Its always exciting to discover a new plant species on Avery Island and especially one that is native to Louisiana. On May 24th, I found a small grove of Aralia spinosa, Devils Walking stick growing in a wooded area near DeVance Pond, which is located in the center of the Island.

Bird City is a private wildfowl refuge or bird sanctuary located in Jungle Gardens, on Avery Island. It was founded by Tabasco sauce heir and conservationist Edward Avery McIlhenny. McIlhenny established the refuge around 1895 on his approximately 175-acre estate.

The Kurogane Holly or Round Leaf Holly is perhaps the rarest of the many hollies that occur in Jungle Gardens. Only four large trees and two small ones are known to occur in the gardens.