As I continued on, I saw a lot of pretty plants that I am not familiar with and some nice vibrant colors.

















After the ladies arrived and getting set up, I just hung out for a while and had lunch. Later in the afternoon, I was getting things prepped to start the evening fire for them. I split some wood with my Wetterlings axe, got a little tinder bundle of eucalyptus bark ready and made a few feather sticks with my Fallkniven F1. As I started making them, I remembered to take a picture. I made feather sticks for the fire this morning using the axe.



one last post coming...

Aloha,

If I hadn't gotten out into the woods this weekend I'd be hating you right now.

The palm tree in the first picture, are those fruits edible? There's a lot of palm trees like that in my neighborhood and they produce the same sort of clumps of berry-things. I haven't been able to find out if I can eat them.

The second picture looks like it might be a loquat tree, which produces edible fruit. If the fruits turn yellow-orange and grow to the size of grapes it probably is a loquat.

The fifth picture (fuzzy pink puffballs) is a mimosa tree. They are invasive here in the Houston area.

Thanks for the pictures.
-Blast

Blast,

Here in Florida the palms with the red seeds are known as Christmas Palms. Don't know if it the real name but it's all I've ever heard them called. Google is probably the quickest answer...

Without some research, I would not eat the fruit. They are rather fiberous and generally around an inch to perhaps a max of an inch and a half max. dimension.

Regards, Comanche7

Comanche7,

Thanks for the tip. Googling "Christmas Palm Edible" told me it's scientific name is Veitchia merrillii and that the fruit is not edible but its palm heart is. Cutting out the palm heart will kill the tree, so it'd definately a last ditch sort of thing.

-Blast

If you haven't had "Hearts of Palm" (I haven't), you can buy them in the store. I believe they come canned. So if you'd like to try it before you 'have to' that is the way to go.

Aloha Blast, don't kill the messenger.

I am not sure if the fruit from the palm is edible, but the heart should be. Let me know if you find out different.

The fruit in the second picture probably isn't loquat. I think loquat is yellower and the leaves are more pointy, I think.

The large clumps of balls are Brazil nuts.

And the bright orange flower is from the hau tree or hibiscus. I am told by an excellent authority that hau wood is great for friction fire. In fact, one of our visiting buddies went to the Polynesian Cultural Center. And when I mentioned hibiscus for the fire plow and bow drill, he told me that is what they used in the friction fire demonstration there.

I am told canned is nothing like fresh. A friend got to have some when they did a controlled clearing of some palm trees. He said it was incredibly delicious.

Yep, fresh heart of palm is much better.
Not a big surprise really since almost every food tastes better fresh, i.e. exceptions such as spaghetti & sauce, various stews and soups, there are others. YMMV
Comanche7