Tiny Troublemaker: The Orchid That Stopped a Highway
This botanical history post was featured on The Daily Gardener podcast:
July 10, 1983
On this day, dear readers, a most peculiar headline graced the pages of The Town Talk in Alexandria, Louisiana. It proclaimed, with no small measure of astonishment, 'Rare Plant Halts Road Work.'
One can only imagine the raised eyebrows and bemused expressions that must have adorned the faces of those perusing their morning papers.
It transpires that a rather ambitious $15 million highway widening project near College Station found itself brought to an abrupt halt.
The cause? Not some grand political machination or fiscal mishap, but a diminutive and decidedly rare orchid.
Yes, you read that correctly, my fellow gardening enthusiasts. A mere plant, standing no taller than six inches, had the audacity to throw a veritable spanner in the works of human progress!
The culprit in question is none other than the Spiranthes parksii (pronounced "parks-ee-eye"), a name that rolls off the tongue with all the grace of a debutante at her first ball.
This petite wonder is more colloquially known as Navasota Ladies' Tresses, a moniker derived from its penchant for gracing the banks of the Navasota River with its presence.
Picture, if you will, a delicate stem adorned with pristine white blooms, a vision of botanical elegance in miniature.
This enchanting species first made its debut in the annals of botanical history in 1945, catching the discerning eye of one Donovan Stewart Correll.
The esteemed botanist saw fit to immortalize our little troublemaker in his 1950 opus, Native Orchids of North America North of Mexico. Little did he know the stir this unassuming bloom would cause in the years to come!
Indeed, our Navasota Ladies' Tresses achieved a rather dubious distinction, becoming the 54th plant species in the United States to be classified as endangered.
One can't help but wonder if it wore this title as a badge of honor, preening amongst its more common floral brethren.
So there you have it, my dear gardeners.
A reminder that in the grand tapestry of nature, even the smallest thread can unravel the grandest of human designs.
Perhaps we ought to take a leaf out of this orchid's book and stand our ground, no matter how tiny our plot may be!
Until next time, may your gardens flourish and your rare plants thrive – just not in the path of any proposed highways, if you please!
