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Plant Rescue-for the wildflower lovers
Cardinal Flower has spectacular red flowers at the end of the stem. It was named because the bright red flowers resemble the color of the bright red robes worn by Roman Catholic cardinals. Look for the Cardinal Flower through September in wet soils on stream banks or roadside ditches. Touch-me-not or Jewelweed has either yellow or orange flowers and also blooms through September. The orange flowers are more common than the yellow. The touch-me-not name comes from the mature seed pods which instantly explode when touched or jarred. Water droplets on the leaves sometimes produce jewel-like reflections-thus the Jewelweed name. They are one of my favorites because the crushed leaves may be used to relieve irritation from poison ivy or nettle rash. Many think of Joe Pye Weed as a weed. A member of our plant rescue team describes them as the "sentinels of the end of summer". They are tall (up to 12 feet tall) and found in many of the roadsides and woods in our area. A friend made a bouquet of Joe Pye Weed and Queen Anne's lace; they make a great pair- Queen Anne and Joe Pye. According to the Peterson Field Guide to Medicinal Plants and Herbs, Joe Pye was a 19th century Caucasian "Indian theme promoter" who used the root to induce sweating in typhus fever.
One of the added benefits of living in our area is that we are only about 100 miles from the GSMNP. Between our National Forests (Chattahoochee in GA and Nantahala in NC) and the GSMNP we have many opportunities to enjoy nature at its best. The Plant Rescue Team would like to encourage you to get out and enjoy the end of summer wildflowers and nature. Potential benefits are to reduce the stresses of our hectic lifestyles and perhaps to see how important it is to protect these plants for future generations.
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