Plant Information
American Beautyberry (Callicarpa americana) – American Beautyberry is a woody, deciduous, perennial shrub that produces showy purple fruits in the fall. The shrub prefers full sun and is intolerant of deep shade. It most often grows 3-5 feet tall and usually just as wide. It can reach 9 feet in height in favorable soil and moisture conditions.
Beautyberry’s native habitat is open meadows, thickets, or woodlands. In the spring, green leaves emerge on upright arching stems. Clusters of small flowers bloom on the stems during the late spring and early summer. Clusters of purplish to bluish berries develop August through October and encircle the stem. A pink-fruited and several white-fruited forms have been found. The fruits may last through early winter. They are a good food source for songbirds and small mammals. The leaves, when crushed, produce a chemical that can repel mosquitos, ticks, and fire ants.
Basil (Clinopodium Coccineum) – Clinopodium coccineum are perennial flowering herbs and shrubs that usually flower from mid-summer through to the early fall. Clinopodium coccineum are noted for the delicate whorls of blooms that are produced at the end of the stem. The shrub can grow between 2-4 feet tall and usually 3 feet wide. It grows in sandy dry soils and prefers full sun. They are for ornamental use and the flowers attract hummingbirds and butterflies.
Goldenrod (Solidago) – Solidago is a perennial plant that is known for its healing properties. The weed is used to reduce pain and swelling, and as a diuretic to stop muscle spasms. It grows in thick yellow flower clusters, blooming from mid-July to September. The plant grows to an average height of 3 feet with the flowers budding out 2-16 inches. It reproduces through its roots, bulbs, stems and by its seed, and does not actually cause seasonal allergies as many tend to believe. No one can be allergic to this pollen because Solidago produces virtually no pollen. The flowers are edible and make attractive garnishes on salads, as well as being used in tea, soups, stews, or casseroles.
Saw Palmetto (Serenoa repens) – Serenoa repens is a type of palm native to the southeastern United States used for a variety of conditions. Currently it is promoted as a dietary supplement for urinary symptoms associated with an enlarged prostate gland, as well as for chronic pelvic pain, migraine, hair loss, and other conditions. The plant is slow-growing, clumping, multi-trunked palm that grows 5 to 10 feet tall and spreads 4 to 10 feet wide. Requiring full sun, it produces small, yellow-white, fragrant flowers that are growing in dense clusters. The flowers are followed by yellowish-green fruits that gradually turn blue-black as they ripen August through October. Fruits are small, berry-like, and fleshy. These berries are an important food source for many mammals and birds.
Southern Magnolia (Magnolia grandiflora) – Magnolia grandiflora is a tree of the family Magnoliaceae native to the Southeastern United States. It produces large, creamy white and very fragrant flowers in late spring and early summer. The tree grows to a height of 60-80 feet and a spread of around 40 feet at maturity. Full sun and partial shade are best for this tree. The fruit of the Magnolia is eaten by squirrels, rabbits, and birds. It grows in all types of soil and is used for ornamental use as well as furniture, boxes, cabinetwork, and doors from the wood of the tree.
