Well now, I had a wonderful, easy-to-grow, native wildflower groundcover all lined up for this week’s Flora when an awful, innocent-looking plant alien pushed it aside.
Category: Flora
FLORA: Died and gone to heaven
It was the first weekend in April last year that I thought I’d died and gone to heaven when chancing upon carpets of the tiny little red-eyed, purple-petaled bluets carpeting the sacred ground of the Sparrow Cemetery out on Mt. Carmel Church Road.
FLORA: Tread gently among the trout lilies
More than four weeks ago Dave Otto spotted a trout lily in flower on Bolin Creek.
FLORA: What’s wrong with the red cedars?
This is the time in our changing seasons when we might become alarmed that some of our red cedar trees are diseased or otherwise sickly.
FLORA: Spring has sprung, and André Michaux is coming to town!
Three weeks ago local woods walker and photographer Dave Otto shared his image of trout lily, Erythronium umbilicatum, flowering down along Bolin Creek.
FLORA: Way over there in the watercress patch
Last week down in Saxapahaw during the 30th anniversary celebration of the Haw River Assembly, local musician and songwriter Tim Stambaugh excitedly said to me, “It’s watercress time again.â€
FLORA: Being aware
National Invasive Species Awareness Week is Feb. 26-March 3!
FLORA: The flower that doesn’t stop
“Fields of dandelion are like huge cloud rafts floating on a sea of green. Lying back on this flowery bed can become intoxicating, the mind swooning with the fragrance…”
FLORA: Roadside carpet of mullein
Flora’s focus this week is wooly mullein, Verbascum thapsus, also called velvet-leaf, flannel-leaf, Jacob’s staff and Quaker rouge.
FLORA: What is wintergreen?
The most obvious evergreen features of the winter forest floor are numerous extensive carpets of Christmas ferns.
FLORA: Getting lost in the winter woods
Last week woods-walking companion Tony Blanford took the lead to introduce Brian Stokes and me to his favorite “secret forest†of legendary oaks and beeches.
FLORA: Feasting on Ocracoke
I am still relishing attending the Sixth Annual Ocracoke Working Watermen’s Association oyster roast, shrimp boil and fish stew fundraiser on the eve of New Year’s Eve.
FLORA: Winter tree watch
I hope some of you joined in on the Eno River Association New Year’s Day Hike. That annual tradition began more than 40 years ago.
FLORA: Don’t discard that special tree
As we reflect on the joys of the season, take time out to ponder the specialness of that tree you brought indoors to accompany your family traditions.
FLORA: Enchanted holly forest
For years I have made pilgrimages to my secret forest of American holly, Ilex opaca, on the edge of Jordan Lake.















