Mahonia aquifolium (New Mexico)

OREGON GRAPE, HOLLY-LEAVED BERBERRY, HOLLY GRAPE

July 8, 2022

New Mexico was incredible. First we hiked 2.5 miles and down 800 feet to explore the Big Room at the Carlsbad Caverns National Park, the largest cave chamber in North America at 357,469 ft².

Tired, we took the elevator to the surface.

The next day we visited the amazing White Sands National Park on our way to Albuquerque where we hiked around Petroglyph National Monument.

Another great trek was to Bandalier National Monument to visit the ruins of the Ancestral Puebloans. We hiked Frijoles Canyon where the park has wooden ladders you can use to climb up into the cavates – small caves carved out by human hands between 1150 and 1600 AD.

But it was Santa Fe that stole our heart with its rich history, cultural diversity, enchanting adobe buildings, and dynamic art scene. It was also where we found some delicious edible fruits.

Driving around Santa Fe, we spotted an apricot tree that was dropping fruit.

I know . . . apricot is not native, nor wild, but when Nature drops fresh, ripe fruit over a fence at your feet, you have to pick it up!

I cut the bruised parts off, removed the pits, and gave them a wash. Then cooked them down with sugar and a small amount of water into a quick stovetop apricot preserves.

Near the Santa Fe Plaza, we found our next fruit – Oregon grape. I was surprised to find it so far south, but did learn that it’s natural range is from southeast Alaska to central New Mexico.

BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

Oregon grape is not a vine, but rather an evergreen shrub, native to western North America. Leaves are stiff, shiny green with spines on the edges that resemble holly, and will turn red-purplish in the winter. Oregon grape’s springtime flowers are bright yellow, which then transform into dark blue berries that have a visible white cast, or bloom, similar to blueberries.

RECIPE

The Oregon grape fruit is extremely tart due to high vitamin C so I gave it a similar treatment as the apricots.

Oregon Grape Guajillo Sauce

• 1/3 cup of Oregon grapes
• 1 Tbsp water
• 1/4 cup sugar or to taste
• 1 dried Guajillo chile

Add water to berries and cook until soft on the stove top. Place the fruit pulp in a wire mesh strainer to extract the juice (the fruits have large seeds you will want to remove).

Heat a pan over medium, then dry toast the Guajillo chile for 30-60 seconds per side.

Add the Oregon grape juice back into the saucepan and add sugar. Then add toasted Guajillo chile and simmer for 5-10 minutes on low. Set aside & allow the sauce to cool down. Remove the chile.

NOW WHAT?

I had two fruit sauces and several containers of leftovers in the camper fridge. I decided to make two different versions of open-faced quesadillas.

I always butter, salt, pepper and fry both sides of the flour tortilla when making quesadillas because it makes the tortilla crispier and more flavorful. And I added some caramelized onions and thyme to the apricot preserves.

Chicken Apricot Quesadilla: Apricot onion jam, cooked chicken, queso fresco, toasted pecans, cilantro

Carne Asada & Oregon Grape Quesadilla: Cooked carne asade, queso fresco, Oregon Grape Guajillo sauce, fresh lavender blossoms

TRADITIONAL USES & HERBAL BENEFITS

Native Americans used Oregon grape root to make a yellow dye and to make medicines for stomach ailments, skin conditions, rheumatism, and kidney problems.

Modern herbalists use Oregon grape root to treat hepatic and gastrointestinal issues as well as a variety of infections. Oregon grape root contains a chemical constituent called berberine which includes a specific multidrug resistance pump inhibitor named 5′-methoxyhydnocarpin that may prove useful in treating multidrug resistant organisms such as MRSA. Current research also has found that Oregon grape flower and fruit also have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects. 

References

Andreicut, A., Pârvu, A., Mot, A., Pârvu, M., Fodor, E., Cătoi, A., Feldrihan, V., Cecan, M. & Irimie, A. (2018). Phytochemical analysis of anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects of Mahonia aquifolium flower and fruit extracts. Oxidative Medicine and Cellular Longevity. https://doi.org/10.1155/2018/2879793

De La Foret, R. (n.d.). Oregon Grape Herb. https://www.herbalremediesadvice.org/oregon-grape-herb.html

Quinn, L. (2020, January 17). Oregon grape (Mahonia aquifolium). Walk with a Witch. http://waste-division.org/home-1/walk-with-a-witch-oregon-grape

Washington State University. (2022). Oregon grape. http://www.pnwplants.wsu.edu/PlantDisplay.aspx?PlantID=299