Native Blue Porterweed

Incredible and incredibly edible, the native wildflower Blue Porterweed (Stachytarpheta jamaicensis) is a feast for the eyes and the stomachs of humans and pollinators alike! Stachys comes from the Greek word for an “ear of grain” and tarphys comes from the Greek word for thick, referring to this plant’s reed-like flower spikes. Jamaicensis refers to one origin country in this plant’s native region. Can you guess which one? Jamaica. Native to South and Central Florida as well as the Caribbean and Tropical America, this wildflower grows as an annual or tender perennial in North Florida and dies completely during our cold winters unless protected. One thing is certain – this low, sprawling wildflower makes the most of its time when planted this far north.

Long, narrow spikes bear delicate pastel-blue to lavender flowers with white centers that open for just one day before falling away.. or into a harvest basket. These edible blooms, eaten raw, taste exactly like mushrooms and the flower spikes, used like a bay leaf, add seasoning to soups and stews. A natural foam occurs from the dried leaves if steeped into a tea or brewed into a beer, hence the name “porter”-weed. This fizzy mixture benefits humans both recreationally and medicinally, with many claiming the beverage aids in the treatment of fever and other maladies. Researchers study S. jamaicensis extensively for its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antibacterial properties. A leaf extract contained high levels of phytochemicals with proven anti-microbial power.

Pollinators use the leaves in addition to humans! The toothed, ovate leaves of blue porterweed provide a meal to Tropical Buckeye butterflies (who live further south than Tallahassee). These butterflies feed on the porterweed as it is one of the buckeye’s few larval hosts. Blue porterweed’s prolific blooms emerge from spring to fall and these nectar-filled, tubular flowers attract hummingbirds, butterflies, moths, and bees. Cloudless sulphurs tend to rest along the flower while moths flit back and forth along the spikes at dusk.

These blooms refuse to open on cloudy days or if placed in too much shade so plant in full to part sun. Blue Porterweed grows low at just eight to twelve inches tall with a three foot spread so give this sprawling plant plenty of space to grow! Plant near shelters to protect the plant when it freezes or treat as an annual and allow it to die during the winter. The leaves turn from their dark green to a purple color and exhibit some foliar damage in temperatures colder than fifty degrees. However sensitive to cold, its natural habitat on coastal dunes, shell mounds and disturbed areas means the Blue Porterweed tolerates salt and drought. 

Non-native, invasive varieties such as Stachytarpheta urticifolia or Stachytarpheta cayennensis look extremely similar to the native S. jamaicensis. The S. urticifolia and S. cayennensis’s erect growth habit distinguishes them from the native’s prostrate habit. I would advise you to take care identifying or avoid buying porterweed when shopping at non-native nurseries as these two species escape cultivation and infringe on native habitats. If you love the native blue porterweed and want more of it, this plant propagates best from cuttings and ensures the origin of the specimen.

Native blue porterweed has a rich history and is a robust southern staple in the garden. This flower pulls its weight in the landscape, spreading out and blooming non-stop most of the year. If you're interested in establishing a butterfly or edible garden, this plant has a foot in both categories and I’d recommend rushing out to get one as soon as possible!

Moss Maddness

On the clay slopes of ravines, clinging to the rocks in shallow streams, and deep in the cypress domes lie our native mosses. Minute green remnants from the first organisms to ever colonize land, the world of mosses is entangled with our everyday life but seems to remain on our peripherals. Inhabiting the margins between our world and the microscopic – the biology of all mosses is distinctly separate from that of 80 percent of the plants on earth – that of the vascular plants.

Common haircap moss (Polytrichum commune) is a highly adaptable moss, thriving in many soil types and from full shade to sun. Known for being a filter for heavy metals and superb for erosion control, here P. commune is holding together the vertical clay slopes by a stream in town. Photo by Louie Sandstrum.

True mosses are Bryophytes, a classification of plants that are defined by being nonvascular, organisms that have no vessels of their own to transport water or nutrients. Think of a tree stump. There’s a layer of woody bark, vessels in rings of tissue that make up the bulk of the tree, and the heartwood at the center. Mosses have no such features. This leads to two things – the lack of complex supporting structures means mosses are restricted to the boundary layer of the earth where the climate is most stable, but they are also free to have as much surface area as they can manage – with leaves often only one cell thick.

This combination makes moss as accessible to water as possible. Whether it is the humidity in the air, rainfall, or flowing from a nearby source, mosses need water to live. The physical movement of water over moss takes the role of vascular action, providing particles of nutrients and hydration directly to their cells. Even when completely dried out, most mosses will reabsorb water and seemingly come back to life, flushing back out into their original colors.

Bryophytes reproduce by spores rather than seeds, as no true moss flowers or fruits, but produce what is called a sporophyte – a spore-filled capsule on the end of a stalk. Water once again comes into play, acting as the main transportation for moss spores, though taller sporophytes can make use of the air. Mosses can also easily spread through any part of the plant – a leaf, stem section, or rhizoid (the moss version of roots) – massing a colony over time.

This flat glaze moss (Entodon cladorrhizans) lives in the cracks between a flagstone pathway under full sun and well-draining sand and yet can thrive in shaded water edges as well. Photo by Louie Sandstrum.

In a garden moss can shine. Thriving in areas that may seem harder to landscape, permanently wet and shaded areas that would otherwise be patches of mud can be redefined by some thoughtfully placed moss. Even the heavy freeze we experienced last Christmas means little to our mosses, protected by their proximity to the soil and coupled with a natural antifreeze, mosses often remain green even underneath a layer of snow. Being evergreen may tempt plant-eaters during the winter months, yet other internal processes create phenolic compounds, antiseptic toxins that act as a pesticide and deter herbivory.

All species of our native mosses are considered perennials, meaning they persist year after year, living anywhere from two to 10 years, though colonies can persist for decades. As long as you choose the right species for the spot in your yard, the main upkeep for a moss garden is weeding and brushing any fallen leaves off the carpeted surface. What matters most is the substrate a moss is established on. Some species grow only on bare rock, others in decaying matter, and some on the bark of living trees. Mosses aren’t restricted to only the wettest or shadiest of spaces either, there are species that grow in full sun and in every soil type.

The texture of saber-tooth moss (Plagiomnium ciliare) enhances that of the mosses around it. Mosses can commonly be seen cohabitating with other species – it would be easy to mistake P. ciliare for a vascular plant with its large leaves and creeping growth. Photo by Louie Sandstrum.

One of our natives, common haircap moss (Polytrichum commune), is found worldwide from the Arctic circle down through Mexico, a common trend for moss. These extensive ranges allow them to pair well with established natives in many landscapes. Partridgeberry (Mitchella repens) finds a foothold among saber-tooth moss (Plagiomnium ciliare) on a stream edge and mounding mosses like pincushion moss (Leucobryum glaucum) can add green to the area beneath a palmetto or Rhododendron. Any ponds bordered by wildflowers that die back in the cooler months can benefit by having an underlayer of moss to provide interest year-round. Wildlife makes use of moss as well; I have seen moss used by insects as places to sip water from their leaves without drowning and by several species of birds as a plush layer of nest lining.

To someone who has not been introduced to the world of mosses it can be easy to miss that which lives underfoot. Mosses can act as texture in planters, blanket rocks in a bird garden, provide greenery in water features, fill in between flagstone on pathways, as a ground cover in shady spots, or even as their own featured garden. In forests they provide similar services – reducing erosion and filtering water. It’s this versatility that makes our native mosses worth discovering in the wild and a delight in any yard.

Botanical Bartending

During the pandemic, I was also in grad school. Two very stressful things that happenedsimultaneously. Naturally, I took up drinking and gardening – as many people did – and I found great combinations of fresh herbs and alcohol. At first I was really taken by the alcohol, but then I started experimenting with using fresh herbs to make shrubs, infuse syrups, and craft vinaigrettes. I now look for fresh herbs when visiting restaurants or bars and gauging my food experience. Whether garnishes on the side, the main components of a salad, or a handmade syrup over a bought syrup, fresh herbs make all the difference. You can taste, see, and smell the difference.

First off, what is an herb? Herbs are the edible leaves, flowers, and stems of a plant. Spices are the fruit or the seed of a plant. One example is cilantro and coriander or dill and dill seed. Both herbs and spices can be used in drinks, but herbs do most of the heavy-lifting in concocting cocktails.

Plant Care

We want to drink responsibly AND garden responsibly so plant care is necessary. I like to keep my herbs near the house so that I can quickly harvest the leaves. You never know when you need an emergency drink!

Herb gardening near the house is also extremely practical and allows gardeners to check water, sunlight, or pruning needs. Before you start shoveling, research the herbs and their preferences.

Many herbs like rosemary, sage, lavender, thyme, and oregano originate from the Mediterranean and need arid, sunny, light yet consistent watering. Replicate their conditions with well-draining potting soil, terracotta container gardening, and protecting them from major rainstorms.

Moving onto the good stuff, how do you pair the herbs you planted the alcohol on your shelf?

Liquor

Vodka is the mushroom of the alcohol world and takes on whatever flavors you add. Vodka makes a good mixing medium. Add any herb and you will taste their robust notes.

Gin is like the onion. Gin brings flavor, but you can’t just eat a plate of onions. Complement this clear spirit with additions to its very botanical and floral notes. You’ve heard of lemon ginseng tea. Ginseng is of course a root that has no real relation to gin, BUT I like to say lemon makes gin sing. Lemon verbena, lemon grass, lemon balm pair well with gin.

Coriander, sage, and thyme bring out complexities in the botanicals of gin while rosemary and gin bear similar notes so you can make a strong pair when you put these two together.

Tequilas earthy profile makes a good base flavor for more botanical flavors like lavender, sage, coriander/cilantro, and basil.

Whiskey boasts smoky, leathery flavors so it holds up against stronger flavor profiles of sage, tarragon, and rosemary, but you can also use herbs to mellow the boldness with lighter herbs like our lemons, chamomile, and mints.

Rum is probably one of my least favorites because of its sweetness so I like to flesh out any earthiness of the sugar and lighten the flavors with mint, lemon flavors, oregano or thyme for a cleaner earthier flavor. 

Techniques

To pair liquor and herbs in the glass, you need techniques. You could muddle or garnish with herbs. Add more depth and flavor to your cocktails by making simple syrups, shrubs, or bitters.

Simple Syrup is essentially melted sugar in a little bit of water. Simple syrup is a key ingredient for any drink that requires a sweet component. Most drinks rely on a sweet component, either sugar, honey or agave, to give them balance and depth.

Herb-infused syrups add an extra layer of a flavor you might be trying to convey while sweetening. It removes the need for plain sugar and ensures that all of the sweetness doesn’t settle to the bottom of the glass and forces you to stir.

To make one and a half cups of botanical simple syrup:

● 1/2 cup fresh cut herb of your choice

● 1 cup water

● 1 cup sugar

Combine water, sugar, and leaves in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring until sugar dissolves. Simmer for 1 minute. Remove from heat and let syrup steep about 30 minutes. Discard the leaves or pour syrup through a mesh strainer into a glass container. You can use the syrup immediately or let it cool to room temperature. Store in a covered glass jar in the refrigerator for up to one month.

Shrubs allow you to add fruity flavors, refreshing vinegar notes, and herbs to a beverage. You also get a textural difference since a fizziness results when shrubs ferment.

To make 3 cups of a cold process shrub:

● 1 pound chopped fruit of your choice

● 2 cups sugar

● 2 cups vinegar of your choice

● few herb leaves of your choice

● optional spices

Assemble sliced or gently mashed fruit in a bowl and toss with sugar. Let the mixture sit, covered securely with a towel on your kitchen counter for about 2 days. Stir once a day - it should start looking juicy. After 2 days, strain the mixture into a measuring cup, discard the fruit/leaves, combine the syrup with approximately an equal amount of vinegar. Go slow with the vinegar and taste as you go so that you get a shrub sharp enough for you. Pour into a jar and store in the fridge.

Bitters carry flavors and often balance layered cocktails.

Finally, the finishing touch of your cocktail: garnishing – the easiest way to incorporate herbs. A leaf or flower on the side of a drink tells your nose where your tastebuds need to go. Pineapple sage, nasturtium, lavender blooms add color and delicate details, but the green of the herbs add substance to a glass. Clap mint (do not muddle mint or you risk expressing chlorophyll rather than the essential oil) and place atop the ice in a drink. Singe a spring of rosemary and then dunk into your drink for use as a swizzle stick!

After a long day of gardening, an herby cocktail is the perfect reward. Reap the hard-earned herbs of your labor! Happy gardening!