Burning Reels CHARTER

There, the clay seals near the surface, preventing saltwater intrusion. Rainwater is captured above, creating a freshwater wetland ripe for such uniquely-evolved creations as Hibiscus grandiflorus.

“These wetlands developed between these ancient dunes, making a place where a lot of wetlands species can succeed,” Emily explains. “That creates almost a bathwater effect. So whenever it rains and you get rainwater falling in, that’s what allows these flowers to thrive.”

Ever so briefly. The gorgeous blooms that graced our eyes had blossomed the night before. They had but a few hours left before wilting and dropping to the ground in the heat of the newly-emerging day.

“When it gets dark, they open up and will stay open for the duration of darkness and with the light they start to close,” Emily notes.

But fresh flowers would bloom anew that night on the very same stalks, repeating the process. Hibiscus grandiflorus’ brief season begins in early July. The nightly procession continues into early August, a span that coincides with coastal Georgia’s rainy season.

It seems as if nothing occurs by random chance in nature.

“In the summertime this region happens to be really resource rich,” Emily says. “It’s warm and we get lots of rain. There are lots of fresh nutrients in the ground. It’s a great time for flowering plants, which is probably what leads this species to bloom at this time. When the flowering plants bloom all at once, pollinators can go from one flower to the next flower to the next flower. It’s a really efficient use of resources.”

Hibiscus grandilforus is safe on Little St. Simons Island, for now anyway. Except for a clutch over overnight cabins and the social lodge at resort headquarters on Mosquito Creek, the island will remain untouched in perpetuity through a grant with The Nature Conservancy.

But the island’s stewards can do nothing about the global effects of human-induced climate change. Saltwater intrusion brought on by rising sea levels could forever alter the freshwater oasis that is attuned in harmony with Hibiscus grandiflorus.

“It’s scary to think about what the future holds for a lot of coastal habitats,” Emily says. “Freshwater species will not be able to succeed where salinity is present. Rising tides will inevitably impact them.”

But Hibiscus grandiflorus will certainly return this coming July, an elemental pageant of nature as enduring as the very geography of our Georgia coast. Still, most of you here in the Golden Isles will never bear witness to this enchanting display. Yet this aloof beauty needs us. Can we assume the humility to recognize that we, too, need Hibiscus grandiflorus?

“As long as this habitat is kept intact, they will continue to bloom,” Emily says. “There’s something reassuring about that. There’s a lot of consistency that can be celebrated in nature. And I would add that it can also be understood and protected.”