The Journal of the South Carolina Native Plant Society Fall 2012 The Milkweeds of South Carolina In this issue Bill Stringer Milkweeds of SC .............. 1 Milkweeds are common occu- There are 20 Asclepias species pants of our roadsides, forest edges (including 2 sub-species of A. tu- Natural Heritage Garden... 3 and wetlands, but a cursory examina- berosa) found in South Carolina. Plant Propagation ........... 4 tion of this genus reveals a far more They are found in a wide variety Spring Plant Sale ............. 9 intriguing story than we might guess. of habitats from dry sandy sites to SCNPS & Social Media ... 12 The milkweeds have had a close, marshy sites, and sunny open to for- long-term co-evolutionary relation- ested sites. They range in appearance Name That Plant! ship with a set of foraging insect spe- from drab to very showy. Ecologi- cies. The milky sap for which they cally, they have co-evolved into some I am a shrub to small tree. I am a bit are named is far more unconventional, as I bloom in late fall than just an innocuous to early winter. When my seeds are liquid component of mature, I can hurl them long distanc- the tissues. The milk- es, allegedly up to 30 feet! Extracts weeds are all members from my twigs have for centuries, of the genus Asclepias, starting with the Native Americans, which contains about been used for medicinal and other 90 species (includ- uses. Folks even use my larger twigs ing sub-species) in to locate water or even precious met- North America. The als. I have been very helpful to you genus name Asclepias, humans, so I can’t figure out why you applied by Carl Lin- gave me that bad name. naeus, is derived from Asclepius, the ancient Greek god of healing and medicine. The fa- mous serpent-and-staff Figure 1. Typical milkweed milky sap or latex. Photo courtesy of symbol of the medical Dan Culbert. okeechobee.ifas.ufl.edu profession is known as the Rod of Asclepius, apparently interesting relationships with insects from the tradition that he allowed and other animals. One of the most snakes to run free in his medical interesting aspects of milkweeds is facilities. Go figure! Interestingly, their unique flower structure and milkweeds have toxic properties as mechanism of pollination, which can well as alleged healing properties. pose significant risk of injury for the Some milkweeds have historically pollinator insects. We will exam- been used for medicinal and food ine some of these issues and then purposes. examine the characteristics of the 20 milkweed species found in South Carolina. The answer is embedded in the text somewhere in this newsletter. Photo by Bill Stringer. (See Milkweeds, page 4) South Carolina Native Plant Society • Fall 2012 1 The Natural Heritage Garden – An Unfolding Vision Patrick McMillan, Ph. D Interim Director, SC Botanical Garden Imagine a place where in an hour or two you can to provide a genetic resource for the over 2,000 native walk onto the barrier islands of South Carolina, wander species housed within it. These plants will be sourced as through incredibly diverse longleaf pine savannas, explore locally to their habitats as possible, and can provide valu- 5,000 year-old shell rings and Piedmont granite flatrocks, able genetic stocks for seed selections and trials to encour- pass hundreds of carnivorous plants, travel back in time age new cultivars developed from the local gene pools. to visit a remnant of the vast savannas and prairies that The garden will also harbor a large number of rare and dotted the Midlands and Upstate, and then continue into endangered plants – helping us to both educate the public the cool ravines of Jocassee Gorges. All of this will soon about them and to conserve, in wild-simulated cultivation be possible at the Natural Heritage Garden in the South as stock of some of our most precious plants. Imagine how Carolina Botanical Garden (SCBG). many classes, private organizations, societies, and general This vision is coming to life right now. The idea for visitors will utilize such as exhibit. this project sprang from the mission of the SCBG. When Another critical issue to us here in the SCBG is that I started as Garden interim director, my directive from our only chance to truly interact with visitors and gener- the administration was fairly clear: “You need a vision and ate revenue on a daily basis is at our Visitor’s Center and you need to do something that raises the awareness of the the Bob Campbell Geology Museum. Unfortunately, this Garden and gives it a regional, national and international part of the Garden is very distant to the central core of audience.” Geez, no pressure, right? I gave a lecture in most visitor trips to the SCBG. A study initiated in 2007 Charleston shortly after accepting the position, and one found that among our 250,000-400,000 visitors each year of the leaders of the Charleston Garden Club commented around 90% park at the Caboose, walk through the Hosta to me that the SCBG just didn’t represent all of South Garden and end up at the Duck Pond, feed the ducks then Carolina. She was correct, it didn’t. Back in my office, dur- go home. We want them to experience much more. The ing Christmas break a moment of clarity gave me an idea, Natural Heritage Garden connects the central core of the one that has since been greatly shaped and grown by the Garden with the Visitor’s Center, from the Hunt Cabin, amazing staff and students here at the Garden. just below the Duck Pond to the Visitor’s Center parking What makes the Heritage Garden unique is that it lot. And how do we get people interested in going all the isn’t just a collection of plants that are native to South way to the Visitor’s Center? This is where the enormous Carolina and the Southeast, it brings the natural habitats carnivorous plant display, the ancient grazers, and the Na- themselves, along with the ecological conditions and tive American shell ring exhibits are! They are destined to processes that maintain them into the garden. This means, be visited and attract attention. soil, geology, hydrology and even fire! If a natural habitat So here’s the outline of the Garden. If you begin at the needs to burn occasionally, we’re going to burn it. The Hunt Cabin you will walk off the front porch, through a goal is many-fold, but most importantly, we want the visi- mountain meadow, past a Southern Appalachian Fen and tor to feel truly immersed in the habitat. We want them to along the edge of the woodlands into a deep, sheltered understand what role humans have played in the past, and Acidic Cove Forest, sheltering thousands of Oconee Bells, continue to play, in maintaining and shaping the habitats and then stroll along the stream where you will emerge we see around us. We also want them to understand how into a rich cove forest, teeming with flowering herba- the natural resources found in these habitats are con- ceous forest floor plants. This part of the Garden is nearly nected directly to the quality of life and the rich cultural finished – come have a look for yourself. The area was heritage we enjoy in SC. cleared of invasive species and was entirely prepared and As an example, let’s look at the maritime forest. In planted this spring. A new walkway was installed using SC’s maritime strand you enter a forest with massive live highly pervious geo-grid and Chapel Hill stone to reduce oaks, palmettos, dense under-growths of Yaupon and even our impact on waterways to zero! Even though I gave sev- Sweetgrass on the fringe. Every one of these elements eral hundred hours of labor myself to this project, it is still is directly tied to our diverse cultures and history. The hard for me to believe this exhibit was just installed. You palmetto forged the resilience of Ft. Moultrie in 1776, the are virtually in the middle of the mountains surrounded by live oak contributed the resistant timber of “Old Iron- hundreds of different species when you walk this trail. sides,” the Sweetgrass is intricately tied to Gullah cul- From here the trail traverses a more formal shade wild- ture and the Yaupon was the source of a very important, flower garden display. This is an area where we want to caffeinated beverage known as the “black drink” for the demonstrate to the public what they can do in their home Native American culture. landscape with some of the amazing plants they just saw In addition to understanding the importance and in the habitat gardens. It winds along the creek and into functioning of our natural habitats, this Garden seeks (See Heritage Garden, page 11) 2 South Carolina Native Plant Society • Fall 2012 Native Plant Propagation From Seed Ryan Merck Department of Plant Industry, Clemson University Over the last ten years I propa- type that is the most difficult, gated plants at the SC Botanical most expensive, and creates the Garden (SCBG). I did a few other least genetic diversity in plant things too, but one of the constants populations. For those reasons, in my life was propagating plants. I even though I have a lot of fun worked with some really good propa- “making sticks grow roots”, I gators over the last ten years and always try to propagate sexually I read books by some even better first.