Hello Gardeners, I’m Amanda McNulty with Clemson Extension and Making It Grow. In 1930, the Ocean Forest Company of Myrtle Beach needed aerial photographs of Horry County. When the resulting pictures were developed, a stunning observation was made. Hundreds upon hundreds of elliptical depressions were strewn across the landscape and all of them had the exact same northwest to southeast orientation. As more aerial photography was examined, scientists found that these depressions are found from New Jersey to Florida. The majority occur in South and North Carolina and Georgia, hence the name Carolina Bays. Why the name bay? Perhaps because of the three trees associated with these landforms. Gordonia, persea, and sweet bay magnolia are all called bay trees and grow in these areas. Sadly, persea, one the dominant understory tree in our coastal plain, is on its way to extinction because of an imported ambrosia beetle.
The "Discovery" of Carolina Bays
