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Welcome to the page where we do more indepth and educational identification of some plants, their relatives and what beginners call look alikes. If you look real close there are few true look alikes.
Look Alikes
by Green Deane
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Dean, I attended your class in Gainesville last month. I would like to get a book on plant identification for north/central Florida. Do you have any reccomendations? Thanks, Pat
There really isn’t one for Florida. However, one reasonable book on weeds for a few dollars is Weeds of Southen Turfgrases. Type turfgrasses into the search window then scroll down and click on southern turfgrasses. You can also get it a local extension agents for about $8. As for an all around book, Edible Plants of North America by Elias and Dykeman 2008 edition or later.
peterson field guide: Edible Wild Plants
Eastern/central North America
This is a great book with illustrations and great descriptions. A lot of the plants you find from North to South on the Eastern side of the U.S. are in this book with great info on them. I live in South Florida and many of the plants here are in it. You should be really good for north/central florida. The Florida Audobon is another good guide for identification. It doesn’t explain edibles, however is great for all areas of the outdoors. It covers plants/trees/mammals/fish/shells/snakes/lizards etc…Hope this helps
Is there one for Alabama?
Hi Dean. I’m in Australia and there was a discussion on an edible weeds list here about how caustic creeper can be mistaken for Purslane. They look quite similar. Not sure if you have it in the US and other than the milky sap whether there’s another other way to tell them apart in your experience?
http://weeds.brisbane.qld.gov.au/weeds/red-caustic-weed
I have known others who got confused, though since I had greenhouse euphorbs as a kid, before I had heard of purslane, it never confused me. The toxic milky sap is the easiest giveaway, but the flowers are also very different and the creeping spurges we see in America aren’t succulent. Purslane is.
I need help identifying paw paw trees. I think I pass a few while going to work everyday. One seems to grow near pasture. Other near like a swamp pond.
One thing that should help is knowing they are an understory tree, meaning they grow in the shade of other trees, either in woods or on the edge of woods.
Next thing is observe them awhile, to see if you see fruit. They usually ripen between August to October, depending on location (latitude).
Finally, the owner of the pasture could probably tell you if the ones by his pasture are pawpaws, so stop by and ask! 😉
Look up Michael Judd, Edible Landscaping. He does a seminar on pawpaws, and has written a book, “For the Love of Pawpaws.” They are indigenous to most of Eastern North America. Luscious fruit.
Will deer eat matthiola incana?
We have a plant that looks like a goldfish plant but no flowers and the leaves are long and skinny not little and fat. Any idea?
do you ever have classes near LaBelle in Hendry county?
Yes, now and there. It takes a couple days out of the schedule as it’s quite a drive.
Will you have a class at Live Oak Park in Charlotte County Fl this year ?
I have had several this year there including one on June 13th.
Dean, could you write an article on the cotoneaster? In California when I was a kid, there was a large shrub / small tree with tiny apple like fruits that supposedly was called the Carolina cherry. Very tart and pithy and we would eat some but no harm would ever come. The closest look alike I can find is something called The cotoneaster.
Is there any chance you would be within 70 miles of Tallahassee? Sure would like to attend a walk with you!!
I have known others who got confused, though since I had greenhouse euphorbs as a kid, before I had heard of purslane, it never confused me. The toxic milky sap is the easiest giveaway, but the flowers are also very different and the creeping spurges we see in America aren’t succulent. Purslane is.