The Tabasco factory wasn’t the only thing to see on Avery Island. The island is actually the top of a huge mountain made of solid rock salt! They mine this pure salt which is bottled for culinary purposes, as well as using it for sealing the tops of the barrels of the fermenting Tabasco.
The McIlhennys were horticulturists and they planted trees and gardens all over the plantation. They have 64 varieties of bamboo (one for each parish in LA). One of these varieties grows 16 inches in 24 hours! When they sprout, you can actually hear them crackle as they grow!! There are Oak trees everywhere with beautiful moss hanging from every branch. As you walk around the grounds you can see alligators in almost every lagoon. Some come right out of the water and walk up on the grass! These gators are not brought in here, they come in on their own. The property managers periodically remove any alligator that has become too large and is a threat to the safety of the visitors. There is also a lake where docks have been constructed from tree branches and twigs to make perfect roosting habitat for Snowy Egrets. The lake is full of thousands of birds during the summer months until they migrate south. They return to Avery Island every year!
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