Plant Key: Trees, Shrubs, Vines & Grasses
LCHS documents plants as part of cultural landscape preservation—because land, ecology, and community knowledge are often interconnected. Use this key to explore how plants reflect historic land use, seasonal traditions, and stewardship practices tied to Leon County’s Black rural heritage.
Trees
Black Walnut (Juglans nigra); Sassafras (Sassafras albidum)
What to look for: bark texture, leaf shape, shade patterns, and seasonal nut drop (walnuts).
Shrubs
Yaupon (Ilex vomitoria); American Beautyberry (Callicarpa americana) What to look for: evergreen leaves (yaupon), berry clusters (beautyberry), and plant growth patterns.
Vines
Mustang Grape (Vitis mustangensis); Dewberry (Rubus aboriginum) What to look for: climbing growth, grape leaves, seasonal fruit, and how vines shape fence lines and wood edges.
Grasses
Little Bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium); Broomsedge Bluestem (Andropogon virginicus); Splitbeard Bluestem (Andropogon ternarius)
What to look for: seed heads, seasonal color shifts, prairie textures, and how grasses support soil stability and habitat.
Cactus
Prickly Pear (Opuntia spp.)
What to look for: pads, fruit, and how resilient plants thrive in dry or transitional landscapes.
Why This Matters
Plants are part of the preservation record. They reflect land conditions, historic use patterns, and intergenerational knowledge systems—including foodways and women’s wellness traditions. LCHS preserves these plant traditions as cultural evidence and as a foundation for place-based education and heritage learning tours.