This time of year, visitors to the Blue Ridge Parkway can expect to see many of the common summer varieties of our beautiful blooming flowers.
In Virginia, Common Evening Primrose, Indian Plantain, Rattlesnake Weed, Fire Pink, Butterfly Milkweed, Yarrow, Elderberry, Foxglove Beardtongue, Daisy Fleabane, Oxeye Daisy, Purple Flowering Raspberries, White Milkweed, New Jersey Tea, Southern Arrowwood, and Queen Anne’s Lace are all expected to be blooming.
In North Carolina near Moses Cone, there are reports of blooming Rosebay Rhododendron, Black-Eyed Susan, Beebalm, Common Milkweed, Turk’s Cap Lily, Spotted Jewelweed, Tall Bellflower, Phlox, Yarrow, Daisy Fleabane, Red Clover, Coreopsis, and Oxeye Daisy.
Further south between Linville Falls and the Mineral Museum, there are blooming Wild Blue Phlox, Yarrow, Beebalm, Morning Glories, Milkeweed, Common Mullein, and Rosebay Rhododendron.
Between Craggy Gardens and Asheville, Orange Jewelweed, Oxeye Daisy, Cow Parsnip, Black-Eyed Susan, Yarrow, Coreopsis, Beebalm, Turk’s Cap Lilies, Evening Primrose, Mullein, Morning Glory, and the Sourwood Tree are all in bloom.
Heading from Asheville towards Mount Pisgah, we have blooms of Sourwood, Daisy Fleabane, Yarrow, Leather Flower, Coreopsis, Black-Eyed Susan, Beebalm, Mountain Mint, Heal-all, Turk’s Cap Lily, Hawkweed, Squawroot, and Poke Milkweed.
At the Southern end of the Parkway, Phlox, Black-Eyed Susan, Black Cohosh, Fly Poison, Sundrops, and Staghorn Sumac are all blooming.
The Parkway is a beautiful place to spend the summer, but it is not like most other roads, so take some special precautions while driving. Above all, slow down and take your time. Use the overlooks to let traffic that backs up behind you go by. Enjoy the view, but watch the road.