2008-06-28 Day trip to Mt. Mitchell, NC Photo Gallery by Jim Fowler at pbase.com

2008-06-28 Day trip to Mt. Mitchell, NC

2008-06-28 Day trip to Mt. Mitchell, North Carolina for Small purple fringed orchid (Platanthera psycodes) and other wild flowers.

The annual trip to Mt. Mitchell, NC (tallest point in the eastern United States - 6684 feet or 2037 meters) to photograph Platanthera psycodes was setback somewhat due to an act of nature. A large portion of the Blue Ridge Parkway had collapsed, and the park ranger said it would be at least a year before it could be repaired. So, we had to take the northern route and drive back west to get there. However, it allowed us to see areas along the Parkway that we otherwise would not have seen -- landscapes, wildlife, and wildflowers.

The small purple fringed orchids were fairly plentiful, but they were not in the same numbers as previous years. In addition, I did not see a large variety of color forms this year. Saw only one pink form - my favorite of all of the color forms. Alas, another year without the white (alba) form.

*** Click on any image to enlarge it...

GPS map on the dash of my car showing the extremely winding detour to the Parkway	On the Blue Ridge Parkway near Mt. Mitchell	Mt. Mitchell range	Dead red spruce trees on Mt. Mitchell - caused by infestation of the Balsam woolly adelgid and acid rain	Platanthera psycodes
Platanthera psycodes	Platanthera psycodes	Platanthera psycodes	Platanthera psycodes	Platanthera psycodes
Platanthera psycodes	Platanthera psycodes	Platanthera psycodes and last year's seed capsules	Platanthera psycodes	Platanthera psycodes
Platanthera psycodes and Pipevine swallowtail (Battus philenor) -- note pollen packets on proboscus	Platanthera psycodes and Pipevine swallowtail (Battus philenor) -- note pollen packets on proboscus	Platanthera psycodes and Pipevine swallowtail (Battus philenor) -- note pollen packets on proboscus	Platanthera psycodes	Platanthera psycodes
Platanthera psycodes	Platanthera psycodes - pink form	Platanthera psycodes - pink form	Silene virginica (fire pink)	Rhododendron calendulaceum (flame azalea)
Rubus odoratus (flowering raspberry)	Amianthium muscaetoxicum (fly-poison) - note ticks and beetles among flowers and buds	Galax urceolata (wandflower) and a fern species	Penstemon canescens (eastern gray beard tongue)	Asclepias exaltata (poke milkweed)
Rhododendron maximum (rosebay)	Achillea millefolium (yarrow) and bees

comment |

Kelvin Taylor		03-Jul-2008 02:15
I never get tired of seeing the PFO. Those pink forms are really cool! The overlook shots are really nice too. Thanks for sharing what you saw with those of us who couldn't be there to see it in person.

Guest		30-Jun-2008 10:58
Nice captures, Jim! Looks like a great day to me. The small purple fringed orchids are very nice

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