Yellow poker, Prince's plume, Desert Princesplume, Golden Prince's-plume
Stanleya pinnata

Family: Brassicaceae

What it is like

A cabbage family herb. It has several erect stems up to 1.5 m tall. The stems are unbranched and with hairs. They can have woody bases. The leaves are fleshy and 15 cm long by 5 cm wide. These are divided into several lobes. At the top it has a logn flower stalks with a group of many flowers. They are yellow. The fruit is curved and 8 cm long.

The plants can extract selenium from the soil.

Where it is found

It is a temperate plant. It grows in the desert. It can grow in arid places.

Countries/locations it is found in

North America, USA

How it is used for food

The leaves and stems are boiled several times to remove toxic levels of selenium and then eaten. The seeds are ground and eaten.

Edible parts

Leaves, seeds

How it is grown

Its other names

Local names

Synonyms

Cleome pinnata Pursh; Stanleya arcuata Rydb.; Stanleya canescens Rydb.; Stanleya fruticosa Nutt.; Stanleya glauca Rydb.; Stanleya heterophylla Nutt.; Stanleya pinnata var. pinnata; Stanleya pinnatifida Nutt.;