Monthly Archives: March 2016

Tennessee Gladecress – Leavenworthia exigua – Added to USWildflowers’ Database

Tennessee Gladecress, a native species, has been added to the USWildflowers database (03/28/2016.) Scientific name is Leavenworthia exigua.  Photo below was taken in the Chickamauga Battlefield National Park, Catoosa County, GA on May 25, 2016. Go to the Tennessee Gladecress detail page for more information.

Tennessee Gladecress, Least Glade-cress, Pasture Gladecress, Kentucky Gladecress - Leavenworthia exigua

Tennessee Gladecress – Leavenworthia exigua

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The Pocket at Pigeon Mountain #Wildflower Status Update 03/25/2016

It’s been nearly 2 weeks since I made it down to The Pocket – my apologies for the paucity of status updates this year.  Even more species (38) are blooming now than two weeks ago (28), even though we’ve lost, or nearly lost, a few. I only saw a single Bloodroot (Sanguinaria canadensis) bloom, Harbinger-of-Spring is gone, Spicebush (Lindera benzoin) has completed its bloom, there are only a few Trout Lily (Erythronium americanum) still blooming, Dutchman’s Breeches (Dicentra cucullaria) are essentially gone, and I couldn’t find the single Pennywort (Obolaria virginica) I saw two weeks ago.

Dutchman's Breeches

The only remaining Dutchman’s Breeches flowers I could find.

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Largeflower Mexican Clover – Richardia grandiflora – Added to USWildflowers’ Database

Largeflower Mexican Clover, an introduced species, has been added to the USWildflowers database (03/21/2016.) Scientific name is Richardia grandiflora.  Photo below was taken in Venice, Florida on Jan 20, 2015.   Go to the Largeflower Mexican Clover detail page for more information.

Largeflower Mexican Clover, Largeflower Pusley, Florida Snow - Richardia grandiflora

Largeflower Mexican Clover – Richardia grandiflora

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#RV Journal: Cades Cove Campground, Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Location, location, location. That’s why Cade’s Cove Campground is so popular. There are few amenities – bear-proof dumpsters, a cold-water-only bath house – let’s not really call it a bath house; it has no shower facilities. The C-loop also has a nice dump station. There is also a campground store, but this appears to be more of a snack and souvenir shop than a place where you can get the groceries you need for camping, so make sure you are well-supplied before you come. They do sell approved firewood – all firewood brought into the park must be certified, to reduce the likelihood of you bringing a tree infestation or disease into the park.

But it’s the location…

Cade's Cove

Cade’s Cove

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Short Walk in the North Chickamauga Creek Pocket Wilderness #Wildflowers

My wife and I took a short walk in the North Chickamauga Creek Pocket Wilderness (now managed by Tennessee’s Cumberland State Park; I think it is now named the North Chickamauga State Natural Area) near Soddy-Daisy today. This is a lovely walk along the North Chickamauga Creek; nothing real steep for the first half mile or so. Lots of wildflowers and a beautiful creek to boot. Here are photos of a few of the wildflowers that are blooming.

Forkleaf Toothwort - Cardamine dissecta

Forkleaf Toothwort – Cardamine dissecta was probably the predominant plant along the lower part of the trail.

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#NPOD: Cutleaf Toothwort #Nativeplants

Cutleaf Toothwort – Native Plant of the Day 03/16/2016

Photo from March 7, 2009. Location: The Pocket at Pigeon Mountain, Walker County, GA. More photos / info at the  Cardamine concatenata detail page.

Cutleaf Toothwort - Cardamine concatenata

Cutleaf Toothwort – Cardamine concatenata

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The Pocket at Pigeon Mountain Status Update 3/12/2016

The warm weather has continued, along with a fair bit of rain. It’s been 10 days since my last trip to The Pocket (3/2), and I was expecting some significant changes in what was blooming. Some news – the Harbinger-of-Spring is almost gone. However, that’s not the only news… Wait for it…

Wood Poppy, Celandine Poppy - Stylophorum diphyllum

Wood Poppy – Stylophorum diphyllum

Not just the Wood Poppy…

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The Pocket at Pigeon Mountain Status Update 3/2/2016

As reported a month back, Hepatica, Harbinger-of-Spring, and a Star Chickweed were blooming at The Pocket at the end of January as a result of our unusually warm winter. We had some cold weather in February, and nothing much had changed in mid-February. My wife and I were out of town for a couple of weeks, so when we returned yesterday, I was anxious to see what had developed in our absence. While the boardwalk itself doesn’t show too much action, there is a lot that is cranking up both on the trail to the bottom of the falls past the end of the boardwalk and on the Pocket Loop Trail (aka the horse trail) up to the top of the falls.

Bloodroot - Sanguinaria canadensis

Bloodroot – Sanguinaria canadensis

Yes, Bloodroot (Sanguinaria canadensis) is blooming along the horse trail – I haven’t see it this early in four years, implying (as expected) an early spring this year.

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