Red Mulberry, Morus rubra

The Red Mulberry, also known as Morus rubra, is a tree species native to North America. It belongs to the mulberry family, Moraceae, which includes over 1000 species of plants. The Red Mulberry is an important tree species in many ways, as it provides a range of ecological, economic, and cultural benefits.

Ecological Benefits

The Red Mulberry is an ecologically important tree species, as it provides various ecological benefits. The tree is well-suited to a wide range of soils, from sandy loam to heavy clay, and can tolerate a range of pH levels. The tree is also tolerant of flooding, making it an important species in riparian zones, floodplains, and other wetland areas.

The Red Mulberry produces large quantities of fruit, which are eaten by a range of wildlife species. The fruit is rich in nutrients, including vitamin C, iron, and calcium, and is an important food source for many bird species, including blue jays, robins, and cedar waxwings. Other animals that feed on the fruit include squirrels, raccoons, opossums, and deer.

The Red Mulberry also provides important habitat for a range of insect species. Many butterfly and moth species rely on the Red Mulberry as a host plant for their caterpillars. The tree also supports a range of other insect species, including beetles, wasps, and ants.

Economic Benefits

The Red Mulberry is an economically important tree species in North America, as it has a range of commercial uses. The tree is grown for its fruit, which is used to make jams, jellies, pies, and other food products. The fruit is also used to make wine and other alcoholic beverages.

The wood of the Red Mulberry is also valuable, as it is hard, dense, and resistant to decay. The wood is used to make furniture, flooring, and other high-quality wood products. The bark of the Red Mulberry is also used in traditional medicine, as it has been shown to have antiviral and antimicrobial properties.

Mulberry trees are easy to propagate and make an excellent fodder source.

Cultural Significance

The Red Mulberry has a rich cultural significance in North America. The tree has been used for centuries by indigenous people for food, medicine, and other purposes. The Cherokee people used the bark of the tree to treat fever, while the Iroquois used the inner bark to make a tea to treat coughs and colds.

The Red Mulberry also played an important role in the Underground Railroad, as it was used by slaves escaping to freedom. The tree provided important cover for escaping slaves, as well as a source of food.

Ilex verticellata, Winterberry

     This beauty was growing at the Aripeka entrance of the Weeki Wachee Preserve. It looks similar to Brazilian Pepper, so I wasn't about to touch it. Which is a good thing, because as I read about it sounds like there's not too much use for this plant medicinally. That being said, the berries supposedly contain caffeine and theobromine, a caffeine metabolite that has some unpleasant effects. It is also the reason why chocolate is poisonous to dogs. It sounds like it would be difficult to isolate that perfect amount of berry that would grant a caffeine boost without also granting theobromine poisoning to humans, which causes seizures and death.

     That being said, hollies are beautiful in the winter.

Duck Potato, Sagittaria platyphylla, Delta Arrowhead

     I once stole this plant from a ditch at the community College. No really,  I really did do that. I wasn't arrested either. It almost tops the time I took cattail from the ditch at the hospital. I wasn't arrested then either. 

     Actually I didn't know what this was until it made a pretty white flower, and now I love it. I had wanted to buy duck potato because I had read that it's edible to, well, ducks. Possibly rabbits? Not sure. But now that I have this plant, all I have to do is propagate it, and I will have unlimited duck food! Mwa haha.

     Supposedly the underground tubers are eaten by ducks and snapping turtles. It sounds like a great plant to grow. Supposedly it can be propagated by transplanting the tubers. Also supposedly, it was a major food source for the Native Americans that lived in the Okeechobee area. 

Luna Moth, Actias luna

     Native to the United States, the larval form of Luna moths eats leaves from broad leafed trees such as persimmon, walnut, hickory, and birch.

Muscadine Grapes

      One grapevine planted several years ago now yields more grapes than I can ever harvest. This year I was able to reach four quarts of grapes for eating. They are sweet and crunchy. You know they are ready to harvest when the grapes are soft and springy, if they feel hard then they need more time on the vine. They seem to last quite a while in the refrigerator. Yes Muscadine grapes have seeds in them unless you are able to get a variety without seeds. 

Piper auritum, Rootbeer Plant, Mexican Pepperleaf, Hoja Santa

    I found this beautiful plant at a plant sale at the local botanical gardens. One of the cute ladies there stopped me and said, "Are you sure you really want to buy that? It's invasive!"
     I looked down at the inncoent little plant. It had one seed leaf and one true leaf and a REALLY cheap price. Then I considered my scale of invasiveness (fucking bamboo at damn near the top, followed up quickly by burmuda grass and orange honeysuckle) versus her scale of invasiveness (who knows) and replied that yes, I was going to buy the edible invasive Mexican plant. I have other wonderful edible plants of Mexican origin, like the Cardinal Sage and the Agave Americana. What could go wrong?
     It took Rootbeer plant almost a year to start growing, but at the start of the rainy season it took off. Its still one compact plant, and hasn't sent out any runners that I can find. It has started to form the unusual white growths shown in the picture. I can't wait to see what happens with those.
     Culinarily, according to Wikipedia it is most commonly used to wrap food (meat and fish) in prior to steaming much as corn husks and banana leaves are used. It has safrole in it, the main ingredient in sassafrass, which is considered to be a carcinogen. So it appears that eating large amounts of Rootbeer plant is not a good idea, even though it is one of the main ingredients in mole verde and is used to make tea and add flavor to chocolate drinks.

     I have found that rootbeer plant does freeze down where it is planted in my front yard, but it came back in the spring. Its still a very compact plant, attractive, and smells fantastic.