International Oleander Society President Roxann Kriticos has announced the naming of a new oleander “Jane Long” in honor of the “Mother of Texas” who is celebrated annually on Bolivar Peninsula.
In the early 1800s, Jane Long spent an historic two-year period on Bolivar, giving birth alone amid incredible cold, a confrontation with Karankawa Indians and other unimaginable challenges, while waiting for her “fillabuster” husband James Long to return from his campaign to trigger Texas Independence. For this valor, she is today revered as the “Mother of Texas.”
Thanks to the stalwart folks on Bolivar Peninsula, Jane now (for the first time ever) has her portrait hanging in the State Capital in Austin, an annual festival held in her honor (Oct. 12, 2013), a new Jane Long Pavilion at the entrance to Fort Travis Seaside Park and a highway (87) officially renamed The Jane Long Highway.
And now . . . she has her own oleander!
The beautiful pink bloom selected was hybridized by the Oleander Society’s Robert Newding. The oleander is unique in that — in addition to a white stripe down the center — many of the flowers have six petals. The vast majority of oleander flowers have five petals.
The joint project of the Galveston-based International Oleander Society and the Jane Long Society, a committee of the Bolivar Peninsula Cultural Foundation, will introduce the new oleander through pictures at the big Fourth Annual Jane Long Festival Oct. 12 at historic Fort Travis Seashore Park on the newly-designated Jane Long Highway (SH 87) on the peninsula near the ferry landing.
Plants will not be available until 2014, but names and emails will be collected so that notifications can be sent to notify interested buyers. It is projected that the oleander starter plants should be available in time for the Oleander Festival in April, 2014.
Additional information on the 2013 Jane Long Festival and Lecture Series is available at janelongfestival.org.
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Tonight, Sept 24, Jack Watson of The Lafitte Society will give a presentation on General James Long. At the NEW Crystal Beach firestation. 6:30 $5
Next Tuesday Helen Mooty presents Jane Long. Come learn about our peninsula hustory!