Wild, Wonderful, West Virginia

After spending several days of my Spring Break in the Smoky Mountains of Tennessee, I spent Friday in the mountains of my home state. I was 'fishing' in a trout stream within the New River  Gorge National River, which is also one of my favorite wildflower areas. I had not been there in early spring and I was very surprised at the variety and abundance of flowers. It rivals Brush Creek Preserve, my very favorite spot. I saw almost everything here that I saw in the Smokies, and more, all with a hours drive of home.

White Variety of Wild Blue Phlox

I was seeing the Blue Phlox everywhere, as I was walking in to begin fishing. But, immediately, I was distracted by the white variety of the Phlox. This was the only clump of white that I saw. Its no wonder that I hardly ever catch trout, I am too busy photographing the flowers.

#310- Dwarf Larkspur

 Then, I began seeing the Dwarf Larkspur. I had seen it in the past near Morgantown, but missed it last year during my Big Year. In Morgantown, there was a great variety of colors, but everyone I saw here was this amazing dark blue.

The next flower that I found was another that I missed last year. Red Sessile Trillium. I was very surprised to see this one. The small plants escaped my attention as I walked in, but I stumbled on them as I came out. I saw them no where else in the area.
Here it is mixed with Wild Blue Phlox

#311 - Red Sessile Trillium

#312 - Wild Ginger

Wild Ginger

I just found Wild Ginger for the first time in the Smoky Mountains this week and then I find it in West Virginia  for the first time today. It is closely related to the Virginia Heartleaf that I see often.

  

Another new flower for me. #313 -  Large Flower Bellwort

 I found two color varieties of Wood Betony. The first yellow one was being worked by a busy Bumble Bee
The next one had more of a peach/red look to it.

Wood Betony

Wood Betony

Purple Trillium

Canada Violet

Cut-leaved Toothwort

Rue Anemone

Odd Colored Trout Lily

Trout Lily

Beetle Party on Squirrel Corn
These appear to be Red-Necked False Blister Beetles. They eat pollen and mate on flowers in the spring

Squirrel Corn 

Dutchman's Breeches

Bishops Cap

Red Bud 

Wild Trout and Wild Flowers

Spent yesterday evening on a small Native Brook Trout creek with a fly rod and a camera. I was after trout and flowers and got a couple of each. The trout are native brookies and the stream is a catch and release, fly fishing only creek that empties close by into the New River. It is part of the New River Gorge National River and it's elevation is about 1070 feet, 2000 feet lower than my home 25 miles away.

The walk in was interesting in itself, this picture is me, walking on a steep hillside with the creek on the right. Yes, that is a serious dropoff.

Native Brook Trout are beautiful fish, especially in the fall with their breeding colors. This one was in the eleven inch range, which is very nice for this species. Photo is a little blurry, but you can see the yellow belly, bright red fins with white edges.

This was one of the largest Puttyroots I have seen; notice the small white spider on the left. He had web all over this plant. I had just endured about twenty minutes of a downpour hunkered down under a sycamore tree and was soaked. 

#96- Puttyroot 

Puttyroot

The following wildflower is a native and apparently not very common. It is listed as endangered in Pennsylvania and threatened in Tennessee. Trying to identify it was a bear. I had suggestions of Skullcap, Dragon head and others. It is Meehans Mint and I have found it at Brush Creek as well as on the trout creek the other day. It is also popular in home gardens for extreme shady spots and is commonly sold by native nurseries. I've added two photo's from Brush Creek as well. 

#97- Meehan's Mint

Meehan's Mint

Meehan's Mint on Brush Creek 

Meehan's Mint on Brush Creek 

Found this one at home a few days ago-Yellow Star Grass

#98- Yellow Star Grass

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