the variety of Georgia’s plant and animal life, and flora ...Among its fauna are mammals, birds,...

P

P

p

p

pGeorgia’s Floraand FaunaGeorgia’s flora (its plants, flowers, and trees) and fauna (animals, reptiles,birds, and sea life) are among the most diverse in the United States.

Plant LifeBecause of a 180-day growing period in the northern section of our state

and a 270-day growing season along the coast, Georgia is home to hundredsof species of plants. They range from the hearty purple verbena found through-out the state to the rare and delicate trillium found only in the Tallulah Gorge.And few places can equal the beauty of Georgia’s springtime at Callaway Gar-dens with azaleas, wild dogwood, iris, and daffodils. In the spring, Thomasvilleis ablaze with color from over five hundred species of roses.

Native plants in Georgia are not just for beauty. Some can be fun anduseful. Most people have, at one time or another, picked a dandelion andblown the soft, feathery fuzz into the air. But did you know some familiesuse the dandelion leaves for salad? Plants also serve medicinal purposes.Aloe plants, for example, are a mainstay in many kitchens as an immedi-ate healing agent for burns.

As you read, look for:• the variety of Georgia’s plantand animal life, and• vocabulary terms: flora andfauna.

Section PreviewSection PreviewSection1Section1

Section 1: Georgia’s Flora and Fauna 43

?Thomasville is called the Cityof Roses, while Macon iscalled the City of Cherry

Blossoms.

Did You Know?Did You Know?

Wildflowers abound throughout the state.This photograph was taken on Sea Island.

Not all of our plants are popular. During the sum-mer, you need not drive far to see a species of greenerythat frustrates all farmers, gardeners, and Departmentof Transportation work crews. Kudzu has a long butless-than-distinguished career. In 1876, one hundredyears after our nation’s first birthday, Philadelphiahosted a Centennial Industrial Exposition. One hit ofthe fair was a bed of thick, green growth on display atthe Japanese Exposition. The Japanese used the plantas both medicine and food flavoring. Because of itsreputation as an agent in stopping soil erosion, kudzuplants were introduced into Georgia in 1930. Today,our state’s neighbors to the north and south are find-

ing out what Georgians quickly discovered. Not only does kudzu fail to stopsoil erosion, the multileafed, cascading plant can grow up to one hundredfeet during the summer months and is almost impossible to kill. But, thenews is not all bad. Recently, scientists have found the leaves can be crushedinto a powder and used as a cooking starch. It is also found in health foodsand even made into kudzu candy.

Besides kudzu, there are other botani-cal invaders in our state. Botanists thinkthat about 20 percent of plants foundin the wild are foreign to Georgia soil,including privet, Japanese honeysuckle,chinaberry, and tallow trees.

TreesGeorgia has over 36 million acres of

land. Over 23 million acres of that areais forested, which is twice the nationalaverage. To put it another way, 60 per-cent of our state is forested. With overtwo hundred species of trees in Georgiaand the southeastern United States, thevariety seems endless. In the northernpart of the state are hardwoods such ashickory, red spruce, white oak, beech,and maple. Loblolly, longleaf, slash, andother pines as well as the live oak areabundant in the Piedmont and parts ofthe Coastal Plain. Bald cypress and ce-dar cover large areas of the OkefenokeeSwamp.

Some of our cities are known for theirtrees. Magnolias line many of the neigh-borhood streets in Augusta, while dog-woods abound in Atlanta. In the fall,


Top: The mountain laurel isone of Georgia’s best lovednative shrubs. Center: Thefragile looking Indian pipethrive in shady areas. Above:Kudzu has been nicknamed“the vine that ate the South!”

44 Chapter 2: This Place We Call Home

?Spanish moss is not really

moss. It is an air plant relatedto the pineapple family.

It lives on moisture in the air,has no roots, and can growto be as long as twenty-five

feet. Although beautifulto look at, do not touch thisplant because most Spanishmoss clumps are filled with

chiggers.

★★★★ ★★

★★★★★★★★★★

★★★★

★

★American SpotlightAmerican SpotlightA Mark on Georgia, the

World, and Football

Charles Holmes Herty was born in Milledgeville in 1867.When Charles was only a few years younger than you arenow (he was 11), he and his sister became orphans. Theywent to Athens to live with their aunt. Charles attendedthe University of Georgia and Johns Hopkins University. Hereturned to the University of Georgia in 1891 as a chemis-try instructor. At the same time, he became the University’sfirst football coach. In January 1892, Herty’s young teamplayed its first game against Mercer College, winning witha score of 52–0. A month later, the team traveled toAtlanta where they played a team from Auburn College. Theteam lost, but the game started the South’s oldest foot-ball rivalry.

In 1899, Herty left the University to study in Europe.When he returned to the United States, he joined the U.S.

Forest Service to work on saving pine trees throughout theSouth. In 1929, Professor Herty designed a container forthe naval stores industry that caused far less damage tothe pine trees. By 1932, he had created a pulp and paperlab in Savannah that used pine trees to make newsprint.This led to many new jobs in the South.

Herty was the first president of the American ChemicalSociety and, with another scientist, helped establish anorganization that led to the National Institutes of Health.

A Mark on Georgia, theWorld, and Football


Above: Charles Holmes Herty’s personal motto was“For Science and Country.” The Georgia Section of theAmerican Chemical Society honors him each yearby awarding the prestigious Herty Medal to a chemistfrom the southeastern United States.

downtown Athens turns bright gold with the fan-shaped leaves of the gingko trees, and in the spring,thousands of visitors pour into Macon as theYoshino cherry trees blossom. It is also difficult toimagine Savannah without thinking of its moss-laden, giant live oaks and palmetto. Then, of course,there are the two trees that are synonymous withGeorgia: the peach tree and the pecan tree. Bothcontribute significantly to Georgia’s economy. In-terestingly, although Atlanta has fifty-five streetswith the name of Peachtree, there are no peachgroves within miles of the city.

The beautiful wooded areas of the state are amajor advantage for Georgia’s recreation and tourism industries. TheChattahoochee-Oconee National Forests are one of the protected forest ar-eas of the state. But if you want to see something really unusual, drive toRome. There you will find Marshall Forest, which is the only virgin forestwithin a city limits anywhere in the country. The 100-acre forest and sur-rounding acres are home to over 300 species of plants and were a gift to theNature Conservancy. This generous gift is a National Natural Landmark,Georgia’s first but hopefully not its last.

Top: “The Big Oak” inThomasville is over 300 yearsold and has a limb spread of162 feet. Above: The cityof Macon greets spring withover 200,000 floweringcherry trees.


Top: Whitetail deer feed on awide variety of plants—including people’s yardplantings and crops! Above:Foxes, like this gray fox, canbe found throughout Georgia.

WildlifeGeorgia’s fauna is as diverse as its flora. With enough land, varied physi-

ographic features, and a moderate climate, Georgia is a natural homefor wildlife. Among its fauna are mammals, birds, reptiles and amphibians,and fish.

MammalsOver forty species, or kinds, of mammals are found in Georgia. One of them,

prized by hunters and naturalists alike, is the whitetail deer. It was almostextinct by the early 1900s, but, thanks to careful management, whitetail deercan now be found in all 159 Georgia counties. But those soft-eyed, sweetlooking creatures that remind us all of “Bambi” do not eat grazing food likehay. They seem to prefer the leaves and blooms of all woody plants and manyof the blooms in our yards as well as fruits and nuts. However, the deer adda beauty and grace to our lives that we do not want to lose even if we lose afew plants along the way.

In addition to deer, squirrels, opossums, bats, rabbits, hares, raccoons, andfoxes can be seen in most sections of the state. Bobcats are usually found inthe forest mountain regions or in swamps. Wild hogs make their home inCoastal Plain river swamps, along with beavers, otters, armadillos, and minks.Wild horses still roam Cumberland Island.


Georgia’s state marine mammal is the right whale, considered to be oneof the most endangered species in the world. Weighing up to seventy tons,the seventy-foot right whale is actually a baleen whale. It earned the name“right” during long-ago whaling days. Whalers claimed this species was “justright” in terms of weight, amount of oil for fuel and soap, and whalebone.

The pygmy sperm whale is the second most common whale off Georgia’scoastal waters. Another common marine mammal is the bottle-nosed dol-phin, which can be spotted along the ocean beaches and in tidal creeks andrivers. Lesser in number are the Atlantic spotted dolphins and the spinner

dolphins, both of which are usuallyseen only several miles offshore.

One marine mammal facing gravedanger of extinction in Georgia is themanatee. The West Indian manatee,commonly called a “sea cow,” is alarge seal-shaped creature with flip-pers as forelimbs and paddle-like,rounded tails. The manatee averagesten feet in length and adults weigh1,000 to 2,500 pounds.

The manatee spend most of theirtime eating water plants, resting, ortraveling in the rivers, estuaries, salt-water bays, creeks, and canals alongGeorgia’s Atlantic coastline. Becausethey are so temperature sensitive,

manatees congregate at warm water run-offs from plantsalong the coastline.

Marine conservationists estimate that fewer than2,640 manatees are left in the United States. Like theright whale, the manatee suffers from boating collisions,the loss of a natural habitat, water pollution, and theingestion of fish hooks and lines discarded in coastalwaters. A rapidly growing segment of the populationoperate power boats and pleasure crafts in coastal wa-ters, so the manatee must confront commercial andrecreational boaters to survive.

BirdsGeorgia is a year-round home for 170 species of

birds, including robins, cardinals, blue jays, thrashers,and woodpeckers. Two hundred other species feed andnest in the state during spring and fall migrations. Oneof the most popular visitors is the ruby-throated hum-mingbird. Thousands of people place feeders of lightlysugared water in their yards each year hoping to attractthe shy, tiny visitors as they migrate to South America.

Below: Because they are soslow-moving, manatees oftencannot get out of the way ofboat propellers. Bottom: Thecardinal is one of the mostcommon birds in Georgia.This is a female.


There are also many game birds in Georgia. Quail,doves, ducks, and wild turkeys are the most popular withhunters. Georgia has joined at least forty-two other statesin classifying the bald eagle as an endangered species.Hunting eagles is strictly forbidden by law. The statefunds a program to feed the young eaglets until theyare ready to live on their own. Extensive federal and stateprograms, along with caring private citizens, have re-sulted in a significant increase in the number of nest-ing bald eagles.

Reptiles and AmphibiansForty species of snakes live in Georgia; all but six spe-

cies are harmless. Poisonous snakes include the copper-head, cottonmouth (water moccasin), coral, and threetypes of rattlesnakes. It is important to remember thatsnakes do not automatically attack people; they striketo defend themselves. Since they can only strike a dis-tance of about one-half of their body length, it is wise to remain at a safedistance of about 4 to 5 feet and be safe. Snakes are an important and valu-able part of our environment since they keep down the population of ro-

dents and insects that can make ourlives miserable.

The Coastal Plain region, particu-larly swampy areas such as Okefen-okee, is home to the Americanalligator. Alligators grow to an adultlength of six to twelve feet. Althoughthey are protected by the federal gov-ernment from unauthorized killing,they have become so numerous thatGeorgia now allows an alligatorhunting season.

There are twenty-seven varietiesof turtles in Georgia. The famousloggerhead sea turtles live on thebarrier islands off Georgia’s coast.From May through August, theloggerheads nest at night on theocean and river beaches. The speciesis now endangered because recentdevelopments on the coast haveincreased the artificial lighting andcaused much damage to the nestinghabitat. Visitors to a stream, marsh,or pond can easily find some ofGeorgia’s other amphibians. The

Top: The bald eagle, ournational symbol, usuallynests near water. AboveVisitors to the Lamar Q. Ball,Jr. Raptor Center inStatesboro can see raptorslike this redtailed hawk “upclose and personal.”


?Alligators can run at a speedof 15 miles per hour, and

crocodiles cannot stick outtheir tongues.


Top: Stone Mountain.Above: Stone Mountaincarving.

state is a natural home for twenty-four types of frogs, four speciesof toads, and thirty-six kinds of salamanders.

Fish and Sea LifeIf you ask Georgia fishers, “What do you like to catch?” you can

almost guess the part of the state in which they fish by the answerthey give. If they like trout, chances are they are from north Geor-gia. On April 1, they join scores of other people, equipped with hand-made fishing flies or cans of corn, wading into the cold mountainstreams. The state boasts four thousand miles of public and privatetrout streams. To Georgians in the middle and southern part of the

state, nothing can match the fun of bringing in a largemouth bass from oneof the thousands of ponds and lakes that dot the region. A number of stateand national fish hatcheries ensure that our lakes and streams are always fullof the hundreds of fish species available to sportspersons. Coastal fishers en-joy the challenge of bringing in red drum, spotted sea trout, sheepshead, and

On June 2, 1932, near Jacksonville, a nineteen-year-old farmboy named George W. Perry caught what was to becomeAmerica’s most famous fish. The twenty-two pound, four-ouncelargemouth bass was thelargest bass ever caught,heavier by more than twopounds. The record hasstood for over fifty years.

Perry and a friendwere fishing in Montgom-ery Lake, a slough off theOcmulgee River, hopingto catch food for their

tables during the Great Depression. Perry caughtthe record bass on a Creek Chub Perch ScaleWigglefish, his only lure. The bass was 32 1/2

inches long and 281/2 inches around. The size wasnotarized in Helena. His longstanding record issaid to be one of the reasons the largemouth basswas made Georgia’s official state fish.

The Spanish moss-draped oaks that surrounded Lake Montgomery when Perry caughthis record fish are still there. But the water no longer winds in from the river, so the lakeis much smaller and shallower. You can see a picture of Perry’s lure on a giant sign thatwelcomes visitors to Jacksonville. According to local reports, Perry was a modest manand rarely bragged about his world record. Sadly, he died in an airplace crash in 1974.

By the Side of the RoadBy the Side of the Road

Above: A hatchling logger-head turtle makes itsway toward the ocean inlate summer.


croaker. Locals along the Golden Isles frequently catch theirdinner of blue crabs or pink shrimp. Offshore artificial reefsensure that future generations enjoy an abundance of fish offthe coastal shores. The Grays Reef National Marine Sanctu-ary, off Sapelo Island, is one of the largest bottom reefs in thesoutheastern United States. One of the most popular fish inthe coastal area is catfish, which can be found in both fresh-water and saltwater.

One other fish deserves recognition: shad. The OgeecheeRiver near Savannah is the home of this special delicacy. Theseason for shad runs from January 1 to March 31, and manyfine restaurants in the coastal region feature this tasty, al-beit expensive, delicacy. Shad roe, which is made up of mil-lions of tiny eggs, is usually wrapped in bacon and baked asanother unique coastal treat.

One of the most feared sea creatures off the Georgia coastis the shark. You have probably not confronted a shark inthe water since they normally swim farther out from shorethan beach-goers. But this fascinating fish is vitally impor-tant to our future. Scientists believe that sharks never get can-cer, even though they live up to one hundred years and cansurvive for six weeks without eating. Scientists do not know if the absenceof cancer is because the shark has no skeletal system (only cartilage) or if ithas a natural immunity that can be used in research to find a cure for cancer.

Georgia’s fishing industry, which produces about $45 million per year, ischanging. As the shrimping industry slows due to decreasing numbers andsize of shrimp and increased government regulations, Georgia’s commercialfishers have turned to other fish markets. Asian markets rely on some foodsnot considered seafood staples in our country but considered to be delica-cies in their culture. These new foods include welks and jellyfish. The latteris about 95 percent water, but the remaining part is made into “jelly balls.”Fishermen are gathering these new sea foods for export overseas.

Top: “Little White House” inWarm Springs. Above:Mallards at FDR State Park inWarm Springs.

It’s Your TurnIt’s Your Turn

Top: This shrimper is sortinghis catch. Georgia shrimpare considered by many to bethe best in the world. Above:Jekyll Island is a favoritedestination for surf fishingenthusiasts.


t1. What percentage of Georgia’s land is forested?2. Find out which trees and plants dominate in your hometown.

How does that differ from some other sections of the state?For example, salt marsh wiregrass does not grow in northernGeorgia. It grows only in the long pine coastal areas of the state.

3. Which two endangered marine mammals make Georgia theirhome for a portion of the year?

4. What aspect of coastal area growth and development mosthinders the endangered loggerhead sea turtles?

5. What potential does the shark hold for man’s future?

?Did You Know?Did You Know?

Georgia’s fish serve manypurposes. Most people do not

realize that some lipsticksused the world over have fish

scales in them.

the variety of Georgia’s plant and animal life, and flora ...Among its fauna are mammals, birds,...

Documents

Transcript of the variety of Georgia’s plant and animal life, and flora ...Among its fauna are mammals, birds,...