Wilkes County Wildflowers: Late Spring

May 26^th, 2016. I happened to be near Elberton last Wednesday and decided to spend a day in Wilkes County visiting some favorite locations in search of wildflowers. I didn’t have high hopes because it had been so dry. But I did have some luck. 

My first stop was at the Broad River Wildlife Management Area where I found…

a couple of Clasping Milkweed (Ascelpias amplexicaulis) still blooming.

just one Racemed Milkwort (Polygala polygama).

A single Beargrass (Yucca filamentosa) plant was blooming. It flowers were covered with…

Eastern Leaf-footed bugs (Leptoglossus phyllopus) that flew off when I disturbed them.

Butterfly Milkweed (Asclepias tuberosa) were blooming in several locations. Of all the wildflowers I saw, these seemed the most comfortable with the dry conditions. 

My next stop was at a swamp on Enoch John Road where I found…

Anglefruit Milkvine (Matelea gonocarpos) just starting to bloom. This is one of my favorites. 

At the Kettle Creek Battlefield, I found a few more wildflowers.

Southern Sundrops (Oenothera fruticosa) were flowering along the road embankment. I had hoped to find them on the road down to Enoch John Road but was glad to find them here.

This is the nicest Redring Milkweed (Asclepias variegata) flower head I’ve seen this year. The florets were slightly off-white compared with the pure white flowers I’ve seen in shaded areas.

A little further along the road, I found Fire Pinks (Silene virginica) flowering at the edge of the woods.

My final find for the day was another Beargrass with a few flowers that were completely open.

Not a bad ‘haul’ in an area that was so dry. 

References:

Native and Naturalized Plants of the Carolinas and Georgia: Ascelpias amplexicaulis

Native and Naturalized Plants of the Carolinas and Georgia: Polygala polygama

Native and Naturalized Plants of the Carolinas and Georgia: Yucca filamentosa

Bug Guide: Leptoglossus phyllopus

Native and Naturalized Plants of the Carolinas and Georgia: Asclepias tuberosa

Native and Naturalized Plants of the Carolinas and Georgia: Matelea gonocarpos

Native and Naturalized Plants of the Carolinas and Georgia: Oenothera fruticosa

Native and Naturalized Plants of the Carolinas and Georgia: Asclepias variegata

Native and Naturalized Plants of the Carolinas and Georgia: Silene virginica