Concrete Plants

H.R. Waller
Date: 9 October, 2008
Time: 1258
Weather: some sun, mostly cloudy, a little cold.
Location: On the river by the boathouse.

Yesterday as I was rowing with the crew team we went out past a big tall bridge whose pillars were made of concrete, 3 of them emerging from the water like large powerful giant's legs. As we went by one of the pillars, I noticed something rather peculiar about them. There were a few cracks along the otherwise smooth concrete, a trait to be expected on something so old and under so much pressure. However, the thing I thought was strange was that though these cracks were probably 10 to 15 feet above the water, there was some plant life growing out of them! It wasn't simply moss, which was also present further down nearer to the water, but instead the vegetation had long appendiges whose leaves were a dark green with purpleish veins. The leaves were probably around 5 inches long each, and there were several on them on each plant, all seeming to branch out from the same, central point. I wonder how these plants (most likely some type of weed) could grow from a concrete pillar where there are no nutrients of any type. Firs of all how did the seeds get there, and second how could they survive??