Strange Things Plant People Do

For several years I attended a conference in Many, La.   Of course I took leasurely walks out in the woods of the area anytime I got the chance just to see what was growing.   A shrubby plant with great green leaves and fantastic little red flowers was everywhere.   I dug up a small seedling with a spoon the first year, but it did not make it.   The following year, 3 years ago, I refined my technique and used a butterknife to dig this seedling.  It was tiny.  I knew it was an understory plant, but I have no Piney woods in which to plant it, so I chose  2/3rds out, but still under the canopy, of a large Live Oak.  There was lots of drought that year, so when it was all but dead by mid summer, I dug it back up and potted it   It thrived, and I again planted it in the fall.   The next year it survived, but barely.   But this spring, it has sprung to life in a big way, and is going to flower.  I think this little Red Buckeye is gonna make it.