Shut-In Trail – July 25, 2025

Posted on July 27, 2025 by WCBC

Since the Blue Ridge Parkway was closed northbound from Elk Pasture Gap we did the walk as an in-&-out and still found some nice plants, including TWO new Figworts and several superbums! We drove back to the Buck Spring Lodge for our picnic lunch. Once again it was a lovely day (cool compared to almost 90° down in the valley) & didn’t rain until we were driving home!

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 Cindy Carpenter, Penny Longhurst, Jim Poling, & Joe Standaert. Click on any picture to zoom & enter the slide show.

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French Broad River Meadow – July 18, 2025

Posted on July 20, 2025 by WCBC

Our walk was on the late Charles Pickelsimer’s private airstrip in Brevard. Mr. Pickelsimer left the 55 acre property, which lies in the French Broad River floodplain, to Brevard College and it was purchased by Transylvania County in 2020 for use as a recreational park.
With apologies to Noel Coward, apparently “Mad Dogs and Botanists Go Out in the Midday Sun”! It was HOT and not a cloud around, reaching 88 degrees by the time we crawled back to our cars.  But we saw some new and unusual plants, so maybe it was worth it.

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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WCBC Annual Meeting, Holmes Educational State Forest – July 11, 2025

Posted on July 13, 2025 by WCBC

We had a great turnout for the Annual Meeting. As always, the pavilion at Holmes  was a perfect location – thanks to Susan Fay and the other rangers for providing such great facilities.

After eating delicious lunches including Rebecca’s world-famous Rhubarb & Strawberry pie, we were able to complete the hike on the lower trails before it rained – a record! We celebrated both Bonnie’s birthday and Ken’s Honorary Lifetime Membership Award. Lucy created a beautiful birthday card for Bonnie and certificate for Ken. The poem on the award says:

“Ken Borgfeldt
Our Master Recorder let’s give a loud cheer!
with all that we find  on our walks every year
he makes a grand list – Oh! what a delight!
It’s all alphabetized and the spelling’s just right!
Page after page, it makes your head spin
to thank him enough, we cannot begin.
He makes all these lists, he emails them out.
How does he do it? I’m sure there’s no doubt
it’s taken a toll – the crazed look in his eyes
tells tales of add-ons, the lengthening size
of the lists, goodness me, it boggles the mind –
a better club member you seldom will find!
For doing all this and our Christmas Show too,
Lifetime Membership is certainly due!”

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 & Lucy Prim. Click on any picture to zoom & enter the slide show.

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What’s Coming Next? – July – October 2025

Posted on July 6, 2025 by WCBC

Just to wet your whistles, here’s a preview of the plants we expect to see on our field trips over the next few months.

Friday, July 18 – French Broad River Meadow, Brevard, NC
Friday, July 25 – Shut-in Trail, Blue Ridge Parkway, NC
Friday, August 1 – Kellogg Center, Horse Shoe, NC
Friday, August 8 – Bear Pen Gap, Blue Ridge Parkway, NC
Friday, August 15 – Sky Valley Road, Stop and Go, DuPont State Recreational Forest
Friday, August 22 – Mt. Hardy and Wolf Mountain Overlook, Blue Ridge Parkway, NC
Friday September 5 – Rock Quarry Road, DuPont State Recreational Forest
Friday, September 12 – Frying Pan Gap, Blue Ridge Parkway, NC
Friday, September 19 – Glassy Mountain, Pickens, SC
Friday, September 26 – Park at Flat Rock, Flat Rock, NC
Friday, October 3 – Sam Knob Meadow, Black Balsam Road, NC
Friday, October 10 – Holmes Educational State Forest – Upper Loop, Hendersonville, NC
Friday, October 17 – Ashmore Heritage Preserve, Cleveland, SC
Friday, October 24 – Blue Wall Preserve, Landrum, SC
Friday, October 31 – McCall Cemetery, Pisgah National Forest, NC

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 Ken Borgfeldt, Charlie Brice, Billy Dinwiddie, David Heavner, Richard Holzman, Janice Irwin, Betty Jones, Sarah King, Penny Longhurst, Jim Poling, Lucy Prim, & Joe Standaert. Click on any picture to zoom & enter the slide show.

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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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