Elephant Ears, Taro, Dasheen, Colocasia esculenta

"The Potato of the Warm, Humid Tropics"

Uses : Edible, Aquaculture. Native to : Unknown. Naturalized to tropical areas worldwide.
     Yes, this is the same ordinary bulb that can be purchased at the big box stores in the springtime. It can be grown anywhere, just about, that has at least seven months of warm weather. It can grow in just about any pretty moist soil, or even mud and shallow ponds, but standing water with no aeration is known to cause poor growth, as is true for most big aquatic plants.
     That being said, I accidentally let mine wilt during a month of hot, humid breezes. I keep a thick layer of mulch over my elephant ears, which I do not have many of at the moment, and the breezes got to them. The largest leaf drooped out over my carport, which just made the plant look sad. That leaf never quite recovered.
     Be sure not to confuse the elephant ear with caladium, which also grows from a bulb. They are completely unrelated plants and caladiums are not edible.

     The leaves and roots are edible with cooking. Apparently there is a calcium crystal which breaks down when heat is applied. The crystal scratches and burns the mouth and throat when eaten raw. It could be good fodder for animals after cooking as well. The leaves can be prepared as you would any green, or traditionally with coconut milk as the Hawaiians prepare it. The roots can be eaten like a potato, for example baked in the oven for an hour. Corms can be mashed and fermented into a paste called poi.
     The roots can be harvested for the base of the taro and the tops replanted. Cut just below the apical meristem. The tricks to this is to only use the corms from the largest, healthiest plants and to cut the corm off below the area where the leaves join the corm so that some corm remains. Then the plant is replanted. Also at this time offsets are separated from the parent to develop on their own. Leaves are usually removed during replanting so just corms and stems are placed in the ground or mud.
     Taro is a known escaped invasive plant in Florida, and the state website says it's illegal to sell or reproduce this plant. Yet I have seen that the tubers can be bought at your local big box hardware store. Why is that?

Well-Depths in Florida

     Though there are days that it seems Florida has more fresh water than we know what to with, that is not completely true. Rainfall is uneven throughout the year, and most of us are not wealthy enough to live on one of our beautiful springs.

Silver Springs

     When considering property to purchase, well depth and quality needs to be considered. Some coastal areas will not have potable groundwater, and other areas may have problems with sulfur, uranium, and other naturally occurring minerals. The water will have to be tested, however, most of the state has access to our beautiful 98% pure aquifer, which is completely recharged with rainwater. No rain means a very thirsty state, and according to USGS Floridians have withdrawn 500% more water since the 1950s.
     Wells probably should be used in conjunction with rainwater harvesting. Since the population emigrations to Florida in the 1950s, more people and industry have been drawing from the aquifers, an already fragile resource.  Saltwater intrusion and lake levels dropping, combined with sinkholes, have made that plain. Sinkholes are an open wound of the water system, allowing pathogens in to infect otherwise potable water with contaminants like nitrates. Rainwater harvesting from rooftops also requires no electricity for pumping.
     There is no one resource for obtaining information about water quality for an area short of drilling and hoping the sample comes back clean. Neighbors may be able to give you information about their wells. Assume all local golf courses are not going to give you information.
     In general, the aquifer is between 100 and 200 feet down in most of central Florida. The ground is frequently a layer of sand on layers of limestone and dolomite. Rainfall does affect groundwater levels, in a period of intense drought hundreds of shallower wells near Pensacola had to be redrilled or moved inland. Underneath some areas the aquifer is under pressure, which might result in artesian well once drilled. Artesian wells have special regulations regarding reporting and capping (of course).
     Shallower wells, about 50 feet deep, are used most frequently for irrigation (think golf courses, nurseries, and citrus farms) and usually have lower quality water than the deeper wells.

Zebra Aloe, Aloe zebrina, Aloe maculata

Uses : Medicinal, Edible, Xeriscaping, Forage. Native to : Africa.
     This little survivor is a perennial here in Florida. Its thick, fleshy leaves allow it to store moisture during periods of irregular rainfall. It quickly, probably yearly, sends up offsets via shoots from the roots. Zebra aloe is a short little plant that will send up large showy pink flowers on a somewhat alien-like stalk that looks very little like the plant itself.
     These little aloes hybridize easily with one another, making them very difficult to concretely identify.

     To harvest the edible part of the aloe, first break off a leaf, then cut the skin off very carefully. Take the meat and drop into a smoothie (aloe is eaten raw to maximize the anti-inflammatory properties. I suspect that eaten in large quantities aloe might cause diarrhea, so please be mindful, particularly if giving to your animals, who might not like it anyway.
     The sap can be squeezed from the leaves and used as a soap. I have also used the sap in very small amounts for sunburn relief, and it works just as well as the store bought stuff.  It might be even better because it has no coloring or additives.
     I was able to find a very interesting looking recipe for aloe wine, but was unable to locate the original article the recipe was sourced from... here's the recipe. It looks like it would probably make about a gallon of wine.

It’s made with 5 stalks of aloe vera, 2 pounds of granulated sugar, 1/2 cup of raisins, 8 cups of water, 1 teaspoon of yeast, and the juice of one orange. Peel the aloe and cut it into cubes and add it to a container with the raisins, orange, and sugar. Next, boil the water and pour over the aloe vera mixture. Then, dissolve the yeast in luke warm water and pour the yeast into the cooled aloe vera mixture. Cover and let it remain for 21 days, stirring occasionally. Strain and put the wine into a sterilized bottle.

Aloe Vera Wine Recipe

Crinum Lily, Crinum augustum

Uses : Xeriscaping. Native to : India and Asia
     The crinum species is a large family of flowering bulbs that look similar to daylilies albeit larger and more tropical. They are actually closely related to amaryllis, and can grow very well in locations that amaryllis succeed in. Like many bushy non-natives, they do better in part sun rather than full, unless you intend to supplementally irrigate.
     Unfortunately this flowering beauty is not edible and cannot be used as forage for livestock, as it grows so well here in barely amended sand. None of the amaryllis family are edible.
     A thin layer of mulch does benefit the plant, and it will, in time, produce young bulbs that you can transfer elsewhere or give away to your friends.

Loquat, Eriobotrya japonica

Uses : Edible Fruit, Forage. Native to China.
     This is a small tree, maybe 20-30 feet tall, but can easily be trimmed into a dwarf style with yearly pruning after fruiting. It is not native, but like the mandarin orange, it can withstand the mild winters in most of Florida. It has been reported that it will not set fruit north of Jacksonville, and I can say that I have never seen loquats growing in Duval, but it could be unknown there.
     It sets its flowers in the fall and fruit ripens in the spring. The fruit can be eaten fresh, with the seed removed, or cooked into jellies, added to sauces, or used in any way you would use an apple or pear. They can be dehydrated or canned, with the seed and peel removed for canning. The fruit should be an orange color and soft when fully ripe, if hrd and yellow it is not ready. The fruit ripens on the tree and will not ripen adequately once picked.


     I suspect the reason not more people enjoy this delicious fruit is that it has a shelf-life of about a week. I have seen it at the farmer's market just once, and never in the grocery store. Usually all the fruit ripens on the tree at about the same time, much like its cousin the apple. Also wine can be made from the crushed fruit in much the same way as you would make apfelwein. A winery near Gainesville makes delicious loquat wine, but it is only available locally.
     The tree does not seem to have problems with pests, unless you consider birds a pest when they ninja all your ripe fruit.

Loquat Wine Recipe

4 pounds fresh loquats
2 1/4 pounds sugar
Water to one gallon
1 campden tablet (crushed)
1/2 teaspoon pectic enzyme
1 teaspoon acid blend
1/4 teaspoon grape tannin
1/2 teaspoon yeast nutrient
Wine yeast

Tomatoes in Florida, Solanum lycopersicum

Uses : Edible Fruit. Native to : Mexico, Peru
     There is a lot to talk about when it comes to tomatoes, but only a fraction of it is relevant in Florida. Information is readily available from IFAS and even the public library regarding pest control, so we won't go into that here. And the pests do love our tomatoes!
     Perhaps the most important part of tomato growing is the timing of planting the seeds. Whether you start seeds inside or buy seedlings or sow directly in the ground, it is really all about timing. I would say tomatoes are not for the person who puts things off, because late planting will delay flowering and fruiting which will make tomatoes not really worth growing.

     Here we can grow tomatoes in the early spring and late fall. The plants do not tolerate the hottest part of the summer, though your season can be extended into the beginning of the summer by moving your plants into a microclimate, which is why we have had so much success with growing our tomatoes in five gallon buckets. A sheltered part of your yard away from the warm breezes is ideal, and shade, especially midday or afternoon is preferable. Tomatoes need loose soil that drains well, with plenty of nutrition, and frequent watering when the temperatures approach the 80's.
     I personally think cherry tomatoes are much better to grow here than the traditionally larger varieties, as they produce an edible fruit very quickly after flowering, while the larger varieties need more time to grow out the fruit. This additional time factor gives the birds, squirrels, and bugs more time to take advantage of your delicious offering.
     Starting seeds indoors is not necessary but I highly recommend it. This last year we started the seeds in the five gallon buckets on the back porch, and brought the buckets indoors on the nights that dipped below freezing. This fall we will probably do the same, and then set the buckets out for some shady protection at the beginning of September. Another benefit to the bucket system is that we put in potting soil from the store - not something I would normally do, but the potting soil already has fertilizer added.
     Saving seed from season to season is easy to do at home in your kitchen, by harvesting from your best fruits and washing very thoroughly, then drying. Most plants are self-pollinating so even one successful plant will give you more seed to work with next year. Store seeds dry and away from light. Tomato seeds are great gifts!
      The plants are members of the nightshade family, and so are inedible to humans and animals. Dead plants are only good for chopping and composting.

Dehydrating Food on the Cheap

     Having a curious mind will get you everywhere. While stumbling around the internet I was able to find some fascinating information about using solar cookers. There are many different kinds of solar cookers available to build yourself or purchase. There may even be a market to produce solar cookers for sale, if someone were enterprising enough.
     The best part about using a solar cooker is that it uses no electricity at all. It creates no heat in your kitchen for your refrigerator and air conditioner to fight against. It is carbon-neutral, green technology that can be cheaply made and acquired, that will pay for itself in savings after a few uses.
     I am unclear on why so few people use solar cooking here in Florida and elsewhere around the United States. When the weather is pleasant it is good to just be outside, and most solar cookers require very little tending. Sunlight, is much more plentiful and cheaper than charcoal, firewood, or propane.
     The most basic solar cooker that I know of has materials I was able to get at the local W. Mart for under 10 USD. It really has only two necessities, a vehicle sun visor and some self-adhesive Velcro from the craft department.

     Wrap the vehicle sun visor into a cone with the reflective side on the inside. Place the Velcro carefully so as to attach the sides to one another. Ready to go, and portable.
     When dehydrating, follow the conventional rules for dehydration. There are many great videos online, apparently spearheaded by the Mormon movement. Cut the food as thinly as possible, then into as small of pieces as possible. I placed the apples in between two splatter guards that I got for Christmas. I put the splatter guards on top of a dark bowl, then out in the sun at about 11:00 am. I did end up turning the cooker about every hour to track the sun - about 5 seconds worth of work. After 4 hours, half the apples were completely dry. The rest I put out the next day to finish up.
     The secret to dehydrating well seems to be all in the cutting. A lot of people recommend using things like lemon juice or soy sauce, and you can if you wish. But the magic is in the slicing.

Windshield Shade Solar Cooker

China Berry Tree, Melia azedarach, Persian Lilac

Uses : Firewood, Xeriscaping. Native to India.
     This is an extremely fast-growing tree that has naturalized itself all over West Florida. It is much hated by some, because of its fast-growing nature it can and will drop limbs without notice. It is susceptible to rotting from the inside with no visible marks from without. Storms and even children can tumble large limbs down.
     That aside, they aren't all bad. They are extremely underutilized as fast-growing shade trees, which could be quickly providing screen while more permenant, slower growing trees take hold nearby. It is nothing to dig up a young sapling and stick it where you wish in the landscape.
     Another frequently overlooked use is for lumber and firewood. Their live fast die young philosophy makes them ideal for this purpose, perhaps more so than even the native pine trees. More research should be conducted as to whether China Berry trees would make good firebreaks on traditional tree farms.
     The leaves and berries are toxic if eaten in large quantities. Birds snack on the berries but it seems to not be a preferred source of sustenance, so if planning a garden for the wildlife China Berry might not be a great choice.
     The seeds sprout readily in sandy soil much like Cherry Laurel.

Traditional Agriculture Doesn't Work in Florida

     You know what Florida has a whole lot of? Sunshine, humidity, sand, and people.
     A person might logically conclude that sunshine is really all you would ever need, because crops can't grow without it. That's true, plants can't grow without light, but there is so much more that they need in addition to light that light alone does not make Florida the perfect place to grow crops. Florida is blessed with an extremely short cold season, so short that strawberries and tomatoes frequently survive the hours below freezing south of Tampa.
     Sandiness can be a good soil characteristic for plants that need excellent drainage. Most vegetables do need adequate drainage, and plants that "burrow" into the ground, like peanuts and potatoes, do very well in sand. Unfortunately most of our sand lacks beneficial organic matter in quantity enough to support beneficial nematodes and worms, which help plants. Any wimpy tomato or squash will quickly become food for root-knot nematodes, grasshoppers, aphids, and dozens more.
     Virtually all the produce in Florida is treated with insecticide in some form or another, even the organics. This may or may not be a bad thing depending on how you view it, but it is true. The only way to avoid the chemicals is to grow it yourself or be willing to eat strange-looking fruits and vegetables. Even our delicious citrus isn't exempt from this truth, which is why something to the tune of 95% of all citrus grown in Florida becomes juiced. No one wants to eat an orange with canker on the peel even though it may be delicious.
     The solution - eat what can grow here and grow it yourself, or buy local.

Industrial Farming Murders the Tasty Tomato

Pink Purslane, Portulaca pilosa, Kiss-Me-Quick

Useful for : Forage, Food, Xeriscaping, Groundcover. Native to : Southeast United States
     This diminutive succulent is an annual in West Florida. Every spring the little plant appears from tiny black seeds the size of poppy seeds in bare sands on roadsides and poor soils. It's fleshy leaves allow it to store water so as to thrive where other plants cannot. The tiny flowers are beautiful on closer inspection.

     The nutrititional value of the purslanes are well documented. The plants are high in vitamins and omega 3. Native Americans used the plants for its medicinal value as well. It has anti-inflammatory properties and was used to treat fevers and as a poultice for burns.
     Its diminutive size and drought-tolerance would make this little plant perfect for a rock garden.