last week, camping at the Koreshan settlement
(now Koreshan State Park)
I spent one early morning
taking photos of the more than 50 marked plants and trees
the Koreshan settlement had extensive gardens,
and an advanced knowledge of horticulture
the gardens became a kind of plant zoo,
where plants that were brought in from all over the world
this is a historic photo showing the Washingtonian Palms
that lined the main drive in the 1920's
another historic photo of the tea house
that looks really cool
nothing looking like this is left
the first tree on the tour is this huge old swamp mahogany
you can identify it by it's peeling bark
it is of the eucalyptus species, Eucalyptus robusta, from Australia
this one is hard to see, it is
a strawberry guava, Psidium cattleianum, from Brazil
small trees with reddish bark
considered an invasive exotic plant and not to be propagated
the orchid tree, Bauhina variegata, from India
has pink flowers that resemble an orchid
also called a camels foot orchid for the shape of the leaves
many of these small to medium trees have spread throughout the settlement
this is a night blooming cereus, Hylocereus undatus, from South America
it is the vine like cactus that is growing around the trunk of a native sabal palm
large white flowers last only one night
but the plant can bloom all summer
that would be worth camping in the heat and bugs this summer to check out....
the sabal palm, Sabal palmetto, a Florida native
is the state tree of Florida
also called the cabbage palm
very common in the wild, along roads and in vacant lots
one of my favorites
the crepe myrtle, Lagerstroemis indica, from Asia
the guide says that in the summer it has crepe-paper like flowers that last for months
another reason to visit this summer
these arborvitae lined either side of the main walkway to the planetary court
now there are a few left
Thuja orientalis, from China but naturalized in Florida
many have recently been replanted as depicted in old photos
this is all that is left of a very old eucalyptus
Eucalyptus tereticornis, from Australia
often called the mahogany gum
at one time it formed an archway over the path leading east
that would have been something to see
the mulberry, Morus rubra, a Florida native
many were planted to serve as a silk worm habitat
by Gustav Damkohler the original owner who stayed on with the group
this is a fish tale palm, Caryota mitis
a typical understory plant in South East Asia
the very cool, sausage tree, Kigelia pinnata is from Africa
another Florida native, the spanish bayonet, Yucca aloifloia
lots of these growing near the old bakery
this is the last remnant of an old pecan tree
Carya illinoinensis, which is native to the US but uncommon in southern Florida
it was part of a multi species fruit and nut tree orchard that existed here
in the early 1900's
the ear tree, Enterolobium contortisiliquum, from the West Indies
called such as it is bare in winter except for a few ear shaped pods
a nitrogen-fixing tree in the legume family
the photo does not do justice to this lovely little red flower
called the red silk cotton tree, Bombax ceiba for the East Indies and Southern Asia
I am thinking this is enough for one sitting
so
to be continued
remember there are over 50 special plants in the Koreshan gardens!
I love the old photos
this is sister Barbara, April 11, 1938
also admiring the plants
