Mountain Views News, Combined Edition Saturday, March 18, 2023

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Mountain Views-News Saturday, March 18, 2023 


CHRISTOPHER Nyerges [www.SchoolofSelf-Reliance.com]


A HOME FOR LOVEY?

A LOVELY LADY! Yes! Petite 
Lovey is certainly a beauty to behold, 
especially with those gorgeous 
green eyes, adorable pink 
nose and soft gray & white fur. 
Born 7/1/2014, she’s healthy, has 
a good appetite and needs no 
meds, but she will be getting a dental soon. She is sweet and 
friendly now, and she'd love to be in a comfy home where she 
could live in "purr bliss!" Just imagine her reclining on your 
soft sofa, snuggled up next to you, purring away. Your stress 
will just melt away! Purrty please don't let this gorgeous girl 
spend more time in a cage. Lovey's original owner developed dementia and had to go back 
east to live with her daughter but couldn't take her cats. Understandably, after that, it took 

Lovey a long time to get friendly. After all, she lost her home, her owner, and even the other 
cat who lived in the house, and she's now in a cage. She reacted the only way she knew how-
-by hiss-ing and swatting. HOWEVER, thanks to the loving care she's been receiving, she's 
now friendly. Any new owner MIGHT have to go through the same thing, with love, patience, 
and sweet talk. Lovey will need a little reassurance at first, but she will come around. 
Submit your application to start the process for a meet & greet. We know you'll fall in love! 
See more pictures of her on our website’s Adult Cats page. 

You can meet her and fall in love by submitting the application at www.lifelineforpets.org. 

CONSIDERING THE WISTARIA PLANT

[Nyerges is an educator, author, and ethnobotanist who has authored “Nuts and Berries of 
California,” and nearly 20 other books. You can find more information at www.SchoolofSelf-
Reliance.com.]

This weekend, people from around the world will flock to Sierra Madre 
for the annual Wistaria Festival. OK, maybe not from around the world, 
but certainly from near and far in Southern California.

Every town whose leaders are farseeing, seeks to find some pot at the end 
of the rainbow from which to extract endless revenue for its residents. For Pasadena, it 
is the Rose Parade and related activities. For Sierra Madre, it is the unlikely wistaria vine, 
considered one of the oldest anywhere.

The vine is a sprawling plant most of the year, and around March it starts to set its buds 
and produce its drooping mildly-fragrant purple flowers. It’s very attractive. One year, 
I went on the tour of the “Wistaria House” and was treated to a very special tour. After 
learning how the roots destroyed at least one former structure on the property, I left with 
the firm conviction that I would never, ever plant a wistaria vine anywhere near any home 
or structure that I owned! I know some will bristle at this, but just look at the facts – wistaria 
is best grown well away from your important structures.

As an aside, the wise leaders of Sierra Madre finally tried doing the right thing to buy the 
property where the famous wistaria vine grow, to preserve and protect it for perpetuity! 
Unfortunately, the city did not prevail and the new owners will hopefully be prepared to 
allow visitors to see the mother of all Wistaria in 2023. This year visitors will still be able 
to view many other Wistaria Vines throughout the city, including a walk through of the 
Vine at the City Hall Rotunda.

There is a duality to Wisteria, starting with those who think it’s an invasive weed and 
those who like to eat its sweet, fragrant blossoms.

Where did Wistaria get its name? Some say it is named after Dr. Caspar Wistar (1761-
1818) physician, anatomist, vaccination champion and abolitionist. Others say it was 
named for Charles Jones Wister Sr., whose father, Daniel, paid for the voyage of the Empress 
of China which brought a Wisteria vine to North America from China. But apparently 
Wisteria had already been brought to the U.S.

Wiseria’s multiple personality continues with edibility. The blossoms of the plant are edible 
raw or cooked. The rest of the plant is toxic per se. In fact, as little as two raw seeds 
can kill a child. That is not uncommon for a member of the pea family which ranges from 
edible to toxic, so we do not recommend that you eat the seeds.

Wisteria is a vigorous, fast grower that doesn’t need fertilizer and fixes nitrogen. In fact, 
abuse improves blossoming as does pruning. It can live at least 144 years (as of 2014) and 
is consider an invasive spe-cies is some areas. It has naturalized from Maine to Florida 
and as far west as Arkansas. It commonly grows wild in certain S. California backyards.

In Japan, the young leaves of the W. floribunda (aka W. macrobotrys and W. multijuga) 
are cooked and eaten, and the blossoms are blanched. This holds true for the Wisteria 
venusta, or Silky Wisteria. It has white flower clusters six inches long, vine to 25 feet, 9 to 
13 leaflets, counter clockwise twist.

The seeds and leaves of the Wisteria japonica were used as a famine food — but are not 
recommended — and the flowers of the Wisteria villosa have been eaten.

There are several species of the Wisteria plant, includ-ing sinsensis, frutescens, floribunda, 
macrostachys, and others.

I recall some years ago that at least a few merchants at a past Wistaria Festival were selling 
a jam made from the wistaria blossoms. After I researched the viability of doing this, I 
came up with advice from Greene Deane.

For those who want to try eating the wistaria blossoms, ethnobotanist Greene Deane 
offers the following method of preparation: “Blossoms raw or cooked, REMOVE THE 
STEMS! The Japanese blanch their blossoms. Japanese Wisteria leaves boiled when young, 
seeds roasted, reportedly a chestnut flavor, leave also used for tea. None recommended 
regarding the Japanese Wisteria. Also raw seeds are toxic. The toxin is a glycoside which 
is usually a sugar molecule attached to a nitrogen molecule or the like and is stripped off 
during digestion.”

Pet of the Week

 
Lovely Snowdrop is such a fun dog! This sweetheart is so 
ready to meet you that she’ll stick her paw out of her kennel to 
shake your hand, and her whole body starts wagging to keep 
up with her tail. Once you start petting her, she nuzzles into 
your hands, and you’re instantly her best friend.

 Snowdrop is extremely playful and loves romping around 
in the play yard. She would be a great fit for an active family 
as she loves to explore and go on hikes. There is no trail too 
long for her!

 Snowdrop is six years old, which qualifies her for the Seniors 
for Seniors program. Her adoption fee is waived for any 
adopter over 60. 

 The adoption fee for dogs is $150. All dog adoptions include 
spay or neuter, microchip, and age-appropriate vaccines. 

 New adopters will receive a complimentary health-and-wellness exam from VCA Animal 
Hospitals, as well as a goody bag filled with information about how to care for your pet. 

 View photos of adoptable pets and schedule an adoption appointment at pasadenahumane.
org. Adoptions are by appointment only, and new adoption appointments are available 
every Sunday and Wednesday at 10:00 a.m. 

 Pets may not be available for adoption and cannot be held for potential adopters by 
phone calls or email. 


Mountain Views News 80 W Sierra Madre Blvd. No. 327 Sierra Madre, Ca. 91024 Office: 626.355.2737 Fax: 626.609.3285 Email: editor@mtnviewsnews.com Website: www.mtnviewsnews.com