Larger than life: Woman with decades-old rhododendrons celebrates her own 100th birthday

JACKSON COUNTY, N.C. (WLOS) — Celebrating a century of life is no simple feat, but that's not the only thing one Western North Carolina resident is taking pride in.

Donna Bohanan says her motherGloria Stenger turns 100 years old on Sept. 4, 2023. Gloria "adores living in the Balsam area," acommunity in Jackson County, Donna wrote to News 13 in an email. She's lived in the same house that her husband built in the 1970's.

HENDERSONVILLE CHURCH SURPRISES 108-YEAR-OLD WOMAN WITH LUNCH, GIFTS ON HER BIRTHDAY

Around 1975, Donna says her father planted three rhododendrons on their property and they've been getting bigger and bigger ever since.

In 2019, Donna shared a photo with News 13 of her mother sitting in front of herrhododendrons, showcasing a stark contrast between the ginormous flowering plants and her mother. Once shared on social media, the photo garnered thousands of reactions, many people astonished with the sheer size of the beautiful purplerhododendrons.

Catawba rhododendrons are native to Appalachia, thriving alongwoodland slopes and ridges in the Blue Ridge Mountains. They typically grow from six to 10 feet tall, but can grow beyond that as well.

Donna says her father passed away about 10 years ago, and that no one has really fertilized the plantedrhododendrons since, but they've continued growing anyway.

She says her mother Gloria was so happy when her photo was shared online a few years ago.

SWANNANOA WOMAN CREDITS 'GRACE OF GOD,' FAMILY AS SHE CELEBRATES 105TH BIRTHDAY

"She was so thrilled with her photo going viral several years ago," Donna wrote to News 13.

Thank you for sharing a glimpse of your beautiful rhododendrons with the world, and we wish you the happiest 100th,Gloria!