Mowed Bog, Hancock/Harrison County, MS
May 6, 2014 21:41:37 GMT -5
meizzwang, yosemite, and 2 more like this
Post by rhizomatous on May 6, 2014 21:41:37 GMT -5
School's over until the fall, so I've been out checking out some bog sites close to home. This site is special for a few reasons. South Mississippi experienced serious damage from Hurricane Katrina. From what I and my parents remember, a trailer existed on this site prior to Hurricane Katrina but was blown across the road in front of it. Following the hurricane, two new trailers were put on the site, but recently they were moved elsewhere. Following removal of the trailers, I was able to see behind them. From what it looked like, there was a population of pitcher plants on the site, but I never got to go look! Today, I finally decided to check it out.
If you remember from my Bulldozer Bog thread, that site was on the border of Hancock and Harrison Counties, MS. This one also teeters on the line between two counties, just further north.
The trailers used to be on this flat ground.
Here's a view from behind. Can you see the pitcher plants? They're right behind where the trailers were.
When I stopped to go check out the site, I felt pretty confident pitcher plants were there because the ground was littered with sundews and crayfish (we call 'em crawfish down here) burrows.
It became clear pretty quickly that at least Sarracenia alata was on the site, but notice how low all of the grass is here. And there are basically no woody plants at all.
The field was dotted with flowers, and the pitchers are a lot smaller than is typical. It turns out this site is mowed frequently, which seems to save these plants. They get cut back, but they are able to survive in this field with no competition from other plants. Just my thoughts anyway.
Above are a few different plants. Assuming they aren't cut back, it'll be interesting to see how they color up over the summer.
The plants extend along the forest on the left and straight ahead, really only not growing where the trailers used to be.
And guess what often grows alongside S. alata. Here's a hint:
Did you get it?
S. psittacina!
There didn't seem to be as many, but there were some nice clumps!
And behind the field in the woods are even more plants. These extend just as far as the field, but it's much more of a pine forest.
S. psittacina in more shade.
S. alata in the woods benefiting from no mowing.
Some more S. alata in the wooded area.
I just took some quick photos and didn't go into the woods, so I'll probably go back later to check it out.
If you remember from my Bulldozer Bog thread, that site was on the border of Hancock and Harrison Counties, MS. This one also teeters on the line between two counties, just further north.
The trailers used to be on this flat ground.
Here's a view from behind. Can you see the pitcher plants? They're right behind where the trailers were.
When I stopped to go check out the site, I felt pretty confident pitcher plants were there because the ground was littered with sundews and crayfish (we call 'em crawfish down here) burrows.
It became clear pretty quickly that at least Sarracenia alata was on the site, but notice how low all of the grass is here. And there are basically no woody plants at all.
The field was dotted with flowers, and the pitchers are a lot smaller than is typical. It turns out this site is mowed frequently, which seems to save these plants. They get cut back, but they are able to survive in this field with no competition from other plants. Just my thoughts anyway.
Above are a few different plants. Assuming they aren't cut back, it'll be interesting to see how they color up over the summer.
The plants extend along the forest on the left and straight ahead, really only not growing where the trailers used to be.
And guess what often grows alongside S. alata. Here's a hint:
Did you get it?
S. psittacina!
There didn't seem to be as many, but there were some nice clumps!
And behind the field in the woods are even more plants. These extend just as far as the field, but it's much more of a pine forest.
S. psittacina in more shade.
S. alata in the woods benefiting from no mowing.
Some more S. alata in the wooded area.
I just took some quick photos and didn't go into the woods, so I'll probably go back later to check it out.