High Falls Trek

The Cullowhee Native Plants Conference celebrated its 30^th anniversary this year and the program was extra special (yep, we got to hear Doug Tallamy twice!). This was my fourth conference and I think the conference is a little bit better every year, and it was delightful to have even more activity choices this year. One optional activity was a hike along the west fork of the Tuckasegee River to High Falls (also known to some as Cullowhee Falls). We saw some cool plants along the way (really, what do you expect from folks attending a plant conference?) and I thought I’d share the experience.

High Falls

The trail was surprisingly close to the road which made for an early showing of non-native plants, including some invasive ones. We moved along quickly, anxious to get into the mixed hardwood forest that would lead us to the falls. The moist edges of the trail were home to some incredible stands of woodnettle (Laportea canadensis) in both bloom and fruit. Ferns and sedges were there too, and it was wonderful to see one of my favorite sedges in the wild: seersucker sedge (Carex plantaginea).

Carex plantaginea

Before we got completely into the woods we passed through a sunny area with flowering raspberry (Rubus odorata). I was so captivated by the pink blooms that I forgot to see if it smelled good! The bees were having a great time there anyway. A little further down we found white beebalm (Monarda clinopodia).

Rubus odorata

A few Rhododendron (R. maximum) blooms decorated the trail and slowing down to take pictures allowed us to discover smaller treasures like the bright red fruit of painted trillium (Trillium undulatum). We also found a lot of mushrooms which were a source of great excitement since we’d just heard a fabulous presentation on mushrooms.

We got up close and personal with some of the woody plants as we went – ripping the leaves of Calycanthus floridus to smell the spicy fragrance and scraping the bark of a downed yellow birch (Betula alleghaniensis) to check for the wintergreen smell. Masses of smooth hydrangea (Hydrangea arborescens) filled the sides of the path, but occasionally we discovered surprises like Clethra acuminata and spikenard (Aralia racemosa).

Aralia racemosa

One of the North Carolina NPS folks pointed out large-flowered ginger (Hexastylis shuttleworthii). The foliage was larger than what we find in Georgia and the flowers were ginormous! We pressed on, walking through waves of the smell that decomposing Galax urceolata gives off, desperate to escape the skunk-like smell and anxious to reach the falls after almost an hour of walking. 

Thurston Hatcher Falls

Finally, the rush of water reached our ears. Just off to the right was Thurston Hatcher Falls, a very picturesque cascade. A few folks declared themselves satisfied and stopped there. Here we caught a glimpse of the destructive force of high water. Recent rains had turned the river into a torrent earlier in the week, and the vegetation on the sides was torn and flattened.

Those of us that continued found even more destruction as we reached the base of High Falls. Luckily for us the water had subsided, but downed and stripped trees were tumbled like matchsticks. I found a tree trunk, I think it was a mountain laurel (Kalmia latifolia), that was polished like fine furniture. 

We rested a bit and several people went swimming in the perfect swimming hole at the base of the 200 foot falls. Then we turned around and hiked back to the van, discussing the plants and our adventure among us.

High Falls near Cullowhee, NC

More Peas, Please!

The beautiful and modest blooms of Atlantic pigeon-wings (Clitoria mariana) caught my eye on the side of the road while walking the other day. The soft blue petals only last for a few days before they start to fade, so timing is everything in order to appreciate the blooms. 

Clitoria mariana

Also known as butterfly pea, the resemblance to the pea family (Fabaceae) is noticeable. The flowers of the most familiar members of the pea family are irregular flowers with 5 petals: one large petal and two pairs of smaller petals. This website has a great description and illustrations. 

Developing seed pod

Leaves are usually compound leaves with 3 or more leaflets. The “fruit” of the pea family members is perhaps the most distinctive part: it is often a legume or a pod with seeds inside.  It splits along the side to release the seeds.

Thinking about the pea family led me to think about what other plants are in that family. There are a lot of them – it is the third largest family of land plants, only orchids (#1) and asters are larger.

Here’s a walk through some of the other pea family plants in Georgia that you might encounter. Since plants in the Fabaceae family can be perennials, shrubs/trees and vines, I will organize them accordingly.

Perennials:  Spurred butterfly pea (Centrosema virginianum) looks very similar, partridge pea (Chamaecrista fasciculata) is a cheery yellow, ticktrefoil (Desmodium spp.) is often pink, Lespedeza is pink or white, sensitive plant (Mimosa spp.) is pink, Senna is yellow, hoarypea (Tephrosia virginiana) is multi-colored, clover (Trifolium spp.) is several colors - they are mostly non-native in terms of the ones we see, vetch (Vicia spp.) is several colors, coralbean (Erythrina herbacea) is red, lupine (Lupinus spp.) is blue, Baptisia is several colors, and Carolina indigo (Indigofera caroliniana) is red.

Chamaecrista fasciculata

Tephrosia virginiana

Baptisia

Lespedeza virginica

Erythrina herbacea

Mimosa microphylla

Notice that sensitive plant (Mimosa) has unusual blooms compared to other pea family plants. It is a part of the subfamily Mimosoideae, the plants of which have markedly different blooms. Also in this subfamily is the non-native silk tree (Albizia julibrissin).

Shrubs/Trees – False indigo bush (Amorpha fruticosa), Cassia, redbud (Cercis canadensis), yellowwood (Cladrastis kentukea), honeylocust (Gleditsia triacanthos), coffeetree (Gymnocladus dioicus), and black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia).

Cercis canadensis

Robinia pseudoacacia

Vines – hog peanut (Amphicarpaea bracteata), groundnut (Apios americana), American wisteria (Wisteria frutescens), and yes, the non-native kudzu (Pueraria montana).

Apios americana

Wisteria frutescens

With such a large family, it's not hard to find new ones to use and appreciate. Feel free to say "more peas, please!" the next time you come across one of these gorgeous natives.

Pinckney Island National Wildlife Refuge

The word refuge evokes two meanings for me – a place to escape and a place of safety. For all the right reasons, the places we call National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) serve both meanings. I had a chance recently to visit the Pinckney Island NWR and found it incredibly wonderful.

Sea ox-eye (Borrichia frutescens)

The Pinckney Island NWR was established in 1975 after serving as a game preserve for some years. The following description of the refuge comes from the US Fish and Wildlife Service: 

The 4,053 acre refuge includes Pinckney Island, Corn Island, Big and Little Harry Islands, Buzzard Island and numerous small hammocks. Pinckney is the largest of the islands and the only one open to public use. Nearly 67% of the refuge consists of salt marsh and tidal creeks. A wide variety of land types are found on Pinckney Island alone: salt marsh, forestland, brushland, fallow field and freshwater ponds. In combination, these habitats support a diversity of bird and plant life. Wildlife commonly observed on Pinckney Island include waterfowl, shorebirds, wading birds, raptors, neo-tropical migrants, white-tailed deer and American alligators, with large concentrations of white ibis, herons, and egrets.

Pinckney Island NWR is the northern most refuge in a group known as the Savannah Coastal Refuges Complex. This chain of national wildlife refuges extends from Pinckney Island NWR near Hilton Head Island, SC, to Wolf Island NWR near Darien, Georgia. Between these lie Savannah, Wassaw, Tybee, Harris Neck, and Blackbeard Island refuges. Together they span a 100-mile coastline and total over 56,000 acres.

Isn’t it wonderful to have so much area protected together? The essential role of this refuge is evident to even the most novice observer. Birds are everywhere! The paths and signage at the refuge are wonderful, so the first group of birds came with a sign all about birds known as marsh feeders.  There was also a sign about salt marsh plants, including the beautiful sea ox-eye (Borrichia frutescens). There was a lot of groundsel bush (Baccharis halimifolia), but it won’t be flowering until later in the year.

Salt marsh morning glory, note distinctive arrow-shaped leaf

Next came a sign about other critters in the salt pan that emerge when the tide is low. We found fiddler crabs, periwinkle snails, and old oyster and mussel shells. These are important food sources for shore birds as well as filters to keep the water clean. Twining along the ground there was the bright pink bloom of the salt marsh morning glory (Ipomoea sagittata). Click on any picture to see more detail.

  


Here a snail rests on cordgrass (Spartina ) with a piece of glasswort (Salicornia depressa) behind him.

Vistas of the marsh were beautiful - how restful the area feels. And it is an important resting place for the birds that live here.

Soon the path led us to a rookery known as Ibis Pond. What a fascinating (and noisy) place! A large pond was filled with water-loving trees; I could see a lot of willow (Salix spp.) and in those trees were dozens if not hundreds of nests. Ibis was the most notable species, but we also saw the tricolor heron, the great egret, the green heron and ducks. Quietly swimming around the edges of cattails was a young American alligator.

A rookery

On we pressed, past the demonstration butterfly garden, to an area known as Shell Point. As we walked we passed through communities known as maritime forests. The signs pointed out that maritime forests on barrier islands like this face the Atlantic Ocean. 
 

Maritime forest has an interesting mix of plants

They are an interesting mix of live oak (Quercus virginiana), Spanish moss, yaupon holly (Ilex vomitoria), cabbage palm (Sabal palmetto), saw palmetto (Serenoa repens), juniper (Juniperus virginiana var silicicola), wax myrtle, vines and herbaceous perennials. It was similar to vegetation I’d seen on nearby Hilton Head Island.

Teucrium canadense

I found another new perennial (to me). This is Canada germander (Teucrium canadense), a perennial that appears to be incredibly widespread (per USDA).

American oystercatchers

At Shell Point we discovered more new shore birds in the marsh. They were very shy, but I managed to sneak a picture of them. I think they are American oystercatchers. Here are a few more of my pictures from the day:

Fiddler crab - one big claw to wave at you

Tri-colored heron

Ibis looking for food in the marsh

Great egret showing all that is beautiful about the coastal south

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