wild vision
Did you know that you can use yucca leaves to make short strings that are useful in the garden for tying vines to stakes. Just take the yucca leaf and split it lengthwise with your fingernail. It’s a snap to make eighth-inch wide strips that are strong enough to use as ties and hardy enough to last a season before they deteriorate.
That is just one of the interesting facts I learned from Royce Milam who spoke at our garden club tonight. He has spent a lifetime learning about plants and wildlife, including time spent with the Indians of South America. Now he runs a home-based business teaching others about plants as well as installing wildscapes.
Once native Americans and pioneers knew things about plants and animals that are completely lost to most of us today. Royce had us tasting all kinds of plants that are edible, such as greenbriar and wild lettuce and honey locust seeds and sumac berries. The sumac berries weren’t bad - extremely tart like some of those sour candies.
August 20th, 2004 @ 8:42 am
I don’t know if the sumac in Texas is the same as what’s in the Northeast, but I remember making a sumac lemonade in summer camp as a girl. Except I don’t think they were berries so much as cones of . . . I’m not sure if they were the “flowers” or the seeds. You soaked them in water, strained out all the little hairs, and added sugar to taste.
August 21st, 2004 @ 9:01 am
I did know that even a gentle touch on the tip of a yucca leaf results in a pin prick. Those things are incredibly sharp. I love my yucca and had no idea it would thrive here and survive our Canadian winters. Hardy little thing.
August 27th, 2004 @ 2:47 pm
…hello? ….lo? …..lo?
August 27th, 2004 @ 4:53 pm
It’s been a while since I’ve been able to post. I have had terrible sinus problems lately and I’ve had more issues demanding my attention with regard to my mother’s health. On top of that I haven’t really been satisfied with any of the photos I have taken.