Belly Botany at Orchard Park

by Linda Jo Conn

John Pruett, Connie Anderle, Ann Collins and I joined forces at Orchard Park in Cameron for a nature survey.  Eric Neubauer arrived at the city park earlier to look for spiders and at the aerated pond and was leaving as we arrived.  The park with its old pecan trees is neatly mowed.  The paved walkway around the park was used by walkers and joggers during our visit.  Several bordered rose beds, wildscape areas, and a huge purple martin house installed in the past are apparently not maintained as intended, but I envisioned a person or small group with the time, energy, and desire to add to the beauty and utility of the park volunteering their efforts here.

I was disappointed to learn that the Cameron City Manager is leaving for another position.  During a conversation I had with him regarding the Great Texas Wildlife Trails Adopt A Loop Project, I was impressed with his vision and plans to incorporate more natural areas into the landscapes of the city parks.    

Strolling around the park “at the speed of botany,” we did some “belly botany.”  Most of the plants in bloom were below the height of the mower blades. One remarkable observation was the abundance of white widow’s tears (Commelina erecta).  I observed only one blue dayflower during the visit. We were pleased to see straggler daisy (Calyptocarpus vialis) and turkey trot frogfruit (Phyla nodiflora) carpeting the park. Wing pod purslane (Portulaca umbraticola) was in bloom and the tiny delicate flowers of erect spiderling (Boerhavia erecta) required a closer look. 

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Among the animals observed was a fox squirrel (Sciurus niger) checking out the future pecan crop and several crayfish mounds (Cambaridae family).  While Connie was trying to point out some rice stink bugs (Oebalus pugnax) she had spotted, my eyes focused instead on a tiny sharpshooter (Draeculacephala sp.) on a blade of grass.  

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As a destination for your daily walk or to just sit and relax in the shade of the pecan trees, Orchard Park on East 6^th street across the railroad tracks from the Cameron Yards is a place to go.