. The trees all appear to be the same species (same leaf structure and color, same wood color, same bark color/texture, etc), however, there are a few trees that have HUGE thorns that I have seen penetrate car tires and work boots (between 2-4 inches in length) and the others have small, more delicate thorns (still hard and sharp, but only around 1 inch in length). Some Kewevkepaya (Southeastern Yavapai) even used the sap as hair dye. Mesquite bean powder (or flour) has a mild, sweet, nutty, molasses-like flavor with a touch of caramel and a hint of chocolate. Au fait (the author of this article) on April 25, 2016: Yoyo, thank you for coming by and commenting. Mesquite beans are the bean-shaped pods of mesquite trees. It took a couple of hours at a low . I'm impressed with their medicinal & health usefulness. Do you have any idea why two trees of the same species, growing in the same environment would have such significant difference in a physical trait? - with the big bunch of thorns - , is a picture of HONEY LOCUST thorns. Blessings . So the final answer is that no, mesquite trees are not toxic, and no, they are not sex specific as in separate male and female varieties. Thank you for pointing this out and for stopping by to read this article. The seeds contain about 35% protein, much more than soybeans. I did not know the nutritious property of the pods though. C E Clark (author) from North Texas on March 19, 2013: Thank you Deborah-Diane for reading and commenting on this hub! C E Clark (author) from North Texas on August 17, 2014: Frogyfish, thank you for reading and commenting on this article! If it is 31 for an hour, I wouldn't worry about it harming much of anything. "Let's start with that individual who wants to do something with mesquite and has lots of it in their backyard, they can go pick a few hundred pounds in a season if they want. C E Clark (author) from North Texas on August 25, 2015: AleciaC, thank you for commenting. All is as well here as it can be I guess. . My granny used to say that when there's nothing to graze on, the mesquite beans are the cattle's last resort and make the difference between them living and dying. Also changed the name on the attribution as requested. "I'd never heard about that before, but I'd heard of mesquite, and mesquite sounds like Texas, so that kind of took me down a rabbit hole." Cook the beans on low for at least 24 hours. I have read mixed reviews about it online. I was wondering if there might be mesquite trees/shrubs near this area. Just need more time and more sleep and things would be better, but we could all say that couldn't we? Thank you. :). We offer a fabulous selection of 100% cotton fabrics along with notions for quilting, sewing, and crafts. Mesquite beans have even been hailed as a superfood as they act as an adaptogen that helps your body counter stress along with being packed with essential vitamins (per Earth Eco ). 76% of all mesquite trees in the U.S. grow in Texas though they are native to other Southwestern states also. Kept saying I was forgetting something. I've made a note to ask my son about their presence in Georgia. xox. Pat the dough flat, cut it into squares, and dry the squares in the sun. Athena, a forager who also sells mesquite beans and flour, laid her tarp and started to take on the thin-boughed, feathery-leafed tree before the rains hit. Some healers applied the sap as a protective coating on lesions or chewed the leaves and placed the mass on stings to alleviate pain and swelling. 1lb cleaned and dried Mesquite beans. . A good mesquite bean is sweet and resembles a candy in its taste. Scientist and mesquite researcher Peter Felker, a partner in the flour importer Casa de Mesquite, says that attitudes about mesquite depend on the culture: "In Texas they're bulldozing, in Argentina they're planting." The mesquite fruits that first appear are like hanging green beans, and by supper they become pale yellow, dry, and maybe six inches long.They look like slightly withered green beans, but yellow. Question: Our 35 yr old mesquite has a lot of leafless branches and the leaves it does have are yellowing. Flour made from mesquite bean pods has a sweet and nutty taste and has been used to make low-glycemic . Also tweeting and pinning. Given what you say about the uses of the tree and it's seeds, that may well be true. I hope you're having a good day and staying cool! They aren't a very "lovely" vision at first glance, but perhaps they look a bit better when their blossoms are in bloom. Glad you found it interesting! There are a variety of holly plants that serve that good purpose here in Texas too. Mesquite trees have good uses, and they would probably limit the entrance of thieves to your home if planted strategically. Allow Beans To Cool, And Grind Morgan Rogue / Insteading Once they're out of the oven, give the beans a few minutes to cool. C E Clark (author) from North Texas on July 05, 2015: Shyron, so good to see you again and glad you find this article interesting. Ex. The Mesquite powder benefits come from its high fiber content, low glycemic index, high mineral content, potential anti-fungal properties, immune-boosting abilities and high protein percentage. The beans of the mesquite tree are edible. Sift that powder through a fine-mesh sieve to filter out the rock . Mix thoroughly. C E Clark (author) from North Texas on April 20, 2017: Bob F., thank you for reading, and for sharing this unfortunate accident with me and my readers. Linda Crampton from British Columbia, Canada on August 23, 2015: This is a very interesting hub, Au fait. 235 were here. This food was once important to indigenous people in Texas but is now largely overlooked. Informative, and you have such a great hub, well presented with photos and educational. I make them look like big bonsais plant. Historically the dried pods and seeds were milled (ground into flour) using a stone. Sorry I did not get a chance to call you yesterday. Shyron E Shenko from Texas on February 20, 2014: Au fait, as you know yesterday was beautiful and warm (70s) and I walked out to the fence in the back to replace a rail that the wind took down and I see the devil trees have sprouted. Start by locating a mesquite tree with pods on the branches (NEVER pick pods off the ground), they are typically ready for harvest in June and July. The mesquite bugs usually gather in groups in the mesquite trees, so between their size and the fact that theyre clustered, you cannot miss them. Honey made from the nectar of mesquite flowers is considered a delicacy. I still remember seeing loads of them in South Texas. Spread the slices out on a baking sheet and bake for 25 minutes, or until the pods are crispy.4. You can tell if the pod is ripe. I'm not all that familiar with Mission, so I don't know if there are nature exhibits of any kind there, but I would recommend you contact the agricultural county extension office in the county where Mission is located (Hidalgo county). You are simply a Master, Au fait.UP+++ pinned. Divide into 12 balls, then flatten into 1/8" disks and cook in a dry skillet at medium temperature. Yes, honey mesquite trees do grow around the Mission, Texas area, probably right in town in many cases. Mesquite Bean Syrup/Jelly/Sugar . diogenes from UK and Mexico on December 17, 2013: Mistydid you read my article on fossils? Mesquite FAQ's. We have patterned the GrowPHX Mesquite Mill and & Education Program after the Desert Harvesters's mesquite milling program in Tucson, Arizona. C E Clark (author) from North Texas on February 24, 2014: PegCole17, you are most welcome. The human connection to mesquite as a food has been battered for centuries. With this Thanks again for coming by, and take care . Otherwise, I'm not aware of any special use it has. While the honey mesquite tree has creamy white fluffy flowers from early spring all through summer into fall and delicate, feathery leaves similar to those on the mimosa tree (my favorite tree), it also has thorns that are 3 inches long coming out of the base of its leaf stems. C E Clark (author) from North Texas on January 26, 2015: C E Clark (author) from North Texas on January 25, 2015: Patricia (pstraubie48), thank you for reading and commenting on this article, and for G+ing, tweeting, and pinning it, and for the votes too! The most popular way to use mesquite bean flour, however, is when baking. C E Clark (author) from North Texas on October 02, 2018: Luciano, thank you for letting me and my readers know that there is at least one person in the world who loves these trees. Mesquite beans grow from the tree's feathery branches. You are so right about those thorns. So helpful! Roasting mesquite beans brings out the flavors of chocolate, coconut and baking spices. The swelling and other symptoms people experience are the result of a sensitivity or allergic reaction the unfortunate person has to the tree or something left on the part of the tree that person had contact with. Those thorns really are horrible. Collect the ripe bean pods using a small rake to pull down the branches so you can reach the beans. I do know that I like foods that are prepared using mesquite woodit does give a lovely flavor to the foods. I love them. Mix the eggs, sugar, milk, and mesquite flour and place this mixture in a flan mold that has been lined with the carmel. Hugs and blessings. One genus in this group is Prosopis. C E Clark (author) from North Texas on November 09, 2013: Thank you for sharing/pinning/voting on this hub. I have never tried to do anything with mesquite trees, but I know people who cuss them continually, so prepare for a difficult experience. What's the Best Flour Substitute for All-Purpose Flour? Mesquite is a member of the Legume Family (Fabaceae), which is a big family world-wide. Ha! I have always wondered why they didn't view them as a money-maker instead, and have crews cut them down and sell them as fuel for grilling and material for artists. "Let's make mesquite our vanilla, right?" Thank you for sharing your knowledge with us. It can even. You inspired me to check on whether or not the seeds and seedpods of mesquite trees are edible or toxic, and it turns out they are edible not only for animals but for humans too. All of the water samples came back very high in nitrate, and we were baffled, as typically nitrate contamination in groundwater is a result of fertilizer use in agriculture. I'm glad you enjoyed this article! The Great Charcoal Debate: Briquettes Or Lumps. They can reach up to 50 feet tall with a branch spread of 40 feet or more, or they can turn into a shrub with many trunks. I love mesquiteit's almost good for nothing, like me! Gyawali first came across mesquite when he was working at the bakery and bar Easy Tiger. Answer: I have read that some people dig up the root as much as possible, let it dry, and use it as fuel just like the bark or wood part of the tree. The distillery is launching a mesquite gin in the fall of 2020. The beans of this plant contain cytisine, a toxic pyridine that causes nausea, convulsions, hallucinations, and even death if taken in too large quantities. It is a Texas icon, and a must-see for any visitors to the Lone Star State. I agree those thorns are wicked. Put your mind to work and create the world you want . Austin baker Sandeep Gyawali is on a mission to revive culinary interest in the mesquite bean. Things that animals can safely eat are not necessarily safe for human food, although I had already reported that people often chew the seedpods for their sweetness. A delicious jelly can be made from broth of simmered mesquite beans. I hope today was a better day for you both. Indian women . A Native Texan once told me that Texas is one of the most inhospitable places to humans on the planet, coming in just behind Australia. They have been there for many, many years and were part of the native desert before the land was developed for residential use. Peggy Woods from Houston, Texas on January 22, 2015: Since you just visited my page regarding the Southern Magnolia Tree I thought that I would revisit yours regarding the Mesquite Tree. So glad you enjoy this subject. While some trees and other plants are sex specific as in male or female, there is no such variation for mesquite trees. I used to say, 'Oh that's a sweet one, I'll grab that one.' I have found that 24D will kill them, and as soon as I see one sprout, I spray it with 24D. Mesquite beans are the bean-shaped pods of mesquite trees. If cooking meat or vegetables, experiment with sprinkling a little bit on top of when cooking to add a bit of sweetness to the dish. The thorns are indeed wicked. Take care . It sounds like you may be having an allergic reaction, but I would definitely recommend you get yourself to the emergency room pronto. Here in Texas, mesquite trees grow pretty much anywhere they want to. Now it's to stay warmer at night again for a few days. Honey mesquite trees are a fast-growing species that can grow as tall as three feet and as wide as 40 feet. Shyron E Shenko from Texas on March 15, 2014: You use a paint brush and paint it on the leaves and stems. It's a process kids can get into! Many people cuss the tree because they grow like weeds and they are ever so difficult to get rid of, but they do have certain advantages as well, as I've described in this article. Snap the pods into smaller segments and pulverize them into a fine powder in a food processor, blender or tabletop grain mill. How to make mesquite bean flour Swish the beans around in the water for about 5 minutes and then drain the water. Its characteristics will cause you to love it or hate it, so it would seem. An average plant starts fruiting by 3-4 years of age and yields annually 10-50 kg pods/ tree, which can be collected from May-June and I hope you don't mind. Karen Hudes/for NPR The pods are used as a food source in many parts of the world and are especially popular in Mexico. I hate these trees with a passion. From the gathering to the grinding, "It's a pain." Use a wooden spoon to stir in oil, then water, making a ball. Add milk and egg. Think mesquite and chances are youre thinking barbeque wood. Informative hub; I voted Up and Interesting. Remove excess water and then place the beans in a dehydrator What is mesquite bean flour? I'm hunting mesquite trees, and they bite. I consulted with Ms. Laminack because it was suggested to me that the thorns may vary within one species according to whether the specific tree was male or female. I was unable to find a clear and definitive answer to your question regarding the sex of mesquite trees in correlation to the length of their thorns in my usual research. you will find several answers. And maybe now that the harvesting event is over, the mesquite . Happy New Year! Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.2. Combine all ingredients until well blended. Stay warm and dry up where you live. I do not see many here in the Houston area. In earlier times, the mesquite beans were used to flavor and enrich winter squash, barrel cactus and dumplings by layering these foods with the beans and simmering slowly. They are trees that can tolerate nearly any abuse and survive if not thrive. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Blend first five dry ingredients (flour, meal, oats, soda and baking powder ) in medium bowl. Are plants toxic to dogs? Karen Hudes has written for The New York Times, New York Magazine, Extra Crispy, Tin House and The Awl, and formerly worked as a senior editor at Zagat. but still respected as powerfully hallucinogenic. If it gets down to 25 below zero for 5 minutes or longer, that's another matter. Mix until crumbly. Content is for informational or entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for personal counsel or professional advice in business, financial, legal, or technical matters. . . Sharing this once again. I just updated it cause no one read it and it's topical now. 1,879 were here. The seeds contain about 35% protein, much more than soybeans. Instructions Grind mesquite beans with a mortar and pestle until they reach a flour-like consistency. I think you may have mixed this hub up with a different one, but thanks for stopping by just the same! There was a person who asked what mesquite smells like when it's burning and I hoped you would see that question and answer it for her if you could. The second most common mesquite tree in the U.S., the velvet mesquite, can grow as tall as the honey mesquite and is generally the larger of the two trees, with a trunk around 24 inches in diameter. The most notably prolific of those mesquite trees growing in Texas is the honey mesquite. Mesquite is the most common shrub/small tree of the desert southwest. C E Clark (author) from North Texas on June 20, 2020: Erika Kathleen, thank you for inquiry. The mesquite sounds like our Red cedars here in Oklahomathey use up lots of water also, and add explosive fuel to our wildfires. There are 44 species of Prosopisworldwide, with three found in California and the surrounding areas. I use it a lot. It should snap when you break it and vary in color from light brown to red or purple. Another insect commonly found on mesquite trees is the giant mesquite bug, pictured in this article. Botanical aspects and preparation Psilocybin mushrooms grow in moist, warmer environments in the greatest abundance. :). Next I strained every bit of mesquite pulp from the softened pods, squeezing the gooey fibers by hand. So interesting about the mequite trees. The pods look remarkably like regular string bean pods. Years ago, mesquite bean flour (made from . Interesting trees. To really claim it as a resource. ", Still, it will be an education process. Mesquite bean flour or powder is most commonly found online. Au fait..How I love continuing education! Hope all is well with you also. Their taproots can dig deep into the soil, sometimes to an incredible depth of 150 feet. The pods of mesquite beans are very sweet and the sweetness comes from fructose which doesnt require insulin to be metabolized. Plant some of these trees in strategic places and burglars won't bother you. If I may.. the picture right under "Thorns a Plenty!" The thorns certainly put me off . . Love to read about trees, the live oaks are my favorites. Hope today is a new beginning for a lovely day for you. The ice cream shop Lick is making a seasonal roasted mesquite flavor with mesquite-infused cream and crumbled mesquite cookies; and craft chocolatier SRSLY will release 1,000 Mesquite Dirty White chocolate bars in October. I wonder if you can answer a question for me? Other uses The Pima Indians used the black tar as a hair dye. ", The pairings do seem limitless, though Gyawali admits he's finally learned one big reason why there's no Texas industry around the mesquite bean. As a legume, mesquites are one of the few sources of fixed nitrogenin the desert habitat. frogyfish from Central United States of America on March 22, 2014: Enjoyed your informative article about the apparently vicious mesquite. The beans of this plant contain cytisine, a toxic pyridine that causes nausea, convulsions, hallucinations, and even death if taken in too large quantities. Here is a mesquite tree growing in its natural environment. Break the beans into small pieces or smash them gently with a mallet. The thorns are just as hard and very unforgiving. Dallas Photographer, Matthew T. Rader, CC-BY, via Flickr. Roast the beans whole. Mesquite beans can normally be harvested between June and September. . I think what most people hate is that mesquite trees are so difficult to remove once they get a start. Also for the votes and the pin. Shop for the flour from Amazon and Casa de Mesquite. I have asked several people your question and they have somewhat different answers. Karen Hudes/for NPR Peg Cole from North Dallas, Texas on February 22, 2014: C E Clark (author) from North Texas on February 22, 2014: PegCole17, I would be pleased and honored for you to link my hub with yours! Set first brew aside. :). ", Rediscovering old flavors and creating new ones, Mesquite flour stirred into butter has a unique sweet flavor, and is especially good on homemade bread. I hope all is well with you, my dear friend. You'll find mesquite beans sold as a flour, which is actually quite versatile. What can you use mesquite pods for? It is so hard that it is sometimes called Texas ironwood. Glad if this hub has helped you in some way -- if only to decide whether or not to plant these trees under your windows for security. How long does the bean dropping cycle usually last? This flour is rich in protein and micronutrients such as magnesium, potassium, iron, zinc, and calcium. The pods in the beans are quite nutritious and have a sweet taste as well as a spice-like flavor and aroma when roasted. I had a mesquite thorn get me in the right hand little finger knuckle over a week ago.