# Plant Fest highlights, 2008



## Ozymandias (Jan 17, 2008)

luck lucky lucky


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## ikuzo (Jul 11, 2006)

what? no photos?


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## cah925 (May 18, 2007)

Sounds like you guys had fun, wish I could have tagged along.

I was at Ginnie Springs last weekend and saw TONS of Hygro polysperma floating in the river. A lot of it had a dark copper-brown color and some was bright green. I grabbed a few samples as we floated down the river and planted them in my 75 gal.


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## TheCryptKeeper (Mar 9, 2008)

cah925 said:


> Sounds like you guys had fun, wish I could have tagged along.
> 
> I was at Ginnie Springs last weekend and saw TONS of Hygro polysperma floating in the river. A lot of it had a dark copper-brown color and some was bright green. I grabbed a few samples as we floated down the river and planted them in my 75 gal.


I want to see pics of that!


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## plantbrain (Dec 15, 2003)

ikuzo said:


> what? no photos?


If folks come, then they can have all the photo's they desire
I'm amazed at how folks will carry on and on about the jungles of the Amazon, yet forget that they have the same type of diversity and beauty in their own area, these should be preserved for all to enjoy.

And by seeing these places in person, not photo's, can this sense of preservation be instilled into folks.

Clyde Butch's photos are the only pictures, as well as Ansel Adams, in large prints that have ever invoked such sense of really being there.

Regards, 
Tom Barr


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## plantbrain (Dec 15, 2003)

Why Hygro is a nasty weed that should be banned:










Riccia in it's natural environment:









Regards, 
Tom Barr


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## plantbrain (Dec 15, 2003)

This could have been you, instead ya all stayed home and picked the belly lint.










This is a close up of the new foreground plant:










Some Mermaid weed, 2 different leaf morphologies in the same location, one was deeper and the other shallower, the water level recently raised due to more rains, thus the emergent leaf growth is still present.










Regards, 
Tom Barr


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## plantbrain (Dec 15, 2003)

Still think you are in the USA?
Might be the Amazon or Thailand........

Regards, 
Tom Barr


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## plantbrain (Dec 15, 2003)

Note the gators:










Olive nerites.........










Somehow some wind bags are experts on these snails and their habits yet never having been there........:redface: 

Lily springs where Nake Ed resides...........










Hygro emergent

Regards, 
Tom Barr


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## epicfish (Sep 11, 2006)

Wow, beautiful.

Next year I'm going for sure. Heh.


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## deleted_user_16 (Jan 20, 2008)

love the young gators!!!


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## eyebeatbadgers (Aug 6, 2007)

Amazing stuff, the belly lint can wait next year!


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## blazeyreef (Mar 17, 2008)

that looks amazing! To bad im to young to go myself... or I would so go


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## plantbrain (Dec 15, 2003)

Well, maybe you might be more tempted:










nothing like Red Ludwigia from the source

Algae ball where you do not have to go to the Japan:









Note: these are marine, there are several species that form balls.





















Regards, 
Tom Barr


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## epicfish (Sep 11, 2006)

What the heck is the second to last picture? It looks crazy.


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## plantbrain (Dec 15, 2003)

That would be _Caulerpa paspaloides _

Regards, 
Tom Barr


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## @[email protected] (Oct 24, 2007)

wow, so many cool plants. i like the foreground plant. anyone want to propagate it for us who couldnt/didnt go? lol

i have one question though, isnt riccia native to asia?


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## griffin_pak (Jul 21, 2008)

amazing pics, can we have some more please?


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## SeaSerpant (Feb 20, 2008)

Yes give us all you got. i wish i lived in the usa or at least south america because i don't think you can get good freshwater plants up here in the great north west.


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## Crystalview (Aug 10, 2007)

I looked this plant up because It's cool looking. Wow it is invasive around the world. It says it grows in low salt area's. So does that mean that a lot of the plants you got would need adapted to a fresh water tank?



plantbrain said:


> That would be _Caulerpa paspaloides _
> 
> Regards,
> Tom Barr


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## epicfish (Sep 11, 2006)

Crystalview said:


> I looked this plant up because It's cool looking. Wow it is invasive around the world. It says it grows in low salt area's. So does that mean that a lot of the plants you got would need adapted to a fresh water tank?


Don't think that species is adaptable to fresh water.


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## plantbrain (Dec 15, 2003)

@[email protected] said:


> i have one question though, isnt riccia native to asia?


No, it's cosmopolitian.

Regards, 
Tom Barr


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## plantbrain (Dec 15, 2003)

Crystalview said:


> I looked this plant up because It's cool looking. Wow it is invasive around the world. It says it grows in low salt area's. So does that mean that a lot of the plants you got would need adapted to a fresh water tank?


It's a marine alga.

Regards, 
Tom Barr


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## CrimsonKeel (Jul 12, 2004)

Great pictures. IVe been out a few times here in michigan poking my nose in areas. we dont have that sort of growth and variety though.


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## lauraleellbp (Feb 3, 2008)

I so wish I could have gone.  Hopefully next year...

How many people did you end up having this year?

Awesome pics.

You didn't happen to see Mama Gator did you? :icon_eek:


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## eyebeatbadgers (Aug 6, 2007)

griffin_pak said:


> amazing pics, can we have some more please?


If you're crafty enough you can just look through his photobucket album :thumbsup:


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## Guest (Jul 28, 2008)

I am surprised the mama gator wasnt around. I bet if you picked one up she would have came back as soon as it made its call. Nice plants and thank you for posting the pics.


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## mizu-chan (May 13, 2008)

Wow, this has seriously inspired me to pack my bags and go get some myself!
Now if I could only find a way of getting there...

Wonderful plants and wonderful pics. Thanks for posting!


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## plantbrain (Dec 15, 2003)

Crystalview said:


> I looked this plant up because It's cool looking. Wow it is invasive around the world. It says it grows in low salt area's. So does that mean that a lot of the plants you got would need adapted to a fresh water tank?


No, that would be C. taxifolia most likely.

regards, 
Tom Barr


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## jazzlvr123 (Jul 16, 2007)

okay time for my pics of plantfest 

a beautiful ludwigia sp. red scape









tom collecting olive nerites in a freshwater stream by the handful









a nice wild scape with pennywort, sagittaria, ludwigia and others









tom diving for ludwigia









more pennywort with fish swimming around it









tom wears a beard of aquatic moss haha









a nice natural scape









can you see the turtle?


















more sagittaria than you would ever want to see in your lifetime









a nice looking aquatic stem plant which is technically an algae however i think it would look nice in a tank


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## deleted_user_16 (Jan 20, 2008)

man, u make me sad, i wanna go, i liked the sagittaria 

what moss was the beard?


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## lescarpentier (Feb 2, 2008)

Looks like Tom is flipping us the bird.


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## deleted_user_16 (Jan 20, 2008)

lescarpentier said:


> Looks like Tom is flipping us the bird.


:hihi:


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## Guest (Jul 28, 2008)

Nice camo for the turtle in the sun rays from the water. Thanks for the pics.


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## ikuzo (Jul 11, 2006)

i'm overwhelmed


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## mizu-chan (May 13, 2008)

This brings tears to my eyes.
Not really, great pictures. Thanks!


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## FrostyNYC (Nov 5, 2007)

When you guys were planning this, all I could think of was how much I thought I'd enjoy it. Now I KNOW I truly missed out.

It's not often that you meet other people who enjoy wading around through swamps, picking at mosses and pulling plants out of the ground.


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## plantbrain (Dec 15, 2003)

lescarpentier said:


> Looks like Tom is flipping us the bird.


No, that's one, not two fingers, and I'd actually use a "real bird".
And it would have been towards Kyle and his strong love of Kenny G music, hehe.

Regards,
Tom Barr


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## plantbrain (Dec 15, 2003)

FrostyNYC said:


> When you guys were planning this, all I could think of was how much I thought I'd enjoy it. Now I KNOW I truly missed out.
> 
> It's not often that you meet other people who enjoy wading around through swamps, picking at mosses and pulling plants out of the ground.


Actually most folks here do, they are just not able, do not realize they might have fun, too caught up in things to get out and live life sometimes... and to do what they really want for many reasons.

But you ask, you prod, you show, you suggest.........ultimately, it is up to them. But most everyone, even those that really do not care much about plants, loves it. Hillbillies to the overly sophisticated.......all are there and everything in between. That's the cool thing about nature.


Regards, 
Tom Barr


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## Wö£fëñxXx (Dec 2, 2003)

My misses is from FL. her family live there, we go frequently, 
I was out of the loop for a couple months but would have loved
to went with you guys, its only about a 10hr drive for me, so 
I would have been there.
Sure would have been nice to stay a few days traipsing around
the swamps, streams and such, then after have a beer or bottle water
nice seafood and shoot the breeze.
Next year...

I don't know how much Kenny G I can take though. 
Thanks for photo's.


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## jazzlvr123 (Jul 16, 2007)

Wö£fëñxXx said:


> I don't know how much Kenny G I can take though.


lol that was a joke. I play bebop and strait ahead hard driving stuff. so tom always makes fun of me by saying i love Kenny G when really its the opposite of that. hes a joker when you get to know him lol


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## deleted_user_16 (Jan 20, 2008)

jazzlvr123 said:


> hes a joker when you get to know him lol


are you serious??!

he seems so serious!!


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## plantbrain (Dec 15, 2003)

jazzlvr123 said:


> lol that was a joke. I play bebop and strait ahead hard driving stuff. so tom always makes fun of me by saying i love Kenny G when really its the opposite of that. hes a joker when you get to know him lol


Me Jest?
Grumpy old me?
Never!

Yep, Kyle's a real hardcore Jazz musician, quite good from what we hear too. 
I guess we should listen to good jazz, I hear plants grow well on a diet of Jazz.




Regards, 
Tom Barr


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## plantbrain (Dec 15, 2003)

fishman9809 said:


> are you serious??!
> 
> he seems so serious!!


I am, the other guy is an imposter.

Regards, 
Tom Barr


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## captain_bu (Oct 20, 2007)

jazzlvr123 said:


> lol that was a joke. I play bebop and strait ahead hard driving stuff. so tom always makes fun of me by saying i love Kenny G when really its the opposite of that. hes a joker when you get to know him lol


Relieved to hear this... was having a hard time reconciling a true jazzlvr with someone who would listen to Kenny G.

British singer-songwriter Richard Thompson wrote a great funny song about Kenny G a few years ago, called "I Agree with Pat Metheny" after Pat Metheny made some not so kind comments about Kenny's talents....

http://www.richardthompson-music.com/audio/I_Agree_With_Pat_Metheny.mp3


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## plantbrain (Dec 15, 2003)

Speaking of Videos....

I have a number from the trip and will hopefully figure out how to post them up on youtube for folks to link to.

Regards, 
Tom Barr


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## Church (Sep 14, 2004)

Uploading videos to Youtube is absolutely no different than uploading photos, so I don't think you'll have any trouble...


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## griffin_pak (Jul 21, 2008)

umm more pics perhaps?


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## jazzlvr123 (Jul 16, 2007)

griffin_pak said:


> umm more pics perhaps?


really 20 or so pics weren't enough? lol


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## plantbrain (Dec 15, 2003)

jazzlvr123 said:


> really 20 or so pics weren't enough? lol


Welll..........they can always buy a camera, bring their own etc, and come.
I mean if it's that big a deal..........why the heck where they not there this year?

:thumbsup: 

Suckers are missing out and no whining about it, if Kyle could make it(poor student), so could have everyone else.


Regards, 
Tom Barr


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## vance71975 (Jun 4, 2008)

plantbrain said:


> Welll..........they can always buy a camera, bring their own etc, and come.
> I mean if it's that big a deal..........why the heck where they not there this year?
> 
> :thumbsup:
> ...


Wish i could have looked like a good time but sadly im poorer than most students and live in northern Ohio so Florida is a LONG drive at almost 4.00 per gallon!


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## plantbrain (Dec 15, 2003)

You are poorer than student?

You can hitch hike too:0 
Hold a sign up "Plant Fest or Bust"
You can get there.

Well, more pics:

Limestone marl outcrops with shallow peat filled basins, about 1-2ft deep with about 3-4" of peat. This is why Florida is lousy for farming, the peat last about 1 year and that's it. Bad idea to grow Sugar cane etc and fertilize the place also, changes everything in the ecosystem. Also bad idea to siphon off all the water which drives the system to feed South Florida's water grab.

It's somewhat similar to CA and the north south water grab that has been going on here.











there where 1000's of these large Lubber grasshoppers all over in the LSR:










Mangroves










And this guy was not interested in biting Kyle who almost stepped on this 3 ft Eastern diamond back rattle snake.










Regards, 
Tom Barr


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## plantbrain (Dec 15, 2003)

Swamp forest again:










Driftwood for those that trodded off to Waldo and missed out on getting it for free instead of listening to me










Under the reef in the Keys:










Water lilies:


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## plantbrain (Dec 15, 2003)

Sword plants at Santa Fe river.

the foreground plant:










And a typical gator infestation:










Regards, 
Tom Barr


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## deleted_user_16 (Jan 20, 2008)

good thing kyle didnt step on it, were u far from city?


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## newlyearthbound (May 26, 2008)

few questions. so how many days were you out ? friday through saturday? did you guys keep the plants and nerites? (not sure if it is legal since most historic places, like suwanee river, are protected habitats) and if so how'd you guys keep everything alive for that long? (the snails more than the plants, but wild plants can be touchy ya know!) I might have to do a trip like this! next time I'm on the east coast I might try it out. 

anyone know any rivers in virginia where you can see good plants like this? quite interested in getting them from the source! 

beautiful pics


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## plantbrain (Dec 15, 2003)

fishman9809 said:


> good thing kyle didnt step on it, were u far from city?


He would have lived. 
Snake wouldn't have.


Regards, 
Tom Barr


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## deleted_user_16 (Jan 20, 2008)

actually, prolly the other way around, snakes can bite after they are cut in half, animal planet


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## plantbrain (Dec 15, 2003)

newlyearthbound said:


> few questions. so how many days were you out ? friday through saturday? did you guys keep the plants and nerites? (not sure if it is legal since most historic places, like suwanee river, are protected habitats) and if so how'd you guys keep everything alive for that long? (the snails more than the plants, but wild plants can be touchy ya know!) I might have to do a trip like this! next time I'm on the east coast I might try it out.
> 
> anyone know any rivers in virginia where you can see good plants like this? quite interested in getting them from the source!
> 
> beautiful pics


Search Plant Fest 2008.
The areas we collected are "not protected", nor should they be, hillbilles run through here all the time in large boats mauling Mantee, taking large amounts of fish, shooting deer, boar and other native species...........
State parks you cannot touch nothing, but Florida is not all state parks and they do a lot of damage from farming, poor planning and developers looking to get rich(they lost their hind ends lately here). I personally do not take things. If folks want to, they can as long as it is in a legal place. 

A few weeds that rapidly grow back and found all along the road sides are hardly an issue. It's like spear fishing vs taking a few green macros in the summer in the Keys. These things grow back rapidly, are very seasonal and die fast, large critters, trees, habitat, the destruction and degradation of the water ways and water sheds etc do not.

There are some orchid collectors that reduced a lot of the nice flowers in many areas etc and some other species, but there's not enough aquatic plant hobbyists to even put a small dent in the populations here if they wanted to.
National and state parks are designed to protect from poaching and make it expressly illegal, few folks poach aquatic weeds

If you'd like to come down and try and remove all the Hygro and Hydrilla by hand, you are welcomed to try.

More weeds than you can shake a stick at. A single boat propeller going up the river will do more damage and does...........day after day. But the system can do pretty good, mantees might not.

Snails are easy to transport, in 3 days, you can collect some items and bring them back, I take folks to places where they can collect legally, mostly the 2 and 3 days, so they are just stored for a day before heading home etc.

I fully expect folks to respect nature, low impact but also to have fun and be relaxed, if not, I'll turn you in myself to the DEP.roud: 


Regards, 
Tom Barr


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## Church (Sep 14, 2004)

Gotdangit, this thread has me so steaming jealous, I've decided to go up to Itchetucknee myself this weekend. I'm gonna have me my own private little Plant Fest 2008, lol.

Don't worry, I'll bring a water-proof camera. Not because I plan on taking pictures underwater, but because I'm sure it will be storming... :angryfire 

:icon_mrgr


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## deleted_user_16 (Jan 20, 2008)

i wish California had wild plants like florida, maybe they do, got any places to harvest wild plants in CA tom?


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## Bert H (Dec 15, 2003)

> Gotdangit, this thread has me so steaming jealous, I've decided to go up to Itchetucknee myself this weekend


Keep in mind the whole 3 1/2 mile of the river that is state park, you cannot remove anything. You can always go downstream from the state park put out, but then if you return to the put out you're back in state property, and again, can't have anything. But remember on summer weekends, it can be crowded.


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## plantbrain (Dec 15, 2003)

fishman9809 said:


> i wish California had wild plants like florida, maybe they do, got any places to harvest wild plants in CA tom?


They do but the water is cold.
No real good places to get most of the rarer species, but most cannot keep them at tropical temps anyway.

The rest are weeds.

But there are quite a few species and some very nice.

Regards, 
Tom Barr


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## jazzlvr123 (Jul 16, 2007)

plantbrain said:


> They do but the water is cold.
> No real good places to get most of the rarer species, but most cannot keep them at tropical temps anyway.
> 
> The rest are weeds.
> ...


tom did you get my E-mail? please let me know, Kyle


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## deleted_user_16 (Jan 20, 2008)

plantbrain said:


> They do but the water is cold.
> No real good places to get most of the rarer species, but most cannot keep them at tropical temps anyway.
> 
> The rest are weeds.
> ...


wow, thats awesome Tom!!! where could i hypothetically go looking for these plants? i just wanna know cuz i would love to go collecting and make people jealous like u did us  :thumbsup:


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## ikuzo (Jul 11, 2006)

did you find any crypts there?


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## plantbrain (Dec 15, 2003)

ikuzo said:


> did you find any crypts there?


C wendtii and becketii.
Been there since 1974 at least I figure. 

Regards, 
Tom Barr


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## plantbrain (Dec 15, 2003)

fishman9809 said:


> wow, thats awesome Tom!!! where could i hypothetically go looking for these plants? i just wanna know cuz i would love to go collecting and make people jealous like u did us  :thumbsup:


Foothills, upper alpine regions in lakes, peat bogs.
Lake Audrian on the way to South Lake Tahoe is good.

Come on, you live in the delta pretty much, tons of weeds there, Cabomba, pondweeds, Egeria, Milfoils etc, tons of weeds.

Regards, 
Tom Barr


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## plantbrain (Dec 15, 2003)

jazzlvr123 said:


> tom did you get my E-mail? please let me know, Kyle


Nope, but I'll be sending you plants Monday.
You'll have plenty.

Regards, 
Tom Barr


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## deleted_user_16 (Jan 20, 2008)

plantbrain said:


> Foothills, upper alpine regions in lakes, peat bogs.
> Lake Audrian on the way to South Lake Tahoe is good.
> 
> Come on, you live in the delta pretty much, tons of weeds there, Cabomba, pondweeds, Egeria, Milfoils etc, tons of weeds.
> ...


sweet, we are going up to the mountains b4 school starts, i'll ask my dad if we can go to Lake Audrian. :thumbsup:


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## plantbrain (Dec 15, 2003)

fishman9809 said:


> sweet, we are going up to the mountains b4 school starts, i'll ask my dad if we can go to Lake Audrian. :thumbsup:


Right before the Summit at Echo pass.
Small ATV/Sno machine trail on the right side of HWY 50. About 10 minute walk.

I have pics of it.

Regards, 
Tom Barr


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## deleted_user_16 (Jan 20, 2008)

im gonna write this down!! lol

is there a nice campground near? we might go camping, so i'll collect on the last day we are there :thumbsup:

i'll start Pm'ing you, i dont want to cloud up your Plant Fest thread.


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## plantbrain (Dec 15, 2003)

Go to Echo lakes and hike up to the upper lakes, nice place. There's Isoetes in the lakes , you cannot take them though.

Another nice place is near the Sierra Buttes,Packard Lake, which you can swim in, it's a bit cold, a tenderfoot cannot handle it, but I'm okay with cold water.

Moss and giant pondweed, both can grow in aquariums.

Then the entire delta is full of Cabomba, Hyacinth, Egeria and Milfoil, take all you want from there, truck loads if you wish.

The Santa Ynez River has Ech berteroi in Santa Barbara county, not far from MJ's Never never land estate.

Still, FL is much more interesting for aquarist and why I travel 3000 miles to do this.

Regards, 
Tom Barr


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## deleted_user_16 (Jan 20, 2008)

seems amazing!!! i am quite interested in the Ech berteroi, i sure would like to live in Florida tho!!!

the moss is fissidens, correct?

now i cant wait to go to the Sierras!!!


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## rich815 (May 21, 2008)

This is awesome Tom. I'm going to get up there with my little boy for a little camping/fishing/plant collecting trip before summer is out. Thanks for the directions!


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## plantbrain (Dec 15, 2003)

For families, Packard Lake is a nice place, you can rent Cabins there.
Buttes, Mt Bike, Hike, Swim, Photos etc

The Sierra Butte makes a nice day hike, The top above Packard Lake is Mt Bike Heaven..............one of the sickest rides in the world.......the start of the Dowieville Downhill, 20 miles of single track love 5500ft decent through Alpine forest and waterfalls and streams, 15$ takes you and the bike back up to do it all over again, then relax lake side and view plants, snorkel etc.

Hike Bike Swim..........eat well and enjoy life in nature.




























there's also this little gem road side before you turn off of HYW: 49










And what can be more focused and living in the moment than "braking when you see god"??










Regards, 
Tom Barr


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## deleted_user_16 (Jan 20, 2008)

the.......biking........trip...........looks.........like........the......SICKEST RIDE EVER!!!!!!

i wanna go!!!!

looks very scenic, and lots of rivers and streams to stop and check for plants.


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## CL (Mar 13, 2008)

Awesome photos Tom


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## plantbrain (Dec 15, 2003)

fishman9809 said:


> the.......biking........trip...........looks.........like........the......SICKEST RIDE EVER!!!!!!
> 
> i wanna go!!!!
> 
> looks very scenic, and lots of rivers and streams to stop and check for plants.


One of the top ten rides you must do before you die.

Take the 7-8" travel downhiller if you have one, otherwise the x country bike will do(my bike, Santa Cruz Blur with lots of Carbon/Crossmax's).
They cream me going down, but I cream them when they have to use the pedals :thumbsup: 

Which is really what a bike vs a Motocycle is for.

Back to plants, this place has a wide range of nice plants locally and it's set in a truly wonderful place, Florida is beautiful as well, and you would never know you are in the USA, more like some Jungle.

I sure do not feel I'm in CA doing 45 mph into a turn on the DD:thumbsup: 
One track mind.

Same when I'm swimming up from 20ft off the Sombero reef in the Keys, or watching otter play in the Rainbow river.

These things make you feel alive, and then by being there in the moment, you truly live.

Aquariums are our creations, however, this(plant fest) is something very different. It opens your mind a lot more. It makes you think differently.
Everyone that's gone knows this.

Like the sickest ride, you need to do things like this in life.

Regards, 
Tom Barr


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## CL (Mar 13, 2008)

What a "speech"  You sound like a really fun guy


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## deleted_user_16 (Jan 20, 2008)

he sure does. wish i had parents like him. bring me to plantfest!!!


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## Cactus Bastard (Jun 5, 2007)

plantbrain said:


>


So what's the news on this stuff?


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## plantbrain (Dec 15, 2003)

Slower growing microsword pretty much.
I have some growing outside.
It does well, as long as it's not freezing.

Note, there will be no plant fest this year, there will be one the following year(2010).

Regards, 
Tom Barr


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## Cactus Bastard (Jun 5, 2007)

It looks extremely short and stocky, is that just because of the intense light it's been receiving? The darker green is also quite intriguing. 
Has it been identified, and what are the chances of it being introduced to the hobby?


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## griffin_pak (Jul 21, 2008)

Any new pics? of newer years?


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## AirstoND (Jun 17, 2011)

I'd be interested in tagging along for a 2011 Plantfest


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## plantbrain (Dec 15, 2003)

AirstoND said:


> I'd be interested in tagging along for a 2011 Plantfest


It'll be 2012 at the earliest, likely later, 2013. Got too many other things on the plate.


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