“Nothing is there more friendly to a man than a friend in need,” so observed Titus Maccius Plautus, Roman playwright, about 2200 years ago. In modern parlance the remark has been abbreviated to “a friend in need is a friend indeed”.
When winter sets in with all its hardships and privation, there are many birds and animals which seek a good friend and provider in panhandle Florida’s native plants. All herbivores and omnivores are in need of a good meal and almost anything will do in a pinch.
One native genus which has achieved this standing for nutrition delivery is of the Vaccinium species. Curiously this scientific name originates from the Latin term vaccin, which translate to “of a cow.”
The blooms sprinkle the forest floor with tiny white flecks. Next winter the sparkleberry plant will hold small berries which sustain many species through the winter.
It is doubtful cattle or livestock were ever involved with these plants, except maybe to scatter their undigested seeds. It is likely wild blueberries, sparkleberries, huckleberries and other members of this genus were just the best option for the ruminants to get a meal.
The genus is easily found worldwide in specific environments and is a source of food for both humans and wildlife. As with most native plants, individual species have been identified for a variety of other uses.
Sparkleberry (Vaccinium arboretum) is the only North American member of the Vaccinium genus capable of reaching a size comparable to a small tree. Mature specimens can reach up to 30 feet in height and will take full sun or partial shade.
This species takes advantage of north Florida’s quick draining acidic soils to flourish and produce a bountiful crop of berries which turn blue-black at maturity. The common name for sparkleberries comes from the glossy texture of their berries’ appearance.
Sparkleberries are now blooming during the spring months. Their flowers emerge in clusters measuring two to three inches long. Its fragrant white flowers are bell-shaped in appearance, as are most blooms in this genus.
The delicate white bell-shaped flowers of the sparkleberries are now swaying in spring’s breezes. Soon they will drop to the forest floor, but will leave behind next winter’s crop of berries which will support many birds and animals.
The shiny, black ¼-inch berries contain eight to ten seeds. Berries ripen in the fall and remain attached to the plant throughout the winter, serving as a consistent food source for birds and mammals.
Their bark is thin, flaky and brownish red, and commonly has lichen growing on the surfaces which are shedding. The trunk can grow as a single or multi-stemmed tree with branches creating wildly twisting shapes that offer a distinct contrast to straight trunked trees.
Other native Vaccinium species locally include the scrub blueberry (V darowii) which is known for its heat tolerance and low requirement for chill hours.
The shiny blueberry (V myrsinites) is found in the Big Bend region of Florida, too. It will form thickets by utilizing subterranean runners and producing berries almost ½ inch in diameter containing several seeds.
These natives have been used by plant breeders to develop selectively bred cultivars which grow the extremely popular blueberries found in supermarkets everywhere and shipped internationally.
Members of panhandle Florida’s native Vaccinium genus are literally known for their fruit, and the reputation with people, animals, and birds is universally good. This is especially true when there are few other options.
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