Found Near-Extinct Plants
Based on an authoritative source, I found a small clump of endangered Agave eggersiana (St. Croix agave, Egger’s agave) plants in a remote location on St. Croix. They are native only to this island. I may have found a second clump.
In the confirmed clump, there are about two dozen small plants and three medium-sized ones buried in the brush. Fully mature ones send up a 16- to 23-foot flower spike, from which grow numerous baby plants (plantlets). These eventually fall to the ground and take root.
Has anyone seen the endangered Solanum conocarpum bushes on St. John? There are supposedly two in the National Park. I assume the park service keeps hush-hush about the location so that they are not stolen.
To see pictures of both, go to
www.biologicaldiversity.org/swcbd/press/plants9-1-04.html
Hello Former OhioGuy,
Thats exciting news! I read on the site your referenced that there are 183 plants on a small private lot in Nanny Point/Estate Concordia... I found that interesting. Do you know more about this?
--Islander
I would assume someone is cultivating them there. I think there are some agaves at the botanical garden on St. Croix, and a few of both the St. Croix and St. John plants are being grown at the Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden in Florida. It's a major conservatory for rare plants.
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