Garden Club Highlights History of Marco Plantings

The Calusa Garden Club celebrated the unveiling of its latest joint venture. This time it was done in coordination with the Marco Island Historical Society. Their “green thumbs” have become legend across the island and this time they applied those talents to showcasing the history of many of the more popular plants which were present during the early days on Marco Island.

Dale DeFeo from the Calusa Garden Club along with Emily Garcia from the Historical Museum guided the members of the Calusa Club through the work that was accomplished in coordination with Squares Landscaping, Sandcastle Nursery and other volunteers. She also credited club member Linda Turner with providing and planting all of the pineapple plants that were found in the garden. Another Club member, Lee Oldershaw also donated one of the two species of banana trees which was proudly on display at the opening of the garden.

DeFeo pointed out that the sweet potato plants were set in half-pots to ensure they would take over the planting area as they are a very invasive plant species.

Understanding how early settlers of the island subsisted on what they were able to grow for their own consumption was a major emphasis of this collaborative project between the two organizations. 

Historically, many tend to concentrate on the abundance of marine life and the fishing industry. Very few of our modern-day visitors understood the fact that Marco Island once supported a major pineapple industry from the late 1800s to early 1900s. In fact, the sweet plant we all today enjoy was once the major export to the mainland, with the island boasting more than a million plants at one time.

In Key Marco off San Marco Road, the remains of the Captain Horr’s Pineapple Plantation Historical Site still remain and is a national historical location.

Native inhabitants to the area would utilize the Coontie plant, whose roots could be used as a source of food. Although the plant in its raw state is naturally poisonous to humans, the Seminole Indians developed a process wherein the roots and stems had the toxins removed and the remaining starch could be used to make bread.

Key Limes, sweet potatoes and tomatoes were also on display in the garden, which will be maintained by the local garden club.

The Calusa Garden Club has been involved in a number of projects across the island. Within Veterans Community Park, one can find the results of their hard work in the presence of a Blue Star Memorial. In 1946, the National Council of State Garden Clubs founded the Blue Star Memorial Marker Program as a way to honor all our veterans. 

In November of 2013, the club unveiled Marco Island’s memorial within the park and has been maintaining it since then.

The club also donated the funds to establish the Butterfly Gardens along the half-mile long linear park, which is located on Winterberry Drive. The signage, bench and Royal Poinciana Tree were all part of what those monies were used for. The Club in coordination with the city’s Beautification Advisory Committee, volunteers and city staff continue to plant and maintain that area.

Other plantings can be found around the island at Historical Markers and other significant points of interest.

The Calusa Garden Club will hold its annual Flower Show on March 7 & 8 from 10 AM to 4 PM both days at the Marco Island Center for the Arts on Winterberry Drive. Both floral designs and other horticulture will be on display and open to the public.