The heat wave continues in Caddo parish. Daily high temperatures are over 100℉ (reaching above 110 with the head index) and with no rain. Luckily, the arboretum's irrigation system has seen improvements over the past week, so the plants in the arboretum have had some relief. Unfortunately for some plants, the hot, dry weather has resulted in significant damage. The spice bush (Lindera benzoin) is one species of plant that has suffered a great deal under the current local weather conditions.
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| There are two mature spice bushes in the arboretum collection. A few greenish leaves remain on one of the bushes, while the other bush only retains its brown, crinkled remnants of leaves. |
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| The spice bush is pictured center. It doesn't have any green foliage; it isn't photogenic, to say the least. In recent history, it was a large, healthy shrub, actively growing in the shade of a white oak (Quercus alba), standing on the edge of the arboretum's western flood plain. |
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| There is a brick border that encircles the once vibrant shrub, which has been growing in this location since 1996. It was collected from a roadside in Webster Parish. Since this was a mature, established shrub, it is disheartening that it could not endure our current heat wave. Perhaps the white oak simply out-competed it for water? A famous film quote about "drinking someone's milkshake" comes to mind. |
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| From another angle, we can appreciate the numerous bare branches. |
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| Shriveled, crinkly leaves hold fast to some twigs. Manipulating the tips of the branches results in snapping. |
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| The twigs on this spice bush lack all greenness and flexibility, suggesting that most, if not all, of the shrub is dead. |
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| By comparison, the other mature spice bush shows some signs of life. In this photo, we see glimpses of green leaves, one green fruit, and green buds. The twigs on this shrub are springy. So, even though this spice bush doesn't look good this week, it shows signs of being well enough to leaf out next spring. Let's keep it watered and hope for the best. |
