We camped several days in early March of 2017 at this park near Chiefland. This 2100 acre park borders the Suwannee River and features a first order spring that has a short channel feeding into the river.
The largest of nine species measured is listed below.
Loblolly Pine( Pinus taeda) 9.0' x 111.1'
Longleaf Pine (Pinus palustris) 6.3' x 92', 7.3' x 78.8"
Southern Magnolia (Magnolia grandiflora) 7.8' x 84.9'
Baldcypress (Taxodium dischtum) *** x 83.0', 13.5' x 82.0'
Pignut Hickory (Carya glabra) 5.3' x 80.3'
Eastern Redcedar (Juniperus virginiana)5.3' x 72.7'
Laurel Oak (Quercus laurifolia) 6.2' x 64.1'
Hophornbeam (Ostrya virginiana) 1.5' x 43.5', 1.9' x 35.4'
Sparkleberry (Vaccinium arborea) 2.0' x 24.5'
The Baldcypress and Laurel Oak was next to the spring the others on much drier site above the spring.
This area was described by William Bartram in 1774 after his wanderings in the southeast.
The Sparkleberry was a new one for me. Its shaggy red bark makes this tall blueberry easy to pick out in the woods.
For those that lived in Western Pennsylvanania in the 1970's and listened to Pittsburgh radio station KDKA during the morning drive time one became quite familiar with Farkleberry tarts as a fundrraiser for a childrens? hospital. Until now I thought it was a made up name but apparently Sparkleberry and Farkleberry are both common names for Vaccinium arborea.
Manatees in the Spring
Click on image to see its original size
Manatees use this spring in the winter as a refuge from cold air temperatures. Swimming and snorkeling are allowed in
designated areas but one must keep at least fifty feet distance away.
Baldcypress in center of photo
Click on image to see its original size
13.5' x 82'
Silver Springs Star Park.
This 5900 acre State Park near Ocala was acquired from private business interests between 1985 ans 2013.. This was Floridas first big tourist attraction and featured glass bottom boats tours on the Silver river and over several large springs. A short canoe trip was taken to enjoy the birdlife and aquatic life and North Americans only tribe of monkeys- Rhesus Macaques which were released in 1937 by a tour boat operator to enhance his "Jungle" boat tour.
Only one tree was measured near the entrance. but there was at least twenty more of similar size visible.
Baldcypress (Taxodium dischtum) 11.5' x 95.9'
Cedar Key
The small town (population 700) of Cedar Key is on one of the larger keys in this island complex on the Gulf of Mexico.
The largest of two species measured in a cemetery are listed below.
Sand Pine (Pinus clausa) 5.8' x 66.8', 7.2' x 48.6'
Sand Live Oak (Quercus geminata) 4.3' x 28.5'
Three of the Keys are designated federal Wilderness areas even though the total area is only listed as 891 acres.
The town is named after the eastern redcedar and the area was know for production of pencils.
8,000 acres of the are is in the Cedar Keys Historical and Archealogical District.
John Muir visited this area i 1867 while on his walk from Kentucky
Sand Pine
Click on image to see its original size
7.2' x 48.6'
This Sand Pine was on a sand hill in the cemetery and the Sand Live Oak on a old dune closer to the water.
Sand Pine looks very similar to Virginia Pine.
This Live Oak was not measured but it was one of about a half of dozen in the older section of the town of Cedar Key
Click on image to see its original size
