Activities 2003
Lynchburg Area Members
Dorothy C. Bliss
Weatherwise, this spring has been in great contract to the drought conditions of last summer and fall. Now in mid-June, there is an excess of nine inches of rainfall over the long term average. Only one year since records began has the rainfall been greater than this year. Surely this has begun to replenish the depleted water table and to restore the water levels in some of the wells. Many plants have prospered but some are struggling to survive in waterlogged soils and on eroding hillsides. Because of the lush growth of leafy tissue, the shade in our woods is much denser than usual and borderline plants may not survive.
On the afternoon of May 24th, a temporary break in the seemingly continuous rainy pattern lured Laura Bliss and me to venture along the Blue Ridge Parkway to observe some of the late spring flowers. Following our luncheon at the Otter Creek Restaurant, on a drive north on the Blue Ridge Parkway, we marveled at the luxuriant displays of mountain laurel, Kalmia latifolia. In some areas the Parkway was bordered with masses of these white and pink flowers.
As we turned south we crossed the James River, its muddy water overflowing its banks, leaving the trees and shrubs along its margins partially submerged. The forest trees at the lower elevations were in full leaf with the tulip poplars in magnificent flower. We spotted only a few specimens of mountain laurel, these clinging to the rocky outcroppings. At Thunder Ridge Overlook, the mayapples, still in bloom, covered the forest floor. No Trilliums were evident, either crowded out or otherwise destroyed. The wooly adelgid continues to raise havoc with the once healthy Carolina hemlocks, Tusga carolinia, now either dead or dying. Several Catawba Rhododendrons, R catawbiense, were in bloom along the Appalachian Trail and below the overlook. Today the view of Natural Bridge from this vantage point was obscured in the mist in the valley below. Before leaving, we paused a moment to enjoy the clove-like fragrance of the mountain or rose azalea, Rhododendron roseus.
We continued climbing on the Parkway to Apple Orchard where we noted a distinct change in the vegetation. Here the gnarled and stunted red oaks with their leaves just emerging gave an almost wintry aspect. In our drive from an elevation of 668' at the James River to an elevation of 3950' on Apple Orchard, we had gone from a forest in full leaf and flower to one just breaking dormancy.
Soon we reached our destination, Onion Mountain Overlook, with its wellworn and rocky trail through masses of Catawba Rhododendrons. Some shrubs were in full bloom but, strangely, other specimens growing adjacent and presumably under similar environmental conditions were still in tight bud. This striking difference in blooming time seems difficult to explain. Any suggestions? The Rhododendron trip scheduled for BRWS on June 7 was cancelled because of rain and thus we have no record of the state of the Catawba blooms at this later date.
Randolph-Macon Woman's College Botanic Garden
In the Botanic Garden in early June, The Catawba Rhododendron and mountain laurel were past their peak of bloom but the swamp azalea, Rhododendron viscosum, creeping blueberry, Vaccinium crassifolium, and teaberry or wintergreen berry, Gaultheria procumbens, were in full flower. The creeping blueberry has flowered for several years but it has never produced any berries but each year I'm hoping.
Did you notice the several specimens labeled American ipecac, Porteranthus (or Gillenia) stipulatus, when they were in bloom in May? The myriads of star-like flowers with their pinkish-white petals are eye-catching above the leafy foliage. This species is known in Virginia in Halifax County. The more common species, Bowman's root or Indian physic, Porteranthus (or Gillenia) trifoliatus, occurs in nearly all the
counties in Virginia except on the coastal plain. American ipecac is a longlived, drought tolerant perennial that seldom (never?) needs dividing. The Indians and later the American colonists used an extract from the powdered roots as a laxative and emetic as indicated by the common names. The two species are easily distinguished by their leaves. Bowman's root has three serrated leaflets and two small awlshaped stipules that are inconspicuous. The American ipecac appears to have five sharply toothed leaflets but the two lower are actually stipules nearly as large as the leaflets. The plant is attractive throughout the summer and into the fall when the leaves turn yellow to orange. We have already potted up several of the seedlings from underneath the parent plants and hope to have them at the plant sale on September 6.
A Swift Sell Out
Cindy Burks
This year I was spring plant sale coordinator. I was nervous, worried that something wouldn't go quite right. I should have known that with BRWS members, it would be a delight! I cannot thank you enough for what you all did to make the sale successful.
The 19th annual spring wildflower sale was held on Saturday, May 10, 2003, at the Virginia Western Community College Arboretum. Earlier in the spring, Rich Crites invited BRWS members to thin the wildflower beds at the Arboretum and pot wildflowers for the sale. Paul Cowins had ordered pots and labels, and members brought more pots and flats. Among the plants we gathered were Virginia bluebells, wild ginger, wild columbine, wild geranium and Celandine poppy. The plants went home with club members, who tended them until the sale. Thanks to frequent rain showers, they didn't have to be watered after the first week.
Rich submitted a Facility Request form and made the arrangements to hold the plant sale at the Arboretum. He also got the stakes and twine for displaying plant photographs to me. Rich and Connie had travel plans and would not be able to attend the sale, but his legwork made it all possible.
Sandra Elder took the plant photographs and clothespins for hanging them to my Mom's so I could pick them up when I visited. We swap the photographs back and forth for the spring and fall plant sales.
A couple of days before the sale I visited Rudy and Marcia Albert and picked up the plants Rudy was donating. His plants are always such good quality. As a bonus I got a tour of their garden and Rudy's propagation beds. It was a visual treat as well as being educational.
Pam Wieringo placed a wonderfully visible ad in the Extra section of the Roanoke Times. Posters announcing the sale were displayed all over Roanoke. Pam also provided money to make change.
On the morning of the plant sale, I arrived at the Arboretum just after 7:00 and began setting up. Soon after, Joan Derenge arrived with her car completely packed with plants, including some beautiful ferns. Next came Dora Lee Ellington with her car full of plants. Soon Esther Atkinson arrived with the card table, money box, and flower seeds. Esther always shares the seeds from her plants and they make nice "bonuses" to give to our customers. More of our members arrived with plants and to help out. Paul and Lucille Cowins drove all the way from Lynchburg to bring plants. They always have excellent plants too. When Malcolm and Jimmie Black pulled up we all ran over to their truck to see what they had brought. Each year Malcolm brings so many beautiful plants and he enjoys providing an unusual plant or two. This year he brought pawpaw trees and pachystima.
About 8:20 the first customers arrived. (No surprise.) They waited patiently, looking at the unbelievable variety and quantity of plants available. At 9:00 the sale was on! Club members happily shared their plant wisdom with the buyers. By 10:15 there were only a few plants left. When we closed around 11:30 we had taken in $1,672. We were tired and happy.
Again, thank you from the bottom of my heart. I am honored to be a part of your Blue Ridge Wildflower Society.
Note: Over the years some of the photographs we display at the plant sales have gotten lost or damaged. If you have extra wildflower photographs you can donate to the club, please contact Sandra Elder at (434) 5258433 or Cindy Burks at
(540) 977-0868.
If you need pots and/or labels to get ready for the fall plant sale or the 2004 spring plant sale, please contact Paul Cowins at (434) 239-4884 or Cindy Burks at (540) 977-0868. The fall plant sale will be held on Saturday, September 6, 2003, from 10:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m. at the Randolph-Macon Womans College Botanical Garden in Lynchburg.
Lynchburg Area
The Tennessee Coneflower - A Success Story
Dorothy C. Bliss
In recent years the coneflowers have become familiar to us in the home garden landscape and as a source of herbal remedies. Extracts of the underground rhizomes have been shown to stimulate the immune system but in general, research data do not back up claims of curative powers and benefits from these plants and, as a result, in 1946 coneflowers were removed from the pharmacists' reference book.
The Atlas of Virginia lists Echinacea pallida for two southwestern counties and the extreme northwestern portion of Frederick County and E. purpurea (not distinguished from E. laevigata) in 12 counties in mid-to-southwestern Virginia. This flower attracts both butterflies and goldfinches. The latter perch on the stems and consume the ripened seeds.
The Tennessee coneflower, E. tennesseensis, is a rare species, endemic to the red cedar glades and balds of central Tennessee. The rays of these beautiful rose-colored flowers are not reflexed but held in a cupped or upright position. It is drought-tolerant and requires ample sunshine. It was thought to be extinct but was discovered by Dr. Elsie Quarterman in 1969 and placed on the Endangered Species List. In its native haunts, the Tennessee coneflower is now flourishing due to the efforts of various conservation groups. In fact, the population of this species is abundant and secure and she has made a formal request to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service that it be removed from the Endangered Species List.
We have tried to grow the Tennessee coneflower in the RandolphMacon Woman's College Botanic Garden but all efforts have been unsuccessful. This plant is drought tolerant but in each instance it has died within two or three years, probably because of the extensive shade in the Garden.
Lynchburg Area Members
Early Spring Flowers
Dorothy C. Bliss
Just a week after spring had officially arrived, a fast-morning snowstorm transported our world into the depths of winter. Masses of white snow clung to the trees and quickly changed the landscape into a fairyland of branches bowed down under a deep mantle of wet snow. By nightfall most of the snow had disappeared and soon the spring flowers and developing leaf buds once again emerged, most undamaged from the unexpected snow cover. Spring rains and winter ice and snow will help replenish the soil with moisture, which has been severely depleted by the continued drought of the past few years.
Most of the early spring flowers in the R-MWC Botanic Garden appear to be thriving and I was pleased to note recently that the yellow lady slippers are putting up several stalks and the shooting stars have broken the soil and will soon be in bloom. Many of the ephemerals have made their appearance in the Botanic Garden. Among the earliest blossoms emerging in late March were those of bloodroot, bleeding heart, Greek Valerian, rue anemone, shortia, Dutchman's Breeches and shale barren phlox. This is only the beginning of the floral display for new flowers will make their appearance in rapid succession during the upcoming months.
Most of the nearly 200 species originally planted in the Botanic Garden have thrived but since its inception in 1994 there has been a loss of a few plants. Among those that have vanished are fire pink, showy aster, spring beauty, hepatica and bluets. There are probably many reasons why these and a few other plants did not persist more than a few years. Unsuitable soil condition and the continued drought may have taken their toll but perhaps even more significant especially for Echinacea spp. is the increasing shade as the shrubs and trees have matured. This spring Silene virginica has been reintroduced to a relatively sunny hillside spot and more ferns have been added to some of the shadiest parts of the Garden.
Following a successful spring work trip in March, the Garden was impressive with its clearly defined paths and mulched beds. I give special thanks to those faithful volunteers who have made this Garden possible. We can always use more volunteers since weeding is a never-ending task. Already I have noted thousands of tiny ash seedlings that are sprouting in every nook! If you would like to join the volunteers for a few hours of work and fellowship a month, please contact me at 434-845-5665.
I hope you will stop by and enjoy the beauty and quiet of the Garden soon. The gate is always open.
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