American pokeweed is a striking, yet toxic, native plant found in gardens, fields, and roadsides. Despite its potential dangers, it has been valued for its berries, which provide food for birds and its historical use in dye and medicine. While pokeweed’s young shoots are consumed in southern dishes like poke sallet, caution is required due to its toxicity. Learn more about this fascinating plant’s role in nature and culture.
What crop is this? This is a luffa gourd (Luffa aegyptiaca). A similar species (Luffa acutangula) is sometimes also called Chinese okra because of its okra-like shape and pronounced ribbing of its...
Weekly Field Update – 11/11/24 We finally got some rain this past week. Fall crops are coming along nicely with scattered insect and disease issues. Neopest is showing up in strawberries as plants...
Oyster Roast season is here, and this is your reminder to recycle your oyster shells! Our friends at the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources (SCDNR) have organized a statewide oyster...
One of my favorite perennials for dry shade is bishop’s hat (Epimedium species), also known as barrenwort or fairy wings. There are over fifty-eight different species of Epimedium that are native to...
The weather remains dry, with no real relief in sight. Strawberry planting has finished up and the condition of plantings is mixed. Disease levels are low due to the dry weather, while insect levels...
Coastal Region – Glen Payne Fall temperatures appear to be right around the corner in the coastal region, as nighttime temperatures begin to dip into the fifties. Drier weather has helped pepper...
While watching out for goblins and ghouls this Halloween night, be on the lookout for another scary sight: the invasive spotted lanternfly (Lycorma delicatula). Originally from Southeastern Asia,...
Why does this tomato appear scarred on one side but normal on the other? This tomato is scarred on the side facing the prevailing winds. It was found on the outside row, next to a dirt drive row and...
Conditions remain dry across the state, requiring lots of irrigation for fall crops. Strawberry planting is winding down as the last few plant shipments arrive. Insect and disease issues are...
In the fall of the year, it can be difficult to find color in shady areas of gardens in the coastal region of South Carolina. Dancing Ladies ginger (Globba winittii) grows in USDA planting zones 8...
Did you know that a ginkgo (Ginkgo biloba) is considered a living fossil? It’s the only surviving species of a group of trees that existed before dinosaurs roamed the earth. Genetically, it has...
