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Wildflowers in the Pisgah National Forest
One of the great things about the Pisgah District is the diverse growth of wildflowers and other plants and trees. The Pisgah is one of the most bio-diverse areas of the country and the wide variety of plants makes it a favorite destination of plant enthusiasts from early spring to late autumn.
We have been asked if there is a flower list for the area, and unfortunately there isn't one - at least to our knowlege. There are quite a few good books, however, that are about wildflowers of the area.
Our experience has been that there are several sort of distinct "flower seasons" in the district - times when certain types of flowers bloom.
In the Spring there are many new blooms, including numerous varieties of Violets, Pink and Yellow Ladyslippers, and flowering bushes like Redbud, Dogwood, and the Azaleas. Flame Azaleas are one of our favorites. It's always a treat to come across one of these beautiful blaze-orange bushes on a hike. There is no better season for flowers than Spring. Trilliums dot the hills, Showy Orchis, Trout Lillies, and Dwarf Iris crop up along the trails, and beds of May Apples grace the forest floor.
Late Spring to summer provides different flowers. Fleabane, Joe-Pye weeds, and Mountain Mint appear. You can also expect to see beds of Phlox, Bee Balm, Turks Cap Lillies. Late Spring and early summer are also the time of year for Mountain Laurel and Rhododendron to bloom. Some other summer treats incluse Galax, Foam Flowers, and Rattlesnake Plantain.
In the fall, asters and gentians are our favorites. They are everywhere - especially along the Blue Ridge Parkway. We have located a few Grass of Parnassus plants on the Parkway - lovely blooms when you find them.
Late Summer and Fall are also berry time in the mountains. The areas in the Pisgah most noted for berry picking are the balds areas along the Blue Ridge Parkway and areas near the Graveyard Fields. Blueberries are the most popular, although blackberry and wild raspberry are also available.
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