Tuesday, June 02, 2009

Librarians Gone Wild: Our Trip To The Cahaba Lilies 2009

Joel Bullock goes native at the Cahaba River
Yesterday, several members of Carmichael Library's faculty and staff escaped the confines of the stacks. Though armed (with walking sticks), they were not considered dangerous, and the suspects were soon rounded up and returned to their posts by the afternoon.

Every year, the library crew takes a trip out to the Cahaba River to see the lilies bloom. The swift currents made it difficult to actually get out to the lilies this time, but a few of us managed to brave it and Gloria Beasley snagged some great photos for us to share with you.

About The Cahaba Lily

Hymenocallis coronaria (Cahaba Lily or Shoals spider-lily) is a species of the genus Hymenocallis, native to the Southeastern United States. It is an aquatic perennial flowering plant found only in Alabama, Georgia, and South Carolina. Within Alabama it is known as the Cahaba Lily, outside of that state it is known as the Shoals spider-lily because it requires a swift, shallow, water current and direct sunlight to flourish. The plant grows to about 3 feet (0.9 m) tall and develops from a bulb that lodges in between rocks in the shoals. It blooms from early May to late June. Each fragrant flower blooms for one day. (source)






From left to right: Michael Price, Amanda Melcher, Gloria Beasley, Rosemary Arneson, Joel Bullock, Adam Kamerer, Joie Molden, Brian McConnell, Mary Seagle

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