The History of Carolinian Crops in Six Easy Steps

Join us with Dr. Jeff Gillman, Director of the UNC Charlotte Botanical Gardens, to explore the history of Carolinian crops and how they’ve shaped our land, culture, and food.

Over the years many different crops flourished on the land of the Carolinas. Before European colonists arrived plants like Maypop, corn, chestnut and yaupon flourished. Later, after the arrival of old world colonists crops like tobacco, peanut, mulberry and cotton had their day. Today crops like sweet potato, hops and soybean are taking over. Where did these crops come from, why were they able to take over, and what does it mean for the future of our land, and our dinner plates?

Presenter Bio:  Jeff Gillman is the Director of the UNC Charlotte Botanical Gardens. He holds a Ph.D. in Horticulture and a Master's Degree in Entomology, both from the University of Georgia. Jeff has authored or coauthored five popular books on gardening and the environment and is a contributing editor to Fine Gardening Magazine. He received the Garden Writers of America's Cynthia Westcott Award in 2018 for making scientific writing accessible to laypeople and has appeared on Martha Stewart, Growing a Greener World, and as an invited speaker at the Northwest Flower Show, the Philadelphia Flower show, Epcot Center, as well as many other venues.