I've been enthralled again this year with the beautiful colors our deciduous trees display each autumn. Here is a ditty I did on trees (trees of Florida) back in 2008.
6/19/2008
TREES
I often wish I could recognize trees. Many people can. I guess that's one of the things I missed not being a Boy Scout. While on vacation, I did a little reading on the trees of Florida. Here are a few that I may never be able to recognize but its so fulfilling to know they exist.
The 'devil's walking stick' is a tree in the ginseng family. It has numerous sharp prickles that protrude from the trunk.
The 'toothache tree' is also known as a prickly ash. Either way its a problem.
I bet you didn't know that a 'sparkleberry', a 'farkleberry' and a 'huckleberry' are all the same tree. I didn't.
It seems the 'fish fuddle tree' was used by early inhabitants to catch fish. It's bark would paralyze the fish and make them easy pickings. Later, these narcotic properties were used to make anesthetic for surgery.
The 'popcorn tree' sounds like something to eat but the milky sap is actually poisonous. Don't try it.
There is also a small shrub known as 'the maiden's bush'. I have no idea where they got that name and I wont ask.
The 'devil's walking stick' is a tree in the ginseng family. It has numerous sharp prickles that protrude from the trunk.
The 'toothache tree' is also known as a prickly ash. Either way its a problem.
I bet you didn't know that a 'sparkleberry', a 'farkleberry' and a 'huckleberry' are all the same tree. I didn't.
It seems the 'fish fuddle tree' was used by early inhabitants to catch fish. It's bark would paralyze the fish and make them easy pickings. Later, these narcotic properties were used to make anesthetic for surgery.
The 'popcorn tree' sounds like something to eat but the milky sap is actually poisonous. Don't try it.
There is also a small shrub known as 'the maiden's bush'. I have no idea where they got that name and I wont ask.
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