Glaucous wild cabbage

Caulanthus glaucus

Physical Characteristics

Caulanthus glaucus is a PERENNIAL growing to 0.6 m (2ft) by 0.3 m (1ft in). See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 6. The species is hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs). Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It prefers moist soil.

Distribution

South-western N. America - California to Nevada.

Habitats

Cultivated Beds;

Edible Uses

Edible “in theory” (leaves and seeds), but in practice not recommended for any harvest due to its scarcity and conservation status. For your project, present it as an example of a wild cabbage that must be left in place. Leaves[61, 105]. Edible Uses & Rating: Literature indicates that leaves and possibly seeds are edible in the same general manner as other wild cabbages. However, because C. glaucus is uncommon and has a narrow range, it is of no practical value as a food resource and should not be foraged. From an edibility rating perspective, this plant is more or less “theoretical”: it might be edible, but conservation and scarcity make it functionally off-limits. Taste, Processing & Kitchen Notes: Specific flavour data for C. glaucus is extremely limited. Based on its close relationship to thickstem wild cabbage, any edible use would almost certainly involve thorough cooking of leaves to reduce harsh flavours and emetic compounds, and very cautious trialing of small amounts. However, given its rarity, there is no ethical basis to experiment with it as a food source. Seasonality (Phenology): Dusty wild cabbage flowers in spring, typically April to May, with siliques developing shortly thereafter. Leaves are present from early spring through the main growing season; stems dry down in summer. As with other desert mustards, the exact timing is influenced by winter and early spring moisture. Safety & Cautions (Food Use): Even if chemically similar to other wild cabbages, the combination of potential accumulation of soil salts and metals and its rarity means that this species should not be considered a food plant. Ethical foraging practice dictates leaving it untouched. Harvest & Processing Workflow: No harvest workflow is recommended. For a field guide, you might instead describe how to recognise and avoid disturbing it. Look-Alikes & Confusion Risks: Dusty wild cabbage is most easily confused with other Caulanthus, particularly where ranges overlap. The non-inflated stems and thick, dusty, fleshy leaves are helpful markers. In the Silver Peak Range and similar localities, anything matching this description should be assumed to be C. glaucus and treated as a conservation plant, not a foraging target. Traditional/Indigenous Use Summary: There is little if any specific ethnobotanical record for C. glaucus. Where “wild cabbages” appear in Native Californian use records, they likely refer to more common species, particularly those closer to southern California Mohave/Colorado desert peoples, rather than this narrow endemic.

Medicinal Uses

None known

Known Hazards

Even if chemically similar to other wild cabbages, the combination of potential accumulation of soil salts and metals and its rarity means that this species should not be considered a food plant. Ethical foraging practice dictates leaving it untouched.