Hurricane Ike Brought Tomatoes and More
By Vanessa Richins
When you think of hurricanes, you think of destruction.
That was true when Hurricane Ike landed in Galveston, Texas in September 2008.
Many of the island’s plants were uprooted and destroyed in the wake of the storm.
According to the Christian Science Monitor, 40,000 trees alone died in the chaos.
However, Galveston citizens received a nice surprise this spring when all sorts of plants started popping up. The storm had brought hope amidst despair in the form of seeds.
Burke Evans, a local resident, found tomatoes, watermelons, cantaloupes, periwinkles, papaya trees and elephant ears. Pam Gilbert received petunias, a mulberry tree, and jalapeños.
The Christian Science Monitor recounts that Evans is especially intrigued by the origins of his tomato plants. :
“While the more common plants probably came from other island yards, Evans thinks the tiny tomatoes might have come all the way from the Caribbean.
“Other people out here on the East End have had that same little tomato,” he says. “No one recognized it, and then I heard by word of mouth that they had come from Cuba. I’m willing to believe that, but I don’t know that it’s true.”
Experts cannot verify Evans’ claim, but the unknown origin of the volunteer plants hasn’t kept gardeners from enjoying them.”
In a related story, Coastal Federal Community Credit Union planted a victory garden to help feed the homeless. It’s actually located at their branch. They wanted to help make a difference and planted fruits and vegetables in their flower beds that had suffered through Hurricane Ike.
I am happy to hear that the residents of Galveston received some garden joy after such a troubling time. I hope they will have some relief from hurricanes for a while so the greenery can flourish.
