On the summit of Mount Mitchell, at an elevation well above 6000 feet, you will see plants typical of Canada and northern New England. Their presence here has been brought about by the effect of high elevation upon the climate.

We hope that this guide will help you to identify some of the plants you see, and thereby enable you to more fully appreciate the beauty of the mountain and enjoy your visit with us.

Should you desire any assistance, the Park Naturalist will be glad to help you.

Two needle-bearing trees and a single broad-leaved tree dominate the forest. Eraser's Fir (She Balsam) occurs in an almost pure stand on top of the mountain. Farther down, it becomes mixed with Red Spruce (He Balsam) and Mountain Ash. The local names of the She Balsam and He Balsam possibly arise from the fact that the bark of the Fir bears blisters of resin, whereas that of the Spruce does not. Mountain Ash has brilliant red berries in late August and September.

At lower elevations and in disturbed areas within the park you may see Yellow Birch, Fire Cherry, and Mountain Maple.

Several shrubs are com-

mon in the park, especi-

ally on the borders of disturbed

areas. Perhaps the most

spectacular is Purple

Rhododendron, whose

flowers may be seen in June

and early July. During late July

and August, the berries of Red

Elder and the red leaves and

berries of Hobblebush lend their

brilliance to the green of the forest.

In many places, the forest floor is literally carpeted by a bed of Mountain Wood-sorrel. This plant (whose leaves look much like clover) bears its delicate pink and white flowers throughout the summer. Another very common plant, also blooming throughout the summer, is Mountain Lettuce. You may see it growing on almost any exposed rock.

Most of the truly forest wild flowers bloom early in the summer. By late July the flowers of Jack-in-the-Pul-pit, Twisted Stalk, Purple Trillium, Corn-lily, and most of the other woodland plants have disappeared.

As the woodland flowers wane, the blooms of plants of the more open areas become more evident. During July and August, the road is lined by beds of Joe-pye-weed, White Snake-root, Purple Turtle-head, Asters, and others. The waxy white flowers of the parasitic Dodder may be found amidst stands of Blackberries and other plants. Well into September this pageant of color is continued.

Although limited in species, ferns cover a large portion of the ground beneath the Eraser Fir forest. Only two species are common: Lady Fern and Spinulose Wood Fern.

1. Fire Cherry (Prunus pennsylvanica) Abundant June

Berries ripe in August

2. Eraser's Fir (Abies Fraseri)

3. Mountain Ash (Pyrus americana)

4. Mountain Maple (Acer spicatum) 5- Red Spruce (Picea rubens)

6. Silky Willow (Salix sericea)

7. Yellow Birch (Betula lutea) Abundant  May - June

1. Bush Honeysuckle (Diemilla sessilifolia) Moderate Mid July — August June

2. Highbush Blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum) Abundant  June

Berries ripe in late August

3- Hobblebush (Viburnum alnifolium) Moderate June

Berries ripe in late July — August

4. Minnie Bush (Menziesia pilosa) Abundant June

5. Mountain Cranberry (Vaccinium erylhrocarpum) Abundant June

Berries ripe in August

6. Mountain Laurel (Kalmia latifolia) Scarce Late June — July

7. Purple Rhododendron (Rhododendron catawbiense) Abundant June— Early July

June

8. Red Elder (Scambucus pubens) Abundant

Berries ripe in late July — August

9- Skunk Currant (Ribes glandulosum) Abundant

Berries ripe in mid July — August

June

Wild Flowers

1. Bluet (Houstonia caerulea)  Abundant  Early June - July

2. Cinquefoil (Potentilla norvegica)  Moderate  Late June - Late July

3. Common Buttercup (Ranunculus acris)  Moderate  Mid June - July

4. Common Speedwell (Veronica officinalis) Moderate Mid June — July

5. Common Yarrow (Achillea millefolium)  Abundant  June - Agust

6. Coneflower (Rudbeckia lacinata)  Abundant  August

7. Corn-lily (Clintonia borealis)  Abundant  June

8. Dodder (Cuscula rostrata)  Abundant  Late July - August

9- Daisy Fleabane (Erigeron strigosus)  Abundant  August

10. Evening Primrose (Oenotbera parviflora) Scarce Mid July — August

11. Filmy Angelica (Angelica triquinata) Abundant August

12. Golden Ragwort (Senecio aureus)  Abundant  June - Mid July

13. Heal-all (Prunella vulgaris)  Abundant  Mid July - August

14. Jack-in-the pulpit (Arisaema atrorubens) Scarce June

15- King-devil (Hieracium pratense) Abundant June — Mid July

16. Mountain Aster (Aster divaricatus) Abundant August — September

17. Mountain Goldenrod (Solidago glomerata) Abundant Late July — August

20. Mountain Wood-sorrel (Oxalis montana) Abundant Early June—Early August

21. Ox-eye Daisy (Chrysanthemum leucanthemum) Common Mid June — August

24. Purple Fringless Orchid (Habenaria peramoena) Scarce Mid June — July

26. Purple Turtle-head (Chelone Lyoni) Abundant August

27. Purple Violet (Viola affinis) Moderate June

28. Rose Mandarin (Streptopus roseus) Scarce Mid June

29. St. John's Wort (Hypericum sp.) Abundant Mid July — Early Sept.

30. Sharp-leaved Aster (Aster acuminatus) Abundant August — September

31. Smooth Blackberry (Rubus canadensis) Abundant Late June — Mid July

Berries ripe in late August

32. Sweet Joe-pye-weed (Eupatorium purpureum) Abundant August — Early Sept.

33. Twisted Stalk (Streptopus amplexifolius) Moderate Mid June

34. White Hellebore (Veratrum viride) Moderate Late Aug. — Early Sept.

35. White Snakeroot (Eupatorium rugosum) Abundant August — September

36. White Violet (Viola blanda) Moderate June

37. Wild Hydrangea (Hydrangea arborescens) Common Early July — August

1. Lady Fern (Athyrium Filix-femina) Abundant

2. Hay Scented Fern (Dennstaedtia punctilobula) Moderate

3. Spinulose Wood Fern (Dryopteris spinulosa) Abundan

BLOOMING PERIOD, AND LOCALITY (Numbers refer to the species in the preceding Check List)

August

This vegetation guide covers only those plants which you are most apt to see in Mount Mitchell State Park. A more complete check list of all species identified from the park and surrounding hiking trails is available upon request.