Edible & Medicinal Plants of the Sonoran Desert: Phoenix Area

Name: Edible & Medicinal Plants of the Sonoran Desert: Phoenix Area
Start: 2025-11-08T09:00:00-07:00
End: 2025-11-08T13:30:00-07:00
Location: Phoenix, Arizona

Schedule

Sat Nov 08 2025 at 09:00 am to 01:30 pm

UTC-07:00

Location

Phoenix, Arizona | Phoenix, AZ

Edible & Medicinal Plants of the Sonoran Desert: Phoenix Area
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Of the four U.S. deserts the Sonoran is the hottest and most arid (in part: Lower Colorado River Valley subsection), but it ALSO happens to be the most botanically diverse…being home to a large number of edible, medicinal, and utilitarian plants. The fall season, after the searing heat of summer has abated, is the IDEAL time to explore this majestic landscape of valleys, riparian canyons, and desert mountains. Join us as we learn about a wide variety of useful plants (both common and obscure) found growing in the spectacular wild lands found just outside the city limits.
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Topics to be covered during class include: field botany/plant I.D, plant family characteristics, legal-ethical harvesting/processing/preparation methods, edible/medicinal/utilitarian uses, regional ethnobotany, plant toxicology (plus tips on how to avoid poisonous look-alike species), natural history, plant conservation and at-risk species, sampling of a variety of wild edible & medicinal plant preparations, and more! Our study will emphasize a dynamic sensory awareness of the plants via close observation, touching, tasting, and smelling. This class should prove to be insightful and rewarding for anyone interested in learning more about the flora of this unique bioregion.
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-Fall Session - (West Side Mountains)
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Location: Near Surprise, AZ.
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Date/Time: November 8 (Saturday) 9am-1:30pm
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Fee: $55
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Registration link:
https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=5YYGC2AKH3856
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Detailed directions and other more specific class info (including carpool networking) will be emailed out to the registered/paid students by October 29.
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IMPORTANT NOTE: this message will be sent to the email associated with your PayPal transaction (and for some people this may not be their primary email). Make sure that you also carefully check your spam folder using the search term: "Edible & Medicinal Plant Class Directions/Info.
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No refunds/credits will be issued after October 10.
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Refunds subject to PayPal's 2.9% service charge.
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Instructor: Tellur Fenner of the Blue Wind School of Botanical Studies.
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Make sure to bring: Water, lunch, notebook, hat/sunscreen, rain gear, and a camera.
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Class will occur RAIN OR SHINE! :)
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Contact Info:
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All official Blue Wind business communication is conducted via email. Facebook messages and/or phone calls will not be returned. If you have a question about an upcoming class please send a detailed email to the following address:
[email protected]
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Follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bluewindschool/
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Subscribe to our YouTube channel:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCiBBPpQfrLJSxGAKdYe3vqA
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Scope out our photo/video feed on Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/bluewindschool/
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Interested but don't have a car? Inquire about carpooling options.
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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:
-So I paid the class fee via PayPal...am I now officially registered and on the roster? Yes, your spot in class is now secure. PayPal will not accept online payments when a class is already sold out. Your payment confirmation/receipt has been sent to the email address associated with your account.
-How long/demanding will the hike be? Typically no more than 2-4 very moderate miles...with LOTS of extended stops to ID/discuss plants. If you're unable to easily hike 2-4 miles over the course of 4 1/2-hours I would not recommend registering.
-Can I bring my dog? Sorry, absolutely NO pets (for a litany of reasons).
-Is it OK to bring my child? My 4.5 hour adult-level field classes are in no way suitable for children. Trust me: they would be bored to tears.
-I see that hundreds/thousands of people have clicked on "interested and/or going" for this event...what are your class size limits? Don't take Facebook numbers too seriously folks...I cap these types of field classes at around 30 students :) That said, it IS true that my classes tend to fill to capacity months ahead of time...so procrastination is not recommended if you are hoping to secure a spot.
-I noticed you're teaching more than one class in the area, will these classes all be the same? Never. I ALWAYS strategically select contrasting floristic zones for each of my regional field classes and focus on different plants during each session. Avid plant lovers often elect to take them all.
-Will there be bathroom accommodations? Some trailheads have bathrooms...others don't...and due to the possibility of unforeseen maintenance/repairs I can't guarantee any will be available. Therefore I recommend taking care of bathroom business en route to class. I'll keep the participants posted with current info in the lead up to the class.
-Will the class be canceled in the event of bad weather? Typically, no. And as is mentioned in the description: "Class will occur RAIN OR SHINE!". Only EXTREME weather with torrential rain, wind, and possible flooding OR severe heat (100F+) will likely lead to a cancelation. I'll keep the participants well informed with current weather conditions in the lead up to the class.
-When should I expect to receive directions, carpool info, and other more specific class details? As is clearly stated in the above class description:
"Detailed directions and other more specific class info (including carpool networking) will be emailed out to the registered/paid students by October 29.
IMPORTANT NOTE: this message will be sent to the email associated with your PayPal transaction (and for some people this may not be their primary email). Make sure that you also carefully check your spam folder using the search term: "Edible & Medicinal Plant Class Directions/Info."