Author Topic: Nitrogen Fixers  (Read 11149 times)

Pokeweed

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 345
    • Houston TX
    • View Profile
Nitrogen Fixers
« on: August 15, 2019, 08:12:54 AM »
Hi Folks, I'm wondering if and what you employ in this capacity. I have a good example ( I think) of a nurse nitrogen fixer benefitting my figs. I have a row of figs that runs East/ West for about 100 feet. The two bushes on the Eastern end of the row have a mesquite between them and offset to the South a few feet. The Bush closest to the mesquite is about 10 feet tall and 14 feet in diameter. The next bush is about 8 feet tall and 6 feet in diameter. The next is proportionally smaller and all the rest small as well. They all get the same irrigation and feeding.
I initially thought it was the modicum of shade the mesquite affords the figs, and that may be a factor, but now I think it is primarily nitrogen. I have been collecting nitrogen fixers of various types for the last year or so and am planning to interplant them in my fruit rows.
What do you use? Any other examples like mine?
D

SeaWalnut

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1397
    • Romania zone 6
    • View Profile
Re: Nitrogen Fixers
« Reply #1 on: August 15, 2019, 02:41:28 PM »
I like to have nitrogen fixers but in my climate i cant have much diversity .Black locusts, Albizzia Jullibrissin is what i have but im trying to acclimate rosewoods from the Dalbergia genus outdoor( momentarely i only have 4 african black wood seedlings) and as a cover crop that grows verry low ,im thinking to plant peanuts between my younger trees in the orchard.Peanuts fix nitrogen ,grow verry low and the flowers look like Pterocarpus trees to wich they are related .Im stil studying to see if the peanuts flowers are good for bees .
Asside mesquites ,you have a nice tree in your area that got my attention ,Ebenopsis Ebano,the Texas ebony.It a nitrogen fixing legume tree and altough not a real ebony or a rosewood its still a valuable tree.Texas persimmon and Ebenopsis Ebano are on my wishlist

pineislander

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2205
    • Bokeelia, FL
    • View Profile
Re: Nitrogen Fixers
« Reply #2 on: August 15, 2019, 03:19:26 PM »
I am using quite a few legumes. For ground cover my main go-to is Mimosa strigillosa. For shorter term ground cover ordinary peanut does well for a year. Longer term Perennial peanut makes a low ground cover. For edible bush yard-long beans(vigna sp) and 2 varieties of cowpeas. For a taller strata I have used Showy Rattlebox (Crotalaria spectabilis) which can go to a 4 foot shrub and can be cut back to regrow. Taller yet and getting into trees I use Leucaena leucocephala, Ice Cream Bean(Inga sp.), Earleaf Acacia (Acacia auriculiformis) and Candlestick cassia(Senna alata). I have some Gliricidia coming along in pots from cuttings but haven't gotten them in the ground yet. For trees in my zone 10-11 climate the best performing trees have been Leucaena and Candlestick cassia both of which grow like weeds and are considered invasive in my area. I control them by heavy pruning before flowers set viable seed.
I consider all of these to be pioneer plants with a function of supporting the main orchard trees as they grow providing some shade, hopefully nitrogen fixing and making prunings to use as mulch. The low ground covers give me a no-mow occupied space between tree rows. Over time I expect to eliminate most of these as the trees mature and dominate the site which is emulating a controlled natural succession like you would see in an ordinary forest.
I'm not sure how some of these would do in your zone, south parts of Houston League city still get some frost.

SeaWalnut

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1397
    • Romania zone 6
    • View Profile
Re: Nitrogen Fixers
« Reply #3 on: August 15, 2019, 04:27:50 PM »
I am using quite a few legumes. For ground cover my main go-to is Mimosa strigillosa. For shorter term ground cover ordinary peanut does well for a year. Longer term Perennial peanut makes a low ground cover. For edible bush yard-long beans(vigna sp) and 2 varieties of cowpeas. For a taller strata I have used Showy Rattlebox (Crotalaria spectabilis) which can go to a 4 foot shrub and can be cut back to regrow. Taller yet and getting into trees I use Leucaena leucocephala, Ice Cream Bean(Inga sp.), Earleaf Acacia (Acacia auriculiformis) and Candlestick cassia(Senna alata). I have some Gliricidia coming along in pots from cuttings but haven't gotten them in the ground yet. For trees in my zone 10-11 climate the best performing trees have been Leucaena and Candlestick cassia both of which grow like weeds and are considered invasive in my area. I control them by heavy pruning before flowers set viable seed.
I consider all of these to be pioneer plants with a function of supporting the main orchard trees as they grow providing some shade, hopefully nitrogen fixing and making prunings to use as mulch. The low ground covers give me a no-mow occupied space between tree rows. Over time I expect to eliminate most of these as the trees mature and dominate the site which is emulating a controlled natural succession like you would see in an ordinary forest.
I'm not sure how some of these would do in your zone, south parts of Houston League city still get some frost.

There is one nitrogen fixer in Florida wich is the only rosewood native to USA, Dalbergia Ecastaphyllum or the popular name,the coin vine.Should be a nice plant to add in your collection and a good conversational subject since this is a real Dalbergia thats protected by CITES.I think the wood is red but better avoid talking about its wood on the internet because it could teach poachers.

Pokeweed

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 345
    • Houston TX
    • View Profile
Re: Nitrogen Fixers
« Reply #4 on: August 16, 2019, 09:03:25 AM »
After watching the interaction between the figs and mesquite for a few years I decided to try a bunch of different nitrogen fixers. My journey has a really just begun. I have more acacia and cassia seedlings than I can recall at the moment. Same with bauhinias. Texas mountain laurel (Sophia secundiflora) volunteer for me and I plant them where they might help. I have a bunch of eleagnus ready to go out, and a few redbuds (cercis canadensis) and mimosa (albrizzia julibrissin) also. I can't grow gliricidia long term here. I have a few ingas, but they probably will die in a bad winter. Locust trees are invasive at this latitude, but I'm still going to plant some in my orchard. I have some leucaena leucocephala seedlings coming up and want to try l. retusa as well.. If course the peas....pidgeon, partridge etc. I want to try lablab purpurea in the future. D

Pokeweed

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 345
    • Houston TX
    • View Profile
Re: Nitrogen Fixers
« Reply #5 on: August 16, 2019, 09:23:46 AM »
Seawalnut - I did a quick search for ebanopsis and found plants, but no seed. We are at the Northern edge of their native range, so I might find a tree to get seed from. I'll let you know. I'm not convinced they are more beneficial than the more common mesquites or huisatches. I have millions of those seeds seasonaly. They are the main reason I have a bulldozer😬. You might investigate redroot (ceanothus herbaceous) and cerocarpus montanus. D

Rex Begonias

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 286
    • USA, FL/Brevard, 10a
    • View Profile
Re: Nitrogen Fixers
« Reply #6 on: August 16, 2019, 10:05:12 AM »
Coinvine is known to be a nitrogen fixer?

This is a native on the coast here, and especially in the brackish marsh areas.  Likes some water, but I believe can tolerate droughty conditions once established.  I can't imagine it being used for wood as it never really gets to much size, but good point, just in case.  Very easy to find seed, as they seed prolifically and can be found on/near plants and on the beaches.  May have to try some out, definitely one that kind of does its own things, sprawling and falling on vegetation in its vicinity, but could be managed if cut back often.

I am using quite a few legumes. For ground cover my main go-to is Mimosa strigillosa. For shorter term ground cover ordinary peanut does well for a year. Longer term Perennial peanut makes a low ground cover. For edible bush yard-long beans(vigna sp) and 2 varieties of cowpeas. For a taller strata I have used Showy Rattlebox (Crotalaria spectabilis) which can go to a 4 foot shrub and can be cut back to regrow. Taller yet and getting into trees I use Leucaena leucocephala, Ice Cream Bean(Inga sp.), Earleaf Acacia (Acacia auriculiformis) and Candlestick cassia(Senna alata). I have some Gliricidia coming along in pots from cuttings but haven't gotten them in the ground yet. For trees in my zone 10-11 climate the best performing trees have been Leucaena and Candlestick cassia both of which grow like weeds and are considered invasive in my area. I control them by heavy pruning before flowers set viable seed.
I consider all of these to be pioneer plants with a function of supporting the main orchard trees as they grow providing some shade, hopefully nitrogen fixing and making prunings to use as mulch. The low ground covers give me a no-mow occupied space between tree rows. Over time I expect to eliminate most of these as the trees mature and dominate the site which is emulating a controlled natural succession like you would see in an ordinary forest.
I'm not sure how some of these would do in your zone, south parts of Houston League city still get some frost.

There is one nitrogen fixer in Florida wich is the only rosewood native to USA, Dalbergia Ecastaphyllum or the popular name,the coin vine.Should be a nice plant to add in your collection and a good conversational subject since this is a real Dalbergia thats protected by CITES.I think the wood is red but better avoid talking about its wood on the internet because it could teach poachers.

Rex Begonias

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 286
    • USA, FL/Brevard, 10a
    • View Profile
Re: Nitrogen Fixers
« Reply #7 on: August 16, 2019, 10:07:37 AM »
So many nitrogen fixers are serious invasives, definitely nice to find and use some that are native to the area.  I have heard of people using wax myrtles and coral bean, and of course, sunshine mimosa is a native that is commonly used as a nitrogen fixing ground cover here; but otherwise they are typically fast growing, pioneer trees, which also seems to match the definition of some of the most severe invasive trees.

Coinvine is known to be a nitrogen fixer?

This is a native on the coast here, and especially in the brackish marsh areas.  Likes some water, but I believe can tolerate droughty conditions once established.  I can't imagine it being used for wood as it never really gets to much size, but good point, just in case.  Very easy to find seed, as they seed prolifically and can be found on/near plants and on the beaches.  May have to try some out, definitely one that kind of does its own things, sprawling and falling on vegetation in its vicinity, but could be managed if cut back often.

I am using quite a few legumes. For ground cover my main go-to is Mimosa strigillosa. For shorter term ground cover ordinary peanut does well for a year. Longer term Perennial peanut makes a low ground cover. For edible bush yard-long beans(vigna sp) and 2 varieties of cowpeas. For a taller strata I have used Showy Rattlebox (Crotalaria spectabilis) which can go to a 4 foot shrub and can be cut back to regrow. Taller yet and getting into trees I use Leucaena leucocephala, Ice Cream Bean(Inga sp.), Earleaf Acacia (Acacia auriculiformis) and Candlestick cassia(Senna alata). I have some Gliricidia coming along in pots from cuttings but haven't gotten them in the ground yet. For trees in my zone 10-11 climate the best performing trees have been Leucaena and Candlestick cassia both of which grow like weeds and are considered invasive in my area. I control them by heavy pruning before flowers set viable seed.
I consider all of these to be pioneer plants with a function of supporting the main orchard trees as they grow providing some shade, hopefully nitrogen fixing and making prunings to use as mulch. The low ground covers give me a no-mow occupied space between tree rows. Over time I expect to eliminate most of these as the trees mature and dominate the site which is emulating a controlled natural succession like you would see in an ordinary forest.
I'm not sure how some of these would do in your zone, south parts of Houston League city still get some frost.

There is one nitrogen fixer in Florida wich is the only rosewood native to USA, Dalbergia Ecastaphyllum or the popular name,the coin vine.Should be a nice plant to add in your collection and a good conversational subject since this is a real Dalbergia thats protected by CITES.I think the wood is red but better avoid talking about its wood on the internet because it could teach poachers.

SeaWalnut

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1397
    • Romania zone 6
    • View Profile
Re: Nitrogen Fixers
« Reply #8 on: August 16, 2019, 06:02:30 PM »
The coin vine ,wich can also grow into a single stem tree or as a shrub ,its a nitrogen fixer and because its related to these trees ,its protected by CITES.https://youtu.be/N6XT6kWdMRY
Ebenopsis is on my wishlist and i know the seedling for sale on ebay.Cant get it through customs here so im waiting to see when seeds will be available for sale.I dont think its better than mesquites but its still a nice tree to have and fixes nitrogen.
The otther 2 trees,ceanotus sp,and mountain mahogany ,off course i know them.They are interesting but Ebenopsis is much more valuable than them.The only mahogany i grow here is Toona Sinensis ,but its not a nitrogen fixer.Still a nice tree that you can eat the leaves and they are verry tasty.Chinese grow these Toona trees in greenhouses to have fresh leaves in the winter so you get an idea about how good they taste.

Acacia

  • Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 31
    • Australia
    • View Profile
Re: Nitrogen Fixers
« Reply #9 on: August 16, 2019, 06:46:25 PM »
Nitrogen fixers make great nurse trees, longer term mulch trees, ground covers and some of the most beautiful flowers. Something to keep in mind is that not all leguminous plants have the ability to fix nitrogen although it seems most do. Also sometimes the right microbes are not present in the soil to create the exchange with the plant.

I'm using Pinto Peanut, Pigeon Pea, Leucaena, Sesbania, Senna, Inga and Acacia. Looking to add Gliricidia and Flemingia.

Some showy flower species Jade Vine (Strongylodon macrobotrys) , Saraca cauliflora, Cassia javanica, Pride of Burma (Amherstia nobilis)

pineislander

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2205
    • Bokeelia, FL
    • View Profile
Re: Nitrogen Fixers
« Reply #10 on: August 16, 2019, 07:51:41 PM »
Pigeon Pea
I forgot about that one and Jack beans(Canavalia ensiformis) . Pokeweed you could try a row of pigeon peas next to your figs. Plant 4 seeds about 12 inches apart and prune to a bush form they will persist till frost.
The jack beans are good because they grow in a large bush form. I let the jackbeans grow up then bend them over to the ground in different directions to create a medium high bush ground cover. The best part about jackbeans is they don't make twining vines that choke out taller plants. Get the whites seeded variety the red seed tends to vine. I also use velvet beans but they can easily smother plants, great for a field use.

Nodulation on jackbean seedlings:


Drone view of pigeon pea borders down each side of fruit trees. I have cut these about 6 times. Each time they are pruned hard they release nitrogen.


Pigeon peas between pruning:


Jack bean around banana:


Velvet bean ground cover in open field(note how it is climbing pine tree):


Acacia

  • Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 31
    • Australia
    • View Profile
Re: Nitrogen Fixers
« Reply #11 on: August 17, 2019, 05:41:09 AM »
I find invasive species a bit nonsensical. Pioneer species generally start the succession towards a forest on damaged or bare land. Eventually they make way for longer living taller growing climax species. Biodiversity is improved with all the different species that have made there way around the world in recent times and they are greatly trying to fix all the damage humans are doing.

So many nitrogen fixers are serious invasives



SeaWalnut

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1397
    • Romania zone 6
    • View Profile
Re: Nitrogen Fixers
« Reply #12 on: August 17, 2019, 06:27:31 AM »
All of these except 2 pots on the lower part are legume trees as it follows:

African black wood,Dalbergia Melanoxyllon- first 4 pots on the concrete ridge.Has black wood and its the real tree from wich the pharaoh of Egypt walking stick was made.Its the real ebony and persimmons were named ebony by mistake but its convenient since this black wood trees are rosewoods or palisanders.

Acacia Dealbata- the yellow looking seedlings wich arent doing great.Decorative tree.

Pithecellobium Dulce,red fleshed Guamuchil - on the concrete ridge after the yellow acacia.Has nice looking edible fruit,tropical.

Sesbania Punicea- last 2 biggest seedlings.Poisonous ornamental tree that makes beautifull red flowers at young age of 1 or 2 years.

Inga sp- all the pots on the ground except 2 of them.I have an unkniwn specie but edible ,from Costa Rica.They have more than 60 species of Inga there and its hard to tell wich specie it is.



Pterocarpus trees are also legumes that fix nitrogen.They have a red sap wich makes the tree look like its bleeding when its cut.Somme of them have a red wood wich is the most expensive wood in the world.Manny poore people die every year trying to steal Pterocarpus logs .I call it most expensive because of the number of people that get killed.
They are tropical trees but there is one quite cold hardy related specie in South America.Its called Tipuana Tipu and has same red sap and similar looking flowers but doesnt have precious wood like P Santalinus.

Acacia

  • Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 31
    • Australia
    • View Profile
Re: Nitrogen Fixers
« Reply #13 on: August 17, 2019, 06:44:04 AM »
Pokeweed and SeaWalnut have you tried googling temperate nitrogen fixers? This list is top result http://tcpermaculture.blogspot.com/2011/05/plants-nitrogen-fixers.html although a walk into your local wilderness identifying trees should introduce you to some that will grow with no attention in your area. Alder, Locust and Russian Olive seem to be popular choices for temperate climates.

SeaWalnut

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1397
    • Romania zone 6
    • View Profile
Re: Nitrogen Fixers
« Reply #14 on: August 17, 2019, 06:59:29 AM »
I have a 3 acre forest of black locusts wich are american trees not native to Romania ,but tell a romanian thats not a native tree and will not believe you since i think we are the biggest black locust honey producers in the world.
Where they grow on my land,it is on top of a really tall hill and there my grand grandfather had  a cherry orchard wich died of old age and got replaced by black locusts.I leave them as they are,not cutting the trees.It became a real forest and the land there,altough big,its not suitable for farming because the road was transformed into a ravene by rains and its hard to get there on a dirt bike.A tractor would roll over on the hill.

Pokeweed

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 345
    • Houston TX
    • View Profile
Re: Nitrogen Fixers
« Reply #15 on: August 17, 2019, 08:40:46 AM »
So much good information! I forgot about Tijuana tipu. Have to research that. I'd never heard of Jack beans, and never thought of coral bean as a nitrogen fixer. They are native here.

Jabba The Hutt

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 553
    • Appleton, New York, 6b/Pine Island, Bokeelia, Florida 10b
    • View Profile
Re: Nitrogen Fixers
« Reply #16 on: August 17, 2019, 09:20:38 AM »
My wife and I are planning on plating Ice Cream Bean, Pigeon Pea, and another one I haven't seen mentioned Cecropia peltata - Yagrumo!!

Pokeweed

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 345
    • Houston TX
    • View Profile
Re: Nitrogen Fixers
« Reply #17 on: August 17, 2019, 09:30:52 AM »
Cecropia would be useful to have, but we get a little too cold.

Jabba The Hutt

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 553
    • Appleton, New York, 6b/Pine Island, Bokeelia, Florida 10b
    • View Profile
Re: Nitrogen Fixers
« Reply #18 on: August 17, 2019, 09:59:20 AM »
Cecropia would be useful to have, but we get a little too cold.

Foxxotron lives in the area and has a bunch of tropicals in a greenhouse there including Cecropia.There's a video on youtube from tonygrowsfood.

Rex Begonias

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 286
    • USA, FL/Brevard, 10a
    • View Profile
Re: Nitrogen Fixers
« Reply #19 on: August 17, 2019, 11:19:07 AM »
Interesting argument,  since removing invasives actually gives biodiversity a huge boost.   Native ecosystems took a long time to develop,  when a couple of bully species come thru and trash that system,  it does exactly the opposite of increasing biodiversity.

I find invasive species a bit nonsensical. Pioneer species generally start the succession towards a forest on damaged or bare land. Eventually they make way for longer living taller growing climax species. Biodiversity is improved with all the different species that have made there way around the world in recent times and they are greatly trying to fix all the damage humans are doing.

So many nitrogen fixers are serious invasives

pineislander

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2205
    • Bokeelia, FL
    • View Profile
Re: Nitrogen Fixers
« Reply #20 on: August 17, 2019, 03:28:45 PM »
I recently heard about this new book which discusses the issues of non-native species. It looks like a good read and probably has some new perspectives. The reviews are interesting, including a response by the author to critical comments.
https://www.amazon.com/Beyond-War-Invasive-Species-Permaculture/dp/160358563X#customerReviews

I have one acre covered in invasive trees here in Florida. Brazil pepper, melaleuca and ear acacia. But there is a strong understory of saw palmetto which would ordinarily dominate in my Pine Flatwoods ecosystem. Probably all it needs is a hurricane followed by a dry season fire to revert back. I have thought about planting it in a native species food forest based on what is known about that. The plan would be to establish what *could* have been here in the days of indigenous societies.The area is close to a documented canal which bisected the island when it was headquarters for the Calusa indians when the Spanish arrived. I spoke to some archeologists who can tell me some of the native species they think were grown. However, that is really just a snapshot in time because the coastline of Florida has expanded and contracted, the area was probably alternately exposed/covered by ocean, wiped out by hurricane/fire and who knows?. People have been here off and on so likely there were cultures far different from Calusa before they became established.
We are only 250 miles from Cuba and certainly people from there could have been here bringing anything from their culture. Who knows what the place had 100-200 years before Calusa? Probably nobody. What ws the native vegetation 1000 years before, 3,000 years before, 10,000 years before? Lots to think about.
« Last Edit: August 17, 2019, 03:44:25 PM by pineislander »

Jungle Yard

  • @onlinetropicals
  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 280
  • 10A, 1.3 mi. from the coast
    • USA, Florida, Sarasota
    • View Profile
Re: Nitrogen Fixers
« Reply #21 on: August 17, 2019, 03:55:16 PM »
Cecropia would be useful to have, but we get a little too cold.

Cecropia, as far as I know not a nitrogen fixer, but a pioneer tree that develops mutualistic relationship with ants.
Zone Pusher

Jungle Yard

  • @onlinetropicals
  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 280
  • 10A, 1.3 mi. from the coast
    • USA, Florida, Sarasota
    • View Profile
Re: Nitrogen Fixers
« Reply #22 on: August 17, 2019, 04:03:28 PM »
Pigeon Pea
I forgot about that one and Jack beans(Canavalia ensiformis) . Pokeweed you could try a row of pigeon peas next to your figs. Plant 4 seeds about 12 inches apart and prune to a bush form they will persist till frost.
The jack beans are good because they grow in a large bush form. I let the jackbeans grow up then bend them over to the ground in different directions to create a medium high bush ground cover. The best part about jackbeans is they don't make twining vines that choke out taller plants. Get the whites seeded variety the red seed tends to vine. I also use velvet beans but they can easily smother plants, great for a field use.

Nodulation on jackbean seedlings:


Drone view of pigeon pea borders down each side of fruit trees. I have cut these about 6 times. Each time they are pruned hard they release nitrogen.


Pigeon peas between pruning:


Jack bean around banana:


Velvet bean ground cover in open field(note how it is climbing pine tree):


Here is one more for you - Clitoria ternate (Asian pigeonwings). A non aggressive climber and a great nitrogen fixer. Intense blue flowers can be used as a food coloring.
Zone Pusher

Rex Begonias

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 286
    • USA, FL/Brevard, 10a
    • View Profile
Re: Nitrogen Fixers
« Reply #23 on: August 17, 2019, 05:14:26 PM »
I will have to check that out,  a lot of people preach about "The New Wild.  " There are a lot of people that get weird almost religious when they start talking about how invasives are like some misunderstood salvation.   I will also say,  on the other side,  there are a lot of minimally impactful invasives that people yell about which just arent in the same league as some of the ones you named like Brazilian Pepper and Melaleuca.

Personally,  I would rather see a native hardwood hammock with all the diversity of native plants and animals than a forest of Brazilian pepper.   Sure,  bees will make use of Brazilian pepper,  but if you think those support a biodiverse ecosystem,  well,  thats just plain silly.

I recently heard about this new book which discusses the issues of non-native species. It looks like a good read and probably has some new perspectives. The reviews are interesting, including a response by the author to critical comments.
https://www.amazon.com/Beyond-War-Invasive-Species-Permaculture/dp/160358563X#customerReviews

I have one acre covered in invasive trees here in Florida. Brazil pepper, melaleuca and ear acacia. But there is a strong understory of saw palmetto which would ordinarily dominate in my Pine Flatwoods ecosystem. Probably all it needs is a hurricane followed by a dry season fire to revert back. I have thought about planting it in a native species food forest based on what is known about that. The plan would be to establish what *could* have been here in the days of indigenous societies.The area is close to a documented canal which bisected the island when it was headquarters for the Calusa indians when the Spanish arrived. I spoke to some archeologists who can tell me some of the native species they think were grown. However, that is really just a snapshot in time because the coastline of Florida has expanded and contracted, the area was probably alternately exposed/covered by ocean, wiped out by hurricane/fire and who knows?. People have been here off and on so likely there were cultures far different from Calusa before they became established.
We are only 250 miles from Cuba and certainly people from there could have been here bringing anything from their culture. Who knows what the place had 100-200 years before Calusa? Probably nobody. What ws the native vegetation 1000 years before, 3,000 years before, 10,000 years before? Lots to think about.

SeaWalnut

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1397
    • Romania zone 6
    • View Profile
Re: Nitrogen Fixers
« Reply #24 on: August 17, 2019, 06:19:06 PM »
My hobby is to colect trees that have the most valuable wood in the world .All of these trees are legumes,nitrogen fixers.
I do it because im an enviromentalist ( professional) and in case they go extinct i could save them.
Im not thinking to grow trees that worth milions of dollars each, to get rich .
Another reason why i like these legume trees its that their seeds germinate easy and it amazes me why trees that are such easy to germinate and grow ,are soo endangered.
A week ago ive seen a video with indian police that has shot and killed 20 poachers stealing Pterocarpus.
I could tell the poachers that died were really poore people and most likely send there by a wealthy mafia boss.Police shot them just so it can get their hands on the logs in order to sell them by themselves(corruption).
Would be less tragedies if they made plantations of these trees and the poachers would become farmers.

 

SMF spam blocked by CleanTalk