SAPS-NCGA: July 2013

compiled by Kathy Stilwell with Jean Hunnicutt and Dan Rawlins Photos by Karen Lawrence with contributions by Ned Kraft

After so many days of rain, we were especially fortunate to have splendid weather for our trip to Wolf Mountain along the Blue Ridge Parkway led by the very knowledgeable Karen Lawrence with her trusty Newcomb’s Guidebook at her side and her ever present Nikon around her neck. Having Dan Rawlins along to share his vast expertise was a major bonus as was the presence of Bob Gilbert, plantsman supreme! A special thanks to Jean Hunnicutt for her superb skills of keeping track and noting what we encountered.

Photo by Jean Hunnicutt

Our five car caravan stopped shortly after we entered the parkway. We used Newton’s keys to attempt to identify a number of plants along the roadside. With some, we were successful; with others, not so much. We learned any number of the intricate elements of describing flowers and stems and leaves and the way leaves grow and the way flowers grow. We learned about radial and non radial growth patterns of flowers and how to classify flowers by the number of parts unless they are irregular or indistinguishable. We learned about the plant type--does it have basal or alternate or opposite or whorled leaves or no leaves? And we learned about leaf types. Are they entire or toothed or lobed or divided. We learned that when in doubt, divided trumps toothed! I’m telling you, the number of minute variations was breathtaking and mind-boggling. Add to that, the amazing number of varieties and you find yourself in a wildflower dreamland.

Our next stop was the Rock Face at the Wolf Mountain Overlook which is an incredibly unique plant environment--one I would love to duplicate at my home! We ended the excursion on just the right note with a superb lunch at Pisgah Inn. We were reminded once again about how privileged we are to live in such close proximity to such “gracious plenty”. (That’s a term I heard just recently and I love it.)

Following is the list of species we encountered with some photos from the day. Enjoy!

End of entry ramp BRP

Heal-all Prunella vulgaris

Spikenard Aralia racemosa

Short-styled Snakeroot Sanicula canadensis

Black Snakeroot/ Black Cohosh Actaea racemosa

Common Greenbrier Smilax rotundifolia

Flowering Spurge Euphorbia corollata

Heart-leaved Skullcap Scutellaria ovata

Thimbleweed Anemone virginiana

Riding along the Parkway

Turk’s-cap Lily Lilium superbum

Phlox (Downyand/or Smooth) Phlox pilosa

Crimson Bee Balm/ Oswego Tea Monarda didyma

Rock Face Across from Wolf Mt Overlook

Bush Honeysuckle Diervilla lonicera

Michaux’s Saxifrage Saxifraga Michauxii

Long-leaved Houstonia Houstonia longifolia

Thyme-leaved Bluets Houstonia serpyllifolia

Mountain St. John’s Wort Hypericum graveolens

Appalachian St. John’s Wort Hypericum buckleyi

(other St John’s Worts)

Grass-of-Parnassus Parnassia asarifolia

False Dandelion Krigia Montana

Sundew Drosera rotundifolia

False Asphodel Tofieldia glutinosa

Water Hemlock Cicuta bulbifera

Green-headed Coneflower Rudbeckia laciniata

Small Green Wood Orchid Habenaria clavellata

Joe-Pye Weed Eupatorium --several species

Also:

A couple of species of mountain mints and some basil-balm. We also saw both pale and spotted jewelweed, native clematis (in and around the greenbrier), and some immature turtleheads.

Buckleyi St. John's Wort

Green Wood Orchis--by Karen Lawrence

Downy Skullcap (Scutellaria incana) by KL

Mini-Community on rock wall by Karen Lawrence

Sticky Asphodel (Tofieldia gultinosa)

Grass-of-Parnassus (Parnassia asarifolia Ventenat)by JH

Flowering Spurge (Euphorbia corollata Linnaeus) by JH

Thimbleweed (Anemone virginiana L.) by JH

Bush Honeysuckle (Diervilla sessilifolia Buckley) by JH

Sticky Asphodel Group by Karen Lawrence

Sundew (Drosera rotundifolia)

Karen and I decided to retrace our steps the Friday following our trip. We were in search of the Larkspur that was said to be blooming near the entry ramp. Here are some photos from that excursion.