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In 1820, a German professor Karl Friedrich Eichhorn discovered unknown tropical plant in Brazil – unusually beautiful blue flower – river hyacinth. Later, the flower received another the name is “blue plague.” This unpretentious plant is beautiful feels in moist soil or in water. Its stem resembles a sponge that holds air bubbles and helps the flower stay afloat. River hyacinth is extremely prolific: in one year the stalk can give up to 150 thousand processes! Penetrated into the pond the plant grows rapidly and forms a dense interweaving of stems and roots, able to withstand even a person. Gradually it occupies a lake, river or canal, interferes with shipping and kills fish, stopping the flow of oxygen into the water … In 1884, the river hyacinth exhibited at a large flower show in New Orleans, where a certain Mrs. Fuller saw him. Fascinated by gentle blue and pale purple flowers of an exotic plant, this lady planted three specimens in the pond of his estate near the city of St. Augustine. Soon the pond looked like a fabulous flower bed, and Mrs. Fuller decided to do good to her neighbors. She is slowly threw some plants she loved into the St. Johns River and began to wait patiently … After ten years, millions of acres of rivers and canals in florida are covered with a beautiful durable carpet of blue inflorescences. By 1899, shipping to the Mississippi became extremely embarrassing. Since the measures taken by the authorities to the destruction of river hyacinth proved to be of little use, to help called up the army. Many hundreds of soldiers slaughtered and snatched insidious plant, but it didn’t help. Then the troops used dynamite. But fragments of plants carried by the course, and river hyacinth captured new spaces faster than it was destroyed. Military, with approval of the authorities, decided on an extreme step – flew to Mississippi tons of arsenic! The waters of the river carried thousands of wilted blue oceans into the ocean flowers along with dead fish, birds and all kinds of animals. But less than a year, as from small rivers, canals and ponds hyacinth again hit the Mississippi. Shipping companies and fishermen again turned out to be drawn into the fight against an unusually tenacious plant, nicknamed the Blue Plague. After World War II, in the period of enthusiasm for chemical means of weed control, their tried on river hyacinth. For the ultimate victory in the battle with the “blue plague” authorities even reconciled with the poisoning of the local flora and fauna. But it was worth stopping the spraying of the herbicide, as through for several months the surface of rivers and lakes was again covered with blue carpet … Not only America was the victim of a Brazilian flower – river hyacinth appeared in Australian reservoirs, where he brought unknown lover of exotic flora. From there, the flower moved to Indonesia and Indochina. Once in West Bengal, the Blue Plague captured the entire coast of the Bay of Bengal and quickly moved up the Ganges. “Traveler” reached China, appeared on Madagascar … In Asia, river hyacinth has become agricultural crop. The Chinese and Vietnamese became specially breed this plant and feed them pigs. Floating blue flowers buffaloes liked it. River hyacinth has penetrated into Africa. He was first noticed in the Congo River near Leopoldville. Soon the blue the plague bloomed lushly throughout the Black Continent. Moreover, in the distribution of the Brazilian guest underground played a significant role exotic flower merchants who ignored the official a ban on its breeding. Five years after its appearance in Sudan’s river hyacinth expelled whole fishing villages from its native places. Sudanese were the first to complain about the expansion of the Blue Plague in FAO – UN Food and Agriculture Organization. In consultation with experts from around the world, this organization proclaimed a universal campaign to eradicate the Blue Plague. ” FAO’s assignment, the Indian scientist Rao went to the lower reaches of the Amazon, to study insects grazing on river hyacinth, in the hope of find a way to curb the “blue plague”. Alas, the expedition is not crowned with success. Professor of the Paris Museum of Natural History Portes pointed to the only way – to wait. The fight, he assured useless – the plant will win. However, his “aggression” cannot continue indefinitely – eventually biological equilibrium. Therefore, you just need to be patient. Professor turned out to be right! A little over twenty years passed, and the “blue plague” in the whole world has receded. Author: N.N. Not remembering | Source: 100 great mysteries of nature Water China Plants Fish
