Holiday Color in Our Wetlands

Recently several people have come to me, alarmed, to see the thousands of bright red berries of the invasive Brazilian pepper (Schinus terebinthifolius) growing in the wetlands along Collier County’s roadsides. While it is that time of year when the Brazilian pepper flushes with crimson fruits, it is not the only festive tree you’ll see growing in our low lying natural areas during the holidays. You may also be seeing dahoon holly (Ilex cassine), a small tree native to Florida and the Southeastern U.S. From a distance both species appear similar, bearing brightly colored fruit. However upon closer inspection the two are very different plants.

Brazilian pepper was originally imported to Florida as an ornamental in the mid-1800’s to be sold as "Florida holly". It has since become one of the worst invasive plants in the state, shading out hundreds of thousands of acres of native habitat. It produces a profuse amount of fruits that attract songbirds and other wildlife which can then spread the seeds across several miles. Once the plants get a foothold in an area, they produce a chemical that prevents the growth of other species, allowing them to outcompete native vegetation. The shrubs are often found growing in almost complete monocultures, leaving a habitat devoid of complex structure for wildlife. Brazilian pepper can be identified by its alternate, pinnately compound leaves that smell of turpentine when crushed. You must use caution, however, when handling the leaves as pepper is a member of the same family as poison ivy and may cause a skin rash.

The dahoon holly (pictured) is a small native tree that is also found growing in low moist areas. It usually forms the midstory component of a complex habitat with both accompanying overstory trees and groundcover. As a part of this complex habitat, it provides great cover for a variety of wildlife while producing fruits that attract songbirds, fowl, deer, and other small mammals. Dahoon holly can be identified by its stiff, shiny, simple, dark green leaves with pointed tips. Much like the Brazilian pepper, the dahoon holly is dioecious, meaning individual plants have either male or female flowers. It is the female of either species that produces the loads of red fruits. If you want to plant dahoon in your landscaping, be sure to select plants of both sexes to ensure the most color. You should also select plants for their color as the fruits can range from red to yellow to orange. While they are normally found growing in wetlands, dahoon holly can be planted in drier areas as a landscape plant if they are supplemented with irrigation.

Now that you know the important differences between dahoon holly and Brazilian pepper, see if you can spot the two as you see them in wetlands along our roadsides. And if you are thinking about a new tree for your home, consider planting a dahoon holly and you will be rewarded with holiday color each year while providing a great source of food and cover for our native wildlife.

Blazing-stars

One sure sign that autumn is upon us here in Southwest Florida can be seen along the roadsides of the Preserve. The blazing-stars or gayfeathers (Liatris chapmanii), are in full glory along the south side of Thomasson Drive. For most of the year blazing-stars look like an inconspicuous grass in the scrub and flatwoods communities. However, in the fall, they become one our showiest native flowers, producing long spikes of beautiful purple to white flowers. The wispy flowering spikes are unique in that its flowers develop from the tip of the spike towards the base of the plant. These perennial beauties, members of the Aster family, attract both butterflies for nectar, and birds for their plentiful seed heads. This past spring, while rescuing plants from construction areas, I was surprised when I dug up a few dainty grass-like blazing-stars with corms nearly two inches across. These corms afford the plant protection from drought while allowing them to re-sprout quickly after a fire.

Notes from Our Summer Intern

This summer we were very fortunate to have Eric Van Arsdale, a sophomore in environmental studies from Brown University, as an intern in the Natural Areas. Eric came to us with interests in ecology and environmental policy, and a strong back. Here at the Garden, he was very involved in invasive species removal from the Natural Areas, propagation of native plants, learning to identify native species, and planning restoration activities. He writes about his experiences in restoration ecology in this Preserve Blog.

-- Chad Washburn

With the school year quickly approaching, I will soon return to Providence, Rhode Island to begin my sophomore year at Brown University and must bring my internship at the Garden to a close. After working with Chad Washburn and the Horticulture Department for the last 2 months, I have learned a great deal about ecological restoration and day-to-day garden operations. From exotic species removal and chainsaw maintenance to drip line installation and grafting, my time at the garden has been a great learning experience.

My work with Chad in ecological restoration has tied in well with my interests in environmental science. Primarily, ecological restoration involves returning an environment to its natural state. For my internship, I developed a restoration plan for Rookery Island in Deep Lake. Rookery Island is comprised primarily of spoil, a unique soil composition that required restoration plans that take into account the poor soil quality and dry conditions. The island was also covered with Brazilian pepper that had to be removed before native species could be introduced onto the island.

Access to Rookery Island required a dirt path to be built so exotics clearing could begin; however, we were immediately reminded of a Golden Rule in ecological conservation immediately after the path was finished, "Mother Nature always has the last say." Tropical Storm Fay dumped three to seven inches on to the site and covered much of the Island and the path. However, problem solving is what makes ecological restoration a unique and challenging field. Shortly after Fay had passed SW Florida, Chad and I resumed clearing Rookery Island, with the help of wading boots. With most of the area cleared of invasive exotics, we were able to introduce several varieties of epiphytes to compliment the already existing epiphytes on the Island. Several native hammock plants were also purchased from the Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation, including Beauty Berry and Mastic, which will be planted when conditions improve on the island. In the future, Rookery Island will provide a beneficial area for bird nesting as well as provide an aesthetically pleasing view for the garden's visitors.

Overall, my time at the Garden has been an exceptional learning experience. More than that, working at the Garden has allowed me to comprehend both the tremendous potential it holds in becoming a world-class botanical collection and the commitment by all the staff in reaching this goal.

Renewal in the Marsh

It has been almost three months since a lightning strike near the Garden ignited a wildfire that burned 12-acres of scrub and marsh, including the southern portion of the Preserve. In the short time since the blaze, the sand cordgrass (Spartina bakeri) marsh has nearly recovered. The only visible reminders of the fire are the charred melaleuca trunks along the edge of the marsh, and the firebreak created to stop the blaze. The burned areas of cordgrass stand verdant in contrast to the brown of last year’s growth in the unburned areas.

The blaze was not devastating to the marsh, but a natural part of the renewal process for the ecosystem. Immediately following the fire, carbon and nutrients held in the aboveground parts of the plants were released to the soil. These natural soil amendments stimulate the rhizomes, or underground stems, producing a lush green carpet of new growth. In addition to renewing growth, periodic fires reduce competition from other species, making the continuation of healthy cordgrass communities dependant upon fires for renewal.

Cordgrass rhizomes survive fire by growing beneath saturated soils, which act as an insulation from the fire’s heat. If the conditions here had been much drier, the high temperatures of the blaze could have killed off cordgrass areas of the marsh. Luckily a lack of water in the burned area of the marsh was not a problem for us. Since the fire, water levels throughout the Preserve have begun to return to normal, also helping to stimulate new growth in the marsh. We received over 9 inches of rain in June, putting us back on track towards a more typical South Florida summer. While wildfires can be dangerous in some conditions, we were fortunate this spring to have had a controllable fire that has brought renewal to the garden.

Chad Washburn

Naples Botanical Garden

4820 Bayshore Drive

Naples, FL 34112

Phone: 239.643.7275