Fort Liberty Series – Maleberry

Note from the Author: New wild plant!

 

 

This bunch were maybe a foot or two tall.

Common Name: Maleberry

 

Other Common Names: Fetterbush, Piedmont Staggerbush, Staggerbush

 

Botanical Family: Ericeae (The Heather Family)

 

Botanical Latin Name: Lyonia mariana

 

Description & Habitat:

           Maleberry is native deciduous shrub that can be found in the coastal plains of North Carolina. Maleberry has an alternate leaf arrangement and its leaves are elliptical in shape. In some sheltered areas Maleberry may retain its leaves all year round. The natural range of Maleberry is extensive as it can be found as far north as Rhode Island, as far south as Florida and, westward to Texas. Generally speaking it prefers moist if not wet sandy soils or peat-heavy soils and can grow in full sun or partial shade. The specimens found during the Fort Liberty excursion were found in sandy soil that appeared to be part of a flood basin. Patterns of soil erosion by way of water runoff were readily visible in the area and it is likely that this plant was stabilizing the soil and slowly creating topsoil where its colonies were present. Maleberry mainly spreads by way of rhizome, but also produces seeds. Maleberry has white colored flowers in the spring and the seed capsules follow in the fall.

 

Special Toxicity Note:  

          This plant is dangerously toxic and contains Andromedotoxin and Grayanotoxins.

 

When & What to Harvest:

          Do not harvest this plant for food.

 

Related Plants:

          None are known.

 

Recipe:

          This plant is not edible. Some sources suggest the Cherokee used an infusion of this plant for Toe Itch, ;’ground itch’ and ulcers but this is not recommended.

 

Additional Information: (If applicable)

https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/lyonia-mariana/

 

Where to get Seed or Bare Root Plants:

I could not find any reputable seed company selling the seeds or plants for this one.

 

With all that garden goodness covered this is the part of the blog where I have to advertise for the Fayetteville City Market. Now I know you readers probably don’t much like advertisements, but my booth at the City Market helps to cover the costs of running the test garden and literally maintains the Research & Development budget that is used to bring you the information that has made up the backbone of this blog.  In addition to being able to process card payments we now take CashApp payments so your payment options for my product have tripled. With that said; if you want to get some GMO-free, Organic fruit, herbs, flowers and perennials, come on down to the Fayetteville City Market on 325 Maxwell Street in downtown Fayetteville between the hours of 9:00 am and 1:00 pm on Saturdays. Even in bad weather the market goes on though you might have to look for me under the ‘arches’ of the Transportation Museum’s front entryway.

 

Spring Plants

Pepper, Carolina Reaper (hot!!! 1.5-2.2 million SHU)

Tomato, Cherokee Purple (last tomatoes of 2026)

 

Herbs

Basil, Sweet Genovese

Oregano

Sage, Common

Thyme, English

 

Summer Plants

Anise-Hyssop, Arizona Sandstone

Balloon Flower

Black Eyed Susan, Denver Daisy

Calibrachoa, Caliburst

Coneflower, Pow Wow White

Cotton, Nankeen

Dahlia, Figaro Mix

Pumpkin, Blue

Tobacco Flower, Saratoga Purple Bicolor

 

Garden Supply

Live Mushroom Compost, 1 Gallon

Live Mushroom Compost, 3 Gallon

 

Plants Coming Soon:

Spineless Prickly Pear (available on 6-20-2026)

-Others TBA-

 

 

How to stay in Contact with Us!

All you need to keep up with all our activities is to have a Nextdoor account and to look for the ‘Sustainable Neighbors of Fayetteville’ group and ask to join! You don’t have to live in Fayetteville to join us! Feel free to ask all your garden questions of our knowledgeable membership and post your cool garden pictures.

 

Sustainable Neighbors of Fayetteville

 

Also please take a gander at the YouTube version of this blog:

The Videos: Look Here

>Newest videos (1): Digiplexis

 

With all of the updates, blog posts, community announcements and the main topic handled remember that Sustainable Neighbors of Fayetteville’s meetings are still going on! Our next (unofficial) meeting is June 13^th at the Fayetteville City Market at 325 Franklin Street between 9:00 am and 1:00 pm, or at North South Brewing on the same day between 1:00 and 5:00pm.

Fort Liberty Series – Deerberry

 Note from the Author: New wild plant!

 

 

 

 

Common Name: Deerberry

 

Other Common Names: Tall Deerberry, Highbush Huckleberry, Buckberry, Southern Gooseberry

 

Botanical Family: Ericeae (The Heather Family)

 

Botanical Latin Name: Vaccinium stamineum

 

Description & Habitat:

           Deerberry is a deciduous shrub that can be found in all parts of North Carolina and is related to the cultivated types of Blueberries you buy at the store. The ovate shaped leaves of this plant are borne in an alternate arrangement and its five-petaled white flowers typically hang on the plant facing roughly towards the ground. With both age and ideal growing conditions Deerberry bushes can grow to a height of fifteen feet however it is more common that you will find specimens that are less than five feet tall. The specimens photographed were perhaps two or three feet tall and growing in noticeably poor soil. The primary method of reproduction for this plant is through runners which expand the size of individual colonies of this plant. The berries this plant produces are purple colored and roughly pear shaped and the berries ripen in late summer. You can find this plant in oak-hickory woodlands in areas with full sun or partial shade and acidic soil. Deerberry supports several native pollinators as well as a wide range of wildlife including Deer which have been observed to eat the berries.

 

Special Toxicity Note:  

          No known toxicity.

 

When & What to Harvest:

          The berries are what you want here, and they are ripe roughly in late summer.

 

Related Plants:

          Rabbiteye Blueberry (V. virgatum), Highbush Blueberry (V. corymbosum), Lowbush Blueberry (V. angustifolium), Cranberry (V. macrocarpon).

 

Recipe:

          Generally speaking the recipes for this one only seem to be on Facebook and I’d take those with a large grain of salt. Most sources agree it’s good for use in jellies, jams and cobbler type pies.

 

 

Additional Information: (If applicable)

https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/vaccinium-stamineum/

 

Where to get Seed or Bare Root Plants:

I could not find any reputable seed company selling the seeds or plants for this one.

 

With all that garden goodness covered this is the part of the blog where I have to advertise for the Fayetteville City Market. Now I know you readers probably don’t much like advertisements, but my booth at the City Market helps to cover the costs of running the test garden and literally maintains the Research & Development budget that is used to bring you the information that has made up the backbone of this blog.  In addition to being able to process card payments we now take CashApp payments so your payment options for my product have tripled. With that said; if you want to get some GMO-free, Organic fruit, herbs, flowers and perennials, come on down to the Fayetteville City Market on 325 Maxwell Street in downtown Fayetteville between the hours of 9:00 am and 1:00 pm on Saturdays. Even in bad weather the market goes on though you might have to look for me under the ‘arches’ of the Transportation Museum’s front entryway.

 

Spring Plants

Pepper, Ghost (hot!!, 1-1.2 million SHU)

Pepper, Carolina Reaper (hot!!! 1.5-2.2 million SHU)

Tomato, Cherokee Purple (last tomatoes of 2026)

 

Herbs

Basil, Sweet Genovese

Oregano

Sage, Common

Thyme, English

 

Summer Plants

Amaranth, tricolor

Anise-Hyssop, Arizona Sandstone

Balloon Flower

Black Eyed Susan, Denver Daisy

Calibrachoa, Caliburst

Coneflower, Pow Wow White

Cotton, Nankeen

Dahlia, Figaro Mix

Pumpkin, Blue

Tobacco Flower, Saratoga Purple Bicolor

 

Garden Supply

Live Mushroom Compost, 1 Gallon

Live Mushroom Compost, 3 Gallon

 

Plants Coming Soon:

Spineless Prickly Pear (available on 6-20-2026)

-Others TBA-

 

 

How to stay in Contact with Us!

All you need to keep up with all our activities is to have a Nextdoor account and to look for the ‘Sustainable Neighbors of Fayetteville’ group and ask to join! You don’t have to live in Fayetteville to join us! Feel free to ask all your garden questions of our knowledgeable membership and post your cool garden pictures.

 

Sustainable Neighbors of Fayetteville

 

Also please take a gander at the YouTube version of this blog:

The Videos: Look Here

>Newest videos (1): Scarlet Bee Balm

 

With all of the updates, blog posts, community announcements and the main topic handled remember that Sustainable Neighbors of Fayetteville’s meetings are still going on! Our next (unofficial) meeting is June 6^th at the Fayetteville City Market at 325 Franklin Street between 9:00 am and 1:00 pm, or at North South Brewing on the same day between 1:00 and 5:00pm.

Fort Liberty Series – Black Snakeroot

 Note from the Author: New wild plant!

 

 

 

Common Name: Black Snakeroot

 

Other Common Names: Canada Sanicle, Canadian Black Snakeroot

 

Botanical Family: Apiaceae (The Carrot Family)

 

Botanical Latin Name: Sanicula canadensis

 

Description & Habitat:

           Black Snakeroot is a native perennial that got the common name ‘Canada Black Snakeroot’ because it was first recorded by European botanists in Canada. This naming feature is reflected in the Latin name where the specific epithet is ‘canadensis’ meaning ‘of Canada’.  In the wild this plant is commonly found in Oak-Hickory forests and on wooded slops near streams or rivers. The native range of this plant goes as far as Southern Vermont, into Canada and as southward as Florida and Texas. You can look for it in areas with dappled or partial shade that have moist but well-drained humus-rich soils. It should be noted that the flowers of this plant are not particularly showy as they are tiny and green but the spiky burr-like ovaries are interesting to look at. It is possible for the  average viewer to mistake this plant for something like Virginia Creeper or Lady’s Mantle, however note that Black Snakeroot isn’t a vine and forms a loose rosette and individual plants can bet between 8” and 2’ tall. The dried fruits of this plant are burrs and can detach from the plant and stick on clothing, hair or fur.

 

Special Toxicity Note:  

          The edibility of this plant is unclear, it is noted that this plant has saponins.

 

When & What to Harvest:

          Supposedly, the young leaves and shoots of this plant can be eaten after boiling in at least two changes of water. However it’s noted the plant is very bitter and the cooking process is not clearly noted anywhere credible.

 

Related Plants:

          There are a number of species of Sanicle, however you are not likely to encounter them as easily as this one in the Sandhills of North Carolina.

 

Recipe:

          There is no clear cooking information for this plant.

 

 

Additional Information: (If applicable)

https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/sanicula-canadensis/

 

Where to get Seed or Bare Root Plants:

I could not find any reputable seed company selling the seeds or plants for this one.

 

With all that garden goodness covered this is the part of the blog where I have to advertise for the Fayetteville City Market. Now I know you readers probably don’t much like advertisements, but my booth at the City Market helps to cover the costs of running the test garden and literally maintains the Research & Development budget that is used to bring you the information that has made up the backbone of this blog.  In addition to being able to process card payments we now take CashApp payments so your payment options for my product have tripled. With that said; if you want to get some GMO-free, Organic fruit, herbs, flowers and perennials, come on down to the Fayetteville City Market on 325 Maxwell Street in downtown Fayetteville between the hours of 9:00 am and 1:00 pm on Saturdays. Even in bad weather the market goes on though you might have to look for me under the ‘arches’ of the Transportation Museum’s front entryway.

 

Spring Plants

Basil, Sweet Genovese

Pepper, Ghost (hot!!, 1-1.2 million SHU)

Pepper, Carolina Reaper (hot!!! 1.5-2.2 million SHU)

Tomato, Lemon Cherry

Tomato, Chocolate Cherry

Tomato, Midnight Snack

Tomato, Black Krim

Tomato, Lemon Boy

 

Summer Plants

Amaranth, tricolor

Anise-Hyssop, Arizona Sandstone

Black Eyed Susan, Denver Daisy

Cotton, Nankeen

Dahlia, Ruby Black Forest

Pumpkin, Blue

Tobacco Flower, Saratoga Purple Bicolor

 

Garden Supply

Live Mushroom Compost, 1 Gallon

Live Mushroom Compost, 3 Gallon

 

Plants Coming Soon:

Spineless Prickly Pear (available on 6-20-2026)

-Others TBA-

 

 

How to stay in Contact with Us!

All you need to keep up with all our activities is to have a Nextdoor account and to look for the ‘Sustainable Neighbors of Fayetteville’ group and ask to join! You don’t have to live in Fayetteville to join us! Feel free to ask all your garden questions of our knowledgeable membership and post your cool garden pictures.

 

Sustainable Neighbors of Fayetteville

 

Also please take a gander at the YouTube version of this blog:

The Videos: Look Here

>Newest videos (1): Firefly Petunia

 

With all of the updates, blog posts, community announcements and the main topic handled remember that Sustainable Neighbors of Fayetteville’s meetings are still going on! Our next (unofficial) meeting is May 30^th at the Fayetteville City Market at 325 Franklin Street between 9:00 am and 1:00 pm, or at North South Brewing on the same day between 1:00 and 5:00pm.

Fort Liberty Series – Green Arrow Arum

 Note from the Author: New wild plant!

 

 

Green Arrow Arum is related to more well known Aroids such as Elephant Ear (Taro), Calocasia and Alocasia.

 

Common Name: Green Arrow Arum

 

Other Common Names: Tuckahoe

 

Botanical Family: Araceae (The Arum Family)

 

Botanical Latin Name: Peltandra virginica

 

Description & Habitat:

          Green Arrow Arum is a native perennial that is most commonly found in wet areas near the shoreline or in bogs and areas that have periodic flooding. It is most commonly identified by its arrow shaped leaves which resemble arrowheads roughly speaking. Green Arrow Arum grows from a large deeply rooted or submerged rhizome and thus are very tolerant of wet and low-oxygen water conditions. In the northern range of this plant’s range they are known to be deciduous but in the southern ranges they are semi evergreen if not fully evergreen. The flowers of this plant are called a Spadix, which consists of a spike of very densely packed miniature flowers and a Spathe, which is a form of bract that forms a sheathe to enclose the spadix.

 

Special Toxicity Note:  

          This plant does contain calcium oxalate crystals which make it unpalatable raw.

 

When & What to Harvest:

          It is referenced in several credible publications that Native Americans used most of the parts of this plant as a food. While the process for preparation is unclear, the Rhizome at the least was harvested cooked for hours to destroy the Oxalate crystals. In a few historical references the fully cooked root is said to taste like a potato.

 

Related Plants:

          There are many native Aroids, as well as non-native ones grown as house plants.

 

Recipe:

          Due to the unclear nature of information regarding how to cook the roots of this plant, I am going to err on the side of caution and not list any of the recipes I’ve seen.

 

 

Additional Information: (If applicable)

https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/peltandra-virginica/

 

Where to get Seed or Bare Root Plants:

https://www.prairiemoon.com/peltandra-virginica-arrow-arum

 

With all that garden goodness covered this is the part of the blog where I have to advertise for the Fayetteville City Market. Now I know you readers probably don’t much like advertisements, but my booth at the City Market helps to cover the costs of running the test garden and literally maintains the Research & Development budget that is used to bring you the information that has made up the backbone of this blog.  In addition to being able to process card payments we now take CashApp payments so your payment options for my product have tripled. With that said; if you want to get some GMO-free, Organic fruit, herbs, flowers and perennials, come on down to the Fayetteville City Market on 325 Maxwell Street in downtown Fayetteville between the hours of 9:00 am and 1:00 pm on Saturdays. Even in bad weather the market goes on though you might have to look for me under the ‘arches’ of the Transportation Museum’s front entryway.

 

Spring Plants

Basil, Sweet Genovese

Pepper, Ghost (hot!!, 1-1.2 million SHU)

Pepper, Carolina Reaper (hot!!! 1.5-2.2 million SHU)

Tomato, Lemon Cherry

Tomato, Chocolate Cherry

Tomato, Midnight Snack

Tomato, Black Krim

Tomato, Lemon Boy

 

Summer Plants

Black Eyed Susan, Denver Daisy

Amaranth, tricolor

Anise-Hyssop, Arizona Sandstone

Dahlia, Ruby Black Forest

Tobacco Flower, Saratoga Purple Bicolor

Cotton, Nankeen

 

Garden Supply

Live Mushroom Compost, 1 Gallon

Live Mushroom Compost, 3 Gallon

 

Plants Coming Soon:

Spineless Prickly Pear

-Others TBA-

 

 

How to stay in Contact with Us!

All you need to keep up with all our activities is to have a Nextdoor account and to look for the ‘Sustainable Neighbors of Fayetteville’ group and ask to join! You don’t have to live in Fayetteville to join us! Feel free to ask all your garden questions of our knowledgeable membership and post your cool garden pictures.

 

Sustainable Neighbors of Fayetteville

 

Also please take a gander at the YouTube version of this blog:

The Videos: Look Here

>Newest videos (1): Spearmint

 

With all of the updates, blog posts, community announcements and the main topic handled remember that Sustainable Neighbors of Fayetteville’s meetings are still going on! Our next (unofficial) meeting is May 21^st at the Fayetteville City Market at 325 Franklin Street between 9:00 am and 1:00 pm, or at North South Brewing on the same day between 1:00 and 5:00pm