January 20, 2006 - "Love Vine" is in the Air at the Oxbow Eco-Center

Did you know that a tea made of love vine mixed with gumbo limbo was considered an aphrodisiac in the Bahamas and Montserrat? Or that a decoction of love vine applied to the scalp was believed to stop hair loss? Did you know that Romans drank violet-flavored wine and spent more time cultivating violets than olives? The St. Lucie County Oxbow Eco-Center will host the monthly meeting of the Lakela's Mint Chapter of the Florida Native Plant Society on Tuesday, Feb. 14 beginning at 6 p.m. where they will present a session on the "Love Vine and its Relatives…and Other Valentine's Bloomers."

Guests can learn how to identify the love vine, violets and other plants flowering during the Valentine "season." The society will examine the bay tree, a common native tree, which is in the same family as love vine. Additionally, they will explore the ethnobotany of these species to gain a better understanding of how they were utilized and referred to by other cultures historically. Join the Native Plant Society to find out more about the unique and fascinating native plants of Florida!

The Oxbow Eco-Center is located at 5400 N.E. St. James Drive in Port St. Lucie. The event is free and open to the public. For more information, call (772) 785-5833.