellent firewood. wood used to manufacture tools. mushrooms frequently found on dead limbs were a favorite food of Cahuilla Indians.

Wild Rose: The blossoms were used as food and made into a beverage; tea made from the blossoms was used as medicine