Ironwood trees are the source of very dense, hard wood (which burns hot and does not float). Native cultures in both Arizona and Sonora made use of the wood for building and carving of bowls, etc. Ironwoods are “nurse” trees in the Sonoran Desert . Animals gather in the shade during the hottest months and other cacti and small shrubs utilize the tree's canopy as shelter from the sun. Like other members of the family Ironwood, it is a tree that gathers nitrogen from the soil, so leaf litter and seeds are particularly rich in nutrients.
Ironwood flowers and seeds are edible. Desert Ironwood flowers can be eaten raw in salads or candied for use in desserts. Although the seeds can be eaten raw, both green and dry/brown stages of seeds may be most easily digested when blanched, sprouted or cooked. The flowers bloom in late April-May and seed pods set in June-July. The pods have a slightly sweet and nutty flavor and become more flavorful when left to ripen on the tree. When they are ripe, they are easier to gently shake free from the limbs. If harvesting green pods, plunge the pods into boiling water and then transfer to ice water to clean them. Drain, dry and package them in sealed plastic (anaerobic) containers marked with the date of harvest.
If harvesting dry, brown pods, remove the seed into a clean sheet of paper or fabric. Press (or step on) the pods gently to crush the dry pods. Winnow out the seeds and place them in a sealed container in the freezer for two days to prevent bruchid-beetle infestation. Store in the freezer until use or take them out, dry thoroughly and then store in a sealed jar.
