Buck Spring Nature Trail – June 27, 2025

Posted on June 29, 2025 by WCBC

Once again, we started at the Pisgah Inn, hiked to Buck Spring Lodge, & then continued past the parking area along the old road route towards the tunnel overlook. This time it didn’t rain!  WCBC created the self-guiding interpretive botanical trail between the North end of the Pisgah Inn parking lot and the historic site of George Vanderbilt’s Buck Spring Lodge. Information about the plants found near the posts on the Nature Trail can be found online here or by clicking on the QR code or downloading the brochure. Photography by Penny Longhurst, Jim Poling, & Joe Standaert. Botanical plant names seem to change almost every day, but for now we use those approved by ITIS, the Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Plants that are non-native to North America are indicated by an asterisk (*) placed after the species name.

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Baldwin Field Branch – June 20, 2025

Posted on June 24, 2025 by WCBC

This was our first official field trip to Baldwin Field Branch after last year’s scouting expedition. We found some more new plants: Hairy Nightshade (Solanum sarrachoides*), an alien invasive weed that hasn’t previously been reported in the mountains & a lovely Hypericum, Golden St John’s-wort (Hypericum frondosum).

Botanical plant names seem to change almost every day, but for now we mostly use those approved by ITIS, the Integrated Taxonomic Information System.  Silphium reniforme (Ragged Rosinweed) is not (yet) an approved name, although the plant is clearly different from Silphium compositum – sorry Ken! Plants that are non-native to North America are indicated by an asterisk (*) placed after the species name. Photography by Hugh Irwin, Sarah King, & Penny Longhurst. Click on any picture to zoom & enter the slide show.

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Wintergreen Falls – June 9 & 13, 2025

Posted on June 19, 2025 by WCBC

Well, we didn’t make it to the waterfall. In fact, we didn’t quite get to the former shortcut trail before the heavens opened and the forest road became a gushing creek! Fortunately we visited the meadow first and found some new plants and we also have pictures from the scout, including this video of our first Monarch Butterfly sighting of the year.
Botanical plant names seem to change almost every day, but for now we use those approved by ITIS, the Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Plants that are non-native to North America are indicated by an asterisk (*) placed after the species name. Photography by Penny Longhurst. Click on any picture to zoom & enter the slide show.

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Ashmore Heritage Preserve – June 6, 2025

Posted on June 14, 2025 by WCBC

Poor Ashmore. Last spring a prescribed burn was done over a large area stretching from Persimmon Ridge Road down to Lake Wattacoo. Since then it’s suffered through Tropical Storm Helene and, more recently, the Persimmon Ridge Fire. Part of the trail to the lake was widened to cause a firebreak.  We needn’t have worried! Loads of our favorite plants were still there and thriving.
Botanical plant names seem to change almost every day, but for now we use those approved by ITIS, the Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Plants that are non-native to North America are indicated by an asterisk (*) placed after the species name. Photography by Penny Longhurst & Joe Standaert. Click on any picture to zoom & enter the slide show.

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Cradle of Forestry – May 23, 2025

Posted on June 9, 2025 by WCBC

The club hasn’t had a field trip at the Cradle of Forestry since we conducted a plant survey in 1999-2000. We got to see what had changed in the past 25 years!
Botanical plant names seem to change almost every day, but for now we use those approved by ITIS, the Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Plants that are non-native to North America are indicated by an asterisk (*) placed after the species name. Photography by Penny Longhurst & Joe Standaert. Click on any picture to zoom & enter the slide show.

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