Part 1: The Everglades’ biggest offenders

Alligators adorned in prehistoric fashion, crystal-clear seashores, and miles of wetlands that mimic the ends of the earth: This is the State of Florida. Its diverse tapestry of ecosystems is somewhat of a wild paradise, and that paradise is home to some pretty iconic plants and animals.

The American crocodile and the Florida panther are just two of the Sunshine State’s treasured inhabitants. But, living alongside these protected species, in the swamps and near the shores, are invasive species that threaten Florida’s native plants and animals.

In 1999, Executive Order 13112 – Invasive Species defined invasive species as “1) non-native (or alien) to the ecosystem under consideration and, 2) whose introduction causes or is likely to cause economic or environmental harm or harm to human health.” Note the difference between non-native species, such as harmless lettuce varieties and domestic cows, and invasive species, the latter of which harms ecosystems.

The perfect place to invade

Florida faces more turmoil from invasive species than any other state in the continental U.S., and this is not a coincidence. The Nature Conservatory (TNC) attributes this multitude to the hospitable nature of the state’s climate. That’s what keeps invasive species alive, but how do they reach Florida in the first place?

First, Florida has a thriving exotic pet trade, through which plenty of pets are willingly released or escape captivity. According to the University of Florida, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, there are a minimum of 180 invasive reptile and amphibian varieties in the state. And if we know anything about these slimy species, they thrive in environments like the Florida Everglades.

The Everglades, a subtropical, wetland paradise for native and invasive species alike, covers two million acres of south and central Florida. Cypress swamps, mangroves, wet prairies, and the Everglades National Park; this region holds some of Florida’s most endangered species, like the Florida panther, and most invasive, like the Burmese python.

Who’s on the list?

Prominent invasive species in the Florida Everglades are listed on “The Everglades Dirty Dozen,” compiled by the Everglades Cooperative Invasive Species Management Area (Everglades CISMA). Updated annually, the list is as follows:

1. Burmese python
2. Black and white tegu
3. Chameleons
4. Nile monitor
5. Cuban treefrog
6. Giant African land snail
7. Bullseye snakehead
8. Lionfish
9. Australian pine
10. Old world climbing fern
11. Brazilian pepper
12. Air potato

And look who’s at the top of the list: It’s the Burmese Python, easily the invasive species with the most media coverage. These snakes, native to Burma, Thailand, southern China, Malay Archipelago, and Indochina, are among the world’s top six largest snake varieties. They average 16 feet in length, but the record is a 19-foot-long snake.

How invasive species harm Florida’s wetlands

The primary offense of invasive species is the harm they cause to native species, and the Burmese python pulls its weight in this department. For example, for a Burmese python hatchling in the Florida Everglades to grow to 13 feet, it must have a hypothetical diet of 167 individual animals across 5 to 7 years. Most of this diet is made up of cotton rats and mice, but four 5-foot alligators are thrown into the mix.

Another invasive species that harms Florida’s native animals is the Cuban treefrog. This amphibian preys on native squirrel and green treefrogs, decreasing their populations. And on the Nile monitor diet, another invasive species, are crocodile eggs and burrowing owls.

These and other invasive species react more favorably to water flow alteration and natural wildfire pattern interruption. They also don’t have natural predators in Florida. As a result, they are difficult to control. And it’s not just animals, invasive plants play a part in harming the wetland ecosystem as well. Of the two million acres of the Everglades, roughly 1.7 million of them have experienced non-native plant invasion.

What we can do to help

There are high-level practices that can help stop invasive species in the Florida Everglades and protect these one-of-a-kind wetlands.

Policy: Restrictions on pet trading reduce the likelihood of exotic pet release into the wild, whether voluntary or accidental. Additionally, TNC and the University of Florida collaborated on furthering the adoption of a powerful screening tool, one with the ability to predict which plant species could become invasive.

Land management: It is imperative that invasive species are detected before reproduction. TNC has decontamination procedures, and uses the widely accepted principle of EDRR: Early Detection and Rapid Response.

Education and control: Sharing education on responsible pet ownership can also reduce the likelihood of exotic pets ending up in the wild. There are also numerous control initiatives that involve public participation, like TNC’s Python Patrol and Everglades CISMA’s IveGot1.

There’s lots more to say about invasive species, including social media’s new fascination with these slippery culprits of the Florida Everglades. To learn more, watch out for next week’s blog. And for even more wetland education, enroll in one of The Swamp School’s continuing education courses today!

Photo: Judy Biss

Some of you might remember the 1992 movie, Medicine Man, starring Sean Connery, where he conducts research into a “cure for cancer” derived from native flowers.  The science of medicines derived from plants and other natural sources is not just the stuff of Hollywood movie studios, though.  Numerous medical treatments have been known for hundreds of years and have been used by indigenous peoples to treat everything from hives to headaches and much more.

Many common wetland plants have known medicinal properties.  Here are just a few of the many species you may encounter and what they could do for you in a pinch.  Some are so helpful that companies have produced commercial products based on the active ingredients found in these plants.

While the following plants are all relatively safe, it needs to be pointed out that this list is provided for informational purposes only and is not to be construed as safe for all, and that you should consult your doctor before attempting any of these remedies on your own.

Black Willow – Salix Nigra L. EMP – OBL

https://greatplainsnursery.com

Willow bark extract is very similar in its analgesic action to quinine; the active ingredient is salicin which forms salicylic acid which is found in a number of herbal remedies used throughout the world, some dating as far back as the Stone Age. The willow first became known to Native Americans, who were in need of a fever-reducing agent and used willow bark tea as a remedy. The bark is anodyne, anti-inflammatory, antiperiodic, antiseptic, astringent, diaphoretic, diuretic, febrifuge, hypnotic, sedative, tonic. It has been used in the treatment of gonorrhea, ovarian pains and nocturnal emissions. It is taken internally in the treatment of rheumatism, arthritis, gout, inflammatory stages of auto-immune diseases, diarrhea, dysentery, feverish illnesses, neuralgia and headache. The bark can be used as a poultice on cuts, wounds, sprains, bruises, swellings etc.

Stinging Nettle – Urtica Dioica L.  EMP – FACU

t3.gstatic.com

Urtica dioica, often known as common nettle, burn nettle, stinging nettle or nettle leaf, or just a nettle or stinger, is an herbaceous perennial flowering plant in the family Urticaceae.

Nettles are a highly revered, nutritious spring green, eaten steamed or in soups and stir-fries. The sting disappears when the leaves are cooked or dried. The greens and tea of nettles are high in minerals, vitamins, and chlorophyll, namely Vitamin A and C and calcium, potassium, magnesium, and iron.  The leaves and seeds are used medicinally in teas and foods for allergies, arthritis, and as a kidney tonic. Russians are using the leaves in alcohol for cholecystitis (inflammation or the gall bladder) and hepatitis.

Spotted Joe-Pye Weed – Eutrochium maculatum L. EMP – FACW

W.D. Bransford @ Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center

Native Americans used the tea made from the whole plant of as a diuretic for dropsy, painful urination, gout, kidney infections, and rheumatism. The root tea was once used for fevers, colds, chills, sore womb after childbirth, diarrhea, liver and kidney ailments, and a wash for rheumatism. Its name was derived from “Joe Pye”, a 19th century Caucasian who used the root to induce sweating in typhus fever.

Common St. John’s Wort – Hypericum perforatum L. EMP – FAC

Jim Stasz @ USDA-NRCS PLANTS

Fresh flowers used in tea, tincture, or olive oil, was once a popular domestic medicine for treatment of external ulcers, wounds (especially those with severed nerve tissue), sores, cuts, bruises, etc. The tea is a folk remedy for bladder ailments, depression, dysentery, diarrhea, and worms. Contains the biologically active compounds choline, pectin, rutin, sitosterol, hypericin, and pseudohypericin. Recent studies (1988) have found that hypericin and pseudohypericin have potent anti-retroviral activity, without serious side effects. They are also being researched as an AIDS treatment.

Warning: Taken internally or externally, hypericin may cause photodermatitis (skin burns) on sensitive persons exposed to light.

Yellow marsh marigold – Caltha palustris L. EMP – OBL

www.wildflower.org

Marsh marigold roots were used by Native Americans to treat colds and sores, to induce vomiting, to protect against love charms, and as an aid in childbirth. A tea made from its leaves was also believed to relieve constipation.

Ojibwas mixed tea with maple sugar to make a cough syrup that was popular with colonists; this syrup was used as a folk antidote to snake venom. The plant contains anemonin and protoanemonin – both have marginal antitumor activity.

Warning: Sniffing bruised stems induced sneezing. Intoxication has resulted from the use of the raw leaves in salads or using the raw flower buds as substitutes for capers. Do not confuse with American White or False Hellebore, which is toxic. While parts of the plant are used medicinally, handling the plant can cause skin irritation, and uncooked parts are toxic to human consumption. This is due to irritant yellow oil called protoanemonin.

False daisy – Eclipta prostata L. EMP – FAC

False daisy is native to parts of North America where it has been collected in Massachusetts, and recently in Connecticut. False daisy is used in Chinese and Ayurvedic medicine against liver disease and to restore hair growth. The leaves contain nicotine which acts as an insecticide. It has been used in herbal medicine worldwide. In some parts of this country, it is considered a weed, and, in some areas, it is considered an endangered species. 

Cardinal Flower – Lobelia cardinalis L.  EMP – FAC

Thomas G. Barnes @ USDA-NRCS PLANTS

Native Americans used the root tea for stomachaches, syphilis, typhoid, worms, and an ingredient of “love potions”. Leaf tea was used for colds, croup, nosebleeds, fevers, headaches, and rheumatism. This plant was considered a substitute for Indian-tobacco, Lobelia inflata L., but with weaker effects; it was rarely used.

Warning: Potentially toxic; degree of toxicity unknown.

Purple Loosestrife – Lythrum salicaria L. EMP – FACW

Tea made from whole flowering plant (fresh or dried) is a European folk remedy for diarrhea, intestinal problems, and dysentery; gargle for sore throats; douche for leucorrhea, and as a cleansing wash for wounds and treatment of bacterial infections.

They also use it for swelling and as a drying agent. Women use it for menstrual problems.

Jewelweed – Impatiens capensis   EMP – FACW

Thomas G. Barnes @ USDA-NRCS  PLANT

Jewelweed has a long history of use in Native American medicine. When applied topically, sap from the stem and leaves is said to relieve itching and pain from a variety of ailments, including hives, poison ivy, stinging nettle, and other skin sores and irritations. The sap has also been shown to have anti-fungal properties and can be used to treat athlete’s foot. Thomas G. Barnes @ USDA-NRCS  PLANT

Crushed leaves or mucilaginous stem juice that is harvested before flowering can be applied on recent poison-ivy rash. A 1957 study found it effective, in 2-3 days, in treating 108 of 115 patients. Some people swear by the leaf tea as a poison-ivy rash preventative; others rub on the frozen tea, in the form of ice cubes, as a remedy. The poultice is also a folk remedy for bruises, burns, cuts, eczema, insect bites, sores, sprains, warts, and ringworm.  

Jack in the Pulpit – Arisaema triphyllum L.  EMP – FAC

Jeff McMillian @ USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database

Native Americans used the dried, aged root for colds and dry coughs, and to build blood. Externally, the root was poulticed for rheumatism, scrofulous sores, boils, abscesses, and ringworm. Dried root tea was used as an expectorant, diaphoretic, and purgative, and for asthma, bronchitis, colds, cough, laryngitis, and headaches. Externally, for rheumatism, boils, and swelling from snakebites. The Chinese used related species to treat snakebites.

Warning: Intensely irritating. Calcium oxalate crystals found in whole fresh herb.

Herb of grace/Water Hyssop – Bacopa monnieri L. EMP – OBL

© Shirley Denton

Hyssop has astringent, emmenagogue (stimulating menstrual flow), relaxant, diuretic, and wound-healing properties. It stimulates mucus production, and is helpful in soothing sore throats, and coughs. It has also been known to help against asthma. Because it also relaxes muscle, it is helpful in aiding digestive problems. Its antibacterial properties make hyssop a good vermifuge (expels intestinal parasites). Hyssop essential oil has medicinal properties, but has also been linked to epileptic seizures, and should be taken with precaution.

Boneset – Eupatorium perfoliatum EMP – FACW

Image credit: Wikimedia Commons

Boneset leaf tea was once used to induce sweating in fevers, flu, and colds; also used for malaria, rheumatism, muscular pains, spasms, pneumonia, pleurisy, gout, etc. Leaves were poulticed onto tumors. West German research suggests nonspecific immune system-stimulating properties, perhaps vindicating historical use in flu epidemics.

Warning: Emetic and laxative in large doses. May contain controversial and potentially liver-harming pyrrolizidine alkaloids.

References:

http://edibleandmedicinalplants.weebly.com­­­­­­

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov › pmc › articles › PMC9385301

https://sites.google.com › ccam › useful-plants-in-vi-habitats

https://www.botanicgardens.org/blog/top-10-medicinal-plants

North Carolina has been in a drought for a few months, and it is starting to show in the state’s waterways. At Jordan Lake, local residents and out-of-towners are enjoying a rare glimpse into the history buried beneath the water’s surface. Before the lake was constructed by the Army Corps of Engineers, it was a large valley, and humans lived there beginning around 10,000 years ago. In 1982, the Corps began filling it up, and the project was completed in 1983. What many people do not realize is that, prior to the start of excavation work in 1970, there were whole towns in New Hope Valley, as it was once called, full of homes, churches, and farmsteads. While the region had very rich soil that created great farming conditions, the New Hope Valley was prone to flooding, and, after the area was decimated by a hurricane in 1945, the federal government decided to turn it into a reservoir.

Photo Courtesy of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

From 1963-1970, the communities in New Hope Valley were abandoned, as the government bought the land and locals were forced to leave their homes, farms, and even graveyards behind. Seaforth, Pea Ridge, and Farrington are just a few of the small towns that were wiped off of the map, but in November of this year these ghost towns began to emerge. Historians flocked to the site, along with the descendants of the people who used to live there, to catch a glimpse of and document the decaying structures and artifacts. The history and physical location of those communities has yet to be studied in an archaeological context. Before the reservoir was filled, archaeological excavations were performed to record the history and salvage any artifacts deemed historically significant. But those excavations, which started in 1978 and ended a year later, were less concerned with the modern villages and were more concerned with the prehistoric context.

Photo Courtesy of WRAL News

Today, descendants of the farmers and landowners forced to leave New Hope Valley are interested in documenting what they can of their more recent past. If this drought continues, there could be the potential for cultural resource management (CRM) work at Jordan Lake. The North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources, and their private CRM partners, may be able to map out the location of structures, roadways, and even cemeteries. Contacting the descendant communities to get their oral histories and any written or photographic evidence of how the towns used to look can help piece together what has been lost. Our heritage and culture are wrapped up in our homes, wrapped up in where we are from; at Jordan Lake, some forgotten communities are emerging, if only for a short time. We should not let this fleeting treasure trove of history go to waste.

Photo Courtesy of WRAL News