Shallou (Shall-owe)
The Creeping Salad of Curr
Few plants are as generous among the former mountains of the Churrian's homeworld as that of the Shallou. Rapid in growth and able to spread across the crags and cracks of bare rock faces, this creeping, almost vine-like plant has been used as a stable food source for the Sanguar Institute in new facilities where initial crops may have difficulty being cultivated in limited soils. While it can be prone to runaway growth, the Shallou has time and time again proven itself as a worthwhile leafy green in Churrian dishes when nothing else is able to reasonably flourish.
Basic Information
Anatomy
Bearing broad green leaves situated on dark red stems, the Shallou is a tender and short vine-like plant capable of surviving in the cracks of rocks with its strong roots and net-like spread. This relatively fast-growing plant can often be found stretched across the rocky landscapes of their mountain homes seeking the sun with their wide leaves.
Genetics and Reproduction
During the Shallou's reproductive cycle, the shoots that develop along the plant's vine-like structure will develop large, orb-like white flowers that, upon being fertilized, will separate from the plant to tumble down the side of the mountain ranges to deposit their hard seeds. Called 'Highmoor's Fog, ' these seed-scattering flowers are a favored treat for the mountainous Highmoor who have been known to greedily follow the rounded florals down the sides of cliffs when presented with the opportunity.
Growth Rate & Stages
A fast-growing plant, the Shallou can stretch across a large expanse of exposed rock in around 2-3 months, much to the delight of herbivores with a taste for the Shallou's sweet shoots. Known to have sections of the expanded plant maturing and seeding throughout their growing season, the Shallou is considered a Venestrian staple due to its rotating cycle of edible leaves suitable for both domestic dishes and animal feed.
Ecology and Habitats
Originally found on the Churrian homeworld of Churr, the Shallou was primarily located in the planet's mountainous regions where it could bask in the sun among the mountain's exposed rock faces. While able to be grown in other soils, amateur gardeners will often find the plant far too aggressive in its growth without the natural limitations of bare rocks as its staging ground and/or the presence of animals able to feed upon it frequently.
Additional Information
Domestication
A popular leafy green variety plant, the Shallou is grown throughout many Churrian home gardens, especially those with weathered rocksides, as the tasty shoots are easy to maintain provided that the plant's tough vines are pruned frequently to prevent it from becoming a harmful strangleweed.
Uses, Products & Exploitation
Primarily used in two distinct manners, the Shallou can often be found in the bowls of the Churrian people as a regular salad dish, provided that careful preparation is taken to chop the tender sections of the plant from its tough and sour red stem. Having grown in popularity as an alternative plant to use in the Gru-Balo for Venestrian households, the plant's naturally mild sweetness and quick growth has also gained it the distinction as a useful crop feed for herbivorous animals such as the Highmoor.
Geographic Origin and Distribution
Originally from the mountains of Churr, the Shallou plant has now primarily found itself within the gardens and greenhouses of the displaced Churrian people. As such, it is rare to locate it outside of these environments, although not impossible, thanks to the actions of careless gardeners or animal intervention.
Lifespan
3 years
Conservation Status
This species is relatively rare throughout Refuge as it is primarily found in Churrian gardens as opposed to being allowed to grow in the wild, though there are exceptions.
Average Height
Able to grow around 6 inches to 2 feet high.
Geographic Distribution
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