Timing matters with the Mountain Camelia

Wildflower reports – 26 June 2023

Metcalf Bottoms Trail (B-E)

• Daisy Fleabane – Some – Well past peak bloom.
• Mountain Camelia – One shrub with six or seven blooms – About 50 feet up the trail from the beginning (see note below).*
• Red Clover – Some – Some at peak bloom and some past peak bloom.
• Rosebay Rhododendron – Sporadic – Some at peak bloom, Some past peak bloom and good number budded.
• Spanish Bayonet – (2) – Slightly past peak bloom.
• White Clover – Few – Past peak bloom.

Spotted Jewelweed

Spanish Bayonet

Walker Sisters Cabin (B-E)

• Daisy Fleabane – Some – Past peak bloom.
• Large Bluet – Few – Past peak bloom.
• Pipsissewa – Few – A couple at peak bloom (1 mile up the trail).
• Red Clover – Some – Some at peak bloom – some past peak bloom.
• Rosebay Rhododendron – Sporadic – At various stages of the blooming process.
• Thimbleweed – (1) –
• Wild Hydrangea – Few – Past peak bloom (about gone).

Little Brier Gap Trail (B-E)

• Indian Pipe – Few – Just beyond peak bloom.
• Large Bluet – Few – Past peak bloom.
• Pipsissewa – Few – Past peak bloom.
• Rosebay Rhododendron – Sporadic – At various stages of the blooming process.
• Wild Hydrangea – Few – Past peak bloom.

Little Greenbrier Trail (B to Little Brier Gap Trail)

• Coreopsis – Few – Just starting to bloom.
• Indian Pipe – Few – At peak bloom.
• Large Bluet – Few – Past peak bloom.
• Rosebay Rhododendron – Sporadic – Some at peak bloom, some beyond peak bloom, some budded.
• White Top Aster – Some – Just starting to bloom.
• Yellow Wild Indigo – Few – Almost at full bloom.

Wear Gap Road (from Wear Gap to Metcalf Bottoms)

• Black Eyed Susan – Few – Just starting to bloom (nice).
• Common Elderberry – Many – Past peak bloom.
• Daisy Fleabane – Many – Past peak bloom.
• Flame Azalea – 3 Small blooms about 50 feet above the road on the left headed toward Little River. Peak Bloom.
• Red Clover – Many – Mostly past peak bloom but some nice ones to be seen.
• Rosebay Rhododendron – Sporadic – Some nice blooms – Still a good number of buds.
• Spotted Jewelweed – Small patch on the left between Little Greenbrier School Rd. & Metcalf Bottoms. Peak bloom. Also known as Orange Touch-me-not.
• Thimbleweed – Few – Appear to be past peak bloom.
• Wild Hydrangea – Some – Mostly past peak bloom.

*Mountain Camelia blooms deteriorate badly when rain hits them. At 8 a.m., all of the blooms were in poor shape. At 12:30 p.m., two of the buds had opened, and nice blooms were there to see. The blooms will not last long in hot weather.

Tom Harrington is a regular hiker who reports on wildflowers in the Smokies.