SPEC: Iris virginica
Yesterday, I mentioned that I am not very far from the Chassahowitzka
National Wildlife Refuge -- the Whooping Crane destination. The Gulf of
Mexico coast along this part of Florida is very low and swampy, with large
expanses of salt marshes. Many bays and inlets are brackish where fresh
water meets salt water.
Normally, there is very little surf in that area, but being very low, it
is subject to storm surge flooding. What has amazed me is the sheer number
of Irises growing wild in that low marshy area around Crystal River, FL,
which is where I am more familiar with.
These Irises grow not only in streams and ditches out of the storm surge
range, they grow in parts of the salt marshes, in some place being in direct
contact to the Gulf of Mexico. I am not sure what these are, but I am almost
certain that they are a type of Iris virginica.
There have been a couple times that I tried to take a closer look at
some of those plants. However, most of you all probably know what kind of
animal lives in Florida swamps... These Irises bloom about the beginning of
alligator mating season. On each of those times I tried to take a closer
look at those Irises, I found about ten feet worth of reasons to get out of
there...
Mark A. Cook
BigAlligator@aol.com
Dunnellon, Florida, USA
USDA Zone 8b Sunset Zone 28
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