Cahaba lily facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Cahaba lily |
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Hymenocallis coronaria, also known as the Cahaba lily, shoal lily, or shoals spider-lily, is a beautiful flowering plant that grows in water. It is a perennial plant, meaning it lives for more than two years. This special plant is found only in the Southeastern United States, specifically in Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina, and parts of North Carolina. In Alabama, people call it the Cahaba lily. In other places, it is known as the Shoal lily or Shoals spider-lily.
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What is the Cahaba Lily Like?
The Cahaba lily needs certain conditions to grow well. It loves fast-moving, shallow water and lots of direct sunlight. This plant can grow to be about 3 feet (1 meter) tall. It grows from a bulb, which is like a special underground stem, that hides in cracks in rocky areas of rivers.
When Does the Cahaba Lily Bloom?
The Cahaba lily blooms from early May to late June. Each flower is very fragrant and opens up at night. It only lasts for one day! Moths like the plebeian sphinx moth (Paratrea plebeja) and butterflies like the pipevine swallowtail (Battus philenor) visit these flowers. They might even help the plants make seeds.
The Cahaba lily was first seen in 1783 by a person named William Bartram. He described it as a sweet-smelling plant that almost completely covered the small rocky islands in the Savannah River near Augusta, Georgia.
Where Do Cahaba Lilies Live?
Sadly, the Cahaba lily is being considered for protection under the Endangered Species Act. This is because many groups of these plants have disappeared. This often happens when dams are built on rivers. Dams change how rivers flow, which can harm the plants.
Today, there are only about 50 groups of Cahaba lilies left. They are all in Alabama, Georgia, and South Carolina. The three biggest groups are found in the Cahaba River in Alabama, the Catawba River in South Carolina, and the Flint River in Georgia.
In the Cahaba River, there are four separate groups of these lilies. Three of them are inside the Cahaba River National Wildlife Refuge. One group is in a smaller stream called Buck Creek. The Catawba River has one group in Landsford Canal State Park. The Flint River has four groups, from Yellow Jacket Shoals to Hightower Shoals. There are also important groups of Cahaba lilies in the Savannah River area. Three are in the main river, and one each is in its smaller rivers, Stevens Creek in South Carolina and the Broad River in Georgia.
Images for kids
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A Cahaba lily in Vietnam.
See also
In Spanish: Hymenocallis coronaria para niños
