Zuni ethnobotany facts for kids

The Zuni people are a Native American tribe. They have lived in what is now New Mexico for a very long time. They have always used plants around them for many things. This list shows some of the plants the Zuni people used. It also explains how they used them in their daily lives and special ceremonies.

Plants for Health and Healing

The Zuni people used many plants as medicine. They knew which plants could help with different sicknesses.

Stomach Aches and Pains

• Abronia fragrans (snowball sand-verbena): Zuni people ate the fresh flowers to help with stomach aches.
• Atriplex argentea (silverscale saltbush): They drank a tea made from the root for stomach aches.
• Dalea compacta (compact praireclover): A tea from the root was also used for stomach aches.
• Eriogonum alatum (winged buckwheat): The root was eaten to help with stomach aches.
• Erodium cicutarium (redstem stork's bill): A tea from the root helped with stomach aches.
• Mirabilis linearis (narrowleaf four o'clock): They drank a tea from the root for stomach aches.
• Phoradendron juniperinum (juniper mistletoe): A tea from the whole plant was used for stomach aches.
• Psoralidium lanceolatum (lemon scurfpea): The fresh flower was eaten for stomach aches.

Treating Injuries and Skin Problems

• Achillea millefolium var. occidentalis (western yarrow): A paste made from the plant was put on burns.
• Atriplex argentea (silverscale saltbush): A paste from the chewed root was put on sores and rashes.
• Campanula parryi (Parry's bellflower): A paste from the chewed root was put on bruises.
• Krascheninnikovia lanata (winterfat): A paste from the ground root was put on burns.
• Lithospermum incisum (narrowleaf gromwell): A special cream from the root was used for swelling.
• Phacelia neomexicana (New Mexico scorpionweed): Ground root mixed with water was used for rashes.
• Rumex crispus (curly dock): A paste from the ground root was put on sores, rashes, and skin infections. It also helped with athlete's foot.
• Verbascum thapsus (common mullein): A paste from the ground root was put on sores, rashes, and skin infections. It also helped with athlete's foot.
• Zinnia grandiflora (Rocky Mountain zinnia): A paste was put on bruises.

For Colds and Aches

• Artemisia frigida (fringed sagewort): A tea made from the whole plant helped with colds.
• Artemisia tridentata (big sagebrush): A tea from the leaves was used for body aches and as cold medicine.
• Chaetopappa ericoides (rose heath): A powder from the plant was rubbed on the body for pain from colds, swelling, and muscle aches.
• Erysimum capitatum (sanddune wallflower): A tea from the whole plant was used for muscle aches.
• Ligusticum porteri (Porter's licoriceroot): A tea from the root was used for body aches and sore throats.
• Salix exigua (sandbar willow): A tea from the bark was used for coughs and sore throats.

Other Health Uses

• Ambrosia acanthicarpa (flatspine burr ragweed): The ground root was placed in a tooth for a toothache.
• Conyza canadensis var. canadensis (Canadian horseweed): Crushed flowers were put in the nose to make someone sneeze, which helped with stuffy noses.
• Cucurbita foetidissima (Missouri gourd): A paste from the seeds, flowers, and saliva was put on swellings.
• Dimorphocarpa wislizeni (touristplant): A warm tea from the plant was put on swellings, especially on the throat.
• Eriogonum jamesii (James' buckwheat): The root was soaked in water and used as an eyewash for sore eyes.
• Gutierrezia sarothrae (broom snakeweed): A tea from the blossoms helped with sweating and urination. It was also used for muscle aches.
• Ipomopsis multiflora (manyflowered gilia): Powdered plant was put on wounds.
• Tetraneuris scaposa (stemmy hymenoxys): A tea was used as an eyewash.
• Symphyotrichum lanceolatum var. hesperium (siskiyou aster): A tea was used to clean arrow or bullet wounds. Smoke from crushed flowers helped with nosebleeds.

Plants for Food

The Zuni people used many plants as food. They ate different parts of the plants, like seeds, leaves, and fruits.

• Achnatherum hymenoides (Indian ricegrass): The ground seeds were a main food source before corn was widely available.
• Amaranthus blitoides (mat amaranth): Seeds were eaten raw or ground with cornmeal and made into balls.
• Artemisia carruthii (Carruth's sagewort): The ground seeds were mixed with water, steamed, and eaten. These seeds were very important for food.
• Astragalus lentiginosus var. diphysus (speckledpod milkvetch): The pods were eaten fresh, boiled, or salted. They were also dried for winter.
• Atriplex powellii (Powell's saltweed): The seeds were eaten raw or ground with cornmeal to make mush.
• Chenopodium album (lambsquarters): Young plants were cooked like green vegetables.
• Chenopodium leptophyllum (narrowleaf goosefoot): Young plants were boiled for food. Ground seeds were mixed with cornmeal and salt to make steamed cakes.
• Cucurbita pepo (field pumpkin): Fresh squash was cut into strips and dried for winter. Blossoms were cooked as a special food. Roasted squash was also eaten.
• Cycloloma atriplicifolium (winged pigweed): Seeds were mixed with ground corn to make mush or steamed cakes.
• Dalea lasiathera (purple praireclover): The root was chewed like candy, especially by children. Flowers were crushed and added to meat stew for flavor.
• Opuntia whipplei (whipple cholla): The fruits were dried for winter or eaten raw or stewed.
• Phaseolus vulgaris (kidney bean): Beans were boiled and fried, or mixed with mush and baked in corn husks.
• Physalis hederifolia var. fendleri (Fendler's groundcherry): Fruit was boiled and crushed for a seasoning.
• Physalis longifolia (longleaf groundcherry): Berries were boiled and ground with onions, chile, and coriander seeds for food.
• Ribes cereum var. pedicellare (whiskey currant): Berries were eaten, and leaves were eaten with mutton or deer fat.
• Yucca glauca (small soapweed): Seed pods were boiled and eaten.

Plants for Crafts and Tools

Plants were also very useful for making tools, clothing, and other items.

• Alnus incana subsp. tenuifolia (thinleaf alder): The bark was used to dye deerskin a reddish-brown color.
• Asclepias subverticillata (whorled milkweed): Fibers from the pods were used for weaving clothing. The fluffy part was made into cords for prayer sticks.
• Bouteloua gracilis (blue grama): Bunches of grass were tied together and used as hairbrushes or brooms. They also used them to strain goat's milk.
• Castilleja integra (wholeleaf Indian paintbrush): Root bark was mixed with minerals to dye deerskin black.
• Cleome serrulata (Rocky Mountain beeplant): This plant was used in pottery decorations.
• Coreopsis tinctoria var. tinctoria (golden tickseed): The blossoms were used to make a mahogany red dye for yarn.
• Ericameria nauseosa subsp. nauseosa var. bigelovii (rubber rabbitbrush): Stems were used to make baskets.
• Gossypium hirsutum (upland cotton): Cotton was used to make special ceremonial clothes.
• Mahonia fremontii (Fremont's mahonia): Crushed berries were used as purple coloring for skin and ceremonial objects.
• Rhus trilobata (skunkbush sumac): Stems were used for making baskets.
• Yucca glauca (small soapweed): Leaves were used to make brushes for decorating pottery and masks. They were also soaked to make rope, mats, and head pads. The roots were pounded to make suds for washing hair and clothes.

Plants for Ceremonies and Beliefs

Many plants played a special role in Zuni ceremonies, dances, and spiritual practices.

• Amaranthus cruentus (red amaranth): The feathery part of the plant was used to color ceremonial bread red. Crushed leaves and blossoms were rubbed on cheeks as blush.
• Artemisia frigida (fringed sagewort): Sprigs of this plant were attached to decorated tablets carried by female dancers. They were also planted with corn to help it grow well.
• Atriplex canescens (fourwing saltbush): Twigs were attached to prayer plumes and offered to cottontail rabbits for good hunting.
• Cucurbita pepo (field pumpkin): Gourds were used in dances to represent growth and were made into ceremonial rattles. They also stored special items.
• Datura wrightii (sacred thornapple): The powdered root was used by rain priests to help bring rain.
• Eriogonum jamesii (James' buckwheat): Ground blossom powder was given to ceremonial dancers to bring rain.
• Juniperus monosperma (oneseed juniper): The wood was a favorite ceremonial firewood. The shredded bark was used to start the New Year fire.
• Muhlenbergia rigens (deergrass): Grass was attached to sticks used in offerings to gods.
• Nicotiana attenuata (coyote tobacco): The smoke was blown over the body to help with rattlesnake bites and was smoked in ceremonies.
• Oenothera albicaulis (whitish evening primrose): Chewed blossoms were rubbed on young girls so they could dance well and help bring rain.
• Opuntia imbricata var. imbricata (tree cholla): This plant was used in ceremonies.
• Pectis papposa (cinchweed fetidmarigold): Chewed blossoms were used as perfume before dances in secret ceremonies.
• Penstemon barbatus ssp. torreyi (Torrey's penstemon): Chewed root was rubbed on a rabbit stick to help with successful hunting.
• Psoralidium tenuiflorum (slimleaf scurfpea): Moistened leaves were put on the body for purification.
• Xanthium strumarium var. canadense (Canada cockleburr): Chewed seeds were rubbed on the body before the cactus ceremony for protection.