Lost in the Farmers Market

Welcome to the LITFM weekly blog. This blog is a text-based complement to the LITFM YouTube channel and covers the forage food side of gardening. It is my goal to make gardening and forage food accessible for all while promoting good land stewardship and sustainable practices by providing honest and balanced information backed by verifiable scientific fact. Since this blog now focuses on wild plants or ‘weeds’ we will be taking an objective look at them and their uses. Thank you for reading.

Thursday, February 26, 2026

Companion Planting Series: Part 2 – The Cabbage Family

Today we’re going to move on from the Carrot Family to the Cabbage family which is scientifically known as Brassicaceae but in older publications you will find the family listed as the Cruciferae. The older name Cruciferae has quite a history, it stems from the Latin word ‘Crucifer’ which means cross-bearing. This has to specifically do with an old world species of Mustard which had its four flower petals arranged in a cross like shape. The new name Brassicaceae was proposed in the 1830’s and the slow shift to using the new name tool until the early 20^th century so 1901 to perhaps 1930. Older gardening books from the 1960’s or 1980’s may still refer to the family as the Crucifers or Cruciferae. It is also not uncommon to see members of the family called Cruciferous Vegetables or Cole crops. The term ‘Cole’ derives from the Latin word Caulis, which means ‘stem’ or ‘stalk’, which fits when you’re looking at Marrow stem Kale, or Brussels Sprouts and a few other cultivated varieties. Beyond this, the Cabbage family is very diverse; there are over three-hundred and fifty genera in the family meaning that you could have encountered one and not have known it. Additionally, the family is so wide-spread that you can find a member of the family on almost every continent. The sole noted exception is of course Antarctica and certain areas of the tropics such as parts of Brazil, the Congo Basin and parts of Pacific Asia. Otherwise if you garden eventually you’re eventually going to grow a member of this very diverse family. It is generally held that most if not all members of the cabbage family are helped by proximity to herbs such as Hyssop, Thyme, Wormwood, Chamomile, Dill, Sage and, Rosemary. Also as noted with the last to postings they benefit from being near Celery, Onions and Potatoes. Most members of the cabbage family are heavy feeders so they will need compost or fertilizer added to the soil every year. Cabbage due to its nature as a heavy feeder for example can deplete a soil of Nitrogen potassium and phosphorous in as little as 70 to 100 days. The depletion can be devastating if you grow this crop in the same spot year after year but don’t do anything for the soil. Typically this is where compost or large amounts of composted animal manure comes in. Natural mineral based fertilizers can help with this problem also while artificial (ew!) fertilizers that are water soluble can act as stopgaps during an active growing season.

Mature Arugula looks a bit different then store bought and tastes way better than store bought.

Arugula (Eruca sativa) – In addition to what is noted above, Arugula is specifically noted to do best in growing in the light shade of another plant. In the south east this means also that it cannot handle summer heat for long before bolting.

Until the flowers emerge Broccoli looks like Collards or any number of other similar Cabbage Family members, thankfully the leaves are tender and need no frost to 'sweeten'.

Broccoli (Brassica olceracea. variety italica) – Broccoli is essentially a Cabbage bred to produce a large flower head instead of leaves. Companions for Broccoli are the aromatic Herbs such as Rosemary, Camomile, Thyme, Sage or Dill. Garlic or any other member of the Onion family is a good companion and may help fend of pests. Annual Flowers such as Marigolds or Nasturtiums and short season crops like Lettuce, Carrots, Swiss Chard, Beets, Spinach and Radishes are good too.

Brussels Sprouts (B.o. var. gemmifera) – Since Brussels Sprouts are essentially just cabbage that has been selected to focus on large side buds. (See broccoli companions)

Cabbage (B.o. var. capitata) – Cabbage comes in a few forms such as the usual round Green, Red, crinkly Savoy, the Asian types and the pointed types such as Apex. Cabbage is a heavy feeder that can deplete the soil if crop rotation is not used and it is quite vulnerable to foliar disease and Cabbage Moth Larva. (See broccoli companions)

Cauliflower (B.o. var. botrytis) – Cauliflower operates the same way as Broccoli, albeit Cauliflower has somehow obtained a college education.

I typically grow collards in lieu of traditional cabbage because they do not deplete the soil a badly.

Collards (B.o. var. viridis) – Collards are very interesting; they used to be called Colewort because they were a cabbage crop that did not form a head. In a nutshell a collard is a super-loose leaf cabbage, and you can really see it in the Cabbage-Collard cross. Thankfully Collards don’t rapidly deplete the soil like Cabbage does and it can easily survive defoliation by Cabbage Moth larva. Collards much like Kale are ancient primitive forms of Cabbage. Collards follow the same companion planting rules as with Broccoli, but I’ve found that they don’t mind Chicory being grown under and in between them.

Cress, Garden (Lepidium sativum) – Garden Cress is an annual that is fast growing and pairs well with the Onion Family and other leafy greens. It is considered a cool-season annual so plant in spring and fall.

Cress, Upland (Barbarea verna) – Upland Cress is also known as ‘Creasy Greens’, it’s typically used as a trap crop at the end of plantings of other Cabbage family plants to act as a trap crop for pests. It is perfectly edible on its own and makes for a respectable microgreen.

Cress, Water (Nasturtium officinale) – Water Cress is often confused with the flowering annual also called Nasturtiums but they are not related. This member of the cabbage family as its name suggests loves being near water or being moist. It pairs well with Lettuce, Parsley and Celery but is said to match up with Mint. It is considered invasive in most of the USA except for North Dakota, so keep it in a pot.

Horseradish (Armoracia rusticana) – Horseradish is known to repel Blister beetles and this makes it an excellent match for White Potatoes. There is some disagreement on if it repels Potato Beetles or not but it is clearly noted that it should be planted at the corners of the Potato plot and be dug yearly so the Horseradish does not spread and take over.

This type of Kale has a dozen common names but I prefer Dinosaur Kale, the specific variety is 'Black Magic'.

Kale (B.o. var. sabellica) – Kale is a generally a cool season annual crop despite being a biennial. It will survive our winters, maybe. (See broccoli companions)

Kohlrabi (B.o. Gongylodes Group) – Kohlrabi is basically a cabbage that makes moderate sized leaves but is valued for its swollen stem that can be as large as a softball. (See broccoli companions)

Moringa Tree (Moringa oleifera) – Moringa, is noted to be a top-tier companion plant because it has a deep taproot and has the ability to fix nitrogen in the soil. All parts of this plant are useful for food and medicinal/Herbal purposes so it’s one of the best things you can grow. It is not hardy in the ground in our zone but if it is grown a large pot and brought in for the winter you can have one. It pairs well with herbs, marigolds, smaller leaf greens and sweet potatoes.

The Mustard is in the upper right and on the upper left. (Upper left) Japanese Red Giant Mustard, (Upper right) Purple 'Miz America' Mizuna Mustard.

Mustard, Greens (Brassica juncea) – Mustard Greens are typically found at the supermarket in the form of bright green somewhat crinkly leaves. Mustard Greens pair well with carrots, Radishes and the same plants that Broccoli does. They are less susceptible to Cabbage Moths if any other member of the Cabbage family is present.

Mustard, Seed (Brassica nigra) – Mustard seed as a companion plant follows the same rules as a lot of the rest of the Cabbage family, but also does well next to the herb Yarrow. It also gains benefit from the shade cast by rows of corn.

Radish (Raphanus sativus) – Radish are one of the fastest crop plants possible; some varieties are mature and ready to harvest. Cherry Belle is so fast that it is ready in about 20 growing days from seed. Radishes benefit from proximity to Mustard Greens and Nasturtiums and also seem to grow well around Red Root Pigweed (Amaranthus retroflexus) which is edible. Radishes are said to repel Striped Cucumber Beetle so it is a good companion for Cucumbers Squash and melons.

Rapeseed/Canola (Brassica napus) – Rapeseed is a strange name; it has nothing to do with ‘S.A.’ however. In this case the name comes from the Latin word Rapa, which means Turnip so Rapeseed is just Turnip Seed. This seed crop plant needs ground covers such as clover, vetch or buckwheat to suppress weeds and feed the soil so it can grow to maturity. Its primary pest is the Pollen Beetle, though Flea beetles, Cabbage Seed Weevils, Brassica Pod Midge and Aphids are problems. If you are determined to grow this one, you might have to use organic pesticides.

Rutabagas (Brassica napus Napobrassica Group) –

Silver Dollar Plant (Lunnaria annua) – Silver Dollar plant is a common sight in seed racks at garden centers this time of year. It is a biennial with edible leaves that produces foliage the first year then pretty purple flowers the second year followed by large silvery seed capsules that are flat and the size of a Silver Dollar. This biennial doesn’t have much in the way of information for companion plants, and most of that are just plants that grow in the same conditions such as Foxglove, Ferns and Lady’s Mantle.

Turnips (Brassica rapa subspecies rapa) – As a general rule, you for the most part should not plant cabbage family members near legumes. Turnips are the exception to the rule as they benefit from that and the presence of the aromatic herbs such as Rosemary, Garlic, Thyme and Sage.

Wasabi (Eurema japonicum) – Wasabi is one of those plants where the companion matchups aren’t about plants providing mutual aid and are about other plants that share it’s growing preferences. The three most common suggestions are Hostas, Ginger and Ferns.

In regards to the cabbage family it would be a terrible oversight not to talk in more detail about the pests that can wreck your crops. Due to our climate and long growing season, there are at least five species of Butterfly/Moth whose caterpillars can make your crop unsaleable. The first species is just called a Cabbage Moth (Mamestra brassicae). But also there is the Large White Cabbage Butterfly (Pieris brassicae) which closely related to the Small White Cabbage Butterfly (Pieris rapae), also The Cabbage Looper (Trichoplusia ni) and last the one I haven’t seen the Cross-Striped Cabbage worm (Evergestis rimosalis). There are three ways to deal with these critters; the first is hand picking once you start seeing the adults fluttering about because the adults home in on the chemical compounds exhaled by your crop when they exchange gasses. Companion planting can help mask this but inevitably as Steve Goldblum’s character said in Jurassic Park ‘Nature..uh, finds a way.’ Adults flying about mean that there are probably eggs and as such, hungry caterpillars will follow soon after. Handpicking the caterpillars is easy when you have a few plants but fifty foot rows of crinkly kale makes that kind of difficult. So that’s where the organic pesticides come in, you could make one out of tobacco or a few other plants or use Neem Oil. The catch is that all of these are contact based and wash off in the rain. So you have to coat every possible surface to ensure that the batch of wrigglers is knocked down and kept in check. Alternately, and I do not prefer this method you can treat your crop with a 30-60 day systemic pesticide, but you need to be careful of which one you use, it’s residual action and be careful that there are no unintended effects. Lastly and this is my least favorite option; conventional Insecticide. Of the insecticides out there, I prefer pyrethrum-based insecticidal soap because it’s effective, has no real residual action and is inexpensive. However there are others that get stronger and have longer action but, those too have problems because they may be restricted to purchase, require personal protective gear and some damage native and honey bee populations (ie Malathion). Either way, I’d rather be with good options than without so plan carefully and see you next time for the Onion Family.

Companion Planting Series: Part 1 - The Carrot Family

As part of a series of special posts up here I will be posting information about Companion planting and grouping plants of interest by the family they belong to. I've you've read The Wild Harvest Digest posts on Nextdoor already imagine these posts as a expanded version since I do not have to deal with pesky character limits here. The source material for some of this information is Carrots Love Tomatoes by Louise Riotte, Rodale's Companion Planting and, Roses Love Garlic by Louise Riotte as well as the North Carolina Extension Gardener Plant Tool Box, The Ladybird Johnson Wildflower Center and a few other credible online sources. Today's post will cover the Carrot Family which is known today collectively as the Apiaceae family, but in older publications is known as the Umbelliferae. The older name is a direct reference to the shape of the flower heads of plants in this family which is called an Umbel. The new name Apiaceae was first used by John Lindley in 1836, it derives from the name Apium which is the ancient Greek name of Celery. the original family name didn't officially switch over until about 1996, which ironically is why a bunch of my horticulture books still use the old name. You will see this a lot when it comes to major plant families in common cultivation because they get more scientific study.

Anise (Pimpinella anisum) – Anise is an annual herb in the Carrot family. It is said to have antiseptic oils and its chief use is that it helps Coriander seed germinate when they are sown outside near each other.

Caraway (Carum carvi) – Caraway is a biennial that is difficult to sprout, though some sources indicate that sowing it around freshly sown garden peas helps the germination rate indicating they would be a good pairing. It does not however grow well near its cousin Fennel.

Carrots (Daucus carota subspecies sativus) – Carrots get protective effects from being grown close to Onions, Rosemary, Black Salsify, Wormwood and Sage. Carrots grow best when paired with tomatoes because they impede weeds and their low arching foliage helps keep the soil cooler. Carrots also are a good pairing with peas but according to a few sources will not do as well near their cousin Dill. Queen Anne’s Lace is a carrot that has escaped cultivation or a wild carrot that has reverted to a natural form, we have patches of these in Fayetteville.

Celeriac (Apium graveolens variety rapaceum) – This alternative form of Celery does its best if grown after a sowing of winter vetch has been turned under in the same spot. Celeriac because it is a biennial root vegetable needs higher than normal levels of Nitrogen and Potassium and pairs in the garden with leeks and also Field/cow peas.

Celery (Apium graveolens) – Celery much like Celeriac is a biennial and grows well with onions, but also with Tomatoes and Cabbages. Both Celery and Celeriac have a chemical compound (apigenin) in them that have a blood sugar lowering and insulin resistance effect.

Chervil (Anthriscus cerefolium) – Commonly called French Parsley, in our climate this herb is best grown with morning sun and afternoon shade. Radishes are annuals and short–lived annuals and so is Chervil they benefit from being close to each other.

Coriander (Coriandrum sativum) – Coriander is also known as Cilantro; Coriander is the seeds of the plant, and Cilantro is the foliage. Coriander is a cold weather biennial herb that is best sown in late August through mid-September and be expected to survive the winter in the southeast. Coriander is said to repel aphids, to help Anise but be a problem for Fennel.

Dill (Anethum graveolens) – Dill is an annual that readily self-sows giving it the appearance of a biennial or perennial. Dill is said to be a good match for Cabbage.

Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare) – Fennel comes in one of two varieties, the green type or the bronze type; both of them are safely edible. Fennel according to some sources inhibits members of the Nightshade family while pairing with Cabbages, Onions and Mint family members. In come older publications another plant (Nigella sativa) is also commonly called Fennel.

Parsley (Petroselinum crispum) – Parsley is a biennial that comes in two forms, the curled or flat leaf types. The former is often used as a garnish and the latter as a seasoning but both can be used in culinary dishes. Parsley seed sown with Carrot seed can help fight off Carrot flies. Parsley planted under Tomatoes can help the vigor of the Tomatoes while also acting as a ground cover to suppress weeds. Eating a sprig of parsley and washing it down despite the taste with ice-cold water can help obliterate bad breath.

Parsnip (Pastinaca sativa) – Parsnips are a biennial and are known for their difficult germination and their seeds having a very poor shelf life. They’re one of the few root vegetables that don’t really get any pests but if you can get them to germinate they can grow under Tomatoes just like carrots.

Lovage (Levisticum officinale) – Lovage is essentially perennial miniature Celery with a flavor that is described as a mix of Celery and Parsley with more kick. The Leaves, roots and seeds are all used in culinary and herbal/medicinal recipes and this plant is said to help pretty much everything else do better.

For the purposes of companion planting someone is inevitably going to ask about the two problem children of the Carrot Family; Poison Hemlock (Conium maculatum) and, Giant Hogweed (Heracleum mantegazzianum).

The first one was used historically to kill Socrates after he was convicted of corrupting the youth of Athens. Poison Hemlock is a biennial and looks a lot like a Wild Carrot but, Hemlock can get well over eight feet tall, has hollow stems and when it’s foliage is crushed or bruised it emits a unpleasant odor. Also purple spotting is likely to be present on the stems of Poison Hemlock.

Giant Hogweed which is considered a noxious invasive plant has phototoxic sap that can really mess up your skin. Giant Hogweed can get up to 18 feet tall and has leaves that almost resemble those on an unrelated Cardoon (Cynara cardunculus). Giant Hogweed also has hollow purple spotted stems that are often 2-6” in diameter with coarse bristles and leaves may be as wide as 8 feet. In short everything on this plant is massive. It thus far has only been found in Watauga County near blowing rock in NC. For the next bit about companion planting, I’m going to take a look at the Onion family and then after that the Cabbage family.

Thursday, February 5, 2026

American Sycamore

Note from the Author: New plant!

A yellowing autumn leaf showing the maple-like shape of the leaves. Note the mottled bark on the branch in the lower right.

The reddish tinge to the leaves is because it is fall and the chlorophyll has broken down to reveal other colors, the Yellows or Xanthophylls show first, the red is the Anthocyanins emerging.

This is what I mean by 'Mottled' bark. It's also a great winter feature as it gives the American Sycamore year-round value by urban tree standards.

This is what the bark looks like on a fairly young specimen. It goes from this to the smooth mottled bark that you probably know better. The oldest known American Sycamore is between 350 and 400 years old with a 28.5 foot trunk circumference. There are tales from the settlement of North America that speak of people living in the naturally hollowed trunks of American Sycamores.

Common Name: American Sycamore

Other Common Names: Buttonball Tree, Buttonwood, Eastern Sycamore, American Plane Tree, Western Plane, Occidental Plane and, Water Beech.

Botanical Family: Platanaceae (The Plane Family)

Botanical Latin Name: Platanus occidentalis

Description & Habitat: Before I delve into the details here, I have to note that the name ‘sycamore’ refers to a number of trees that are both native and non-native to North America. American Sycamore specifically is a deciduous tree native to North America that is commonly found in southeastern Canada, and the central and eastern United States. In general American Sycamore is a fast-growing tree that can get very large with age and has a wide canopy with an irregularly shaped crown at maturity. The American Sycamore is best known for its ‘seed balls’ that are often mistaken for the ones produced by Sweet Gum (Liquiambar styraciflua) though Sycamore’s seed balls are actually a cluster of tightly packed seeds. In the winter, Sycamore is known for its mottled bark which to some makes it appear as if it has died because lighter patches are almost the color of exposed heartwood. It is not uncommon for a Sycamore in an urban environment to reach up to 100 feet tall with equal spread if allowed and American Sycamores can handle urban pollution, and are not too picky about soil pH or texture. American Sycamores are noted to even be tolerant of proximity to Black Walnut Trees and it is considered a hardwood tree. The scientific name of American Sycamore derives from the Greek word ‘Plantanos’ which in turn appears to originate from the word ‘Platys’ which means broad or flat. In Greek Mythology Platanus was the daughter of the Thessalian King Aloeus and sister of the Aloadae Giants whom attempted and failed to assault Mount Olympus. The specific epithet ‘occidentalis’ simply means western. The epithet was added because the American Sycamore resembled the Sycamores common to the British Isles despite being in a different family. The British Sycamore is actually in the Maple family (Acer pseudoplatanus). The common name Sycamore itself appears to come from the Greek words ‘siga’ and ‘mora’ which means Fig (sýko) and Mulberry (moúro). If you don’t see the connection that’s ok, because there is a type of fig in the Middle East called a Sycamore Fig (Ficus sycomorus), and it has the same kind of broad, massive stature at maturity. The primary disadvantage to this tree in the land scape is that it gets large and many people underestimate its mature size. It also will heave sidewalks and roads and its roots can disrupt buried utilities. In terms of pest problems American Sycamore can be attacked by a bunch of insects such as; Borers, Scale, Japanese Beetles, varied Caterpillars, Spider Mites. On top of this there are a few diseases that are a problem too as it is susceptible to Sycamore Anthracnose, Cankers, Leaf Spot and Powdery Mildew. It also is not idea for windy areas since it is susceptible to wind damage.

Special Toxicity Note: As far as I can tell there are no poisonous or toxic parts on this tree.

When & What to Harvest: The most obvious things you can harvest from this tree are the fallen leaves for compost as it will produce a lot of those and they’re a great substitute for Maple or Oak leaves when trying to make Leaf Mold Compost. The seed balls have use in assorted crafts in the same way Cattails do in dried arrangements. Its wood is great for making tool handles or utensils or even butcher blocks, generally its wood is very versatile. I have also seen some folks credibly make mention of using washed Sycamore leaves as a sort of forage Saran Wrap for meat as the leaves are large and help keep what’s inside moist. In a culinary sense, you can tap its sap like you would a Sugar Maple, though it’s not even remotely as sweet. Realistically you’d have to boil down gallons of American Sycamore sap to get a few ounces of Syrup, but the real use here is that the sap is a viable source of filtered water. While I’ve not verified this, I’ve heard that chunks of its bark can be used as a coffee substitute which is plausible. Additionally, there are some noted but unsubstantiated uses of the inner bark for herbal/medicinal use however, I advise caution with this for the usual reasons.

Related Plants: London Plane Tree (Platanus x hispanica), Oriental Plane (P. orientalis).

Recipe:

-As I noted above, American Sycamore Sap is barely sweet and it takes a lot to make a gallon of Syrup. There is not a formal recipe for this so the following is a guide of sorts based on my personal experience in tapping trees for syrup making. First things first, the best time to tap an American Sycamore is late winter into early spring, you don’t want to go too far into spring because it can stunt the growth of the tree and make it too weak to fend off pests and disease. The science behind it is that the cold nights and warming thaw of days helps create pressure to move sap up from the roots. You start by drilling a small hole into the mature tree, use a rubber mallet to gently hammer in a spout and then hang a bucket off the tap or run a line down to a collection bottle/bucket. How long you tap should hinge on how mature and healthy your tree is and the environmental conditions but a month per tree is decent, but you should bank on tapping multiple trees to get the bulk numbers you need. Why bulk? Well, with American Sycamores it can take 60-100 gallons of sap to make 1-5 gallons of syrup, and being prompt about getting filled containers to your boiling pot is important as Sap can spoil quickly as bacteria moves in pretty quick. Also, I highly advice sealed containers/taps because critters will want to get into your collected sap. The sap you’ve harvested can be frozen if you’re not planning to use it immediately it is after all mostly water. For the next part you’re going to need a large cooking pot, not the size you’d use on your stove, though if you’re rendering in small batches then you use what you’ve got. Normally for gallons of sap you’d want something like a 40-100 quart size stock pot, ie what you might see in a stereotypical soup kitchen. Boiling gallons of sap down can understandably take hours and often it’s wiser to get a gas burner and do this outside because all the water you’re boiling off has to go somewhere and you really don’t want that steaming your house. Also boiling down sap can take 28-56 hours so smaller batches in a shallow rectangular pan can speed that up but you have to repeat the process multiple times to handle the quantity. What syrup you do get stores well because it’s highly resistant to bacterial growth due to its highly concentrated sugar content, it is not immune to intrusion by fungi such as mold. In a properly sealed container your syrup can conceivably remain shelf-stable and safe to eat for years if not decades.

Additional Information: (If applicable)

https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/platanus-occidentalis/

Where to get Seed or Bare Root Plants:

https://fedcoseeds.com/trees/american-sycamore-7540

https://shop.arborday.org/american-sycamore

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.

Fall Produce:

Garlic, Softneck

Soup Kits, Parsnip

Soup Kits, Turnip

Carrots

Celery

Onions

Parsnips

Red Potatoes

Turnips

Sweet Potatoes

Plants Coming Soon:

TBA, new stuff in spring

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 (-): [On Winter Haitus]

Meetings are still going on! Our next (unofficial) meeting is February 7^th at the Fayetteville City Market at 325 Franklin Street between 9:00 am and 1:00 pm. If you can’t make it to the City Market come on down to the North South Brewery Market which is at 304 Williams Street (Right off WestRussel Street), between 1pm and 5pm every Saturday.

Thursday, January 22, 2026

Water Oak

Note from the Author: New plant, and a delayed post!

This picture is why I say you should gather a few leaves and draw a consensus about shape between them. On this one braNch they're elliptical but on the leaves in the background (lower left), they're spatulate shaped.

Note the alternate branching pattern.

Mature water Oak bark is pretty distinctive

Common Name: Water Oak

Other Common Names: Black Oak, North American Barren Oak, North American Black Oak, Possum Oak.

Botanical Family: Fagaceae (The Beech Family)

Botanical Latin Name: Quercus nigra

Description & Habitat: Water Oak is commonly found in Cumberland county North Carolina, and in our areas is effectively an evergreen. It is native to North American and is a fast growing medium sized tree at maturity. It often grows to a height of 50 to 80 feet tall with a canopy that can be up to 70 feet in width. Amongst members of the Oak genus it is generally considered to have softer wood than others and it has a noticeably shorter life span. Your average Water Oak often lives 30 to 50 years though in the urban environment that may be even shorter because of the usual impacts of soil compaction, damage and fungal intrusion. The native region in which you can find Water Oaks is the central or eastern United States, and they prefer forests, flood plains and beside rivers, streams or sloped areas with soil that is on the dry side. You can also commonly find them in the Coastal Plains and Piedmont regions of North Carolina. As you might expect Water Oaks prefer rich moderate to wet soils with a acidic pH and full sun exposure. Saplings will tolerate less than this but will grow to effectively create the aforementioned exposure environment and enrich their soil with dropped leaves. You can identify a Water Oak easily by its uniquely shaped leaves which are roughly spatulate or spoon shaped. I personally think they often look more like a vertically stretched version of the club from a deck of playing cards. There is a fair amount of differing leaf morphology on a given tree so you may have to collect or examine a bunch of leaves to reach a leaf shape consensus. The big problem with this tree is its weak branch architecture when compared to other Oak Species. The branch architecture lends to breakage in high winds or ice events which makes it less than ideal for planting near structures. It is however good for planting in open spaces or near bodies of water. Water Oaks are also a host plant for the Larvae of at least seven native species of Moths and Butterflies. In colder climates where Water Oak is deciduous its leaves turn a nice golden yellow color in the fall. As a final note for this section, it has been recorded that Water Oak can produce hybrids with Southern Red Oak (Q. falcata), Bluejack Oak (Q. incana), Turkey Oak (Q. laevis), Blackjack Oak (Q. marilandica), Willow Oak (Q. phellos), Shumard Oak (Q. shumardii), and Black Oak (Q. velutina).

Special Toxicity Note: The tannin contained in the leaves and acorns of this tree aren’t toxic in general however they can cause nausea and cause iron absorption problems in people. The leaves from this tree are toxic to most livestock with the exception of Pigs.

When & What to Harvest:

Water Oaks are interesting when it comes to the Oak family because their primary use since the 17^th century is as firewood. The leaves of this oak are particularly useful in the compost pile for making leaf mold and they absolutely pulverize when run over with a mower using a mulching blade. The Acorns can be eaten but often they are on the small side and can pose a slip hazard where they fall on hard surfaces as they range from the size of a medium ball bearing to that of a marble (1/2-1”). This means you would have to collect a lot of them just to extract a modest amount of nut meat to use for flour. Also the problem of tannin is still there, you’re still going to have to leech it out using boiling or soaking methods. In North Carolina generally speaking Water Oak will have acorns from September to November, but weather conditions might cause them to be plus/minus a month in timing. What you want to do here is to gather several pounds of Water Oak acorns with the expectation that you for every three to four pounds of unprocessed acorns that you gather will produce about a pound of flour in this case. The difficulty of this can vary on the number of trees and if or if not it is a masting year. Masting years are when trees produce so many extra seeds that things that might eat them cannot possibly collect them all. So tannin extraction or leeching is a pretty simple process you can either boil them or let them soak. Both methods prefer that you shell the acorns first; boiling is the faster method and all you have to do is shell your acorns then boil them until the water turns dark. Dump the water and replace it with fresh water and boil again, keep doing this until the water is clear you can add Baking Soda to accelerate this process. The alternative is that you can place the bag in a stream so it’s constantly wet and wait a t least a day possibly several until the nuts are no longer bitter. From here you can dry them, crush them finely to make Acorn Flour, or crush them coarsely so the chunks are of even size and make something akin to Grits. Or you can roast them and eat them as a trail mix sort of snack. There are tons of recipes for making breads with Acorns, failing that there are several companies that make Acorn Flour so you can work out recipes without all the grunt work. As a final note for harvesting, Water Oak can be a host for Lions Mane Mushrooms in the wild.

Related Plants: Black Jack Oak (Q. marilandica) is visually very similar.