Monthly Archives: January 2024

  

The Coontie Palm (contrary to the name) is a shrub-like plant known as a cycad that is popular in the southeast United States (Florida and Georgia) and other countries such as the Bahamas, the Cayman Islands, and Cuba. A cycad is an ancient seed plant (a plant that produces seeds) that is often stout and has a woody trunk with a crown that has hard, stiff, evergreen leaves. The Coontie is Florida’s only native cycad. The Coontie is very resilient, perfect for dry areas, cold tolerant, and is not particular when it comes to light as some other plants are which makes it perfect for here in south Florida. It is also tolerant of salt spray and drought and is resistant to most diseases and pests. Coontie populations in the wild declined drastically due to overharvesting which also affected the population of Atala butterflies. It is illegal in Florida to collect endangered Coontie from the wild. However, commercially propagated Coontie are available at native garden centers for purchase. 

Plant Use 

Historically this plant has been used as a food source by indigenous tribes in the Caribbean and in Florida, such as the Calusa, the Tequesta, and more recently the Seminoles. The plant itself is poisonous, so tribes learned how to properly prepare the root so it would not be toxic to humans. The roots would be ground down and then processed through water to turn it into flour that would be used to make bread and other types of food. Seminole Indians would also use the stems of this plant to make a strong cordage they would use to weave baskets. More recently, this plant has been used for more ornamental purposes in landscaping. This plant has also been used as a source of starch commercially. This practice is not widespread but is still in use today.  

Symbiotic Relationships  

While this cycad looks beautiful, it can be toxic when ingested or absorbed into the skin. All parts of the Coontie plant are toxic, especially the seeds. Organisms that rely on the Coontie have become adapted to the toxin and are not affected by it. The Atala butterfly has a mutually beneficial relationship with the Coontie. The larvae (caterpillars) of this butterfly feed on the leaves of the Coontie and not only survive ingesting the toxins, but the toxin also makes their own bodies toxic to many predators. This toxicity warning is displayed by their bright coloration in both larval and adult life stages. In return, the waste of the Atala butterfly helps fertilize the soil for the palm. Another example of these symbiotic relationships is the bacteria that live within the root of the Coontie. The bacteria absorb nitrogen out of the air and soil and transform it into a nutrient the plant can use.  

The Apalachicola kingsnake is one of the 46 native snake species that reside here in Florida. Of these species, only 6 are venomous.  Although the Apalachicola king snake is not venomous, when threatened, it often acts like a rattlesnake by flattening its head and shaking its tail.  Instead of using venom to immobilizes it prey, this snake is a constrictor which uses its muscles to constrict or squeeze its prey to death before eating. They are not harmful to humans and will only attack when they feel threatened. Most adult Apalachicola kingsnakes are about 36-48 inches (90-122 cm) in total length. Their color varies between individuals, but these are different from other king snake species as they have a lighter color.   These snakes have a broad diet that includes small mammals, birds and their eggs, amphibians, lizards and turtles and their eggs. They are called king snakes because they eat other snakes, including venomous ones they are immune to. These snakes are found in the eastern and central parts of the Florida panhandle primarily in the eastern Apalachicola lowlands south of Telogia Creek. In this range, they can be found in various ecosystems including the scrub, pinelands, hardwood hammocks, cypress strands, prairies, marshes, estuaries, and along the edges of streams and canals.  

Aquaculture is a farming technique designed to offset commercial fishing practices due to the high demand for these products. This is the practice of growing and tending aquatic plants, animals, and other organisms for commercial, recreational, and scientific purposes. These are grown to supply not only markets with food, but fish for bait, the pet industry, sport fisheries, ornamental practices, and food for the pharmaceutical and chemical industries. This is done in both coastal and freshwater settings around the globe- not just here in the US thanks to more modern technological advancements. The growth of the aquaculture industry has also been linked to the limited amount of natural supply of ocean resources to meet increasing demands for fish and shellfish. 

With the positives this brings, however, to help meet demands for the fishing industry, some negatives have risen over the years. One of these concerns is pollution and contamination of local water sources. Waste production within these farms is disposed of in non-effective ways including contaminating local water sources. This has improved over the years with advancements in technology and research, but there are still concerns with waste management. This is where practices like aquaponics become desirable. As you will read below, this practice helps manage waste more efficiently and decreases waste production.  

Aquaponics combines aquaculture with hydroponics allowing farming of fish and crops together. Instead of using water for fish farming and crop production, water is recycled from the fish tanks and used to water crops. By recirculating and filtering the water in this system between the crops and fish, it helps prevent water waste and pollution. This also allows the crops and plants to have access to natural fertilizers and bacteria. These closed-looped systems also help prevent disease spreading among the fish populations increasing the fish’s survival rates. While the idea of farming fish and crops together may not be new, the 1970s and 1980s brought about aquaculture research which helped develop more modern ideas. Recent advances have made it possible for this farming to be done year-round, increasing the industry’s productivity.

I hear them before I see them. A distinct chirping and buzzing sound alerts me to look up and try to spot the quick moving Ruby-throated hummingbird. Although the Ruby-throated hummingbird typically migrates North through Florida in late February through March, they head to South and Central America in late summer to early fall and some even over winter in South Florida. Every year, they make an appearance at the Sawgrass Nature Center and Wildlife Hospital in late November on our Powderpuff Trees. (Calliandra haematocephala) and hang around for several months. They also love purple salvia and have been spotted at our Orchid and Plant Festivals in December and February flitting around one of our plant vendor’s booth. It is such a thrill to see these beautiful creatures up close. 

Fascinating Facts about Ruby Throated Hummingbirds: 

• only breeding hummingbird in the eastern North America. 
• A Ruby-throated Hummingbird has only about 940 feathers in average, which are all replaced every year. For this, Ruby-throated Hummingbirds hold the record for having the least number of feathers of any bird. 
• It can fly straight to a speed of 25 miles per hour, and 40 miles per hour during courtship dives. 
• While most hummingbirds die within their first year, there are significant numbers of Ruby-throated Hummingbirds that live an average of 3 years or so. The oldest known Ruby-throated Hummingbird has a lifespan of 9 years and 1 month. 
• Despite its small size, the Ruby-throated Hummingbird can fly over 3000 kilometers from the eastern United States, crossing over 1000 kilometers of the Gulf of Mexico to winter in Central America in just one flight. 

Interesting Facts about the Ruby Throated Hummingbird – Hummingbirds Plus