Plants Native to the Americas Symposium: Rooted in Tradition: Sonoran Desert Food Plants and Their Indigenous Uses

When we hear the modern phrase "Food Desert," we think of deprivation — a community completely cut off from fresh, healthy food. For centuries, outside observers applied this same stereotype to the Sonoran Desert, viewing it as a hostile, barren wasteland. This presentation challenges that widespread misconception. By exploring the Sonoran Desert through the eyes of its original stewards, including the Tohono O'odham and Akimel O’odham, we discover that this arid landscape is not only the most biodiverse desert in the world, but also one of the most nutritionally dense, resilient ecosystems on Earth. "Rooted in Tradition" bridges Indigenous Peoples’ wisdom with nutritional science to reveal how desert flora can shape the future of health, climate adaptation and community wellness. 

This event is part of the Native Plants of the Americas symposium on October 8. Other activities include Public Tour of Native Food Plants at Sparky's Garden and Rare Book Presentation.

About visitor parking

Visitor parking is available in nearby ASU Tyler Street Parking Structure. Please allow extra time to park and walk to the venue. Parking fees may apply.

About the speaker

Wendy Hodgson is Herbarium Curator Emerita and Senior Research Botanist at the Desert Botanical Garden. An ethnobotanist, Dr. Hodgson specializes in Sonoran Desert foodplants. Her 2001 book, "Food Plants of the Sonoran Desert," won the Society for Economic Botany’s Klinger Book Award.

This event is supported by ASU Farm, Desert Botanical Garden, Humanities Institute, New College of Interdisciplinary Arts and Sciences, 
Barrett, The Honors College, School of Human Evolution and Social Change, and Swette Center for Sustainable Food Systems.

For a full listing of Humanities Institute events, visit our events page.