November Seed

Description

Growing up at the Jersey shore, I would run for hours along the estuaries in the tall thrush of Phragmites. I suppose it was the same for kids in the Midwest running through fields of corn. What I remember most about those times were the Phragmites plumes in late fall, when running through them left us covered in white. The seeds were everywhere: in our hair, mouths, and clinging to our clothes. As a student of Marine Biology at Stockton College in South Jersey, I began to appreciate the biology behind these remarkable plants. They are resilient to say the least, bothering few because they thrive in soil not suited for anything else. One day, my wife and I were driving through upstate NY, into the Adirondacks where this story ends, and all along the highways were patches of Phragmites in places I did not expect to see them growing. Now having read this, you know what they are, and you will see; they are everywhere.