Solved: Viburnum Cassinoides

[Tom]

Ok, I've got it.  

I took a cutting of the plant to the Extension Agent's office almost knowing that there wouldn't be an agent there.  There never is and never has as long as I have been trying to use the office, going on 20 years now.  

I did get to talk to a Master Gardener who was holding down the fort.  These guys pay 50 dollars for a course and if they pass are allowed to volunteer to sit in the office once a month.  About all they can do is hand out brochures and wait for the agent. "I don't know when he'll be in. Tomorrow's the 4th you know so it will probably be Thursday...... or Friday......or..that's getting pretty close to the weekend so it may be next week."

I kinda figured I'd run into this kind of logic so I left the limb and the "maybe deertongue" and went to the State Forestry Dept. about  30 miles away.

The County Forester and Division Forester are old acquaintances of mine and I knew I would enjoy the visit if nothing else.

The County Forester had been promoted and left for another office.....no Larry....but the new guy, David Holly, jumped at the opportunity to key the plant.  Luckily I had cut a second limb.

David and Earl, a friend of mine who went with me on this mission, started keying the plant and the Division Forester, Bruce, who had seen me come in took me for a tour of the new building.

The new Forestry Building is on US-301 north of Baldwin in Cary State Forest.  It is a beautiful building and a beautiful setting.  They have built a new Equipment Barn also and work on all their fire fighting and fire line equipment there.

After about 45 minutes of "in depth" chatting where we resolved most of the political and forestry problems of N.E. Florida, David knocked on the door and he and Earl showed me that they had resolved the problem.  David had even printed out a picture from a web key that looked just like the second one I had posted on our site.

How humiliating.....I had looked at this plant in  a book I have here at the house and decided that it didn't match my plant.

David identified this plant as Viburnum Cassinoides.
http://www.canr.uconn.edu/plsci/mbrand/v/vibcas/vibcas1.html

Also known as Witherod Vibernum,Wild Raisin (Appalachian Tea) - Viburnum cassinoides

Gordon,  We were hitting all around it.  I have since found keys where American Elder and Viburnum cassinoides were referenced in the same sentence.  Both having similar growing areas and characteristics.  The biggest giveaway I have noticed is the fleshy stem that joins the fruit to the stem.  I am confused by the description of the smooth leaf when I found many leaves on my plant to have small, sharp serrations.

I declare this solved    

[Don P]

WOO-HOO! (and various other fishin hole sounds).
Did you ever see PT Barnam's mermaid? A small monkey head attached to a fish body, shirttail cousin to a jackalope. You were about to be accused.

All the way to zone 3...means most of us have walked right by it. Always amazes me how many plants we know only as "Hey You". Is a tea really made from it?

[Tom]

It sure made me happy and I'll bet Gordon will be glad to know it exists too.

I don't know about the tea but I'll bet a tea has been made.  Us "Southern" folks have been know to try and eat most anything that doesn't move too fast.

[Gordon]

Tom some good footwork on that one. Thanks
Turned out to be alittle more difficult that first thought of I guess. I also need to get a couple more books at the house thats for sure.

Gordon

[Tom]

Yeah, me too Gordon.  We have a big used-book store
in the west side of Jacksonville and I am going to go over there and spend a day looking for keys.  It's hard for me to find one that I can understand because I really need pictures to verify what I have traced and it seems that they either are all pictures or all verbal keys.  The Verbal ones are more accurate if you trust your Botony knowledge but it's been a lo-o-ng time.  

[Gordon]

For the basic stuff in my area the National Audubon Society field guide works out good for me. But it doesn't hold a candle to the stuff thats been coming up on the board.

Another thing is the picture size thats allowed on the board. Makes it harder for me anyway to id the plant. Maybe it's time for some glasses---NOT.

Gordon

[SwampDonkey]

Tom, I think wild raisin is fairly common along the coastal lowlands. We have it here on soils with heavy clay and high water table. Food for grouse and bears and other critters. I never tried eating one, I wouldn't think it would have much taste. Probably bitter stuff. You sure were determined to ID it, to travel all over the state for an answer.

[Tom]

Wow, Swamp donkey.  You're crawling around in the basement.  I had forgotten all about that one.  Some of that plant IDing is fun. 

[SwampDonkey]

  I wasn't the only one fishing around in the hold of this old boat. I sometimes check out where members are browsing and it was a guest who was reading it. That's how I got there, because I was  curious to see what was in there.