Visit www.scnps.org/swamprabbit to see other plants that grow wild on the Trail. Not all wild plants are native plants! In general, plants are considered native to this area if they occurred VINES Swamp Rabbit plants growing in the Carolinas To learn more about these and other wild plants and the natural communities they are part here before Europeans arrived. Over thousands of years, Carolina Jessamine, of, participate in a South Carolina Native Plant Society field trip, plant rescue, workday, or meeting native flora and fauna have developed complex inter- Yellow Jessamine o — and come to our native plant sale! Visit www.scnps.org to see what’s going on... dependencies that we are only beginning to understand. Gelsemium sempervirens. The bright yellow since before the time of Columbus trumpet-shaped flowers of South Carolina’s state flower bloom on this evergreen twining vine in early spring. The entire plant is toxic, containing strychnine-related chemicals. FORBS/HERBS Carolina Moonseed o g FERNS Cocculus carolinus. A perennial woody vine i Bunched Arrowhead o Sagittaria fasciculata. f Wild Strawberry o Small’s Ragwort o f Hollow-stem Joe Pye Weed o with attractive bunches of dark to translu- Christmas Fern o cent red berries. Good late-season bird food. Polystichum acrostichoides. A widespread A globally rare, federally protected plant known to Fragaria virginiana. Domestic strawberries are Packera anonyma. A rich golden- Eutrochium fistulosum. Plants reach 8-10’ tall evergreen fern that holds its fronds occur in only 3 counties, northern Greenvile County hybrids of this wild native yellow commonly seen on mowed and bear a large loose crowning cluster of showy upright for most of the year. Leaflets being its epicenter. Its seepage habitat is very and a European species. Its roadsides in early spring, with pink blossoms, which attract butterflies, bees and f Groundnut o Perennial leguminous vine with (“pinnae”) are said to resemble Christ- threatened, and Travelers Rest is home to a 180- leaves have 3 leaflets, which are hairy tufted seeds spread by wind. many other nectar feeders. Leaves are arranged Apios americana. pinnately compound leaves (5-7 leaf- mas stockings. acre Bunched Arrowhead Heritage Preserve. toothed; the flowers are white; its in whorls. fruit is red and quite sweet when ripe! Hemp Dogbane, lets), dense clusters of interesting burgundy flowers, Common Cattail o k f New York Ebony Spleenwort o g Indian Hemp o g and edible bean B Asplenium platyneuron. Fronds vaguely Typha latifolia. The male flowers at tips of young Tick-trefoils, Beggar’s Lice o g Apocynum cannabinum. Mature Ironweed o pods and under- similar to those of stalks are high in protein and good in pancakes; female flowers Desmodium spp. Small pink pea-like flowers give rise stems commonly red and with Vernonia noveboracensis. ground tubers. Christmas Fern, below can be steamed and eaten like corn on the cob. to racemes of small fruits covered with dense hooked long tough fibers that Native Americans twisted Tall (3-6’) perennial with but smaller. Its hairs which can stick to clothing, pets, etc., as a seed into cordage. A milkweed relative, with milky sap. alternate leaves, topped fertile fronds stand l Duck Potato o Sagittaria latifolia. dispersal strategy. Common in forest edges. with clusters of intensely Butterfly-pea(s)oo g Centrosema virginianum (A) & rigidly upright; the Also known as Broadleaf Arrowhead, Asclepias spp. purple blooms. Moist sites. Milkweed o g Clitoria mariana (B). Two very similar viny perennial sterile fronds lie this has arrow-shaped leaves and Toothed Spurge o g Milkweed flowers produce copious amounts legumes. Both have large (to 1.5”) light purple to A prostrate. Evergreen. stalks of small white 3-pet- Euphorbia dentata. A cousin to our Christmas of nectar and are very popular with pollinat- blue pea flowers, butCentrosema aled flowers. Indigenous Poinsettias. Flowers are small greenish cup- ing insects. Its toxic alkaloids provide protec- Boneset o g forms long (to 5”) flattened beanlike peoples used its under- shaped structures called cyathia, and leaves tion to those insects that have adapted to Eupatorium spp. Hyssopleaf Boneset, Roundleaf Sensitive Fern o surrounding them may be Boneset and Late-flowering Boneset are some pods and long climbing vines. Clitoria’s pods are Onoclea sensibilis. Sensitive to cold, not to water tubers as food. feed on it, such as the Monarch butterfly (for splashed with color, looking like of the Bonesets on the Trail. The name comes shorter, and it tends to trail not climb. touch, this is sometimes confused with Netted which it is the primary host plant). At least 2 flower petals. Mildly toxic milky from its use as a folk medicine to reduce fevers, Chain Fern. They both prefer wettish places. Little Sweet Betsy Trillium o species are found on the Trail. Trillium cuneatum. Several Trillium species sap oozes from a torn leaf or cut stem. especially flu’s “bonebreak” fevers. f Greenbrier o f o occur in the Upstate, all with just 3 leaves, Smilax spp. There are several Smilax Netted Chain Fern 3 sepals, and 3 petals. Plants are usually 5-7 years old before they Impatiens capensis. f Oldfield Toadflax o species on the SRT that are very spiny; others Lorinseria areolata (Woodwardia areolata). f Orange Jewelweed o Linaria canadensis (Nuttallanthus canadensis). That lavender f Daisy flower and may live over 100 years. Also called “Touch-me-not”, because ripe seeds explode have only a few spines. They can climb high into Pinnae (the frond’s divisions) of Sensitive mist hovering low across a field in April might, upon closer Fleabane o out of its seed pods when touched. Flowers have a trees and form impenetrable barriers. Fern tend to be opposite, wavy-edged, and inspection, prove to be a swath of small plants (that Erigeron annuus & E. strigosus. large nectar-laden spur in back and are pollinated by blunt, whereas those of Netted Chain Fern are f Solomon’s Seal o someone thought resembled flax) with tiny purplish flowers Two very similar old field Polygonatum biflorum. Solomon Seal’s hummingbirds and bees. Closely related to garden annuals, 2-3’ tall with f Muscadine o more often alternate, pointy-tipped, and with (that someone thought resembled toads). Muscadinia rotundifolia (Vitis rotundifolia). spreading leaves almost hide the bell-like Impatiens. numerous nickel-sized straightish margins. The source of much good wine and jelly, as well flowers that dangle from its arching stem. composite flower heads. Hibiscus Allegheny Monkeyflower o g as an important wildlife food, this native grape f Swamp Rose-mallow o Mimulus ringens. The lavender flowers moscheutos. Can grow very tall in sunny wet places. is usually dark purple when ripe, sweet but with Pokeweed o m have a small upper lip and larger lower lip, giving Frost Aster Symphyotrichum pilosum GRASSES Phytolacca americana. Grows to 6’ Large showy flowers with 5 white to pink petals and a tough skin. Fruit of the Scuppernong variety (the them a “monkey face” appearance; in fact, the name S. lateriflorum tall, with fleshy red stems and large red/purple center. Hummers and bees enjoy its nectar. & Calico Aster o state fruit of NC) is greenish or bronze when ripe. Mimulus is derived from the Latin “mimus” for comic Similar to the daisy fleabanes, but River Oats, Fish-on-a-line o leaves. Its glossy black berries with Other native grapes Chasmanthium latifolium. The name actor or mime! A wetland plant, to 3-4’ tall. perennial, with fewer, wider rays and smaller disks deep red juice are relished by (Vitis spp.) also occur Fish-on-a-line comes from the Dooryard Violet o g than those of fleabanes. birds and spread widely. Toxic to Viola sororia. Also called Common Blue Violet. on the Trail. resemblance of its flower head to a humans. Flower color varies from solid dark purple even to Carolina Wild Petunia o m stringer of perch. A relative of the Ruellia caroliniensis. This 1-2’ tall white, and the 2 side petals have delicate hairs at f Tall Goldenrod o Sea Oats found on sea-side dunes. perennial has lavender, funnel-shaped Passionflower, Maypopo their base (beards). Heart-shaped leaves grow in Solidago altissima. Tall Goldenrod (South Carolina’s Passiflora incarnata. A perennial vine f Spatterdock, flowers. Often found in medium to dry soils rosettes from underground stems (rhizomes). offical state wildflower) is the Goldenrod most often with large lobed leaves, best known Yellow Pond Lily o at woods or Trail’s edge. Yellow Indiangrass o Sorghastrum nutans. seen on the Trail. Goldenrods are often accused of for its large (to 3”), elaborately ornate An important species of the tall-grass Nuphar advena. A water plant with Johnny-jump-up, causing hay fever, but the guilty party is the incon- flowers and its melon-like fruit. prairies of the Midwest, this is SC’s official small, ball-like, bright yellow flowers f Downy Lobelia o spicuous wind-pollinated Ragweed, which blooms at state grass. It is found in every county in just above floating heart- Wild Pansy o g Lobelia puberula. Stems are the same time. the state. g shaped leaves, which Native Viola bicolor. In spring, this native violet covered with short soft hairs f Virginia Creeper o Americans used for dye and appears to “jump-up” overnight! Small (the species name puberula Parthenocissus quinquefolia. Often mistaken for Splitbeard Bluestem o i to stop cuts from bleeding. flowers with 5 pale blue petals grow from is from Latin “puber” Poison Ivy, though its leaves have 5 leaflets, not Andropogon ternarius. You’ve probably seen tips of upright stalks that bend at the top.