NCNatural Digest

The Current Spring Wildflower Status
for areas near Asheville, NC

Updated May 21, 1996

This is the last update on spring flowers for this year as we are now moving rather quickly into summer. Most of the spring flowering has advanced to the higher elevations with spring coming on strong all the way to the highest peaks. The greatest abundance of spring wildflowers is now in the 3500 - 6000 foot elevations where the trees haven't put on all of their leaves yet and sunlight is still making it to the forest floor. Many of the spring flowers at the lower elevations are almost completely done already.

From Craggy Gardens towards Mt. Mitchell on the Blue Ridge Parkway there are nice displays of some of the flowers that frequent the higher mountain zones. Several species of Trillium, already mentioned below, are still in bloom as well as the rarer Painted Trillium (Trillium undulatum). Painted Trilliums are small but very beautiful flowers and often appear as single individuals in higher elevation hemlock and spruce forests. In the same areas you may encounter Squirrel Corn (Dicentra canadensis), Clinton's Lily (Clintonia borealis) and Canada Mayflower (Maianthemum canadensis). I'm sure higher elevations near Mt. Pisgah and the Great Smoky Mountains will also show some wonderful displays.

Spring flowers are still occurring at the lower elevations, but the summer flowers will begin to take over soon. Especially easy to spot along the roadsides are Lyre-Leaved Sage, Wild Geraniums and Mayapple. The Geraniums seem to be doing quite well this year as is the False Solomon's Seal. Along the creek banks, the Fetter Bush or Leucothoe (Leucothoe axillaris) is in bloom. Leucothoe is also know by the common name "Dog hobble" because its twisted thickets can slow down just about anything. The Ladyslippers are in bloom now if you are lucky enough to find them. All of the Appalachian variaties of these plants have been loved to the point of extreme rarity and I can't emphasize this enough-satisfy yourself with a photograph of these beautiful flowers. They won't last long in a vase and they will only grow in the presence of specific bacteria in the soil.

On the forest floor, usually near the roots of Oak trees the Squaw Root (Conopholus americana) is blooming, if you want to call it that. This is a very unusual parasitic plant that often forms large clumps around the base of oaks. When they appear, they are yellowish brown cones with many small pale flowers. The stalks eventually turn black and will remain through the year. You may even see some of last years stalks near the new ones. Another low growing flower that can easily be over-looked is Wood Betony (Pedicularis canadensis). It too often appears in large clumps, occassionally along the roadside.

There will still be plenty of exciting flower watching to come throughout the summer in the southern Appalachians, including the always fabulous Rhododendron displays. The Roan Mountain Rhododendron Festival is an NCNatural Pick-of-the Month Event for June, so check it out. Happy hiking.

Updated May 6, 1996
We seem to be just blasting right into summer-time now with temps in the 80's all this week. Nice thunderstorms going on also. The woods are looking great! Most of my wanderings the past few weeks have been up to about the 3000 ft. elevation where a lot of flowering is going on now. Early flowers and plants are starting to appear at the higher elevations too.

I'll just list some of the flowers that I have encountered within the last week on trails along the Blue Ridge Parkway near Asheville. Links are to plants included in Wildflowers of the Southern Appalachians section. In no particular order: Crested Dwarf Iris (Iris cristata), Umbrella Leaf (Diphylleia cymosa), Large Flowered Trillium (Trillium grandiflorum), Nodding Trillium (Trillium cernuum), Wake Robin (Trillium erectum), Showy Orchid (Orchis spectablis), Bellwort (Uvalaria sessifolia & U. grandiflurum), many different violets, Jack In The Pulpit (Arisaema triphyllum), Mayapple (Podophyllum peltatum), Solomon's Seal (Polygonatum biflorum), False Solomon's Seal (Smilacina racemosa), Nodding Mandarin (Disporum maculatum), Yellow Stargrass (Hypoxis hirsuta), Larkspur (Delphinium tricorne), Wild Geranium (Geranium maculatum), Foam Flower (Tiarella cordifolia), Meadow Rue (Thalictrum revolutum), Shooting Star (Dodecatheon meadia), Squaw Root (Conopholus americana) and Robins Plantain (Erigeron pulchellus). I'm betting there are a few that I missed along the way too.

My yard in town has Flame Azalea and Catawba Rhododendron beginning to bloom as well. And it looks like its shaping up to be a banner year for Poison Ivy. I've seen lots of it. I'll be telling about the best strategies for dealing with Poison Ivy and Poison Oak in the June issue of our Digest, but just between us, the best strategy is to recognize it and avoid it.

I'm hoping to get out for a hike in the old growth forest in the next few days and I'll try to have my update in on time for next week. Enjoy the spring before it gets too hot and buggy.

Updated April 21, 1996

I'm happy to report that spring has finally arrived in the Asheville area. Mild temperatures and rain are causing things to occur rather quickly. Trees are beginning to put on leaves in Asheville and up into the mountain coves. Dogwoods, Redbud, Apples, and Cherry trees are blooming, although they are not as spectacular as some years. The dogwoods particularly seem to be skipping some of their flowering and going straight to leaves, although some blossoms are present.

Up to elevations of 3000 ft. plants are starting to pop up from the forest floor. It seems to be a good year for Bloodroot and it is currently one of the most visible plants. Also blooming are Toothwort, Spring Beauty, Bellwort, and Violets. Larkspur is budding and should start to bloom this week. There are probably Iris blooming, although I have not yet encountered any. Trilliums are blooming at the UNCA Botanical Gardens, but I haven't encountered any in the woods yet. They should be coming along shortly, as well as Wild Geranium, Phringed Phacelia, Solomon's Seal and False Solomon's Seal. I think the lateness of spring this year will mean an abbreviated spring flower season as plants rush to get back on schedule.

The next three or four weeks will definately be good times to get out and see some wildflowers. We won't have an update next week, because we'll be MerleFest, and the next update will probably be a rather extensive list of flowering plants. Go take a hike, you should be generously rewarded.

April 13, 1996

Snow flurries last Monday and Tuesday and a couple of hard freezes put off spring for a few more days, but warm temperatures since Thursday have gotten things to start happening. There were several inches of snow at higher elevations during the first part of the week and both the Blue Ridge parkway and HWY 441 through the Great Smoky's were closed because of snow. I wouldn't expect too many signs of spring above 3000 feet for at least another week.

As I write this, there are showers moving into the area. The last two days have gotten a lot of trees ready to start thinking about leafing. The Dogwoods should start blooming within the next few days, as should the Redbud Trees. With a good shower, and continued temperatures above freezing for a few days, I expect that things will be starting to happen at an accelerated pace.

I didn't get into the woods this week, but we've got violets blooming in the yard now and thats a long overdue sign that spring is coming. The weather forcast for the next five days indicates more cool weather coming up, but possibly not a freeze this time. We've got our fingers crossed in hopes of more warmth.

April 5, 1996

Spring seems to be running a little behind schedule compared to recent years. We've continued to have frosty nights, several times this week. The actual last frost date for our planting zone is May 9, so its not terribly unprecedented. There was some snow on the higher peaks last Sunday evening and snow showers are in the forcast for Easter Sunday again.

A few warm, sunny days this week have teased out a few flowers although it's still pretty bleak in the woods. Early flowers are starting to show up in scattered patches. Currently starting to bloom, are Bloodroot (Sanguinaria canadensis), Toothwort (Dentaria laciniata), Trout Lily (Erythronium americanum), Purple Trillium (Trillium cuneatum), Bluets (Houstonia caerulea), Hepatica (Hepatica acutiloba) and Spring Beauty (Claytonia caroliniana). Some Dogwoods are just starting to bud.

The continued chilly weather will probably push back the peak of the wildflowers to late April to mid May. (And then we'll probably transition quickly into summer-but thats just my guess at this point.)

I'll have another update next week.

cya, tim

Spring Wildflowers