We are in no short supply of beautiful things to see here in the High Country and even though it is October, there are still some beautiful wildflowers in bloom.  My hiking buddies and I explored yesterday in Avery, Mitchell, and Yancey Counties in NC and Unicoi County in TN.  We spotted some real beauties.  Look for White-flowered Aster, Blue-flowered Aster, Boneset, White Snakeroot, Ox-eye, Tall Sunflower, Jerusalem Artichoke, Green-headed Coneflower, Sneezeweed, Goldenrod (so many varieties), Field Thistle, Joe-pye-weed, Ironweed, Closed Gentian, Great Lobelia, Pickerel Weed, Monkshood, Cardinal Flower, Chicory, Jewelweed, and Stiff Gentian.  The Witch-Hazel, an interesting shrub or small tree, is blooming with raggedy yellow fringe.

Nodding Ladies’ Tresses, one of my favorite native orchids, will be blooming until heavy frost.  I saw several yesterday on roadbanks as we searched for trailheads in Yancey, Mitchell and Unicoi Counties.  This sweet little orchid has two rows of flowers, which form a double spiral at the top of the flower stalk (8-18 inches tall).

In autumn, I also love looking for the berries and/or seedpods on many of the wildflowers and some trees.  My friends and I ate lots of Wintergreen berries yesterday.  The Mountain Ash is gorgeous now, showing off its clusters of red berries.  They look awesome against the blue sky.  Deciduous Holly is likewise.  The Solomon’s Seal has huge blue berries underneath arching stems.  Look for them.

The leaves are looking marvelous.  The Blue Ridge Parkway near Grandfather Mountain was breathtaking on Tuesday evening when I drove to Blowing Rock.  Yesterday, the Unaka Mountains would make one’s heart sing!  Get out there and see what you can see!

Moosewood or Hobblebush. Photo by Brenda Hoss.


Goldenrod. Photo taken by Brenda Hoss from Beauty Spot, Unicoi County, TN.


Nodding Ladies Tresses, a native orchid. Photo by Brenda Hoss.