Austin’s Annual Ice Show
Frostweed
Frostweed
As a nature photographer who pays close attention to both my natural surroundings and my Lightroom Catalog, I’ve developed a keener sense of when and where to photograph nature in and around Bull Creek here in Austin, TX. I know when and where the bluebonnets bloom in St. Edward’s park. I know where and when a small patch of red poppies appear near Bull Creek each year. I know when to expect the Golden-cheeked warblers in Bull Creek Preserve. And I know when something truly magical occurs, not the exact date, but the conditions. The first hard freeze each year brings a Disney-like display of ice sculpture produced not by man, but by Mother Nature.
January 2, 2022, 26 degrees, perfect weather for the annual frostweed display. I’ve had this day marked on my calendar since the temperatures first appeared on the long-range forecast. First forecast was for a low of 30 degrees; a chance but maybe not cold enough. Then 29, 28 degrees were the forecasted lows. My interest and anticipation grew. The possibilities seemed to increase as each day passed and we got closer to the cold front that would sweep away December’s 80 degree days. But more importantly, bring with it the annual ice sculpture show put on by Frostweed.
I awoke early the morning of January 2, and put on 3 layers of clothes. Checked my camera equipment, and drove down to Bull Creek. Anxious, like a young child at Christmas, I started down the trail to see the ice miracles.
But there were none. I stopped by the first frostweed on the trail and nothing. I walked further to a larger grouping of frostweed, still nothing. I wondered what conditions might be missing.
For those unfamiliar with Verbesina virginica (aka frostweed), it has white flowers, which monarchs love, that bloom in Fall. My main fascination however is not the fall blooms, but the winter ice sculptures. Acccording to the Ladybird Johnson Wildflower Center’s Plant database:
Each stem has soft, fleshy green flanges running longitudinally down its length. When winter weather brings ice, the stems exude water that freezes into fascinating shapes, hence its common name Frostweed. The ice crystals formed on the stems of this and other plant species have been given many names - among them: ice ribbons, ice flowers, ice fringes, ice fingers, ice filaments, ice leaves, frost flowers, frost ribbons, frost freaks, frost beards, frost castles (Forrest M. Mims III http://www.forrestmims.org/gallery.html), crystallofolia (coined by Bob Harms at The University of Texas), rabbit ice and rabbit butter.
Frostweed along Bull Creek in Austin, TX
I remember the first time I encountered these ice ribbons at Bull Creek. It was 5 years ago on a chilly January walk at the Stenis Tract. First, I noticed what I thought were a few white styrofoam peanuts scattered near the beginning of the trail. As I continued my walk I noticed more and more. Finally, I took a closer look and noticed that they were not styrofoam at all, but magical ice sculptures at the base of certain plants. That was my first encounter with Frostweed, and it what makes me circle the first forecasted hard freeze on my calendar each year.
While there were no ice fireworks on January 2, January 3 was forecast to be equally cold. Perhaps the dew point was not right yesterday; perhaps it was the strong north wind that kept the trees and bushes moving. It was still cold on January 3, so I thought I would try again.
The morning of January 3, I drove to the Stenis Tract Parking Lot just off 360 and saw frost on the ground. My hope immediately increased. I walked about 20 feet down the trail and saw the frothy white sculptures at the base of the Frost Weed. I went back to get my tripod and began an hour of exploring the wonderful ice sculptures the frostweed yielded.
There is something magical and wondrous about these frostweed ice sculptures. I am attracted to them as the monarchs are attracted to the Frostweed blooms each Fall, and I’ll eagerly anticipate the first hard freeze at Bull Creek, the way a child anticipates Christmas.
Frostweed
Frostweed