Hymenocallis and the freeway

Jacob Knecht sabepafronta@yahoo.com
Mon, 26 Mar 2007 02:45:23 PDT
Joe,

Thank you so much for sharing such a marvellous view!

aloha,
Jacob Knecht
Honolulu, Hawai`i

--- Joe Shaw <jshaw@opuntiads.com> wrote:

> Hi Gang,
> 
> 
> 
> Some years ago (not sure when), the Texas Department
> of Transportation built 
> a bridge over the Trinity River, near the Gulf of
> Mexico.  This Interstate 
> 10 bridge is much traveled and is being widened.
> 
> 
> 
> When the original bridge was built the DOT created a
> wonderful habitat for 
> Hymenocallis liriosme as they prepared land for the
> bridge and foundations. 
> The soil is deep and rich from the adjacent river,
> and the location is 
> frequently wet or partially submerged in winter. 
> There are many acres of H. 
> liriosme that bloom each April and May; adjacent
> areas are rich with Crinum 
> americanum.  The H. liriosme plants near the bridge
> are the largest I've 
> ever observed and have the largest flowers too. 
> Perhaps it is just because 
> the soil is so rich and deep, or perhaps the local
> race is truly large. 
> However, when I grow the river plants in my garden
> they are typically twice 
> the height of locally obtained plants (Conroe, TX). 
> The river flowers 
> spread to 8 inches (sometimes a bit more), whereas
> the Conroe flowers are 
> typically 5-6 inches from spidery tip to spidery
> tip.
> 
> 
> 
> Anyway, the DOT created a wonderful habitat, but
> they are now they are 
> widening the freeway.  I passed by recently and
> great chunks of land have 
> been churned up as a new bridge is being put into
> place, parallel to the old 
> bridge.
> 
> 
> 
> I never really calculated the area involved, but I
> suppose there were about 
> 10 acres of H. liriosme plants in bloom in May 2005
> and May 2006.  I'm sure 
> that many Hymenocallis will survive, but the large
> expanse of flowers will 
> be a thing of the past.  Perhaps half the area will
> be lost to the new 
> bridge, perhaps more.  I guess it is possible that
> the current construction 
> will inadvertently create a new expanse of H.
> liriosme habitat.
> 
> 
> 
> LINK:  Image, H. liriosme below I-10 bridge, Trinity
> River, TX
> 
>
http://members.aol.com/conroejoe/…
> 
> 
> 
> LINK:  Close-up Image, H. liriosme, large-flowered
> type below bridge
> 
>
http://members.aol.com/conroejoe/…
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Cordially,
> 
> 
> 
> Joe
> 
> Conroe TX
> 
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> 



 
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