Plant Driven: Ozarks, Part 3
The phrase “cardio workout” took on new meaning for me today. We hiked Porphyry Mountain north of Eminence today, a 1,000 foot peak (it’s an Ozark mountain) with steep trails and weather-beaten woods. An “inland hurricane” as locals call it, ripped through the area about a month ago sending trees and power lines down throughout the county. Workers have made some progress clearing the trails but lots of old growth forest and the trails through them remain in tatters–kind of like my heart and lungs after today’s trek.
An Ozarks glade
Admittedly today was a slower day for “new discoveries” since we covered a lot of ground yesterday. But we hiked through some tremendous examples of glade communities (and even shot some video in one of them…stay tuned for post-trip video compilation!) Glades are outcroppings of limestone on sunny slopes. These communities serve as home for a finite number of narrowly zoned plants that thrive in minimal soil profiles with basic pH. Plants from these settings would site well in rock gardens, in particular, but in many cases have some range of adaptability for other stressed garden conditions (like hot barren spots where nothing will grow). Plants from the Ozarks are tough. Period. More Ozark natives (like my favorite violet, Viola pedata) have been killed in cultivation with kindness than from poor suitability to the garden setting.
Delphinium carolinianum
So what did we find new today? The day started off blue, literally in fact. Alongside a dusty county road we came upon a small stand of Delphinium carolinianum. I think these brilliant blue flowers would look smashing in the rock garden, but the perennial larkspurs have always had a somewhat lackluster reputation as garden plants. They don’t have much of a presence and last for such a small amount of time. Nerd plants? Yes, probably. But how can you beat that blue color?
We turned up LOTS of Echinacea simulata today, the kissing cousin to the pale purple coneflower (E. pallida) of prairies here and farther north. Personally I think E. simulata has showier flowers with richer coloration, but other than a minute difference in pollen color (E. pallida is white, E. simulata is yellow) they look virtually identical. E. simulata probably has some breeding potential for variation in flower form and intense coloration. I don’t know if its genes have contributed to recent advances in the genus. Anyone? We tagged several populations with GPS for future seed collection.
Echinacea simulata
Our visit to the first glade added Cheilanthes lanosa, the hairy lipfern, to our list. As I alluded to yesterday, I’m in love with ferns, and after seeing this soft-textured gem pop from crevices all day, I can’t imagine gardening without it. It grew next to another plant that I love (and profiled on this blog last summer)–the prickly pear cactus (Opuntia humifusa). These prickly pears appeared stress and weren’t in bloom yet either. The pads were smallish and suffered from winter dieback (harsh cold winter winds easily desiccate hardy cacti). I recently read (yes I read papers on the systematics of Opuntia in my spare time) that specimens of O. humifusa with orange centers are tetraploid and those with clear yellow flowers are diploid. Funky?
Scutellaria bushii
Perhaps the highlight of the day was finding another Ozark endemic, Bush’s skullcap (Scutellaria bushii). I’ve pondered the ornamental features of this plant from time to time since so many of its cousins (like the sprawling S. resinosa and the shade-brightening S. incana) shape up into fine garden plants. We tagged two occurrences, both with a limited number of individuals for future visits. Though small, they easily attract attention from a distance. I don’t think anyone should rush to the garden centers or feverishly flip through catalogs looking for them, but they may catch some attention in the future with serious collectors looking for subtle impact in the rock garden or other settings.
In the woody realm, we came across some smashing forms of Hydrangea arborescens today. I know, I know it’s altogether bland and ordinary as far as hydrangeas go. But this tough ol’ bird spans the gamut of flower forms and overall plant habits. The choicest form occurred mid-way through the steep hike mentioned earlier. In spite of my shaking hands and racing heart, I stopped to snap a photo of this overwhelming beauty. Dark foliage. Crisp white flowers. Contrast is good, right?
Hydrangea arborescens
Tomorrow we’ll join local botanical experts Susan Farrington and Dan Drees on their private property for our last day of adventuring. Now I’m going to sit back and enjoy the charm and hospitality of our hostess at Wild Horse Inn. Catbirds are calling in the mimosa tree (Albizia spp.), robins are singing their nighttime adieus, and I’m sipping lemonade watching lightning bugs fly by.
 | Published on June 13th, 2009 | Posted by Kelly Norris |