Wildflowers should be enjoyed unplucked where they grow.--Theodore Roosevelt (1858-1919) 26th US President
Usually at this time of year, there are Pink Lady's Slipper flowers blooming all over Buffalo Mountain. Once the smoke clears (see yesterday's post), I'll have to go check and see. The flowers above were found in my neighbor's yard on the edge of the woods. There's no way to transplant these unique-looking orchids, because they are completely dependent on a specific fungus in the soil for their survival. It's considered endangered in Tennessee, so if you find them in nature, please heed TR's advice and leave them undisturbed!
I've always wanted to see one of these in person, beautiful picture.
ReplyDeleteExcellent photo. Does the yellow version occur in your area? They are much less common than the pink ones in our part of the North Georgia mountains.
ReplyDeleteThanks for visiting! I have not come across any yellow ones, although I think they do occasionally occur in this area. There are also white ones, but they're also rare. The pink variety is most commonly found here in NE Tennessee.
ReplyDeleteI found yellow ones in Lake Tansi, Crossville Tn about 20 years ago. I recently moved back to the area near Monterey Tn & have pink ones in our woods.
DeleteYour photography is addicting. I want a copy of everything I see!
ReplyDeleteHey Mark,
ReplyDeleteIt's really amazing that they list this flower as endangered. I see them everywhere. But in Tennessee, they are Commercially Exploited, putting them on the Tennessee Endangered list. Thanks goes out to USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service for doing this so that poachers that are caught can be dealt with by much harsher punishment.
BTW, you should’ve come over to our side of the mountain. It was a wild night with the fire. I think the fire was much larger than they announced.
Jerry Greer
http://jerrydgreer.wordpress.com/
I'm from Minnesota where our state flower is the pink lady slipper. What a wonderful photo! The yellow grow in huge numbers but the pink require a little more hunting to locate. I happen to have grown up near a FIELD of pink ones. I invite you to visit my state sometime and see it for yourself. I especially enjoy your flower photos.
ReplyDeleteI live in Rhode Island and I've only seen three. EVER. But what a beautiful flower, ey?
ReplyDeleteAs a child my family and I were hiking in the woods near Traphill, NC and I remember seeing this beautiful flower. I have never seen one since.
ReplyDelete