I guess it depends on where you live as to whether or not it's unusual. Or rather where you vacation! We're gone forever down to a lake in AR and these are all over, just sprouting up out of the water. I'm not sure they're indigenous to this county, but they are just to the east of me, where I was able to buy one. I love it! Mine grew pretty fast, especially since it's right at one of the downspouts of our house.

I'm really not one to hang out in freshwater areas, wetlands, swamps, etc. so this is the first I've ever seen it. The only reason why I ventured into this area was because it had dried out some, although the ground is very wet and squishy. Just not one of my favorite things to do.

Then you got a really nice surprise!! You're going to have to venture out there more often now that you know it's there...lol! They really are a cool plant.

If it is your land you could put down a simple boardwalk while it is dry so that you can enjoy it during the wetter parts of the year. Designs are pretty easy to find. Here's one:

Here is a link that might be useful: Wetland Trail Design and Construction

Well, it would be nice to do that boardwalk thing, BUT, the district wetlands police agency has told us we cannot touch that area with anything, not even fencing, we cannot plant anything, remove anything, build anything, mow anything, I'm surprised they don't post militia there to make sure that we don't even walk on it. But I never see anything on our property tax bill telling us we can deduct anything for any of these restrictions! Don't get me started.

Your plant is Cephalanthus occidentalis. It will grow in areas with less water (Just irrigated). This is not a rare plant or anything that is "Protected" by the Feds.Not your common everyday garden tree either.Bee's love it hummingbirds would be a surprise as there is no way for them to feed. Sorry to hear about your garden Nazi's.:(
Art

The district wetlands police agency, is that like the Corps of Engineer? Even if they're not, they actually sound like it. Very picky and they tell you what tree you can cut or what path you can make down to the lake. It's not a case of "what they don't know won't hurt them", because they're always checking. How they know from one season to the next is beyond me, but they do. Fines are mighty high. This land isn't our land though, it's the Corps. So they can tell us what do to do and when I suppose. I shouldn't talk like it's "my" house or "my" land down there. It's my parents 2nd house. âº

I may have read an untruth about the hummingbirds, don't know for a fact, just repeating what I read. Anyway, it's not the Corps of Engineers that have confiscated our tiny wetland corner (although they never gave us any money for it, we still technically own it and pay taxes on it). It's the Southwest Florida Water Management District or SWFTMD for short. They threaten heavy fines for infractions of their mandates and have very highly paid attorneys to help carry out their threats. I have never intended to ruin the integrity of this area, I'm all for preserving nature's variety and diversity. But we are doing an awful lot of extra work and expense to try to go around the perimeter of this area with a fence so that we don't infringe on "their" territory. I really don't understand how a few fence posts stuck in the ground can harm anything, and besides, since we can't fence it to protect our property there from trespassing, I wonder who will get stuck with the bill if someone does trespass on it and gets hurt? SWFTMD? I kind of doubt that. Sorry, I guess I got started.

We planted one in a regular flowerbed (not a wet area) a few years ago and it's thriving. Bumblebees are the most common visitors, but we've seen lots of butterflies on it also.

{{gwi:1059685}}

Tim
www.WildlifeTheater.com