the Soque River - Flora
The Appalachian Mountains are home to one of the most diverse forests in the world. Soque River watershed provides a home for various species of plant life. From mushrooms to evergreens, all the flora of the watershed play an important role. Here we provide some information regarding those plants and pictures taken by wildlife enthusiasts.
If you have a picture of a native Soque Wildflower, please feel free to email it to
srwa@windstream.net and provide your information so we can credit you as the photographer.
The Georgia Native Plant Society is a good source of information on the flora of this region. Click on the thumbnail to enlarge the picture.
Blue Native Iris and May Apple
Photo by Randy Moser
Butterfly Weed Asclepias tuberose
Text by Randy Moser
Butterfly Weed is a beautiful, bright orange wildflower which blooms in hot Georgia open areas and roadsides during late June and early July. It has also been called "Chigger Weed". It probably acquired this unfortunate name because it just happens to bloom at the same time that blackberries are ripening in North Georgia. Many a person has received chigger bites while harvesting blackberries as the Butterfly Weed is in full bloom.
Cardinal Flower Lobelia cardinalis
looms in low moist areas, marshes and wet meadows, and along creeks and streams throughout the watershed. Cardinal flower is easy to propagate from seed. The seed should be collected during September and October after the seed pods turn brown and dry. The very small seeds should be put in a seed tray with moist potting soil and refrigerated for 5 weeks. After refrigeration place them in a window with good southern exposure. They'll be ready to plant in the garden in early spring.
Closed Gentian Gentiana andrewsii
Closed Gentian is an intensely blue native flower that blooms in Georgia from mid summer to the first frost. It is called "closed" because the bloom never opens. This makes spreading the pollen very difficult and can only be accomplished by the most persistent bee. It may be found in the Soque River watershed in moist locations along stream banks and in moist open meadows. Photo by Lane Gresham, text by Randy Moser
Eastern Hemlock Tsuga Canadensis
The Hemlock provides shade for many of our streams. This helps regulate water temperatures necessary to support cold water fish species such as trout and helps keep stream banks more stable during high flows. The eastern and Carolina hemlock trees are dying due to a spreading infestation of the hemlock woolly adelgid, an aphid-like insect native to Asia. The Lumpkin Coalition's website is a good starting place for information. Photo by Lane Gresham
Foam Flower Tiarella cordifolia
Foam Flower is found throughout the watershed in shady, moist, deciduous woods. Variants of foam flower include flower color r
anges from pink to white and some have unique foliage colors as well.
Indian Pink Spigelia marilandica
Indian Pink is a very rare native plant growing to 1-2 feet tall in rich woods and damp clearings, in the southern most parts of the Blue Ridge Mountains. It flowers in the Soque River Watershed during May and June. It is also called Pink Root, and Worm Grass. It was used by pioneers for the treatment of intestinal worms. Photo by Randy Moser
Mountain Camellia Stewartia ovata
The Mountain Camellia is a rare treasure found in the Southern Appalachian forest. The tree is also called Mountain Stewartia and Summer Dogwood, because it blooms in early summer. It was once thougtht that the last remaining tree in Habersham County was located in the Habersham Mills area. Since 1994 groves of this rare tree have been found in several places in the Soque River watershed. Text by Randy Moser
Mountain Laurel Kalmia latifolia
Mountain-Laurel is found throughout the watershed in deciduous woods where the soil is sufficiently acid. It is in full bloom during mid-May.
Pink Lady's Slipper Cypripedium acaule
Pink Lady's-Slipper is one of the largest and most beautiful of our native orchids. It may be found throughout the watershed in pine-dominated deciduous forests. It's other common names include "Stemless Lady's Slipper" and "Moccasin Flower." Stemless refers to the two basal leaves which extend directly from the ground with no stems. Cypripedium acaule is on the list of Georgia Threatened Species.
Rivercane Arundinaria gigantea
Rivercane grows in patches all across the Soque River watershed. One of two native species of bamboo found in North America, it ranges as far north as the Ohio River. Only a tiny remnant remains of once-vast stands of rivercane that occur most often along watercourses. It usually spreads underground by rhizomes and can grow so thickly that it crowds out other plants. Rivercane was a plant critical to Native American cultures and well as European settlers.
Coneflower is on the Federal Endangered Species List. The habitat for this plant is restricted to the Eastern U.S. from Georgia to Pennsylvania. It is found in sunny, open meadows where there is little competition from other plant species. These types of habitats were historically maintained by fire and grazing from large mammals (neither of which is as prevalent today). You are fortunate if you run across a stand of this lovely endangered flower. Photo by Lane Gresham
The tall Turk's cap lily blooms during July and August in low lying areas, such as moist meadows, and damp thin wood.
Wild Columbine can be found along rocky ledges, dry banks, roadsides, and woodland edges. It doesn't favor very rich soil, and seems to enjoy well drained, slightly acid, sandy loam.
