Logo Early Summer Wildflowers on Eagle Mtn
June 2018
All Text & Images:
Copyright (2018)


On a hot June day, Jess R. and I climbed up and over Eagle Mtn in search of early summer blooms.
I usually restrict my Eagle Mtn. climbs to the cooler months, so I was rather surprised by the dense
growth of flowering (and soon to bloom) plants on the mountain.   Jess had a close encounter with
a timber rattlesnake near the summit, but the undergrowth was too thick for any good photos of it.


Ginseng
American ginseng   (Panax quinquefolius)


Spiderwort
Spiderwort   (Tradescantia sp.)
Not an uncommon plant, but I'd never seen so many - hundreds and hundreds of blooms!



Poke_Milkweed
Poke Milkweed, aka Tall Milkweed   (Asclepias exaltata)
There was lots of this blooming atop the mountain also...



Clematis_viorna
Leatherflower, aka Vasevine   (Clematis viorna)
Based on the leaves we saw, there were at least two varieties growing here.



Poke_Milkweed
More Poke Milkweed
We also saw loads of Turk's Cap Lily (Lilium superbum) but they were still in bud.



Outcrop_view
View south from rock outcrop just below Eagle Mtn's south summit.
Hollifield Ridge at center foreground; Brasstown Bald on horizon about 25% from
right edge; upper Hiwassee River basin stretches away at center background.



Beardtongue
One of the Beardtongues, possibly Penstemon smallii


Silene_Pinks
Fire Pink   (Silene virginica)


Grass_Pinks
Grass Pink orchid   (Calopogon tuberosus)
I was somewhat surprised to see these up here.



Grass_Pinks
Grass Pinks


Pinks_outcrop_view
View from the Grass Pink outcrop, about 600 ft elevation down from the summit


Bugbane_TasselRue
Tassel-Rue, aka Bugbane   (Trautvetteria caroliniensis)


Marsh_Pennywort
American Marsh Pennywort   (Hydrocotyle americana)
Growing in the spray zone of a wet cliff face.
An extremely rare find in Georgia;   neither the
USDA nor BONAP distribution maps show it here.



Indian_Pipes
Indian Pipes, aka Ghost Flowers   (Monotropa uniflora)



Eagle Mtn. Index S. Nantahala Index
NE GA - NC Index SE USA Index