Photo Album

Tennessee Native Plant Society

Event Photos

Event Photo Archives for can be viewed by clicking on the year.

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The first field trip of the year always brings out a good number of eager TNPS
members, as was the case at Taylor Hollow in Sumner County. Recognized as
one of Tennessee's most diverse botanical spots, it's spring wildflower display
never disappoints. March 28, 2009.

The fragile flowers of Celandine Poppy -
Stylophorum diphylllum - are a luminous yellow,
lending bright highlights along the forest floor.

Just a few examples of some of the wonderful spring wildflowers to be found at Taylor Hollow: (left) - an odd 6-petaled Least Trillium - Trillium
pusillum - with a normal flower represented in the middle photo. This Trillium is a state listed rare plant and is unique in its small stature,
diphylla - diphylla - (right) whose name is derived from the deeply cleft leaf, appearing as two leaflets.(right) whose name is derived from the
deeply cleft leaf, appearing as two leaflets.

Photo: Cheryl Hiers 2009

Photo: Darel Hess 2009

The Stillhouse Hollow / Devil's Backbone field trip on April 11, 2009 brought
out a good crowd even if the weather was a bit cool. Here the group posed
at the base of the waterfall at the head of the Stillhouse Hollow - Maury
County.

This Bent Trillium - Trillium flexipes - was a surprising find in
the hollow bottom.

A perfect trio of Twisted Trillium - Trilllium
stamineum - made for a perfect photo.
Stillhouse Hollow lies at the center of
distribution for this Mid-South endemic.

With a front and profile view in one frame,
this Jack-in-the-pulpit - Arisaema triphyllum
- seemed to be "booked" for its mugshot.

With Stillhouse Hollow Falls in the
background, the group begins the hike back
to the parking lot after an enjoyable morning
of botanizing.

TNPS' 2009 inventory project is on the Smoky Mountain Segment of the Cumberland Trail in Campbell County. The trail winds around the
Big Bruce Ridge where our spring trip visited on May 2, 2009. Over 150 species were documented on this first part of our inventory. Spring
wildflowers carpeted the slopes of the ridge including (top left) Pink Lady's Slipper - Cypripedium acaule, (top right) Large-flowered Trillium -
Trillium grandiflorum, (bottom left) Yellow Trillium - Trillium luteum, and (bottom right) a beautiful peach-colored hybrid apparently between
Trillium luteum and Sweet Betsy - Trillium cuneatum. Caryville - Campbell County.

Although not on the actual trail, this Pinxter Flower - Rhododendron periclymenoides - caught
our attention along the road just before the parking area. Cumberland Trail inventory - May 2,
2009 - Campbell County.

Always an exciting discovery, this
Large-flowered Yellow Lady's Slipper -
Cypripedium pubescens - was in peak
condition for a nice photo.

An enthusiastic group hiked the trails surrounding Lula Lake, just
south of Lookout Mountain in Georgia. Several rare plants were in
flower to the delight of all. Lookout Mountain, GA - June 20, 2009.

Beautiful Lula Lake is the crown jewel of this namesake private land
trust. Not exactly a lake, it is a large waterfall pool. Here the Upper
Lula Lake Falls flows into the pristine waters. Below the lake is the
taller Lower Falls.

The beautiful Mountain Camellia - Stewartia ovata - was in peak
bloom for our visit to Lula Lake. These particular flowers are notable
for their large size and good coloration.

Cumberland Flame Azalea - Rhododendron cumberlandense - is an
endemic species of the Cumberland Plateau. It is distinguished
flowers.

Our second azalea encounter at Lula Lake was this Smooth Azalea -
Rhododendron arborescens - an outstanding late-blooming azalea
with white flowers and very long red stamens.

In Tennessee this shrub, Virginia Spiraea - Spiraea virginiana - is a
state listed rare plant. Several plants were located in the rocky
floodplain of the creek flowing through the Lula Lake property.

Trip leader Al Good explains some of the
characteristics of Big Bluestem -
Andropogon gerardii - one of our many
wonderful native grasses.

And in a photographic representation of
what Al was explaining: "Who said
grasses don't have flowers?"

The highlight plant of the July 25 field trip to
Signal Mountain was Appalachian Rose
Gentian - Sabatia capitata. This albino
individual just made this rare plant even
more special.

An absolutely stunning beauty, Menges' Fameflower
- Talinum mengesii - delights everyone lucky enough
to catch the flowers during their brief opening on
sunny afternoons. Signal Mountain - Hamilton
County - July 25.

Photo: Todd Crabtree

TNPS and Wolf River Conservancy members on the boardwalk at Mineral Slough in Ghost
River State Natural Area - LaGrange, Fayette County - August 8, 2009

Only found in Fayette County in
Tennessee, Sand Post Oak -
Quercus margarettae - is normally
found near the Gulf Coast.

Duck Potato - Sagittaria latifolia - was
a common species in bloom at
Mineral Slough.

Tropical hibiscuses have nothing on our native species. Swamp Cotton - Hibiscus
moscheutos - was seen in large numbers near the parking lot of William B. Clark SNA -
Rossville, Fayette County - August 8, 2009.

August 8, 2009 was also the date of the field trip to Roan
Mountain led by Jamey Donaldson. Jamey is spearheading an
effort called the Baa-tany Project where goats are being used to
help keep the bald of Roan Mountain clear of shrubby vegetation.
Above right, Jamey with his two herding dogs and part of the
Baa-tany flock. Above left, Jamey leads TNPS members to the
grassy bald atop the mountain. Opposite, the wondrous
panorama that is Roan Mountain, Carter County.

Photo by Latham Davis

Photo: Bart Jones

Austin Peay professor Dwayne Estes explains the history of King and Queen Bluff to a good number of TNPS members and ecology
students from Lambuth University at the base of the bluff. The highlight species for this field trip was the Rock Grape - Vitis rupestris -
that was only recently rediscovered here since it's first discovery in Tennessee by Augustin Gattinger in the 1880s - King and Queen Bluff
and Barnett Woods State Natural Area - Montgomery County - September 12, 2009.

Photo: Bart Jones

The 2009 Annual Meeting in conjunction with the Tennessee Exotic Pest Plant Council was a
great success. From the great facilities of the Linden Valley Baptist Conference Center to
nitty-gritty of invasive plant removal techniques, the annual meeting truly had something for
everyone in attendance. Upper left, members exploring a barren at Carroll Cabin Barrens
State Natural Area. Upper right, one example of the many rare plants that find the Silurian
The 2009 Annual Meeting in conjunction with the Tennessee Exotic Pest Plant Council was a
glades and barrens home is the beautiful Barrens Silky Aster - glades and barrens home is
the beautiful Barrens Silky Aster - . . SySyMiddle left, Snowy Squarestem -Middle left, Snowy
Squarestem - - is a seldom-seen species of damp low - is a seldom-seen species of damp
low Melanthera Melanthera areas along the western run of the Tennessee River. Middle
right, our two guest speakers for the weekend, Milo Pyne and Margie Hunter. On Friday, Milo
presented "A Natural History of the Silurian Glades and Barrens" enlightening us to the rare
geology and the plants dependent on it that make this area so special in Tennessee.
Saturday evening Margie informed us about the efforts of a committee of which she is a
member in establishing a Tennessee Citizen Naturalist program based on the Master
Gardener's program. This idea was very exciting to many in the audience. Bottom left,
Prairie Dock - Silphium terebinthinaceum - is a dominant plant in the barrens. For those not
on the field trip, Terri Hogan led a workshop about pest plant removal techniques. And
Saturday night also held a special surprise for one of our dear members, Bertha Chrietzberg
(photos below), who was recognized for her contributions to conservation in Tennessee by
receiving the 2nd TNPS Conservationist Award. Annual Meeting - September 19-20 - Perry
and Decatur Counties.

Photo: Bart Jones

Photo: Michelle Haynes

On October 10, 2009 TNPS concluded the second segment of our floral inventory of the Big Bruce Ridge along the Cumberland Trail in
Campbell County. Several more species were added to the list, but one of the highlights was the autumn beauty of a spring wildflower.
A beautiful Indian Cucumber-Root was decked out in its fall colors, from the reddened basal parts of the upper whorl of leaves perfectly
framing the purple-black berries. Just goes to show you, some of our wildflowers put on their best performances as encores!

Photo: Juliana Gregory