Who Should Win?
by
James Bow
·
1 year ago
Our latest match in #MarchSpeciesMadness pits 2022's Champion of the Plants Trout Lily against a newcomer to the brackets, the Bur Oak! Both these species are important inhabitants of our natural areas.
The Trout Lily is a beautiful yellow violet with mottled grey-green leaves that resemble the fish the plant is named after. It blooms in early in spring to take advantage of unobstructed sunlight and nutrient-rich early spring soils. It's commonly found in the woodlands of eastern North America, so you may see it on rare's trails. These small flowers grow as colonies, sending up new flowers each spring; some colonies have been found to be around 300 years old!
From the small but mighty to the tall and mighty, the Trout Lily's opponent is the Bur Oak, another species native to eastern North America. These trees ccan grow between 30 to 50 metres tall, with trunks as thick as 3 metres in diameter. Individual trees can live between 80-100 years. Whether standing alone in a field or with other oaks in a forest, the oak is an important species to the forest ecosystem. Its acorns are a key food for wildlife, including bears. It tolerates diverse climactic conditions and is drought resistant, which is why it's been cultivated for use in gardens, parks, and on city sidewalks.
This may seem like a David versus Goliath battle, but don't count out either long-lived species. Our forests would be diminished without them, so let's give them some space and help them grow. For this contest, however, there can be only one winner, and it's time for you to decide that now.
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