(From my friend Pat) "Have you noticed the clumps of little white flowers on the east side of Pioneer Rd and the freeway? The flowers are the Bear Claw Poppy, an endangered species that grows only in our small area southwest of St. George! The developers who built Sun River and put in Pioneer Drive were coerced by the Environmentalists to construct the road around the existing plants -- the developers were not allowed to move or do anything to harm the fragile little poppy, [hence] the curving Pioneer Road. I never appreciated the story until I began seeing the flowers this year for the first time since we have lived here! I took pictures and then compared my picture to the info on the internet, and voila! The pictures matched!"
How cool that they would do that for a plant???
ReplyDeleteI'm all for doing anything that will help a flower grow... especially in the harsh desert environment. They may call it dirt in Southern Utah. But, I tried to garden down there. It's concrete in the hot, dry summer months, and quicksand in the muddy winter months.
ReplyDeleteThese are lovely and delicate and well worth driving a few yards out of the way for...
I'ts amazing to see that delicate plant all alone in the baked clay of the desert soil.
ReplyDeleteWhat a nice thing to do. Such a pretty little plant.
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad they are protecting the flowers. Perhaps they could try propagating it too?
ReplyDeleteThis story makes me glad. I am glad the flowers ruled the day and weren't sacrificed for economy.
ReplyDeleteIt's nice that it is being protected...
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