The Color of Jasper Highlands... In Case You

The Color of Jasper Highlands... In Case
You Missed It
May 20th, 2014 by TheNaturalist52
There are a lot of reasons to appreciate spring in southeast Tennessee....warmer weather,
garden time, wildlife becomes more active, the shades of green return to the mountains,
thoughts turn to fishing, hiking, outdoor activities, and the beautiful woodland blooms! Residents of Jasper Highlands enjoy the annual floral display of Mother Nature during the spring
months. Many of the native trees and shrubs have already shown their color this spring, so
this post is to familiarize you with what you might have missed!
All examples shown in this post are native to the Cumberland Plateau with the exception
of the Pink Dogwood, which is a ‘domesticated’ variation of this species. Like the Flowering Dogwood and the Eastern Redbud, the Ox-Eye Daisy (in the Chrysanthemum genus) is
common here, as is the Mountain Laurel.
Ox-Eye Daisy
(Chrysanthemum leucanthemum)
The Flame Azalea (the only orange bloom in the East Tennessee forest), inconspicuous most
of the year, blooms a bit later in the spring (usually in early-mid May) than the Pinxter Flower,
to which it is related. As shown, the Pinxter Flower has two color variations in our area. The
beautiful blooms of the Pinxter Flower and the Flame Azalea are unique to the elevation of
the Plateau. They can be seen in their natural setting along Rocky Top Trail as well as in the
wooded areas and along the creeks of Phase 1B East and 1B West of Jasper Highlands.
Flame Azalea
(Rhododendron calendulaceum)
Wood Violet
(Viola papilionacea)
More soon on The Fence Post...