Sweet Crab Apple Tree

I remember the Sweet Crab Apple from my childhood. I had one at the edge of a wooded area in front of my trailer home and the blossoms would be so pretty and pink during the spring and the apples were very sour but my mom, brother, sister and I would eat them with salt. They would make your cheeks hurt so badly but somehow you just kept eating them like cutleaf blackberries and chokecherries.

When spring came, the crab apple tree also came in bloom. They were so beautiful and made a great border to the forest area. Eventhough people eat crabapples raw, i found that some also make jams and jellies out of the fruit. The fruit turns yellowish and light brown during the fall of the year. Although I've not seen the tree around awhile, many people still have them from the Southernmost part of Alabama to North Carolina. If you want to know more about Crab apples click here for a plant guide

Bobcat (Lynx Rufus)

 

The bobcat is one of the most beautiful cats in the Souteastern Region of the United States. The Bobcat eats mostly small reptiles, mammals and birds. The feline has large back feet, a short tail, and is 2 times larger than a regular housecat. They are spotted like a cheetah and has a nice pelt of fur that keeps her cool during the summer and warm in the winter time. 

Like a regular housecat, she'll lose the full face and gain a skinner pelt during the summer. Bobcats have been known to interbreed with housecats and have litters of "Pixiebobs". If they don't, they usually have four to five cubs and live near a riverbed, marshy area and in the brush.

The bobcat loves rabbits especially the eastern cottontail. There's not much other types of bunnies in the area other than that. They are a less of a burden than preditors like foxes, jackals and feral pigs. Some people want to see them in their backyard rather than any other wildlife.

Ban On Burning In The State

Our state parks and forrests are important to the economy because of tourists. There have been 1808 fires within the state of Alabama since January 2008. There is way too much careless actions dealing with burning debri, cigarettes, and other things that cause wildfires during drought seasons. Take every precaution imaginable when out this fourth of july. When you are shooting fireworks, shoot them away from trees and anything that sets on fire quickly. Save our resources for others to enjoy.

41,000 acres was destroyed during that timespan and it was due to negligence. It' s important to be safe when around fire since it's extremely dangerous. Never burn brush during extreme drought times. Things are easier to burn and wind can make the fire spread quickly. Never leave a fire unattended or leave a cigarette around without making sure there is nothing left in the butt.

Don't act retarded with fireworks and do stupid stunts. Don't do dumb things with fireworks at all. You could wind up in jail, in the hospital or on television doing both. Be safe and don't mess with fire!

The Red Wolf

The Red Wolf is a beautiful and illusive animal that lives throughout the Southeast. They are relatively shy animals that chow down on coons, white tailed deer, possums, many birds and small game.

They have a blend of cinnamon, white, grey and black in their fur and two aren't identical in looks or markings. The  Red Wolves like many in the canine packs mate for life and both male and female care for the young. They travel in packs like our small coyotes here in Alabama.

The red wolf likes areas near water, they are usually more afraid of you than you are of them. They will eat livestock if they have nothing else to eat, but usually sticks with their deer and smaller mammals. These wolves are protected under law because of low numbers of them. Protect and save them for generations to come!

The Alabama Croton

The Alabama Croton rarely blooms making it a rare Alabama Wild Flower. According to a resource on Auburn University's wildflower site, the flower usually blooms around March of the year. The flowers look like their cousins asters in the respect of their being less petals and more anthers. The anthers are small and gold and stand out from the little bud areas. 

 

Some would call the flowers terminal clusters due to each small pod with tons of anthers. Many flowers in the aster family are this way. Below is a drawing of the flower's blossom. The fruit is the pod shaped part of the flowers.

The flower isn't the most beautiful in alabama but rarely seen blooming. The plant is an evergreen which stays green all year long and mostly withstands heat and cold. You will usually find the Alabama Croton .

Parts of the plant are poisonous so keep your pets from it. There are also some issues with skin irritation. It may cause you to break out into a rash.