WESTERN NC MOUNTAIN WILD FLOWERS

AT SHINING ROCK WHITE PINE CABIN AND ON THE TRAILS NEARBY YOU'LL FIND AMAZING NATIVE WILD FLOWERS.
Picture
UMBRELLA LEAF
(Barberry Family)
Closely related to the May-Apple, the leaves on this plant look like an open umbrella leaf. Small clusters of .5"-1" white six petaled flowers rise on a stalk above the leaves. The plant is 1'-3' tall and only found in the southern Appalachians. Later in the summer you'll see dark blue berries.
HABITAT: Streamsides
BLOOMS: April-June 
Picture
SOUTHERN NODDING TRILLIUM (Lily Family)
White or maroon flower with dark stamens hangs below a single terminal whorl of three leaves.
HABITAT: Rick woodlands, hardwood floors, steep hillsides
BLOOMS: Mid April - Early June
 Picture
MEADOW-PARSNIP
​(Parsley Family)
Tiny yellow flowers in clusters approximately 1"-2 1/2" wide grace this 1'-4' plant. The "umbel" or umbrella-like design of this plant is characteristic of the Parsley family.
HABITAT: Woods, stream banks
BLOOMS: April-May
WOOD ANEMONE
​(Buttercup Family)
The lone 1" white flower on this plant actually has no petals ... they are sepals and has very little nectar but does produce an excessive amount of pollen, a valuable food source for insects. This plant has been called windflower for the way it waves in the wind.
HABITAT: Rich woods
BLOOMS: April-May
GOLDEN RAGWORT (Aster Family)
Many yellow 1/4" wide daisy-like flower heads on 1'-2' stems. Leaves at the base are heart shaped. The stem leaves are feathery and become smaller as they go up the stem with view or none near the flower.
HABITAT: Meadows and dry woods
BLOOMS:​​ April-June
WILD GERANIUM (Geranium Family)
The bright pink to purple 1"-1 1/2" blossoms make this plant easy to find. The geraniums we grow in our gardens are in the same plant family but a different genus. 
HABITAT: Rich, moist woods and coves
BLOOMS: April-May
STAR CHICKWEED (Pink Family)
With 5 petals that appear to be 10 because each is divided almost to its base ... mountain folklore tells us that when this flower is open, we are guaranteed a few hours without rain.
HABITAT: Moist woods
BLOOMS: April-May
SHOWY ORCHIS (Orchid Family)
The stalk of this incredibly beautiful wild orchid can produce 2-12 flowers. Each flower is 1" long and the plant itself is 5" to 10" tall.
HABITAT: Rich, moist woods, trailsides
BLOOMS: April-May
WAKE ROBIN TRILLIUM (Lily Family)
Spring may begin when this trillium blooms. Bloom color can be purple, maroon or even green, pale cream, or white.
HABITAT: Moist woods
BLOOMS: April-May
BROOK LETTUCE (Saxifrage Family)
Also called Branch lettuce grows in the wet soils of mountain brook beds in the southern Appalachian mountains. It can be used as a leafy green in spring salads.
HABITAT: Streams and seepage slopes
BLOOMS: May-June
SMOOTH SOLOMON'S SEAL (Lily Family)
Small tube-shaped flowers hang below beautiful arched stems of this graceful plant.
HABITAT: Moist woods
BLOOMS: April - May
DWARF CINQUEFOIL (Rose Family) 
Low-growing plant with 1/2" - 2/3" flowers of five small yellow petals and five leaflets per leaf. Blossoms rise from the axil of the lowest leaf.
HABITAT: Dry open woods, balds, fields
​BLOOMS: April-June
FOAMFLOWER (Saxifrage Family)
Delicate 1"-6" spike of numerous small white flowers on a hairy leafless stalk. The leaves resemble a maple leaf.
HABITAT: Moist woodlands and stream banks
BLOOMS: April-June
WILD STRAWBERRY (Rose Family)
Low-growing with small white flowers in the spring produce berries in the summer.
HABITAT: Dry fields and slopes
BLOOMS: April-June
BLOODROOT
One of the first wildflowers to bloom each year - before the trees even leaf out.
HABITAT: Moist woods, flood plains
BLOOMS: March-April

SHINING ROCK GARDEN
WHITE PINE CABIN IS LOCATED IN ZONE 6b/7a AND OUR LAST FROST DATE IS MAY 1ST. SHINING ROCK LIFE IS RELATIVELY NEW TO GARDENING BUT EACH YEAR WE TRY DIFFERENT FLOWERS AND VEGETABLES. WE GROW ALL OF OUR VEGETABLES ORGANICALLY AND PLANT A SMALL GARDEN NEXT TO WHITE PINE CABIN SO OUR GUESTS HAVE ACCESS TO FRESH TOMATOES, GREEN BEANS, FLOWERS AND HERBS DURING THEIR STAY WITH US.