Wildflowers of the Blue Ridge and Great Smoky Mountains

About Wildflowers of the Blue Ridge and Great Smoky Mountains

This group was designed to share and enjoy photos of wildflowers of the Blue Ridge and Great Smoky Mountains (see below for a description of the geographical range). It is also designed for people to share their knowledge and love of wildflowers.

The Blue Ridge Mountains are part of the larger Appalachian Mountains range and located in the eastern United States. They get their name from the characteristic bluish haze when viewed from a distance, which is caused by isoprene released by trees into the atmosphere. They span from South Mountain and Shenandoah National Park in the north to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in the south, linked by the Blue Ridge Parkway and the Appalachian Trail. In addition to the Smokies, several mountain ranges are included in the geological area of the Blue Ridge Mountains, such as the Alleghenies, Cumberlands, Great Balsams, Roan Highlands, and Brushy Mountains. The highest peak in the Blue Ridge Mountains is Mount Mitchell in the Black Mountains with 6,684 feet (2,037 m).

This area of the Appalachians is rich in wildflowers, including many relicts from the last ice age. Many endemic species occur only here in the Southern Appalachians and nowhere else in the world. The mountains are mostly covered in oak-hickory forests on the slopes and spruce-fir forests in higher elevations, with other ecosystems mixed in. They are host to some of the biologically most diverse plant communities in the world (surpassed only by tropical rainforests) with thousands of different species of plants. It will be impossible to collect pictures of them all, but the least we can do is try! :-)

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Discussion threads of interest:

Introduce yourself! - Say hello to the rest of the group!
Identification help - Can't name your flower? Post it here!
Bloom calendar - Check out what's blooming right now.
Best hikes - Got a favorite trail to see wildflowers? Please share!
Weather, road & trail conditions - Report hazardous conditions and road/trail closures.
Photography tips - Got any tricks for taking the best pictures?
Photo competitions - Info about wildflower photo contests welcome here!
Book suggestions - Any favorite field guides?
Other groups of interest
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Please feel free to copy, paste and modify the following code when inviting someone to join the group or commenting on a picture:

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/groups/blueridgewildflowers/"><img src="http://farm2.staticflickr.com/1367/buddyicons/408009@N20.jpg?1184544859"></a> Excellent Shot! You're invited to post in:
<a href="http://flickr.com/groups/blueridgewildflowers/"> Wildflowers of the Blue Ridge and Great Smoky Mountains</a>

It will look like this:

Excellent Shot! You're invited to post in:
Wildflowers of the Blue Ridge and Great Smoky Mountains

To comment:

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/groups/blueridgewildflowers/"><img src="http://farm2.staticflickr.com/1367/buddyicons/408009@N20.jpg?1184544859"></a> Excellent Shot! Seen in <a href="http://flickr.com/groups/blueridgewildflowers/"> Wildflowers of the Blue Ridge and Great Smoky Mountains</a>

It will look like this:

Excellent Shot! Seen in:
Wildflowers of the Blue Ridge and Great Smoky Mountains

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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blue_Ridge_Mountains