by William Britten | May 30, 2011 | Miles Away on Monday
Ah … those feathery ferns guide the way down this hiking trail that clearly is headed towards serenity. There’s a little clump of bluets to enjoy … see them on the left side of the trail in the foreground? Everything is sparkling new-morning bright,...
by William Britten | May 29, 2011 | Wildflowers
Yellow Mandarin (Disporum lanuginosum) is a member of the Lily family. This Smoky Mtns wildflower blooms in late April or early May, growing one to two feet tall up to the mid-elevations. Typically the bloom is a pair of bell-shaped yellow-green flowers dangling...
by William Britten | May 28, 2011 | Wildflowers
The bold red and yellow tubular blossoms against the new green leaf make Indian Pink (Spigelia marilandica) an unusually attractive Smoky Mtns wildflower. In the Smokies it is rare, growing only in the limestone-based soils of the northwest corner of the National...
by William Britten | May 27, 2011 | Nature
I headed out to the northwest corner of the Smoky Mountains last week, looking for the wildflower Indian Pink. I found the flower, but also found a couple of reptiles that were not on my agenda! First, working my way up Ace Gap Trail, eyes glued to the ground to spot...
by William Britten | May 26, 2011 | Wildflowers
Blue Bead Lily (Clintonia borealis), also called Yellow Bead Lily or Yellow Clintonia, is one of two Smoky Mtns wildflowers named for long-ago Governor of New York, DeWitt Clinton. The other one is Speckled Wood Lily, or White Clintonia. The reason these yellow...