Recently, my good friend, Keith Bradley, told me where I could find one of the rarest of our native azaleas. It grows in the Piedmont region of South Carolina and no where else in the world.
This gorgeous little beauty has a powerfully sweet fragrance that I could smell when I got out of my truck to walk into the woods. When I finally located the plants, there were only three of them, but they were each about 12-15 feet (3.5-4.5 meters) tall. Unfortunately, the flowers were either in deep shade or bright sunlight -- neither of which is conducive to decent photography. I ended up having to use a slave flash (which is my last resort) in order to capture the detail in the flowers.
According to a popular native Rhododendron/Azalea website, "Rhododendron eastmanii is a very rare species growing in only a few locations in two South Carolina counties. The current known population is on the order of only 500 plants. Only recently discovered, and its existence first published in November 1999 by Dr. Kathleen Kron and Mike Creel, this is the newest native azalea species."
I've been wanting to photograph this species for quite some time. Thanks to Keith, now I can take this one off my "life list".
Tags: Rhododendron eastmanii May-white Azalea Santee Azalea azalea wildflowers rare plants Lynchs Woods Park Newberry Newberry County South Carolina Olympus E-5 ZD Zuiko 5-200mm Olympus FL-50 electronic flash
© All Rights Reserved
The results of a very busy day out in the field. First, we visited a location on private property in Hamblen County, Tennessee for a newly named Trillium, Trillium tennesseense or Tennessee Trillium. We were very fortunate to visit the site for this rare species.
The next stop was the Blue Ridge Parkway in Transylvania County, North Carolina where we saw many hundreds of three species of Trillium and a scarce and beautiful Rhododendron (Azalea) species.
To read more about this trip, please go to Jim's Blog.
Tags: Rhododendron vaseyi Pink Shell Azalea Blue Ridge Parkway Transylvania County North Carolina wildflowers Olympus E-5 Sigma 105mm Olympus 1.4X Teleconverter
© All Rights Reserved
A half-day trip to an area which I have never visited but wanted to visit for quite some time
. It's only 10 miles from our mountain cabin, and in early June, the hillsides are covered with the pink-purple flowers of the Catawba Rhododendron. Also, there is a very nice display of Flame Azalea as well as the rare, Gray's Lily. I have to make a note to visit earlier, next year.
For the full trip report, please go to Jim's Blog
Tags: Roan Highlands Carter County Tennessee Olympus E-5 ZD Zuiko 12-60mm Rhododendron calendulaceum Flame Azalea mountains view
© All Rights Reserved
These represent the second set of images from a long, day trip to the Blue Ridge Parkway in western North Carolina with good friends, Alan Cressler and Steve Bowling.
For the full trip report, please go to Jim's Blog.
Tags: Rhododendron vaseyi Pink Shell Azalea Blue Ridge Parkway Jackson County North Carolina Sony a7rii 90mm
© All Rights Reserved
Day 1 of a 4-day trip to the Atlantic Coastal Plain of South Carolina and North Carolina. Day 1 would take me to the Francis Marion National Forest -- home to many beautiful native wildlflowers including orchids and carnivorous plants.
For the full report, please go to Jim's Blog.
Tags: Rhododendron atlanticum Coastal Dwarf Azalea wildflowers Francis Marion National Forest Berkeley County South Carolina Olympus E-5 Sigma 105mm Olympus 1.4X Teleconverter
© All Rights Reserved