The Nature Trail at Sugar Mill Ruins is surprisingly diverse and interesting. At each numbered marker along the way, you can learn a little bit more about the items that make this Nature Trail a Volusia County hidden treasure.
Marker 8: Our State Tree – Two Cabbage Palms, plus Jack in the Pulpit
This location offers a great example of the two different appearances of our state tree: The Cabbage (or Sabal) Palm.
First, our official state tree is technically not a tree. Secondly, the trees take two very distinct forms. Sometimes the Cabbage Palms keep their boots (bases of branches) in tact, other times the bark is smoother. It is unclear why this happens, but a prevalent opinion is that is based on the tree maturity. The larger tree with the smoother bark is more mature of the two here.
The smooth-based tree has another interesting adaption. The change in shape at the bottom represents a period where the growing conditions were quite different than what we see today. Our educated guess is that this area was actually under a few feet of water for a brief period.
The markings on the tree are a combination of wildlife and vandalism.
Now turn around and take a look at the distinctive three-leaved ground cover across the trail.
This is Jack in the Pulpit, an interesting and beautiful ground cover native to the state. The plant has a small pitcher and is carnivorous – meaning it eats small gnats for nutrition. It is also poisonous to humans, and was purposely used as a poison by some indigenous tribes, so look but don’t touch. In the summer, the more mature plants display a very interesting green fruit, that ripens to a distinctive orange color.
Go to Marker 9 Slash Pines
Thank you to the following folks who generously donated their time and expertise to identifying the plants on this nature trail: Raymond Jarrett, David Griffis, Trey Hannah and Kalan Taylor.
