Everyone looks up in the fall. The trees get all the attention, and they deserve it. But some of the best color in the mountains this time of year is down at your feet. Western North Carolina has wildflowers blooming well into autumn, and once you start noticing them, you’ll see them everywhere. Here are a few to look for on your next hike.
Goldenrod
Those bright yellow plumes lighting up fields and trail edges are goldenrod. It gets blamed for fall allergies, but the real culprit is usually ragweed, which blooms at the same time and is a lot less showy. Goldenrod is also one of the most important late season food sources for bees and butterflies.
Asters
Asters are the small, daisy-like flowers in shades of purple, blue and white that show up along roadsides and sunny trails. They’re some of the last flowers to bloom before winter, so pollinators flock to them. Purple asters next to yellow goldenrod is one of the prettiest color combinations of the season.
Gentians
These are a real treat to find. Bottle gentians are a deep blue, and their flowers stay closed like little buds even when they’re in full bloom. Bumblebees are strong enough to push their way inside, which is fun to watch if you catch it.
Jewelweed
Look for these orange, trumpet shaped flowers in damp, shady spots near streams. Jewelweed is also called touch-me-not because the ripe seed pods pop open when you touch them. Kids love this one.
White snakeroot
You’ll see clusters of small, fuzzy white flowers along shaded trails in the fall. It’s pretty, but it’s one to admire and leave alone, because the plant is toxic. It has a place in history too. In the 1800s, people got sick from drinking milk from cows that had eaten it.
Witch hazel
Just when everything else is winding down, witch hazel starts blooming. This small tree puts out spidery yellow flowers in late fall, often after its leaves have dropped. If you spot yellow in the woods in November, this is probably it.
A few tips for wildflower spotting
- Slow down. Most of these are easy to miss at a fast pace.
- Check the edges. Sunny trail borders and stream banks are where most fall flowers grow.
- Take photos, not flowers. Picking plants hurts next year’s blooms, and it’s not allowed on the Blue Ridge Parkway.
- Keep an eye out for animals too. Here’s our guide to fall wildlife around Asheville.
See it with a naturalist
Want someone to point out what’s blooming? Book a guided hike with David, our certified WNC Naturalist.