VOLUME 2. NUMBER 4
by A.S. Jensen
SPANISH MOSS Symbol of the So.uthland
To the native Floridian, Spanish moss (Ti/landsia usneoides) is part of the Florida scenery and is often taken for granted. To many newcomers and visitors, however, this strange air plant is a subject of much speculation and wonder.
Contrary to what people believe, Spanish moss does not injure the tree by obtaining any nourishment from it. Being an air plant, it only uses the tree for support. Live oaks especially seem well-suited for harboring this strange plant and most Florida live oaks of any size have at least some Spanish moss. But many tree species harbor this plant. Healthy moss is often seen growing on dead trees, fences and power lines as well.
When I was a little girl, and we were traveling home to Florida, our family always had a contest to see who would be the first to spot a bit of Spanish moss in the trees. That always meant that we were back in the South again, and nearly home.
•
Peggy S. Lantz
Spanish moss occurs in all Florida counties, but is very common to very rare depending on the location. It is also widely distributed from southern Virginia to eastern Texas along the coastal strip of the southeastern United States. Ball moss (Ti/landsia recurvata) is sometimes confused with Spanish moss, but is a small tufted, soft, greenish-gray plant. Often the two species are found growing in the same tree.
Damage to Trees
Although Spanish moss does not take its nourishment from the tree, it can sometimes cause tree damage when weak limbs become heavily laden with moss and break off. The
foliage of small branches may sometimes be smothered too.
Spanish moss causes the most trouble in economic crop trees such as pecans and citrus. In shade trees, howeve·r, people usually remove it because they do not like it, not because of any damage it might do.
Life history
Spanish moss is a flowering plant belonging to the pineapple family. The strands sprout from a seed that is equipped with a feathery parachute which floats through the air until it lodges on a tree trunk or other suitable seed bed. Several strands may grow simultaneously from one seed. Strar:ids and minute pieces of moss carried by · wind or birds to suitable locations also grow into new festoons. Hurricanes are said to spread moss. Being an epiphyte (air plant), Spanish moss gets its nourishment from rainwater and air, absorbing great quantities of moisture, but it can live up to two years without rain. Probably dust in the air also supplies some of its
nourishment. Studies have shown that moss contains the same proportions of certain chemicals as the surrounding air.
Uses
In former times, moss had a variety of uses. It stuffed everything from car cushions to horse collars, but was mainly used in furniture manufacturing. At one period there were 35 moss plants operating in Florida. Green moss was gathered and cured by wetting it down and packing it in trenches or pits. It usually remained in the pit for six to eight months, during which time the outer covering rotted off, leaving the inner strand. Then it was taken to the moss factory where it was continued next page
FLORIDA NATIVE PLANT SOCIETY FALL MEMBERS' MEETING
Saturday, Nov. 13, 10:00 A.M. Pl,iintation Inn, Crystal River (See page 3.~
Spanish 11'1-;.,~s conjures up visions of the Old South, ante bellum homes, and shady driveways.
THE PALMETTO ( ISSN-0276-4164)
Florida Native Plant Society 935 Oran ge Ave . , Winter Park, FL 32789
Copyright , 1982, by The Florida Conservation Foundation
Pegg y S. Lantz, Editor
Rt. 3, Bo x 437 - Orlando, FL 32811
THE PALMETTO is published quarterly by the Florida Native Plant Society under the auspices of The Environmental Info rmation· Center and The Florida Conserva t ion Fo u ndation
We enco u rage t he re use of the articles appearing in The Palmetto in order to d is seminate information on Florida native pla nts as widely as possible , but , in acco rdance wit h t he copyright law permission mu st be granted in writing by the Edi t or or the Publ is her, c redi t mu st be given to The Palmetto and T he Flo rida Native Pla nt Socie'ty , an d the notice of copy rig ht must appear in the reprinted article
Articles. o n any aspect of Flo ri da nat ive plants are invited. I ncl ud e drawi ngs or photos , if possible They w i ll be handled w ith care , and wi ll be ret urn ed if yo u i ncl ude a sel f-addressed sta m ped enve lope Se nd t o Peggy S La ntz , Editor ., The Palmetto , Rt 3 , Box 437, Orlando, FL 32811 , 305/299-1472
SPANISH
MOSS
---1from page 1
sorted and cleaned and baled for shipment. Quite a few Floridians made at least a part-time living from collecting moss. Many old moss pickers now collect aluminum cans.
The last operating moss factory in Florida (or, in fact, the South) was located in Gainesville. This factory burned in 1958 and did not reopen. Thus another unique industry belongs to the ages!
The early Spanish explorers, it is said, tried using the moss for bedding. They piled it up, thinking it would make a soft mattress to sleep on. But Spanish moss is infested with that tiny mite called the chigger, or redbug, or names we can't print here. I expect those Spanish soldiers spent the next week trying to scratch under their armor, and calling the bugs some of those unprintable names
P.S.L.
The boll weevil, destroyer of cotton crops, selects the festoons of Spanish moss as its winter home, according to an authorized report.
Redbugs in moss
Spanish moss has the reputation of being a favorite habitat of the infamous Florida redbug or chigger. Actually, these small biting creatures are found mostly i n low damp places where vegetation is rank. Fallen moss often has redbugs, as do the grass and bushes in the same vicinity. Moss hanging from trees more than a few feet above the ground, however, seldom has chiggers.
It has many names, besides its official name. "Old man's beard" is the most picturesque one, and we used to play with it as a beard when we were children. Sometimes it is called long moss, and long it is, sometimes growing in twenty-foot tangles. It is sometimes called Florida moss. Though commonly called Spanish moss, it doesn't come from Spain, and it isn't even a moss. P
Moss die-back and decline
S.L.
About 1968, a lethal stem and leaf blight of Spanish moss was noted in several areas of Florida. In general, this moss die-back was observed in a band from Bradenton northeast to Jacksonville and Cumberland Island, Georgia. It was determined after study that a species of fungus (Fusarium solani) was responsible Apparently this is a natural occurrence and does no lasting damage to the moss supply. Within five years after this blight kills the moss in a particular area , it comes back so thick one might never realize it was even killed. Moss does seem to be declining in some areas of our state because the older trees containing the moss have been cut and no other moss is growing nearby to furnish strands or seed to re-establish festoons in young trees.
In the mid 1960s, Winter Park and Orange County generally had very heavy growths of Spanish moss on many species of trees, especially oaks and cypresses. Since the dieback , however, it has never been as prolific.
A call to several tree service companies produced this information:
• Spanish moss has not recovered in Central Florida to 1960s' levels of abundance Very few people now consider it a problem Almost all the "demossing " business is for removing ball moss, a close relative that is doing very well, especially on bare limbs or trunks.
• The reason Spanish moss has not recovered is "pollution," according to everyone we talked to.
• All tree companies spokesmen agreed that Spanish moss is no threat to trees at this time
• Bill Partington
Maybe we shouldn't take it so -much for granted any more
Books on drawing often have pages with lines on them showing different moods: jagged lines mean power, diagonal lines mean motion, and vertical lines show peace and calm. I often think of those artistic lines when I am among hanging bunches of Spanish moss. To me there is nothing quite so peaceful as a grove of old oaks draped with clusters of this strange plant. P.S.L.
''LOW COST, LOW CARE''
by Judy Bates
The day after returning home from the FNPS conference in May, we received a typical phone call from No. 2 son, Marty Birdsey. Seems he's planning to move in with some friends who are purchasing a house that's in dire need of landscaping. "Do you suppose you could give us some suggestions and maybe some plants?" Since he'.s used to getting a very hesitant answer to that type of question the enthusiastic response he received was quite a shock. I quickly explained that if the other people were agreeable to the idea, I'd like to use all native plants in a low-energy landscape design. We would keep the plan simple and as inexpensive as possible while making an attempt to use plants that would hopefully be obtainable and maybe familiar to the average homeowner. It wasn't difficult to sell the other occupants on the proposed landscape plan - "native plants" may· as well have been a foreign phrase, but "lowcost, low-care maintenance" was something they all understood. (After receiving the first electric bill for their place in the sun they have become even more interested in the lowenergy aspect, also.)
When we drove by to see the house, we were pleasantly surprised to discover a large slash pine in the front yard, a wax myrtle at one corner of the building and a large sabal palm in the back yard. We would need to remove a small Queen palm in the front yard, an oleander next to the front of the house, a large carissa on either side of the air conditioner on the south end of the house, rose bushes and yellow ixora on the north end, a large podocarpus at the NE corner and assorted leftover holiday plants and Euphorbias along the rear, plus a few small Brazilian peppers cropping up in odd places. We agreed to leave the rose bushes in place as the female occupants are particularly fond of roses. Our policy has been to say nothing and let nature take its course with the roses. Present score is one down three to go. Some smilax and pokeberry plants are attempting to take over the same area so the spindly roses are barely visible.
The house is situated on a large lot (150 by 80 feet) a block north of Manatee Junior College. It backs on to an access road to the Manatee Area
Vocational-Technical Center. Royce Williams, who teaches nursery operations classes at MAVTC, has helped in locating plants for this project. In the last few years, Royce and No. 3 son, Jim Birdsey, have purchased a number of seedlings from the Division of Forestry for their respective nurseries. Most of the trees that we used are described and pictured in the Division of Forestry publication, "Urban Trees for Florida".
In the front yard, we especially wanted to use colorful trees. The southe;:st corner of the yard looked to be the lowest and greenest, hence, we hoped, wettest section of the property, so we planted bald cypress, red maple, and a river birch in that area. Manatee County is farther south than the normal range of the river birch but others we have planted here are doing well and this particular tree seems to be do-
PALMETTO, Nov. 1982, Page 3 ing better than the maple and cypress, so far. In the middle of the yard towards the street we planted a loblolly bay loaded with blooms. We located a flowering dogwood tree where the red maple, birch and cypress will eventually shade it. We questioned planting this tree in what is presently full sun. Closer to the house we planted a redbud and a fringe tree. The latter three small flowering trees are usually found farther north in the state. Directly in front of the house, we placed dwarf yaupon and an East Palatka holly plant - not our first choice, but we opted for availability. Under a new wood fence fronting the entrance patio, we planted many rain lilies and twined a passionflower vine on the fence. We added coontie plants around the base of the slash pine.
On the north end of the house we used a row of five red cedar for an evergreen hedge-screen. On the south end of the house we used three
continued next page
FLORIDA NATIVE PLANT SOCIETY FALL MEMBERS' MEETING
Saturday, November 13, 10:00 A.M. Plantation Inn, Crystal River
Agenda
Please send in your items as soon as possible. I have appointed a nominati.ng committee chaired by Linda Duever 1 The Nature Conservancy, 254 E. 6th Ave, Tallahassee, FL 32303, (904/224-8207) Other ·members are Jo:yt'e Gann (Miami), Margaret Hames (Melbourne), and Carol Lotspeich (Orlando) Elec~ tion of officers and board will be a major item, and all positions are upfQ ( elec ~ · tion except the Directors at large (2-year terms). · · Other items include an agreement with the FNP Marketing & Information Service (Fred Landrum). At this time, we should consider where to hold the 1983 Spring Conference; Naples and Palm Beach County are top contenders! · Field Trips
As a reward for fast board action, we'll go on field tdps . Allen Burdett will be in charge of organizing trips to see environmentally endangered lands recom• mended for state acquisition under the Conservation · and Recreation Land (CARL) program These are the Williams Estate on the north side ·of Kings Bay , which is easy to drive or walk through (we'll walk), and contains postoaklongleaf pine, changing to mesic hammock , to tidewater swamp, to sawgrass. The other tracts are on the southeast side of Kings Bay and present tougher going but are worth the trouble, with pond pine flatwoods and rock hammocks . .
Plantation Inn
We have up to 20 rooms blocked, which they're holding until Oct. 31. If 15 or mQre rooms are used for FNPS, the rate will be $35.00 single, $37 00 double (instead of $46.00 and $50.00) for , Friday night (Nov. 12), and we'll get a meeting room for the members' board meeting on Saturday. So if you can afford the fee, you'll help others as well as FNPS. The phone number for the Plantation Inn is 904/795-4211. ·
Crystal Lodge: accommodations range from $21 to $46. Phone 90.4/795-3171 Holiday Inn: phone 904/795-2111. : • Bill Partington President , FN PS ·
Page 4, Nov. 1982, PALMETTO
page 3
dahoon holly plants with a paurotis palm at the SW corner. Along the side of the back yard we planted a row of cherry laurel seedlings. Most of these were volunteers we dug up from home. The neighbors on the south have an above-ground pool, a chainlink fence and very few plants, so this hedge should provide much-needed shade and privacy To shade the west bedroom windows in summer we planted a coral bean plant and farther away from the house, a Florida elm. Next to the house between the kitchen and bedroom windowswe used
a prickly-pear to fill in the blank space. Since the occupants plan to build a patio at a later date extending into the back yard from the kitchen door, we planted some sand pines interspersed with turkey oak (and existing lantana) to provide shade and privacy for this area. In the far NW corner of the back yard we planted a red mulberry tree along with some scarlet bush plants. In the SW corner we planted a sugarberry tree and towards the middle of the yard, a pignut hickory. This latter tree, along with the coral bean, coontie and rain lilies we had started from seed. We placed a couple of sumac next to the barbeque - the sumac and scarlet bush were transplanted : from a friend's acreage. The red mulberry was a cutting from our tree. The dwarf yaupon, East Palatka holly and paurotis palm came from the VoTech nursery. The fringe tree, redbud, dogwood and sugarberry were purchased from the Turkey Oak Nursery near Archer - a side trip we took while attending the Gainesville conference. Most of the other trees - red cedar, dahoon holly, cypress, red maple, river birch, loblolly bay, sand pine and turkey oak had been purchased as seedlings from the Division of Forestry (one dollar each minimum of 10 of a species unless they're purchased at a special sale).
When the present plants are established and providing shade, we plan to add ferns and other ground cover. We still have to plant some spider lilies and Spanish bayonet close to the house (we'll do some trading for these). There is a slight ditch next to the road and we planted golden canna, cat tail, pickerel weed and coreopsis (dug from our yard) alongside this. When the new mail box is in place, we'll put a honeysuckle plant by it. We've been trying to locate a chick-a-saw plum to put in the back yard but have not found one yet.
Before ... The entire planting in the front yard consisted of the wax myrtle at the SW corner, and the Brazilian pepper and oleander in front of the windows, plus the slash pine and the queen palm.Aher Cleared of the Brazilian pepper ,md the oleander, 1 our m dw; rf r upon ,n1d East Palatka holly.' Trees 1~ th (q~mund are dogwood, cypress, river birch, md /ob/oily bay.
t ... looking away from the front of the house toward plantings of river birch, cypress, and dogwood, and in the foreground, fringe-tree (Chionanthus).
Before North side of house with podocarpus and roses; ixora toward front was replaced with The/ypteris fern.
Before The only plant in the back yard was the cabbage palm.
Aher The back yard looking southward: seedlings of Carolina laurel cherry in front of the chain link fence, sand pine and turkey oak, plus volunteer lantanas to the right of the cabbage palm. The red cedar is one of the largest plants we added. -
Aher with remaining roses and red cedars.
A BACKYARD NOTEBOOK
A Brief Summary of Personal Experimentation with Natives as Backyard Plants
(First in a Series)
by Doris Rosebraugh
Drawing for Naples Chapter note cards (Yz size)
WAX
MYRTLE (Myrica cerifera)
West and Arnold list 40 ft. for height and one foot or more trunk caliper. I have yet to see one of this size, although in areas farther north this may be possible. In the wilds they are most often seen as rounded clumps sculptured by the winds. Gann lists it as a durable plant that will survive extremes of cold or heat. It is hardy from Maryland to Texas and certainly all over Florida. The habit of multi-branching makes it very desirable for small ornamental specimen trees in lieu of ligustrum or orange jasmine. It is recommended for parking lot environment, and where salt tolerance is necessary.
In my native border it has been a rapid grower but has been shaded out badly in some areas. The one against the fence with the eastern side exposed is now at least 12 feet high. This is unpruned growth. This plant requires full sun for best growth. In intermediate or understory, it would become straggly. Wax myrtle will also make a nice informal hedge or privacy screen and the females produce bird-attracting berries, from which bayberry candles are made.
(After my recent South Carolina vacation, I believe West and Arnold's description - the myrtles were at least 25 feet, multi-trunked, and lush.)
MORE ON PAWPAWS
by
Eliane M. Norman & David Clayton
We're hoping that Marcy Bartlett's article in the May issue of The Palmetto dealing with the enigmatic Pawpaw stirred your interest, and that you'll want to learn more about these distant cousins of the Magnolias.
There are ten species of Pawpaws, eight in the genus Asimina and two rare ones in Deeringothamnus. These two genera are the only extratropical representatives of the family Annonaceae which includes such delicacies as the Cherimoya, Custard Apple, Sweetsop, and Soursop. All ten Pawpaws are native to Florida, although the tallest of these, A. triloba,
ranges as far north as Ontario, Canada, and as far west as Nebraska. On the whole, Pawpaws produce few fruits because the flowers are protogynous (meaning that the stigmas are receptive before the pollen is shed, thus preventing selfing) and they rely on beetles to bring pollen from elsewhere to fertilize them. The beetles are probably attracted to the flowers because of their smell (sometimes pretty bad) and they are rewarded for their visit by the fleshy corrugated tissue at the base of the inner petals and later by the nutritious pollen. So if you want many fruits on your Pawpaws you'll have to handpollinate them. The fruits are large berries which turn yellowish when they
Asimina obovata
mature in the summer. The flesh of some varieties of A. triloba are quite good to eat. Dr. Kral from Vanderbilt University, the expert on the Pawpaws, says that our natives ones taste like a sweet avocado!
The Pawpaws grow in a variety of habitats, including slash pine flatwoods, scrub, mesic hammock, and turkey oak sandhills communities. All the species produce a very stout and long tap root and it is almost impossible to transplant them because of this characteristic. It is easy to grow them from seed, but don't be impatient. It .will take about three months for the seeds, which look like brown beans, to show any sign of life. Keep the soil damp but not wet. The illustrations give you an idea of the growth pattern of these fascinatim! Florida olants.
1. Mature seed
2. Three months after
Drawing by David Clayton planting
Perhaps. common carpetgrass (Axonopus affinis) leads the list of native grasses for lawns. This is perhaps not a native, although it is considered as such by a number of authors. Its greatest use is for lawns and areas where there is considerable foot traffic. Fortunately, seed is generally available commercially. Ten pounds of seed is usually sufficient to obtain a thick stand for one acre of lawn. Carpetgrass will respond to fertilizer, and should be applied if a more green, lush growth is desired.
Native grasses can have an important place in the landscape plans of homeowners. There are several species available that can be used successfully.
Native grasses offer several advantages. Perhaps the greatest advantage
Maidencane (Panicum hemitomon) forms dense colonies. In wet areas which may cause a problem maidencane is well suited. Maidencane spreads rapidly by rhizomes and produces very little viable seed. Transplant the rhizomes just about any time of the year except in dead of winter in north Florida, and a stand of maidencane will be the result. It produces dense, dark green leaves. It is excellent along stream banks and canal berms where erosion is a problem.
Plumegrass (Erianthus giganteus) is a very conspicious, robust perennial bunchgrass that will produce long wide leaves and dense silky seed heads during late September and October. Seed quality is unknown, therefore, transplanting during late winter or early spring is best. Plumegrass will grow to about two to three feet with seed heads often six to seven feet tall. It is most useful in a background planting. It may also be used where a grouping of plants will be showy in the fall. (Note: It is not related to the common plumegrass, which is an introduced species.) Dried properly, the seedheads are well suited for dried arrangements. Plumegrass is well adapted to fertile, wet soils.
NATIVE GRASSES I
by Lew
is the low maintenance requirement. Although most native grasses respond to applications of fertilizer, none is needed to provide normal growth. All of the native species are extremely tolerant to long periods of drought, wetness, and high temperatures. A
Bushybeard bluestem (Andropogon g/omeratus) is a large, showy member of the bluestem family that produces dark green, leafy, bushy clumps 8 to 16 inches in diameter. The inflorescence is dense, feathery and very bushy white at maturity. Following frost in northern Florida the entire plant turns tan or reddish color. It is well adapted to the more moist or even wet soils.
)R FLORIDA YARDS
Yarlett
high resistance to disease and insects is a significant attribute of the native grasses.
The only real problem is a source of supply. Viable seed production is generally very low and not available
•Longleaf uniola (Chasmanthia sessiliflorum) has attractive green leaves with an inflorescence well adapted for floral arrangements. Seed production is not high, but the seed is usually viable. Transplanting is best. Uniola is well adapted to heavily shaded, moist areas.
through normal commercial sources. Most of the grasses have to be located in their native habitat and then transplanted. A word of caution: Be sure you have the landowner's permission and that none are on the list of environmentally protected species
Two species of lndiangrass may be used successfully. Lopsided indiangrass (Sorghastrum secundum) is a bunchgrass. Yellow indiangrass (S . nutans) is a rhizomatous species. Both produce abundant seed which is easily hand harvested in early fall. Both species have attractive green upright leaves and produce an inflorescence of a golden yellow, about 18 to 24 inches long Both are well suited to floral arrangements. The indiangrasses are not adapted to either wet, mucky soils or the very dry, sandy soils. Both species transplant easily.
Eastern gamagrass (Tripsacum dactyloides) is a very robust perennial grass with thick , knotty rhizomes. It is easily transplanted, shade tolerant, and best adapted to the more fertile soil. Gamagrass will produce leaves one to one and a half inches wide and as much as three to four feet tall. A series of plantings will provide excellent screening. The inflorescence is not conspicious, but very interesting since the grass is closely related to corn.
Other species which show promise for landscaping include sand cordgrass (Spartina bakeri), Pineland threeawn (Aristida stricta), and Giant bristlegrass (Setaria magna).
_ Nurseries have a great opportunity for propagation of native grasses since they are easily transplanted and grow under nursery conditions. The species discussed are not on any environmentally endangered list.
Photos from the book, Native Grasses of Florida for Range Conservation by Lewis L. Yarl ett
CHAPTER NEWS
SOUTH BREVARD
The South Brevard Chapter organized on September 5, 1981, with 3 members. On September 26, 1982 we had 31 paid members. With our growth factor hovering at 1000%, I'll stop playing with statistics and share the news.
In July, we voted to cooperate with Nature Conservancy's Linda Duever on a data bank she is developing. During our walking tours of undeveloped areas we will survey critical areas and list rare plants and communities, and share this information with her. We also cooperated with the Turkey Creek Sanctuary Committee by making a policy statement (by letter) to the Palm Bay City Council regarding a development which threatens a hammock in that city.
In August, six members of our chapter, along with a few of our children, placed 50 butterfly orchids (Encyc/ia tampensis) in the Turkey Creek Sanctuary. Approximately 150 were saved from Hogpen Slough in Port St. Lucie where General Development Corporation was clearing a narrow strip of maple swamp for a water control structure. GDC's environmentalists cared for them until they could be placed in new homes. Some had been placed in the Inlet State Park in Ft. Pierce and the Possorn Long Nature Center before George Kulczycki, Assistant General Manager .at Port Malabar brought the last 50 to Palm Bay. He also brought Kenny Delp and Lisa Davis for the day, two people the FNPS should find very interesting.
(Kenny
biologist, stationed in Miami, and she'd like to hear from you. When the company has plants to rescue from construction sites, they call Lisa. Sometimes she has only one or two days' warning. She has agreed to set up a file of Native Plant Society contacts who would be willing to call other warm bodies and come to the rescue in their own areas. Since GDC has sites all over the state, she needs contacts all over the state. Any chapter willing to be available, please send Lisa the names of two contact persons (one for back-up). Use a regulation size post-card and send names and phone numbers to:
Ms Lisa Davis, 1111 Bayshore Drive Miami, FL 33131
Add a sentence letting her know you are FNPS and the city or area you cover. She'll keep the file for future rescue projects.)
Space forbids more extensive coverage on the native plant nursery right now; I hope to bring you an article on it soon. Kenny Delp was extremely helpful on details of how to start, man, and maintain one on a comparatively small area.
These encouraging developments all stemmed from the "permission to rescue" that Jack Gaddy obtained for the Society. Margaret Hames wore the badge for our "hanging party" when the butterfly orchids were placed. George Kulczycki suggested that some especially beautiful clusters could be used for educational exhibits. On Sept. 2, Hester Wagner presented the first of these to the Palm Bay Public Library, along with an informational plaque. (George, by the way, is also a Native Plant Society member. We hope to have him do the honors at the next library presentation.)
Flora Perkins gave a slide presentation and talk to the Port Malabar Garden Club, with about 50 people in attendance; Her slides showed both natives and exotics and she also displayed specimens of undesirable exotics. One dismayed woman exclaimed that she had just planted Brazilian pepper across her yard!
Margaret Hames presented slides to the In-Har-Bee Garden Club, more than 30 attending, and covered a walk from ocean to river showing the three plant communities along the walk. She and Mary Ellen (Mike) Smith showed the Garden Club how to landscape the new emergency vehicle building with native plants.
The Chapter has sent letters to Jerry
McAlwee commending his Eagle project (removal of castor plants from Turkey Creek Sanctuary), and to the South Brevard District Boy Scout Council commending his troop (#365) for their assistance.
On September 12 we held our annual business meeting, following a tour through Bob Vaughan's barrier island tropical hammock in Melbourne Beach. Captain Midnight, a sleek cat with botanical predilections, joined nearly 40 of us for our anniversary picnic and birthday cake courtesy of Mary McGloin. We reelected our original slate of officers: Hester Wagner, Pres., Jim Gann, V.P., Margaret Hames, Sec., June Golder, Treas.; voted to keep chapter dueS- at $2.00; ordered a copy of the Florida Native Plant Bibliography for the Chapter library; and decided to take organizational membership in the Turkey Creek Sanctuary Committee.
On September 26 we walked the vestige barrier island hammock in Lori Wilson Park in Cocoa Beach. Our county forester, Frank Kier, gave a preliminary talk on the value of this tropical hammock - the farthest one North that we know of - before 22 of us set out in the rain. The small enclave is endangered by county plans for additional parking and recreational development. The Surfside Garden Club has asked for another tour through this area.
· • Marcy Bartlett
CENTRAL FLORI DA
The next meeting of the Central Florida Chapter will be held on Sunday afternoon, Nov. 21, at 1:30 P.M. at Spring Hammock. The Chapter is to assist in making a survey of the native plants in the area. For more information call Alyene Hays, President, 305/425-1642.
DADE
The Conference on South Florida Native Plants, organized by the Dade Chapter and Fairchild Gardens, was attended by more than 200 people, and has been called "most successful." The Marjory Stoneman Douglas Award, originated by the Chapter, was presented by Mrs. Douglas at the Conference to Roger Hammer. The award is for outstanding consistent service above and beyond vocational responsibilities in areas of education, research, preservation, and promotion of native plants. Roger Hammer is Naturalist for Dade County Parks and Director of Castellow Ham-
Kenny Delp places orchid in Turkey Creek Hammock.
is in charge of General Development's native plant nursery in Port St. Lucie. Lisa is a company
mock.
The Chapter sends a monthly newsletter to its members. Their recent field trips include a walk through a virgin tract owned by Dade County which is scheduled to have a half-mile nature trail established soon; and a trip to Archbold Biological Experiment Station in Sebring , which is part of a sand pine-scrub community and has a library and herbarium.
A recent meeting was a panel discussion on the Development of South Florida's Environmentally Sensitive Areas. Members on the panel included landscape architects, environmentalists, and a biologist
The Chapter is working on by-laws and a logo symbol. Meetings are held at Fairchild Tropical Gardens. Dues are $3 for the local membership and $12 for State FNPS. Call Joyce Gann, President, for info: 305/248-5529.
PALM BEACH COUNTY
Now in our second year of existence, the Palm Beach County Chapter of FNPS is surprised to see how much we've grown Membership has reached over 50 persons, bylaws have been adopted, and a monthly newsletter instituted. A full slate of officers was elected to one-year terms beginning Oct 1: Steve Farnsworth, President; Richard Moyroud, VicePresident; Sarah Davis, Secretary; and Ed Henriquez, Treasurer.
Our monthly series of programs is continuing, with speakers sharing their knowledge of native bromeliads, plant identification, native palms, wetlands restoration, coastal hammocks, and urban forestry. Field trips have taken us from the cypress swamps of Loxahatchee National wildlife Refuge to canoeing along the remnant oxbows of the Kissimmee River. As a special project, Chapter members planted native bulrushes along the barren shores of a newly-dredged lake in a
county park.
In the future months, the Chapter plans to present demonstrations on native plants at the South Florida Fair in January, and work on creating a portable informative exhibit about native plants for display at local events. As always, we welcome FNPS members in Palm Beach and surrounding counties to come to our meetings and join our Chapter .
Meetings are held the third Monday of each month except December at 7:30 PM at the Pine Jog Environmental Sciences Center, 6301 Summit Blvd., West Palm Beach.
• Steve Farnsworth
NAPLES
" Welcome -Back" to all of our seasonal members! It will be good to see you again . Business meetings are still held on the third Monday of each month, 7:00 p.m., at the Big Cypress Nature Center. The annual meeting for elections of officers and approval of bylaws will be held on January 17. We encourage local members to join (no charge) the plant study group Among other things, we canoed the headwaters of the Blackwater and Turner rivers this summer and will continue exploring wild areas on the fourth Sunday of each month. Informal classes on general botany, plant taxonomy, and south Florida ecology are held on the second Monday of each month at Edison Community College in Naples
Plans for our First Annual Native Plant Sale are looking good, thanks to Dean Bremerman, the Sale Coordinator. A large selection of commercially-grown stock will be offered as well as numerous homegrown novelties. It is all happening Saturday, November 20, at 8 :00 a.m., in the parking lot of First Federal of Fort Myers in Naples.
• Dorie Karl
WANTED: ADVERTISEMENTS
You are invited to place an advertise m ent for your company in Th e Palm etto to help pay for its publication and to let the readers of Palmetto - those most interested in what yo u have to offer - know of your product and services.
Rates for camera-ready copy are $200 a full page , $110 a half-page, $75 for one-third page (two columns wide by 4 7/8 " high \, or $40 for one-sixth of a page (one column wide by 4 7/ 8 " high or two columns wide by 2 3/8" high) Business caro special is $20 For running th!' same ad in two issues there will be a 20"/o discount. and for thr ee i ssues a 30 "/o discou nt. except for busine ss cards Copy that needs speci al photogrdphy or set • t i ng u.p will cost extra Sen d copy to Th e Palm etto , Pegg y Lant z Editor, Rt 3, Box 437, Orlando , FL 32811.
NATIVE GI FT IDEA!
EDUCATIONAL NOTECARDS featuring:
FLORIDA'S NATIVE PLANTS - I Illustrated by Dorie Karl Rust y lyonia Virgin i a willow Wax myrtle Dahoon holly Florida butterfly orchid
Set of 10 cards, 2 of each design, and 10 envelopes in an attractive plastic wallet Information on identification, habitat and propagation on the back of each card
For the low introductory price of $2.50 per set
(Discounts available to FNPS Chapters)
ORDER FORM
Please print your name and address below:
Name_
Address_
City __ Zip__
State_
Please send me ____ set(s). l nd 11 rl" $2. 50 per set and 1s, for postage and handlina on orders of five sets or less
Make check or money order payable to and rn il to : The Naples Chapter of The Florida Native Plant Society 184 Hickory Road Naples, FL 33940
GLOSSARY
D.B H. - Diameter Breast Height
Used because the extreme flair c1 t the base of some trees makes measurement at ground level in" quitable. taxonomy - the naming and classifying of plants and animals. inflorescence - the flowering part of a plant.
rhizomes - underground plant stems that send out new shoots and roots. perennial - living from year to year. viable - capable of growing and developing.
852-2636
II
HOW TO GROW BLUEBERRIES FROM SEED II
by Paul Lyrene
Florida has at least seven distinct blueberry species (Vaccinium). Although some of these are abundant in parts of the state, they are usually not conspicuous, for they grow as understory plants in swamps, woods, and wastelands. A Canadian botanist who spent a decade studying the North American blueberries concluded that a narrow zone reaching from Jacksonville, Florida, to northeastern Texas contains more genetic diversity for blueberries than any other area on the continent.
Several blueberry species make attractive ornamentals. Their widespread use for this purpose is severely restricted by their peculiar growth requirements, which are not difficult to provide but are not widely known. These requirements were described in the last issue of The Palmetto.
Blueberries can be propagated by hardwood and softwood cuttings under mist, by root cuttings, or by seed. This article tells how to grow blueberries from seed.
Blueberries are cross-pollinating, and that insures that no two seedlings are exactly alike. If, therefore, you want to propagate one particular blueberry plant which has some unusual characteristics not shared by other plants of its species, do it by cuttings rather than by seed. Seed propagation has value because it requires no special equipment, it can give you plants by the thousands and hundreds of thousands, and because it enables you to breed improved varieties of blueberries by making controlled crosses and selecting the best seedlings.
The following procedure may not work for huckleberries (genus Gaylussacia), which often grow along with blueberries and have fruit that resemble blueberries. Huckleberries have exactly ten seedlike nutlets in each berry, and these are arranged in a circle like the sections of an orange. Anything else you find in the woods that looks and tastes like a blueberry probably is one of our seven native blueberry species, and the seeds should germinate as described below. The four species you'd be most likely to want to propagate are these along with suggestions as to where you
might be able to gather seeds:
1. Vaccinium myrsinites. This is an evergreen lowbush blueberry that grows most abundantly in pine flatwoods that are burned every few years. It is the only native blueberry that grows in Dade County and several other counties south of Lake Okeechobee. It occurs in all areas of the state where conditions are favorable. V. myrsinites has been grown as a pot plant in Europe for over 100 years.
2. V darrowi. This is another lowbush evergreen species. It has bluish-grey leaves and berries. It resembles V. myrsinites in many ways, but is much more drought tolerant and requires full sun for good growth. V. darrowi is abundant in the sand scrub habitat of the Ocala National Forest, particularly in conjunction with sand pines. The Juniper Springs area is a good source of seeds.
3. V. arboreum (common name is sparkleberry). In contrast to the previous two species which seldom grow over five feet tall, the sparkleberry is a small tree which reaches a height of 30 to 40 feet. It has attractive, shiny leaves and smooth red-brown bark. Unlike species one, two, and four, whose fruit ripen from June 15th to Aug. 1st, the sparkleberry ripens its fruit in October and November, and these hang on the tree until Jan. 1st in most years. sparkleberries are the least tasty of the Florida blueberries, but they are not as bad as Florida elderberries or choke cherries. The tree is drought tolerant and does well on dry, sandy soils where it can be found throughout the state north of Lake Okeechobee.
4. V. ashei (common name is rabbiteye blueberry). Of the four species, this is the only one you can expect enough fruit from to make a pie. Rabbiteyes are native in the river valleys of northwest Florida and southeast Georgia. If I were growing seedlings for pie purposes, I would get my seeds from a Florida rabbiteye blueberry farm. The varieties grown on these farms have been through several cycles of seedling selection since the time the original breeding stock was selected from the woods, and their
seedlings usually have large fruit. If you are a purist and must have the raw, untampered-with rabbiteye, get your seeds from Falling Water State Park in Washington Cou1'1ty or from the Yellow River around Crestview. Here's how to germinate the seeds of all blueberry species. Gather the fruit as it ripens. This is June 15th to Aug. 1st except for V. arboreum. From 200 berries you will get about 2000 seeds, from which you can hope to get several hundred seedlings.
While the berries are still fresh, put them in two cups of water in a blender, and turn on the blender for ten seconds. Pour a quart of water into the blender and stir. Then carefully pour off the liquid and recover the seeds from the bottom.
If you don't have many berries, you can get more seeds by squashing the berries out onto paper towels and picking out the seeds manually.
Dry the seeds for 48 hours at room temperature and then store them dry at about 45°F until November 1st. This cold storage is quite important, because blueberry seeds won't germinate in hot weather. Since sparkleberry seeds mature in cool weather, it may be safe to germinate them directly from the tree, but to be really safe you should pick them in November and store them dry at 45°F until the following November.
On November 1st, fill some onequart flowerpots with Canadian sphagnum peatmoss, which is (inconveniently enough) sold in fourcubic-foot bales at most garden stores. Wet the peatmoss thoroughly and pack it as firmly as possible into the pots. Put the pots in a good germination environment. It is essential that this site have the proper light and temperature. A sunlit greenhouse which is heated only to keep temperatures from falling below freezing is ideal north of Orlando. In south Florida the greenhouse may be too warm, and the pots should be kept outside in indirect sun. Shelter the pots from pounding rain if possible. Blueberry seeds germinate poorly or not at all under fluorescent lights and in places where the temperature is continuously above 65°F. They don't mind 80°F if it occasionally goes below 60° at night. If your nights are too warm, put the pots in the refrigerator one night a week until ger-
mination begins.
To plant the seeds, sprinkle them onto the surface of the peatmoss. Don't cover them. Water the pots gently once a day to keep the seeds moist. A half cup of water per onequart pot is plenty. Avoid washing the seeds out of the pot, since they float easily. Germination should begin in three to four weeks and will continue throughout the winter.
As soon as the first seedlings are one inch tall, they should be transplanted to trays of peatmoss. The trays should be at least three inches deep. Pack them firmly with moist Canadian sphagnum peatmoss. Space the seedlings about one inch apart in the trays. Put the trays in full sun if possible. As soon as they are transplanted to the trays, the blueberries should be fertilized. This can be done by sprinkling one teaspoon of slow-release fertilizer, such as Osmocoat 10-10-10, per square foot of tray. An alternative would be to fertilize every two weeks with a solution made by dissolving one ounce of water-soluble 20-20-20 in four gallons of water. Sprinkle one gallon of this solution evenly over each 2:'> square feet of surface. Rinse the fertilizer from the leaves immediately with water. By April 15th, your oldest seedlings should be about six inches tall. They
can then be potted in peat-filled sixinch pots, or transplanted to a highdensity nursery at a spacing of six inches by one foot. If you transplant blueberries during the growing season, you must irrigate them frequently with overhead irrigation. An alternative would be to hold the plants through the summer in the trays, pruning the tops back when they get over six inches tall, and transplanting them to the nursery in December.
The field nursery system will work only if the nursery soil is satisfactory for blueberries. If there is doubt about this, construct a cold-frame of boards one ft. tall, fill it with packed peatmoss, and transplant the blueberries at a six inch spacing. They should grow rapidly if fertilized every two weeks with the 20-20-20 solution as described.
If you saved your last Palmetto, you can read again how to manage your plants from here on. V. myrsinites, V. darrowi, and V. ashei should fruit after three growing seasons. V. arboreum may take five years. If you are interested in establishing a commercial blueberry farm in Florida, see your county agent. He may be able to talk you out of it. Blueberry farming is an enterprise that requires considerable dedication.
AUTHORS AND ARTISTS
Tony Jensen is an Associate Professor and Extension Forester at the University of Florida in Gainesville.
Lewis Yarlett works for Breedlove Assoc., Environmental Consultants in Gainesville. He has written a book on Florida range grasses for the U.S. Dept. of Argiculture Soil Conservation Service.
Judy Bates and her son, Jim Birdsey, are coowners of Birdsey's Edibles and Native Plants in Bradenton, that Judy calls "a backyard nursery." She has written a weekly column for the Bradenton Herald garden page.
Eliane M. Norman, Ph. D., is Associate Professor of Biolo~y at Stetson University in Deland. David Clayt_on, who did the drawing with their article, is a senior at Stetson who has been working with Dr. Norman on ReseaFChing pawpaws.
Bill Partington is President of FNPS, and Director of the Environmental Information Center.
Paul Lyrene is Associate Professor at the University of Florida in the Fruit Crops Department, and has been breeding blueberries for five years.
Doris Rosebraugh is a landscape designer and a member of the Dade Chapter of FNPS. She teaches two courses in Landscape Design, one for adults and one at Florida International University.
Dr. Herbert W. Kale II is Director of Ornithological Research for Florida Audubon Society.
Dorie Karl is secretary of FNPS, President of the Naples Chapter, and is the staff botanist for Wildernes,s Country Club in Naples.
Patron - $500 up (Corporate or organizational members may be granted permission to use the FNPS logo in their promotional literature, but must have written notification of this permission
LETTERS
Dear Editor :
I have some strong opinions about tree planting and preservation ordinances that may stimulate some constructive dialogue in The Palmetto.
Here's one: Tree monarchs should own the land they occupy, rather than the short-lived man.
All tree monarchs in each county should be located and mapped, much of which could be done by mail with citizen participation. In north Florida we might start with all trees of five foot caliper D.B.H and greater; down here in South Florida, with the abrupt winds and changing watertable, the entry level into monarchdom might be considerably lower. Nevertheless, the aim is that these trees be protected for the rest of their natural lives and maintained by the County Arborist or an agency where long-term records could be efficiently maintained.
To follow this idea through into practice, when someone wants to develop where dwells a monarch , his plans must respect the monarch's presence, as the tree will be there , we trust, long after the new development has crumbled around its roots. The development is just camping out on the monarch's land
These tree specimens should be maintained no matter what the situa -
tion : if a large tree appears adjacent to or within a right of way for underground utility service, a carefully constructed tunnel would be required below the tree's major zone of rootswhich are the trees utility lines, after all - and the same care should be taken as when a waterline crosses an electric cable .
But there should be no tunnels at all beneath our titled monarchs. Tunneling of utilities is not permitted under buildings for structural safety and maintenance considerations, and the same shou Id hold true for at least the area canopied by our monarch - no structures within the tree's reach, above or below the ground.
• Joe Cascio, Landscape Architect
(Ed . note : What do you think, Palmetto readers? Could it be done ? How?) FLORIDA SOLAR COALITION FIFTH ANNUAL CONFERENCE AND
FLORIDA NATIVE PLANT SOCIETY ENVIRONMENTAL INFORMATION CENTER 935 ORANGE AVENUE WINTER PARK, FLORIDA 32789
ADDRESS CORREcnON REQUESTED
November 18 - 20 , 1982
November 18 - 19
Flo r id a Solar Coali t ion Te ch n ica l Symposium at Langford Hotel and Roll i ns College , W i nt er Pa rk Scienti st s and engineers work i ng on re search in energy con se rvat ion a nd so lar energy i n Flo d da w i ll make presentations on th eir lat es t fi ndings Early reg i strat i on : $7 0 00 For a brochure wri te o r ph on e : Florida Solar Coalit i on , 9 35 Orange Av e nu e, W i nte r Pa r k, FL 32789 30 5/644 -53 77 o r 64 7-04 6 7.
November 19 - 20
Florida Sol a r Co a l ition Fift h Annual Co nfe rence at Rollins College, W inter Park , Fl o rida. Workshops by 30 of Florida's top energy experts. Early registration: $25.00 For a co nference brochu re write or phone : Flo.rida Solar Co alition, 935 Orange Avenue, W inter Par k , FL 32789. 30 5/644-5377 or 647-0467.
NON.PROFIT ORGANIZATION U S POSTAGE WINTER PARK, F LA. PERMIT NO 3 - 358 - - ~