The Maypop (Passiflora incarnata,that I recently wrote about in this post) is the primary host plant for a few butterfly species in North America. Growing up in South Florida, I distinctly remember both the passion flowers (although I still am not sure if they were Passiflora incarnata or other closely related species that need the more tropical weather of southern Florida) and a few of these butterflies. But I did not know how closely their lives intertwined. I am always amazed at the beauty of God's creation as seen in the wide variety of plant and animal species.
Gulf Fritillary (aka Passion Butterfly) Agraulis vanillae
Uses the Maypop for food (leaves) as a caterpillar and food (nectar) as adults.
Gulf Fritillary (aka Passion Butterfly), Agraulis vanillae, on a Maypop flower.
A couple of days ago, the sun was out (finally), the sky was blue, and I just wanted to be outside. I told the boys, both three years old, that they needed to get ready for an adventure. They brought me their magnifying glasses, a pair of large, plastic, green forceps (tweezers), and a plastic box with a string on it (aka "the collection kit").
We spent the next hour walking in the small fields of grass and weeds behind and between the houses in our neighborhood collecting "spess'mins" for our collection kit. In total, we collected leaves from seven new plants (many of them were "reawy pokey!"), shells from two species of snails (Elijah likes to call them "nail-ohs" for some reason), two pine cones, about ten flowers from half a dozen weeds, and two small clusters of seed pods.
Isaac was not feeling great, so I let Blue Bear and Li'l Doggie tag along... in the pockets of my jacket. Here he is showing them our treasure.
Elijah, who is never quite serious.
The boys just getting back from the adventure.
It is so fun to be able to get outside and spend time with my boys. They are willing to try anything if Daddy is there, not holding their hand of course since they want to do everything themselves, but ready to lend a hand if they need it. I think the real fun as a Dad is just getting started!
Description:
Maypops are one of the most cold hardy of all Passionfruit species. This herbaceous vine is vigorous, produces stunning flowers, and has a tropical tasting fruit... yet it can be grown throughout most of the U.S. The 2-3 inch (5-7.5 cm) fruit has a size and taste very similar to its close cousin, Passion Fruit.
History:
A native to eastern North America and a food source for Native Americans as well as European settlers. Very little agricultural improvement has been conducted with this plant, and it is often found growing wild today.
The Cherokee in Tennessee named it ocoee, and the Tennessee Ocoee River and Ocoee Valley are named after this flower.
The Maypop is the State Wildflower of Tennessee.
While this plant does have perfect flowers (contains both male and female
parts), many of the flowers are functionally male – the female parts have
atrophied or grow in a way that will never allow fertilization. This means that
not all flowers will set fruit. The Maypop will change the number of female
flowers it produces throughout the growing season based on the growing
conditions.
This plant has long been used as a symbol of Christianity and the Passion of
Christ (hence the Family name):
- 10 petals (5 true petals and 5 petal-like sepals) represent the 10 apostles
at the crucifixion
- The purple/pink corona represents the crown of thorns
- The 5 stamens represent the 5 wounds of Christ (wrists, feet, one in the side)
- The 3 styles represent the 3 nails used on Christ
- The tendrils represent the whips used to scourge Christ
- The three-lobed leaves also represent the Trinity (Father, Son, Holy Spirit)
Each flower only lasts about one day
The flowers have a lemony aroma
The Maypop's name has been reported to have two meanings: 1) it "pops" up in May rather quickly, 2) while it shoots up in May, the ripe fruit that drops can make a loud "popping" sound if you accidentally step on them.
The odd packaging of the flavorful fruit... technically a berry.
Fresh eating - contains a whole bunch of edible seeds surrounded by a gelatinous (and very flavorful) fruit. While you can eat the seeds (like pomegranate) many just spit them out
Cooked fruit - great for making tropical flavored sauces
Leaves - raw (addition to salads) or cooked (as a steamed veggie)
Teas - leaves are used
Fruit juice - alone/mixed with other juices; can flavor other foods (ice cream, fruit leather, etc.)
Preserves, jams, jellies, etc.
Flowers are said to be edible - cooked like a veggie, but I have never tried this
Secondary Uses:
General insect nectar plant, especially bees (i.e. attracts beneficial insects)
Hummingbird and butterfly nectar plant
Food source for wildlife in Summer and Autumn
Beautiful flowers (pale pink to deep purple) in the Spring
Medicinal - long history of Native Americans using the Maypop for insomnia, anxiety, and inflammation
Yield: I've seen reported 10-20 fruits per vine depending on vine size and age of the plant, but this seems to be reportings on wild plants
Harvesting: Late Summer – Autumn (September – November). Fruit ripens
through the season, so plan to check the vine often. Many growers will just
wait for the mature fruit to drop before harvesting.
Storage: Fresh fruit can store for a week or two at cool room temperature.
Don’t let it dry out by placing it a dry environment.
Plant Type: Herbaceous Vine (above ground parts die back each winter) Leaf Type: Deciduous Forest Garden Use: Vertical/Climbing Layer Cultivars/Varieties: There are few named varieties, most named varieties
that exist have been improved for their flowers and not their fruit; hence they
may not be a good choice for the Permaculturist (one named variety is even
sterile!). However, there are many unnamed varieties that grow great fruit.
Pollination: Needs Cross-Pollination to produce fruit – needs another
variety/cultivar nearby, and both will set fruit. Pollinated largely by
Carpenter Bees. If none are present, and since there are not a lot of flowers,
some growers will hand-pollinate using pollen from a flower that has been open for 12 hours.
Flowering: Summer (July – September)
Life Span: Years to Begin Bearing: 1-2 years Years to Maximum Bearing: 2-4 years Years of Useful Life: Indefinite as "new" shoots form every year
PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF THIS PLANT Size: 10-30 feet (3-9 meters) tall (but about 15-20 feet is typical) and as
wide as you will let it grow (but single vines are about 1 foot (30 cm) wide) Roots: Initially a tap root and over time a deep network of roots both Suckering (shoots can pop up quite a distance from the “mother”
plant) and Stoloniferous (will root from creeping stems above ground) Growth Rate: Fast
Growing Maypops from seed can be a troublesome task... I'll stick with cuttings and layering.
GROWING CONDITIONS FOR THIS PLANT Light: Prefers full sun Shade: Tolerates light shade Moisture: Medium, but can tolerate drought once established pH: most species prefer fairly neutral soil (5.5 - 7.5)
Special Considerations for Growing:
The fruit needs a long and warm summer to ripen, so
consider planting in your sunnier spots.
This plant starts late in the Spring (remember the name?), so it can be
planted in a place that late summer shade will not interfere with other plants
growth.
Maypop grows rapidly and grows best when it can climb on a trellis, a fence,
an arbor, or even other shrubs.
Propagation: Layering - Take advantage of its stoloniferous nature and layer this plant
in Spring and Summer... the stems root easily. Cuttings. Seed - should be soaked for 12 hrs in warm water before sown; may take a full 12 months to germinate.
Maintenance:
Minimal. Almost no pests.
Keep the vine in check by hand picking suckers or
mowing around the plant where you don’t want it to spread.
The browned vines
can be trimmed back at the end of each season.
Many in the northern zones will mulch the roots for added frost protection
Common Name: Shiitake Mushroom Other Names: Chinese forest mushroom, Golden oak mushroom, Oriental black mushroom, Emperors Mushroom Scientific Name:Lentinula edodes (previously known as Tricholomopsis edodes) Family: Marasmiaceae (Basidiomycete fungi with white spores)
Given the right conditions, Shiitake can be quite prolific.
Description: Fruiting body with a golden, brown, to almost black, slightly convex cap with a range in diameter of 2-4 inches. The flesh is aromatic, thick, and "meaty".
Mushroom Niche: Decomposer
Natural Culture Medium: Logs
History:
A native to eastern China, Japan, and Korea and raised there for over 1,000 years, although it has been used for food and medicine since prehistoric times.
Shiitake mushrooms have only been available in the U.S. since 1940.
Trivia:
The name Shiitake comes from the Japanese shii take meaning “shii mushroom”… Shii is a Japanese tree (Castanopsis cuspidata) related to the oak and beech.
About 160,000 metric tons are produced in Japan each year (over $2 billon worth)
Dried Shiitake are great to cook and store for at least a year.
Mushroom - spore-bearing fruiting body of a fungus
Fruiting-body - what is commonly called a "mushroom"... the spore-bearing reproductive structure of a fungus
Hyphae - vegetative part of the fungus... will develop a fruiting body to reproduce
Mycelium (mycelia is plural) - a mass of hyphae is
Spawn - material that contains actively growing hyphae of the fungus. Spawn can be used to inoculate the desired culture substrate (logs, branches, stumps, sawdust, etc.) for people to produce a crop of fruiting bodies/mushrooms
Stipe - the stem/stalk of the fruiting body/mushroom
Pileus - the cap or cap-like structure on top of the stem that supports the spore bearing surface
Lamella - the gills (aka ribs) on the undersurface of some fruiting bodies/mushrooms
Pores - spongy material with "holes" in it on the undersurface of some fruiting bodies/mushrooms... some mushrooms have these instead of gills
Decomposition of “waste” wood 3-6 inches (7.5-15 cm) in diameter which is typically to small for lumber use
Medicinal - Animal studies have shown some positive results regarding the antitumor, cholesterol-lowering, and virus-inhibiting effects of several active compounds in shiitake mushrooms. There have been limited studies in humans. I am very interested in this research!
Harvesting: Usually two flushes per year in Spring and Fall. Harvest daily, in the afternoon, by twisting or cutting the base. Look for mushrooms that are firm, plump, clean, and with caps opened 60-75%. Those that are wrinkled, have wet slimy spots, or evidence of pest infestation should be discarded after soaking in water for at least 24 hrs (to break any possible pest life cycle).
Storage: The best way to store loose shiitake mushrooms is to keep them in the refrigerator in a loosely closed paper bag. They will keep fresh at room temperature for just under a week, and in the refrigerator for just under 3 weeks (ideally). Dried mushrooms should be stored in a tightly sealed container in either the refrigerator or freezer where they will stay fresh for six months to one year... although I have bags of dried Shiitake that are still good after many years in storage.
Logs are probably the easiest substrate on which to grow Shiitake.
CULTIVATING THIS MUSHROOM Cultivation Substrate: Grows on many Broadleaf/Deciduous Trees – log, branch, stump, or sawdust. The following list are woods on which Shiitake reportedly grows:
Oak (preferred)
Alder
Ash
Aspen
Beech
Birch
Chestnut
Cottonwood
Eucalyptus
Hickory
Ironwood/Hornbeam
Pecan
Poplar
Sweetgum (preferred)
Willow
Preparing the Culture Medium: Logs are ideally harvested from live, healthy trees in winter when there are a lot of stored carbohydrates. Diameter 3-6 inches (7.5-15 cm) and length 3-5 feet (0.9-1.5 meters), although length is really based on what can be easily handled. Bark is left intact. Inoculation of the logs should take place 2-4 weeks after cutting to allow enough time for the natural anti-fungals to break down but not enough time for other fungi to start colonization.
Spawn Details:
It is recommended that at least two strains of spawn be used to provide the best chance of success. Consider one that is tolerant of cold weather and one tolerant of warm weather.
Spawn Available:
Hardwood Plugs – dowels inoculated with mushroom spawn that are hammered in holes (typically 5/16 inch diameter, about an inch deep, and about 2 inches apart) drilled in logs, branches, or stumps
Sawdust Spawn – sawdust inoculated with mushroom spawn that is placed into holes or notches cut in branches or logs; can be sprinkled on piles of sawdust (substrate) but may need a ratio as high as 3:1 (by volume, substrate:spawn) to minimize competition from other fungi
This is a common staking method for Shiitake logs.
Incubation of Logs:
Stack logs close together for the first two months. This helps conserve moisture. If the logs become too dry, then constant watering or soaking for 48 hrs is needed. Allow for good air circulation between the logs. Providing shade (50-75% depending on local conditions) will help keep the moisture balance correct.
Moisture: Sustained moisture required for fruiting (wood moisture content of 35-45%). Bark should be dry but the wood underneath should be moist.
Induction of Fruiting: Typically 2 weeks after a natural rainfall; may be induced by soaking logs in cool water for 1-3 days... check with the supplier of the strain you are using for more details.
Life Span:
Time to Begin Fruiting: 6 months to 2 years
Years to Maximum Fruiting: 1-2 years
Years of Useful Life: Varies on the density of the wood (oak is very dense), the thickness of the log, and the conditions in which the mushroom substrate is kept, but 6+ years is not uncommon
Shiitake on the left and Oysters on the right... growing in my bathroom...
Yeah, my wife wasn't real crazy about this! :)
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON THIS MUSHROOM
Nutritional Information
Mushrooms
- Shiitake
5.00 oz-wt, raw
141.75 grams
48.19 calories
Approximately 1 in 50 people will develop “Shiitake Dermatitis”, an itchy rash that develops within 48 hrs of eating raw or undercooked shitake mushrooms. The rash lasts about 10 days and is caused by the long-chain carbohydrate molecule “lentinan” which is destroyed by heat.
If you have gout or kidney disease, you may want to avoid eating a lot of mushrooms since they contain concentrated levels of purines.
This is just a quick science lesson for the day. What is the difference between "Hardwood" and "Softwood" trees?
Well, it really has nothing to do with the wood being hard (dense) or soft (not dense), although that is where the terminology likely began.
Hardwood trees are angiosperms (flowering plants)... also known as broad-leafed trees, and they are mostly deciduous (lose their leaves in the winter). Hardwoods typically cook hotter and longer. Hardwoods typically are used in furniture, flooring, musical instruments, and veneers.
Examples of hardwood trees:
All fruit trees (apple, banana, cherry, citrus, fig, jujube, mulberry, olive, pawpaw, pear, plum, quince, etc.)
All nut trees (buckeye, butternut, chestnut, hickory, oak, walnut, etc.)
Softwood trees are gymnosperms (plants that have seed with no covering... "naked seeds")... also known as conifers that are evergreens (keep their leaves, or needles, in the winter). Softwoods comprise most of the world's timber supply. This is because they grow faster than hardwoods and can be quite strong.
I first came across an older version of this book in 2000 or 2001. I was taking a botany course at Western Kentucky University (as part of my biology degree), and we used this for some of our field days. I remember thinking how great this book was at the time, and just last month my wife bought this for me. It is an updated version, and it is even better than the one I used.
From the publisher:
The Arbor Day Foundation's What Tree Is That? is a unique field guide that uses a step-by-step approach to identify common trees of the United States and Canada. The fully illustrated, 164-page book helps readers recognize more than 250 varieties based on trunk bark, leaf margins and textures, pods, nuts, and the arrangement of leaves on twigs.
Focusing on specific characteristics, this easy-to-use field guide poses a series of questions paired with botanical illustrations to help classify the tree in question. Created by the world's largest nonprofit devoted to trees and the environment, this guide offers a proven classification method for people of all ages--from youth to adult, amateur to professional.
The guide is a practical educational tool containing both the common and scientific names of trees and measurements in both inches and centimeters. Equipped with a durable, water-resistant cover, this 8½ x 4-inch companion guide slips easily into a pocket for easy reference on hikes.
I highly recommend this easy to use tree-identification guide book. Fantastic!
