May 27 2013

Eastern Sweetshrub or Sweet Betsy

Eastern Sweetshrub or Sweet Betsy [Calycanthus floridus] found on the Big Glassy Mountain trail at Carl Sandburg Home on Memorial Day, 27 May 2013. It’s a member of the Strawberry-shrub (Calycanthaceae) family. Wild Flowers of North Carolina [1st Ed.], page 72, says “the flowers are an inch or more broad and have a spicy fragrance; the seeds are poisonous.”

USDA Plants Listing: https://plants.usda.gov/home/plantProfile?symbol=CAFL22

Eastern Sweetshrub at Carl Sandburg Home - 27 May 2013

Eastern Sweetshrub at Carl Sandburg Home – 27 May 2013

Eastern Sweetshrub (side) - 27 May 2013

Eastern Sweetshrub (side) – 27 May 2013

May 26 2013

Golden Alexanders or Golden Zizia

These examples of Golden Alexanders or Golden Zizia [Zizia aurea] were found on the Blue Ridge Parkway Shut-In Trail on 25 May and on 26 May 2013 at The Botanical Gardens at Asheville. It’s a member of the Carrot (Apiaceae) family and listed on pages 226-227 of Newcomb’s Wildflower Guide.

USDA Plants Listing: https://plants.usda.gov/home/plantProfile?symbol=ZIAU

Golden Alexanders - Botanical Gardens at Asheville - 26 May 2013

Golden Alexanders – Botanical Gardens at Asheville – 26 May 2013

Golden Alexanders on the Shut-In Trail - 25 May 2013

Golden Alexanders on the Shut-In Trail – 25 May 2013

May 26 2013

Small’s Beardtongue

Small’s Beardtongue [Penstemon smallii], a member of the Figwort (Scrophulariaceae) family, found on the grounds of The Botanical Gardens at Asheville on 26 May 2013. It was the first visit there by the Vining family and it was a lovely day out. Newcomb’s Wildflower Guide, pages 102-103, says Beardtongues’ flowers are long, trumpet shaped, in terminal clusters.

USDA Plants Listing: http://plants.usda.gov/java/profile?symbol=PESM

Small's Beardtongue, Asheville Botanical Gardens - 26 May 2013

Small’s Beardtongue, Asheville Botanical Gardens – 26 May 2013

May 25 2013

Common Yarrow or Milfoil

Common Yarrow or Milfoil [Achillea millefolium] found on the Blue Ridge Parkway Shut-In Trail on 25 May 2013.  The USDA Plants website shows that it grows all over the United States and Canada, and it’s a member of the Aster (Asteraceae) family.  Newcomb’s Wildflower Guide, pages 220-221, says that it can be found in fields and on roadsides.

USDA Plants Listing: https://plants.usda.gov/home/plantProfile?symbol=ACMI2

Common Yarrow - Shut-In Trail - 25 May 2013

Common Yarrow – Shut-In Trail – 25 May 2013

Common Yarrow (closeup) - 25 May 2013

Common Yarrow (closeup) – 25 May 2013

May 25 2013

Lyre-Leaved or Lyreleaf Sage

Lyre-Leaved or Lyreleaf Sage [Salvia lyrata] was quite prevalent along our hike on the Blue Ridge Parkway Shut-In trail on 25 May 2013. It’s a member of the Mint (Lamiaceae) and, yes, it’s stem is square. Newcomb’s Wildflower Guide, pages 94-95, says it can be found in dry open woods in Spring and Early Summer.

USDA Plants Listing: https://plants.usda.gov/home/plantProfile?symbol=SALY2

Lyreleaf Sage on the Shut-In Trail - 25 May 2013

Lyreleaf Sage on the Shut-In Trail – 25 May 2013

Lyreleaf Sage (height-wise) - 25 May 2013

Lyreleaf Sage (height-wise) – 25 May 2013

May 25 2013

Venus’ Pride or Large Houstonia

Venus’ Pride or Large Houstonia [Houstonia purpurea], a member of the Madder (Rubiaceae) family, found on the Blue Ridge Parkway Shut-In Trail on 25 May 2013. The USDA website lists a North Carolina variety of this flower, Mountain Bluet, as endangered. An entry can be found in Newcomb’s Wildflower Guide, pages 158-159, for the Large Houstonia, and it says that it’s found in open woods and on slopes.

USDA Plants Listing: https://plants.usda.gov/home/plantProfile?symbol=HOPU2

Venus' Pride on the Shut-In Trail - 25 May 2013

Venus’ Pride on the Shut-In Trail – 25 May 2013

This sign is at the entrance of the Shut-In trail near the N.C. Aborteum, just of State Highway 191, near mile post 393.7.

Shut-In Trail - 25 May 2013

Shut-In Trail – 25 May 2013

May 19 2013

Cow or Bird Vetch

This photo of Cow or Bird Vetch [Vicia cracca] was taken on Singletree Road on 19 May 2013. It’s a member of the Bean or Pea (Fabaceae) family, and Newcomb’s Wildflower Guide, pages 112-113, says it can be identified by “dense, one-sided racemes” of flowers.

USDA Plants Listing: https://plants.usda.gov/home/plantProfile?symbol=VICR

Cow Vetch - 19 May 2013

Cow Vetch – 19 May 2013

May 17 2013

Birdeye Speedwell

This photo of Birdeye Speedwell [Veronica persica], a member of the Figwort (Scrophulariaceae) family, was taken near the NC Agricultural Research Station, in Fletcher, on 17 May 2013.  Newcomb’s Wildflower Guide, pages 96-97, also refers to it as Persian Speedwell.

USDA Plant Listing:  https://plants.usda.gov/home/plantProfile?symbol=VEPE3

Birdeye Speedwell - 17 May 2013

Birdeye Speedwell – 17 May 2013

May 16 2013

Canada Toadflax

Many photos were taken of this flower, Canada Toadflax [Nuttallanthus canadensis or Linaria canadensis], with trouble getting clear shots due the small size of the petals.  It was found behind the plant on 16 May 2013, and other earlier dates in the month.  Newcomb’s Wildflower Guide, pages 50-51, says it can be found in sandy soil, and it was found on a hill in that type of soil.  It’s a member of the Figwort (Scrophulariaceae) family.

USDA Plants Listing:  https://plants.usda.gov/home/plantProfile?symbol=NUCA

Canada Toadflax - 16 May 2013

Canada Toadflax – 16 May 2013

Canada Toadflax - 9 May 2013

Canada Toadflax – 9 May 2013

Canada Toadflax (side) - 16 May 2013

Canada Toadflax (side) – 16 May 2013

May 16 2013

Field Clover

These photos of Field Clover [Trifolium campestre], a member of the Bean or Pea (Fabaceae) family, were taken near the Fletcher plant on 16 May 2013. Newcomb’s Wildflower Guide, pages 58-59, lists the older Latin name,Trifolium procumbens, and names it as a Low Hop Clover.

USDA Plants Listing: https://plants.usda.gov/home/plantProfile?symbol=TRCA5

Field Clover (wide shot) - 16 May 2013

Field Clover (wide shot) – 16 May 2013

Field Clover (closeup) - 16 May 2013

Field Clover (closeup) – 16 May 2013