What are all of these Plants Around My House?

Three years ago, I would have looked around our 15 acres and told you we had a lot of trees and brush.  I might have been able to pick out a few by name.  I have led this project for the last three years because my daughter loves being outside and working with wildlife.  We had lost our project leader and someone needed to step up to take on that role.  I knew to continue the project for my daughter that I was that person.  However, my daughter became the instructor and I was there in name only.  Then my daughter graduated and headed off for New York City!!!!  I realized I was leading a project and needed to actually teach this stuff!!!! 

So here I am, trying to figure it all out.  I knew we had a few of the plants and trees on our property.  What were they?

I fudged my way through it last year but knew I needed to try harder.  I studied the books and the Internet sites, and now I think I can actually tell a mulberry from a sassafras.  And so much more. 

Some of the group hanging around the plum tree

Yesterday when I had the 4H group out to our house, I took them around the property and along with Henry (who is still better than I am at 11yo) we pointed out the plants we have related to the contest.  I was pleasantly surprised to find the following plants:

American Beauty berry
Bahia grass
Black cherry
Croton
Dewberry
Dogwood
Elm
Grapes
Greenbriar
Hickory
Holly
Honeysuckle
Jessamine
Magnolia
Mulberry
Partridge Pea
Plum
Post Oak
Rattan
Red Maple
Rusty Blackhaw
Sassafras
Southern Red Oak
Sumac Littleleaf
Vetch
Water Oak
Western Ragweed
White Oak
Yaupon

29 of 51 plants within 100 feet is not bad.  Furthermore, I was able to find and identify them!!  And, there are probably others (those darn grasses!!) that we will continue to be on the look out to find.  All in all I think it was a good day for Wildlife. 

Tomorrow, I want to share with you what my boys were able to do.  I am quite proud of them!!