B. Secour Pine Beach Trail 98
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U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service submerged, whorled, feathery 11. Dahoon/Swamp Holly (IIex Beautyberry-deciduous shrub; see branches. cassine) small tree with dull green Station 2. leaves varying length from 1 to 10 9. Blazin Star (Liatris) in cm. Dull berries usually red, 14. Follow side trail about 100' Bon Secour September, a spire of lavender sometimes orange or yellow. Hairy Wicky (Kalmia hirsuta) flowers. Numerous in swamp on both sides small shrub with small leaves; rare, of road; evergreen. pink, mountain laurel-like flower. Conradina (Conradina canescens) White flower with 5 narrow petals National Wildlife Refuge locally called Rosemary; narrow, Shrub to left of post, Groundsel/ is a Sabatia - summer bloom. tightly-rolled, linear leaves; Silverling (Baccharis halimifolia) Pine Beach Trail Guide common, lavender to white flowers white, hairy heads in fall. Monarch Elephant's foot (Elephantopus bloom in early spring but blooms butterflies gather on these during tomentosus) approximately 12" - 18" sparingly, almost year-round. fall migration in mid-October; flower stalk with lavender flowers evergreen. and basal rosette of hairy leaves; Polygonella - several species; late summer-fall bloom. Fewer clumps of small, white flowers, Small tree 30' to left, large leaf, flowers than taller Deer-tongue turning pinkish as fruit matures, Persimmon (Diospyros (Station 3). and slender spires of white flowers virginiana) deciduous; leaves on plant with succulent-like leaves; usually have black spots; edible Orange Milkwort/Candyweed fall. fruit in fall. Don't eat until soft, (Colygala lutea) low plant with ripe; bitter, nonpoisonous. yellow-orange flower; compact 10. Shrub to right, Bitter head; spring - fall. Gallberry/Inkberry (IIex glabra) Across road from Persimmon is small, white flower in spring; bees Chinese Tallow Tree; Popcorn 15. Saw Grass (Cladium collect nectar; black berry in fall- Tree (Sapium sebiferum) alien, jamaicense) grows as high as 3 winter. spade shaped leaves have brilliant meters, in brackish marsh. fall color. White, toxic, popcorn-like Buttonweed (Dioda virginiana) seeds are eaten and spread by Winged Sumac (Rhus copallina) ground cover; small white flower birds. Trees grow in wet areas and small tree; leaves turn red in fall; and shiny leaves. are a nuisance in agricultural reddish clusters of fruit persist; drainage ditches. Spring flowers nonpoisonous. Ragweed (Ambrosia good for bees. artemesiifolia) plant with deeply Note the cat-face scar on lower lobed leaves, green flower spire; Rattlebox/Showy Crotalaria truck of the pine tree. In years summer/fall. (Crotalaria spectabilis) erect, yellow past, turpentine and timber were legume brought in with fill dirt. the only commercial activities Lance-leaved Violet (Viola Formerly used as cover crop; toxic beside fishing in the area. The large lanceolata) white-violet along edge to livestock; Seeds rattle in dry pod. oak in the parking lot was the of road to left; spring. collection spot for this area. 12. Scurb Oaks-refer to Station 5. In low area across road, Rose Blueberries/Huckleberries-refer Bridge Mallow (Hisbiscus moscheutos) to Station 6. Stand on bridge and look up at clumps of 5' stems with showy pink trunks of nearby pine trees. Notice flowers in late summer; dried seed 13. Debris line from Hurricane the scars made by floating debris in pods persist. Frederic, September 12, 1979. Much Hurricane Frederic. has been scavenged from roadside, Slash Pine (Pinus elliottii) but if this line is followed, one can Please return Fur further information, contact: common large pine tree with big see decaying remains of houses and unwanted Refuge Manager cones and long needles; grows in their contents that stood on the brochures. Bon Secour National Wildlife Refuge wet as well as well-drained areas; beach at Gulf Shores. 12295 St. Highway 180 evergreen. Gulf Shores, Alabama 36542 334540 7720 Bon Secour National Wildlife Refuge 12295 Street, Highway 180 GulF Shores, Alabama 36542 334/540 7720 http://www.fws.gov/r4eao [email protected] U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service 1 800/344 WILD August 1998 Bon Secour Refuge Climbing Butterfly Pea leaves; lavender blossoms on tall Live Oak (Quercus virginiana) is 7. Beside Post Pine Beach Trail Guide (Centrosema virginianum) vine stem in early fall. most common; from spreading giant in Sevmeria (Cassioides) fine foliage, by Chan West twining on plants near gate with parking lot to dwarfed ones on beach small yellow flowers in late bluish-lavendar blossoms in Bracken Fern (Pteridium dunes; Scrub Oak is shaped by salty summer, early fall. This trail guide describes what one summer. aquilinum) green fern turns brown sea breezes and drifting sand. Oblong might see along one mile of Pine in fall. leaves have rolled-under edges. In swamp across road, Pond Beach Trail, from the parking lot to St. Andrew's Cross (Hypericum Cypress (Taxodium ascendens) the bridge over the mouth of Gator hypericoides) shrub with opposite Behind; Saint Andrew's Cross (see Myrtle Oak (Quercus myrtifolia) small trees which have grown since Lake. Many of the flowering plants leaves behind "closed to vehicles" "At Gate"). common, small, scrubby, black oak Frederic. may be difficult to locate or identify sign. Yellow flower with four petals with obovate leaves; with similarly when not in bloom. Raccoon, in cross pattern. Blooms in summer. Dog Fennel (Eupatorium appearing White Oak (Quercus Beggartick (Bidens mitis) yellow, opossum, red fox, rabbit, armadillo, capillifolium) feathery plant. chapmanii). cosmos-like flower in late summer/ flying squirrel and other resident Goldenrod (Solidago) on left fall. animals are nocturnal but may beyond gate. Several species along Wax Myrtle (Myrica cerifera) Dwarf Sand Oak (Quercus leave their tracks along the trail. In trail; fall. large shrub. In fall, has small wax- geminata) scrub live oak (several Water Plantain, Common daylight, you are apt to see the Six- coated seeds along stems which other scientific names), much like a Arrowhead, Duck Potato lined Racerunner (similar to a Palmetto (Serenoa repens) on both were once used for candle wax; very small Live Oak. (Sagittaria latifolia) aquatic clump skink), gray squirrel and an sides of road. Spring flowers supply evergreen. of long leaves with stem of white assortment of birds. nectar for bees; wildlife eat fall Choctawhatchee Sand Pine (Pinus flowers. Other species with fruit: evergreen. Coral bean (Erythrina herbacea) clausa) short-leafed tree with closed narrower leaves found in area, one 1. Counterclockwise Around Island on down left side of road; see cones. Range limited to coastal much smaller. Live Oak (Quercus virginiana) 58" 2. Starting on Right Station 1. Baldwin County east into Florida oak supports a flowering plant, non- Beautyberry/French Mulberry panhandle. Summer Titi (Cyrilla racemiflora) parasitic spanish moss (Tillandsia (Callicarpa americana) deciduous 4. False Foxglove (Aureolaria shrub with dangling raceme of usneoides) almost evergreen. More shrub with large clusters of bright laevigati) long, arching stems with Ocala Sand Pine is found in central white flowers in spring. Fruit orchid than moss, it was used to maroon berries along stems in late tubular, yellow flowers in late Florida; evergreen. persists and looks similar to flower. stuff furniture years ago. A small summer/fall which are eaten by summer; parasitic on roots of oak Magnolia (Magnolia grandiflora) birds. tree; turns black when picked. 6. Across Road 8. Buttonbush (Cephalanthus evergreen. Fetterbush (Lyonia lucida) with occidentalis) deciduous shrub with Wild Olive/Devilwood (Osmanthus Gopher Apple (Licania raised veins on edges of leather-like round, white flower in summer; Eastern Red Cedar (Juniperus americana) small tree with michauxii) approximately 8"-10" leaves, pink urn-like flowers in early fruit is persistent, brown, round virginiana) evergreen. leathery leaves. Inconspicuous evergreen plant along both sides of spring, and persistent nutlets. The head. blossoms in spring smell similar to road. Extensive underground clump of small trees behind Pignut Hickory (Carya glabra) in the cultivated osmanthus, tea olive branches with only stems above Fetterbush includes Wild Oak/ Wax myrtle - See Station 3. years past many hickory were cut or sweet olive. Small olive-like fruit ground, creamy white flowers in Devilwood (Osmanthus americana) for smoking mullet; this large tree in fall. spring, pinkish "apple" in late with large leaf, and Huckleberry with Across the road to right of dead survived. summer. small leaf, white pinkish bell or urn- pine Redbay (Persea borbonia) Yaupon (IIex vomitoria) numerous like dangling blossoms in spring, small small tree; frequently has gall on Coral bean (Erythrina herbacea- small shrubs with light bark, shiny 5. Seaside Rosemary (Certiola edible fruit in late summer. There are leaves. To left of the dead tree is a Legume) perennial shrub; spiny small leaves, red berries in fall and ericoides) shrub with needlelike numerous species of Huckleberry, Sweet Bay (Magnolia virginiana) stems, spire of red flowers in winter; evergreen. foliage and tiny, brown flowers; not Sparkleberry, Blueberry common swamp tree noticeable in spring, toxic red beans in fall. the herb used in cooking; (Gaylussacia, Vaccinium), breeze because of lighter underside Flowering Spurge (Euphorbia evergreen. throughout area from 10" dwarf to of leaves. The spring flower is like a At Gate corollata) plant with small white small trees, difficult to identify specific small Southern