Found only in Georgia, Alabama, South Carolina and North Carolina, the Shoals Spider Lily (also known as the Cahaba Lily, Shoal Lily, Rocky Shoal Spider Lily) is native to our Chattahoochee River. Since 2015, multiple groups and organizations have been working hard in the Chattahoochee Valley to return this once native species to the river basin and establish a sustainable population. The beautiful flowers bloom typically between Mother's Day and Father's Day, and can be easily identified as a large, often hand sized white flower, growing in shallow and swift moving water.
The restoration project is very detailed and time consuming, but worth the effort! Each summer, CRC and partners source seeds from a few native stands of lilies located within the watershed! These seeds will become future lilies for us to transplant into the habitat along the river. Seeds are germinated in a water bath, mimicking as best as possible natural river conditions! Once seeds begin to grow roots, they are potted in a rich soil and watered daily and grown for an entire year before they are ready to be planted! This allows the lilies to have stronger, hardier roots for transplant time. At that point, our team of trained and dedicated volunteers take a trip down the whitewater course to plant the lilies in their new homes!
Funds raised by this campaign will further the efforts made by CRC to restore this once native species to the Chattahoochee River. Follow along on our social media channels for updates on this project!