On Monday, May 13, Tom Harrington hiked the School House Gap Trail from beginning to end. Here is his wildflowers report:

  • Bar Cucumber – Few – At peak bloom – first almost mile up trail and also about 1.6 up the trail – neat.
  • Bowman’s Root – Few – Past peak bloom.
  • Carolina Wood Vetch – Few – Past peak bloom.
  • Canadian Violets – Few – Past peak bloom (first quarter of mile up the trail).
  • Common Cinquefoil – Some – At peak bloom.
  • Daisy Fleabane – Many – Well past peak bloom (mostly first half mile).
  • Fairyland – Some – Mostly at peak bloom (both male and female) – first quarter of mile up trail.

Fairyland

  • False Solomon’s Seal – Some – Various stages of blooming cycle – At peak, just past peak, just starting.
  • Foam Flower – Few – Well past peak bloom (about gone) – 1st quarter of mile up trail.
  • Galax – Some – Mostly just starting to bloom but some at peak bloom.
  • Golden Ragwort – Few – At peak bloom – (about mile and a half up trail).
  • Large Bluet – Many + – At peak bloom.
  • Lyer Leaf Sage – Few – Past peak bloom (first quarter of mile up the trail).
  • Maple Leaf Viburnum – (1) – At peak bloom – 1.9 miles up the trail.
  • Meadow Parsnip – Few – At or just beyond peak bloom.
  • Mountain Laurel – Many + – Close to being at peak bloom – breathtakingly display.
  • Partridge Berry – Many ++ – At peak bloom – Some embankments covered with them – beautiful but small.

Red clover, much like what might grow in our yards if we didn’t mow so much

  • Red Clover – Some – At peak bloom – Attractive to see.
  • Solomon’s Seal Grande – Few – Just past peak bloom (mostly first quarter of mile up trail).
  • Star Grass – Many – At peak bloom.
  • Sweet Cicely – Few – At peak bloom.
  • Sweet White Violet – Few – Past peak bloom. (first quarter of mile up trail).
  • White Clover – Many – At peak bloom.
  • Yellow Wood Sorrell – Some – Approaching peak bloom – mostly first quarter of mile up the trail.

Note: Photos shown are file photos – not made today.

Tom Harrington is a regular hiker who reports on wildflowers in the Smokies.