Ann Simpson - Wildflowers of the Blue Ridge Parkway: A Pocket Field Guide

A Pocket Field Guide

Ann and Rob Simpson

FALCONGUIDES

GUILFORD, CONNECTICUT

An imprint of Globe Pequot

Falcon and FalconGuides are registered trademarks and Make Adventure Your Story is a trademark of Rowman & Littlefield.

Distributed by NATIONAL BOOK NETWORK

Copyright 2017 by Rowman & Littlefield

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the publisher, except by a reviewer who may quote passages in a review.

All interior photographs by Ann and Rob Simpson, unless otherwise noted.

Maps: Melissa Baker Rowman & Littlefield

British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Information available

Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication data available

ISBN 978-0-7627-7011-3 (paperback)

ISBN 978-1-4930-2396-7 (e-book)

The paper used in this publication meets the minimum requirements of American National Standard for Information SciencesPermanence of Paper for Printed Library Materials, ANSI/NISO Z39.48-1992.

The authors and Rowman & Littlefield assume no liability for accidents happening to, or injuries sustained by, readers who engage in the activities described in this book. Neither the authors nor the publisher in any way endorses the consumption or other uses of wild plants that are mentioned in this book, and they assume no liability for personal accident, illness, or death related to these activities.

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Many thanks to the superb park personnel and volunteers of the Blue Ridge Parkway who have dedicated their lives to preserving the natural resources of the park and sharing the natural wonders of the Parkway with visitors. We would especially like to thank Bambi Teague, Chris Ulrey, Aubrey Neas, and Susan Gonshor for sharing their wealth of knowledge about the Blue Ridge Parkway and its natural history. Special thanks go to Karen Searle of Eastern National for her support and encouragement of this project. Our thanks also to Dr. Susan Mills and the staff and members of the Friends of Blue Ridge Parkway for their continued support of the parks interpretative and educational mission. Our sincere appreciation goes to the naturalists and staff at Grandfather Mountain and Mount Mitchell State Park for their dedication in helping to preserve these unique habitats. We would also like to thank all the staff at FalconPress and Rowman & Littlefield, especially David Legere, whose support and efforts have continued to make this National Park Wildflower Guide series a reality.

We would like to dedicate this book to our family, who has supported us with encouragement and understanding during the research, writing, and photography of this wildflower guide. We especially appreciate grandchildren Georgia, Gracie, Jacob, and Natalie, who have inspired this guide. A moment spent sharing nature with a child is an investment in the future of our world. The more a person learns about nature the more he or she begins to realize that this is something worth protecting.

To the reader, this small book is not intended as a complete botanical tome. Keeping botanical terms to a minimum, we have selected some of the most common and interesting wildflowers on and near the Blue Ridge Parkway. We hope this guide helps to open your eyes to the wonders of nature and in doing so will generate a spark of love for the plants and wildflowers that rely on us for their continued existence in important natural habitats such as the Blue Ridge Parkway. For further information on more wildlife and plants such as trees and shrubs, consult the authors Nature Guide to the Blue Ridge Parkway (Falcon Guides).

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The protection of the Blue Ridge Parkway and surrounding region is an immense task, with much at stake. Decades of eroding budgets have reduced staffing and made it more and more difficult to maintain the Parkways aging and considerable infrastructure to monitor and preserve its many natural and cultural resources and provide education services for visitors. The trend is undeniably clear: Fewer staff members must confront a mountain of threats and try to carry out a dual mission of preserving the Parkway and serving the visiting public. They cannot do it alone. Their success will depend on mobilizing an army of concerned citizens. The Parkway of tomorrow will be defined by the extent to which people today are willing to speak out on behalf of the Parkway and to invest in its future. Fortunately, many nonprofit partner groups now work hand in hand with the Parkway staff. While these organizations have differing missions, they share an overarching goal: to preserve and enhance the national treasure that is the Blue Ridge Parkway.

Blue Ridge Parkway Association: Promotes travel along the Parkway and provides print and electronic information to visitors about adjacent accommodations, attractions, and communities. blueridgeparkway.org

Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation: Raises funds to support many Parkway programs and projects. brpfoundation.org

Friends of the Blue Ridge Parkway: Promotes volunteerism and leads tree plantings to screen adjacent development. blueridgefriends.org

Blue Ridge National Heritage Area: Helps operate the Blue Ridge Parkway Visitor Center (Milepost 384) and promotes the preservation and enjoyment of western North Carolinas cultural and natural heritage. blueridgeheritage.com

Eastern National: All you need to do is shop at the nonprofit stores in Parkway visitor centers to enjoy your visit more, support visitor center staffing, and generate cash donations to the Parkway! easternnational.org

Carolina Mountain Club: Provides trail maintenance at the Parkways southern terminus. carolinamountainclub.org

Conservation Trust for North Carolina (ctnc.org) and the Blue Ridge Land Conservancy (blueridgelandconservancy.org): Provide funds to preserve key tracts of land along the Parkway and seek private landowner support.