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