About the Rocky Shoals Spider Lily

8/9/2019 About the Rocky Shoals Spider Lily

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Rocky Shoals

Spider Lily(Hymenocallis coronaria)

Life Cycle

Photograph by Sparkle Clark

As the lilies grow, they orm a

root mass that anchors them

to the shallows. This keeps

them rom getting swept

away by swit river currents.

Some, but not all,

fowers will set seed.

Some seeds mature

and eventually all o

the plant to try and

orm a seedling. Other

seeds rot beore they

nish maturing.

Once they

reach 2-3years o age,

the lilies

fower. Older

lilies will put

on more

fowers.

Mature seeds all o the lilies

and sink until they hit the

bottom. I they land on a

shallow shel, they

germinate.

Seedlings become juveniles

and do not bloom or the

rst couple o years o lie.

Unless otherwise designated, all photographs are by the Rocky Shoals Spider Lily Preservation Team.

Help SaveThe Rocky Shoals

Spider Lily


Admire them from your boat

or river banks.

WATCH WHERE

YOU WALK

Dont walk on the shoals where

they live. You could crush them

accidentally.

LEAVE THE LILIES

WHERE THEY LIVE

They grow best on shallow

shoals in the river where the

water fows over their roots.Take only pictures so we can

enjoy them for years to come.

TAKE PICTURES,

NOT FLOWERS

If you pick them, they cant form

a seed. More seeds means more

lilies for the future!

Dont try to grow them in

your yard!



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The Rocky Shoals Spider LilyA S o u t h e r n B e a u t y

About T his Beautiful Plant!The Rocky Shoals Spider Lily (RSSL)

(Hymenocallis coronaria), also called the

Cahaba Lily, is a flowering aquatic plant. It is

native to large streams and rivers in South

Carolina, Georgia and Alabama. As the name

would suggest, these areas usually consist of

rocky shoals and bedrock outcrops that

provide anchor points for the RSSLs roots

and bulbs. RSSL grows best in constantlyflowing, shallow water.

The Rocky Shoals Spider Lily is

considered a FEDERAL SPECIES OF

CONCERN by the United States Fish &

Wildlife Service. Historically, their decline has

been attributed to man-made changes in river

and stream channels

that lead to loss of

shoal habitat. Current populations are still threatened by modification

of river flows and fluctuating water levels resulting from damoperations, water pollution and people trying to collect them for use

in gardens.

Experience The Rocky Shoals Spider Lily!Columbia Riverfront Park has excellent vantage points to view the Rocky

Shoals Spider Lilies. The lilies are in the island complex at the confluence of the Broad and

Saluda rivers and just upstream of the

confluence in the bypass reach of the Broad

River downstream of the Columbia DiversionDam. Each spring from mid-April to May in this

section of the Broad River, one to three stalks

will emerge from a RSSL bulb and each will

produce a group of six to nine beautiful white

flowers. Peak flowering usually occurs from mid-

May to mid-June.

Help Out By

Following These Rules Dont pick the lilies! Leave the

flowers to form new seeds.

Leave the lily plants!Dont try andreplant them at home.

Dont walk on their islands! Youmight crush them.

The Rocky Shoals Spider Lily(Hymenocallis coronaria) is also called

theCahaba Lily. It is typically foundin large streams and rivers inSouthCarolina, Georgiaand Alabama.The Rocky

Shoals SpiderLily is considered

aFEDERALSPECIES OFCONCERN.


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Map of Rocky Shoals Spider Lily Colonies

About The Rocky Shoals Spider Lily Preservation Team!The City of Columbia, South Carolina Electric & Gas Company (SCE&G), the South Carolina Department of

Natural Resources (SCDNR), the Riverbanks Zoo and Garden, and the US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) have joined

together to form a Rocky Shoals Spider Lily preservation team. Our goal is to reestablish Rocky Shoals Spider Lilies along

stretches of the Broad, lower Saluda, and Congaree Rivers and to raise public awareness about them.

This map showswhere RockyShoals SpiderLily colonies canbe found.

Have fun findingthem as youexplore the river,but remember toTAKE ONLYPICTURES!


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Rocky Shoals

Spider Lily(Hymenocallis coronaria)

Life Cycle


As the lilies grow, they orm a

root mass that anchors them

to the shallows. This keeps

them rom getting swept

away by swit river currents.

Some, but not all,

fowers will set seed.

Some seeds mature

and eventually all o

the plant to try and

orm a seedling. Other

seeds rot beore they

nish maturing.

Once they

reach 2-3years o age,

the lilies

fower. Older

lilies will put

on more

fowers.

Mature seeds all o the lilies

and sink until they hit the

bottom. I they land on a

shallow shel, they

germinate.

Seedlings become juveniles

and do not bloom or the

rst couple o years o lie.


About the Rocky Shoals Spider Lily

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