Flora at Koinonia & surrounding acres

Compiled by Koinonia community members 2005+

G = garden (cultivated, not wild)

E = edible (at least parts of it)

F = flowering

W = wild

1. Almond, flowering—F April, light pink on stalks, Button’s garden
2. Amaranth—G, red leaves and pods, little black seeds. 2005.
3. Amaryllis G F (big red bullhorn-shaped flowers on thick purple low stalks) April-May.
4. Apple mint G E furry mint by post oak April or earlier-
5. Apple G E late July. F late Jan.
6. Apricot tree—newly planted 07, we’ll see whether it prospers.
7. Arbor vitae—next to J’s house
8. Arrowhead, broadleaf?—May, riverside trail. If so, edible tuber.
9. Ash
10. Asian pear G E late July-August
11. Asparagus G April-May, also in wild roadside in Apr-July but too tough to eat.
12. Avocado—fledgling in yard.
13. Bamboo, moist areas year-round. W
14. Banana peppers—July G E
15. Basil: April-July, even October G E
    • Sweet Genovese
    • Cinnamon
16. Bean
    • Green string bean EG June-July
    • Yellow pole bean EG July-August
    • Purple string bean EG July
17. Beautyberry: Purple cluster of berries mid-stalk October+ W
18. Begonia FG
19. Blackberry E May-July W
20. Blue toadflax, F by pond & in orchards, March-May. W
21. Blueberry, Highbush: E G June-July, blossom in March, fruit in late May
22. Bluets—March, roadsides W
23. Bradford pear—planted by Bob, graft unsuccessful, produce small, tannin-sodden fruits; flowers in March
24. Brambles—most commonly raspberry, dewberry, blackberry—growing March+ W
25. Briars—greenbriars, possibly bullbriars. WE young shoots
26. Broccoli EG May-June or later as winter garden (even through January)
27. Buckwheat
28. Bugleweed—short stubby, purple clusters with dark pairs of leaves, can grow in small carpets—toxic. F late Mar-April, G & yards.
29. Bur cucumber October possibly before—little spiny mini-watermelon thing, peel spines off & eat like cuke. WE
30. Butterflypea vine (clitoria mariana) F August-Sep by pathways—toxic W
31. Cabbage EG June-July
32. Camellias F January-February—look like roses, but no thorns.
33. Cane, large—bamboolike reedlike, near creek. Year-round. W
34. Canna F G May-August, a few as late as November
35. Carolina cherry laurel G flowers in March—soft clustery cream things
36. Carrot GE July
37. Catchweed bedstraw—Mar+ Sticky lupine-like leaves, weed around yards WE can use as a vegan “starchener” for foods
38. Cedar—bayadar and blue atlas cedars near swingset (bayadar is larger, bluer); small W
39. Celery—March+ GE
40. Chard—planted as early as January; harvest May-June.
41. Che (mandarin melon berry) tree E G mid-August-September
42. Cherry, wild—by cows—tiny sweet berries eat by the handful & spit seeds…
43. Chestnut E G October
44. Chickasaw plum
45. Chickweed E March+ (eat seeds, leaves, stem) W
46. Chinaberry—common, field’s edges, sprigs of gold/brown berries hanging on near top thru winter-Apr. Flowers April, new berries May, still green in August. W
47. Chinese water chestnut—E roots like unicorn horns, Feb-April+, J.’s stoop, little lavender F W
48. Chrysanthemums—FG June, etc.
49. Cilantro/coriander GE April-June.
50. Clover
    • White Dutch. New sprouts January, buds March. W E tea, flour
    • Red (pink, technically—the kind Grandma nibbled) E tea, flour
    • Hop—yellow, very small, lawns/orchard. March onward. W
    • Crimson. Late March onward. W pink, yellow E F March-May+. E tea, flour
51. Collards F E G nearly year-round
52. Columbine F April – Button’s garden, dark purple
53. Corn E Crop July-Sep (harvest in Sep.)
54. Crabapple (southern)
55. Crepe myrtle (“spitting trees” with magenta flowers and funny twisty naked-looking trunks) F June-Sep
56. Cucumber EG Plant March; –July
57. Cypress, Leyland—planted as windrow behind Florence’s House
58. Daffodil: F January-March, yards. One flower per stem (thus jonquil?). W
59. Dahlia: FG in front of Jubilee
60. Dandelions F, sort of E. January-April+ W
61. Day lily GEF May-July
62. Devil’s walkingstick—roadsides, super sharp. W
63. Dewberries E like blackberries but rounder, bigger, sweeter. June W
64. Dill G E June-July, F July
65. Dock (flower stalk dries blood red/brown in June—grows in wastesides) E W
66. Dog fennel—W May- feathery, aromatic, perceived as garden weed
67. Dogwood F Large wild ones in late March/April, smaller yard one in May or early June. W
68. Eastern redcedar W
69. Echinacea (purple coneflower)—F, G, dig root after 2 years, dry it, make tea.
70. Eggplant GE sprout in April, harvesting late July
71. Egyptian walking onion G
72. Elephant ears—big pointy-leafed plants, low-maintenance around houses. Apr+
73. Elephant grass
74. Epazote: WE Mexican potherb with sharply toothed leaves, nature’s Beano, cook. April-June+
75. Ferns—few January, tons April; dying in November. W
    • Cinnamon fern, fertile “cinnamon stick” fronds edible? Also fiddleheads sautéed in butter?
    • Sensitive fern or similar—poisonous?
    • Ebony spleenwort—thin single frond with dark stem
    • Royal fern—big leaflets
    • Bracken—poisonous (or is it oak fern?)
76. Fig E G—Large one ripe in late July, others in mid-August
77. Filipino pumpkin—EG heirloom variety from Philippines
78. Fleabane—possibly daisy fleabane. FW Apr-
79. Florida “lettuce”—EG, hardy enough to grow through the summer!
80. Forsythia F ???
81. Four o’clocks—May-Oct, GF poisonous
82. Foxglove—FG Button’s, April-May.
83. Fringe tree—F April—wood edge & woods
84. Garlic WEF April-early June, v. thick leaves, can eat leaves (cook first) or small bits of big flower balls; harvest before blooms.
85. Geranium
    • FG
    • FW everywhere April-
86. Ginkgo—yellow leaves in Nov, falling mid/late-Nov.
87. Gladiola—FG June
88. Goldenrod F May-Oct (many in late Sept.) W
89. Grape—bleeding in late January if winter’s warm
    • Scuppernong EG August-Sept (a.k.a. scup’lin’s, scup’nuhs, nongs, globes, bullets)
    • Muscadine—EG August-September
    • Wild—vines beginning in March, tons in April; grapes early August, all purple that I can see; E
90. Grass! Year-round… springs up after January rains looking very new W
91. Heavenly bamboo—evergreen shrub outside J’s house, new leaves red; berries ___ thru winter. Seed bad for ya.
92. “Hecan”—hickory grafted onto pecan rootstalk, by water shed
93. Henbit: Little green relative of geraniums with magenta flowers, G and wild, F goes wild in January-April+ W
94. Hibiscus: F yards June
95. Hickory (in woods): nuts falling October W
96. Holly, Chinese—red berries, but smooth glossy leaves (also English holly, with the typical holly leaves, in town). Green berries in April push old ones off.
97. Honeysuckle F E (the drop of honey inside the flower) April-August, only a few Sept. W
98. Hosta FG
99. Hyacinth F outside Dubays’ house, purple 6-petaled fragrant on dark stalk, March
100. Hydrangea—F June, purple and blue balls of flowers, big shrub (used to think rhododendron)
101. Impatiens F G in greenhouse April
102. Indian pipe W late October, Peace Trail
103. Indian (false) strawberry (inedible strawberry fruit, good for constipation sez Michael) late Feb-October (a few) + W
104. Iris (purple, yellow, white) F G Jan-April W
105. Ivy—Sunny Acres back porch, Mar-
106. Jelly palm EG mid-August
107. Jujube—by washhouse & at Sunny Acres; late July/August. Knock down with bamboo pole; crispy and sweet. EG
108. Juniper tree? (actually arbor vitae)
109. Kalanchoe—F yellow, white, red; small; a succulent. Button bought, G. Apr.
110. Kang kong, aka Chinese water spinach GE planted in May
111. Kudzu: beginning April, F early August W
112. Lady’s Thumb F late Apr-June (very small pink blossoms in thin cluster on a stalk, roadsides) W E
113. Lambs-quarters (known by powder inside top leaves) E April-August+ - a kind of pigweed? W
114. Lantana (a verbena)—red and yellow little knobbish flowers by welcome center
115. Lavender—FE herb in Sandy’s garden & here, May+
116. Leek GE
117. Lemon balm G April-May+—mintlike, smells like lemon, small yellowish texturey leaves.
118. Lemon—struggling by kitchen garden, no fruits yet
119. Lettuce EG March-June, much longer season if you use hotboxes and shade plants like pole beans
     • Red oak leaf
     • Persian water-cress
     • French endive
     • Mescal mix
     • Red lettuce
     • Radicchio
120. Lily, Asiatic—FG in town Aprilish, pink with freckles.
121. Lily turf (monkeygrass)—low; lily-like leaves; “popsicles” of lavender berry-like flowers—ground cover. Late Apr-Sep.
122. Loquat—doesn’t produce fruit, too far north.
123. Lupine—purple, v isolated—1 in pecan orchard! F late March-Apr. W
124. Lyre-leaved sage (salvia lyrata)—April, peace trail path, lavender on square stalk, big basal leaves
125. Magnolia
     • Southern. F late April (rare)-July W
     • Sweetbay. F early May (many)- W
     • Big heavy orchid-colored flowered kind, dark brown base of flower, bloom briefly in Feb, one tree by Wellspring.
126. Maple—silver maple, others W
127. Marigold FG May-
128. Marjoram—herb, plant in March G
129. Mayhaw
130. Milkweed, white—F early May, v. few, trail.
131. Mint (see also apple mint & lemon balm)
     • “Regular”—GE March-August+
     • Spearmint G E February through fall
132. Morning glory Mar-Sep
133. Moss—new growth in March
134. Mulberry E late Apr-May, again in July. Flowers in March
135. Mullein F June (in front of chapel)
136. Mustards, wild, many varieties—E flowers, buds, leaves & pods FW; nearly year-round
137. Nasturtiums F E in greenhouse G April
138. Nodding wild onion/lady’s leek—lovely smelling, Apr, smooth tubular stem, grassy areas, tall, white lily F.
139. Onion W/G, E April- ; many kinds, often chivey
140. Onion chives—GE, April, from garden center
141. Oregano—GE sprouting April, ready May+
142. Palm
     • In town
     • Sago palm: G in front of chapel, dense sharp fronds
143. Pampas grass—to announce people’s driveways
144. Panic grass—W April-… peace trail, etc grass with crazy dots at top
145. Pansy: year-round, periodically planted near corporate offices to flower & die.
146. Paperwhites (tiny white daffodils) F G January-March
147. Partridge pea—F August by trails W
148. Partridgeberry (twinberry) FE, in woods, very low-growing, two-dimpled berries in Jan-March, flowers April W
149. Passionflower F mid-May-September W, has edible fruit but I can’t find it.
150. Pawpaw—First fruit season 2006 but dry and unfleshy. WGE
151. Peach EG flowers in March – old orchard between blueberries & grapes
152. Pea—GEF Growing April+
153. Pear GE August-October—when hard, but snap off cleanly, harvest and put in cooler 1 month; may be OK for wine. F mid Feb+
154. Pecan tree GE male parts fall in late May-early June, nice pecans form by August, harvest began 10/29/05; desirables, stuarts, elliots, and papershells.
155. Peppergrass—Mar/Apr, fields; near & akin to shepherds-purse. E small, flat round seeds are peppery.
156. Peppers (green, hot, banana) E,G Through July, red ones only by October
157. Periwinkle—February-May+, roadsides, W F, purple with pentagon hole
158. Persian shield—G purple leafy plant in front of Jubilee
159. Persimmon E G October (a few) through November
160. Petunias FG April-June—some W, slowly losing color through generations
161. Phlox F June-Sep+—pink magenta five-petaled weak flowers in Jubilee yard
162. Pigweed, smooth (wastesides, also known as callalou in Jamaica, a kind of amaranth—faint vee of lighter green, grow spikes at top when overripe) often gets buggy holes. E: pick top chunks of leaves. Late April+. W
163. Pin oak (willow-like oak) W
164. Pine trees
     • Longleaf
     • Loblolly
     • Shortleaf
     • Slash
     • Others
165. Pineapple guava EG F edible, Apr-May; green fruit 2007 only
166. Pinks, hot—F in greenhouse G April
167. Pipsissewa—in woods, green berries Oct, white berries April. W
168. Plantain—occasional, by office, W. Early April.
169. Plum tree E G Flowers in March
170. Poison ivy W, peace trail, TONS in April
171. Poke (can drink only in the form of Dee’s grandmother’s pokeberry elixir) plant Apr or earlier (young leaves edible after 2 boil/drains), F late May, berries late July W
172. Pond cypress W
173. Post oak
174. Potato GE
175. Potato onion E
176. Prairie false indigo (aka white wild indigo) April W woody roads’-edges
177. Prickly pear F May-June. Fruit March. E purple fruits in January, other months.
178. Purple heart/wandering Jew – F – 3 petaled pink with thick purple stalk leaves. By dining hall.
179. Quince, Japanese. Magenta blossoms in late Jan-Mar, leaves Feb
180. Radish—GE March-April
     • Also daikon radish, September GE
181. Red maple—peace trail moist area. Clump of red keys fell late March.
182. Redbud—mid-March W
183. “Redtip”—small trees with red-tipped, glossy leaves and white puffy blooms in April, one outside library F
184. Rhododendron (Azaleas are a type thereof): F March-April. Lawns, decorative; red, pink, white. Also dwarf variety late Feb-March.
185. Rose
     • E F, yellow white pink red in April, yards
     • Wild: F E April or May-Aug+
186. Roselle—G, F edible and tart for salads and teas—Mike Odle grew this.
187. Rosemary: GE, sprout in April, grows until Aug
188. Royal paulownia—tree by driveway with funny brown ovoid husks, fuzzy leaves & purple flowers, similar to catalpa. F Mar-Apr
189. Rye G—taller than me by April
190. Sage EG April-August+
191. Salvia—F April+ long, thin, bright red flowers—nearby parks
192. Sassafras (mitten-lobed leaves) W New leaves April. E roots, as tea.
193. Sedge
     • Nut sedge—June-September+ in fields. Grassy plant with spur-like stars on tips. Nuts edible but unimpressive says Mike Odle W
     • Red rooster leatherleaf sedge—in front of chapel G, brown and wispy
194. Sheep sorrel—Tiny dry red coins on stalks with swordy leaves, March-May. W
195. Shepherd’s purse—in pecan orchards, F January-May+. W
196. Showy evening primrose—delicate pink F by Wittkamper, April.
197. Silktree (“mimosa”—Genus Albizia) new leaves April, F late May-August, a few September/October, pods late July-August W
198. Smilax (a.k.a. Carrion Flower, briar) E tubers and stalks April or earlier, by riverside, roads, etc. W
199. Snap peas—May GE
200. Snapdragons—F planted in gardens, bought from store. April.
201. Soapberry—behind cat shed. Use pulp of seeds & water for soap. Poisonous to eat.
202. Southern red oak
203. Sow thistle—F, pudgy buds, spiny leaves, dandeliony. WE potherb. April
204. Soybeans—GE
205. Spanish moss—one clump hanging on the peace trail year-round W
206. Spiderlily radiata F Sep-early Oct (many tiny red lilies radiating from top of one stem)
207. Spiderwort G F (royal blue four-petaled flowers, two long leaves from the blossom) April-Sep. E buds, but irritate some throats.
208. Spinach EG April-June?
209. Squaw root—March-April, just 3, off peace trail in woods. Dry stubby pineconey parasite. W
210. Summer squash (yellow) July EG
211. Sunflower G sprouting April
212. Stinging nettle—in patch by cannas near pasture. Can eat greens or use for tea by drying in oven with pilot light only. Pick with gloves on. Cook first, of course. EW April+
213. Stink mushroom—phallic, jelly globs at base, touch and it squirts yellow powder. W
214. Strawberries EG April-May
215. Sumac, shining. W
216. Sunflower FW Aug (woodland sunflower or similar) roadsides
217. Sweetbay magnolia—WF May, swampy parts by 49.
218. Sweet William (dianthus barbatus)—kind of carnation. G F April-May.
219. Sweetgum tree (star-shaped leaves; prickly brown spheres fall in January) W
220. Sweet potato—harvest in winter or before.
221. Sycamore (American), by stream along red road. They lose balls in Feb. W
222. Tapioca—9+ palmate-leaved exotic plant by cows. E tuber but must prepare—contains cyanide if not.
223. Thick-leaf spider lily F June-Aug in front of Jubilee & garden
224. Thistle F April+ W
     • Yellow (beach?)
     • Pink (Bull?)
225. Thyme: GE April-July+
226. Tiger Lily F July outside kitchen
227. Tomato EG July-August, F May. Regular and cherry.
228. Trumpet creeper F April-June roadsides; spotted a single flower in February! W
229. Tulip G F March-April
230. Tung oil tree—in row beginning behind recycling shed, G, F April, new nuts May
231. Turnip GE July?
232. Venus’ looking glass—F April, by maintenance shop.
233. Vervain F
     • Blue but looks more like White Vervain: April-
     • May-June or earlier W—actually kinds of clover?
234. Vetch, purple—tendrilly tips, low vining plant with two small flowers, magenta lips with the color inside. Also a pale blue one and a larger grey or white one. February-May W. April: many-headed small purple one, plus black bean pods on other ones.
235. Viburnum F March-April—popcorn ball tree, Button’s yard
236. Vinca—FG in town. A kind of periwinkle.
237. Violets—edible flowers January-May, edible leaves also through July-Sept.
     • Large purple ones with heart-shaped leaves (Woolly Blue) Jan-April W
     • Large white ones with lavender centers and heart-shaped leaves, Jan-Mar (Confederate) W
     • Small lavender ones with yellow centers and thin leaves March W
     • Small white ones (Lanceleaf) March-April W
     • Other small ones W
238. Virginia Creeper—April+, everywhere, climbs up trees, 5-palmate leaf.
239. Walnut—English (by Red House) and Japanese (front of chapel), planted by Bob; August green husk will split and nuts drop
240. Water oak—3-lobed, unsegmented, relatively narrow oak leaves W
241. Watermelon EG July-Sep+
242. Wild oats—few on peace trail near wet area, light yellow droopy lily F one per stalk. April.
243. Willow
244. Winter squash—EG October-December
245. Winter wheat: up in April, harvest in June
246. Wisteria F mid-March-early April, again early June? Lavender cascades of flowers, awful treacle smell W. E flower fritters
247. Wood sorrel (sourgrass) F E mid-February-early July. Violet, yellow, and common (March, white w/pink veins), around Wittkamper, etc. W
248. Yarrow G—new shoots in January, almost year-round growth, F late May-August W
249. Yellow Jessamine: baby-powder-smelling trumpet-like yellow flowers that fall from vines on the peace trail in late January-March (copious) W
250. Yellow-poplar (tulip tree) boxy lobed leaves, cantaloupe/yellow/green leaf-like flowers April W
251. Yucca filamentosa (Adam’s needles)—In front of Jubilee, can cook flower stalk as a vegetable and cook/eat fruit and flowers; late June-early July
252. Zinnia—GF May-
253. Zucchini EG June-July