Tag Archives: Blue Cohosh

The Pocket at Pigeon Mountain Status Update 03/03/2017 – 21 Species Blooming

Today was much cooler than it has been – more normal temps for early March – and last night temps dipped below freezing in parts of the region. Even so, I was expecting more than on 2/21, and certainly got it. 21 species blooming (although in some cases very early in their bloom season.) The big surprise: Dutchman’s Breeches, just starting to bloom (we saw three plants with flowers or developing blossoms.) This is, I believe, the earliest I’ve seen this plant bloom at The Pocket.

Dutchman's Breeches - Dicentra cucullaria

Dutchman’s Breeches – Dicentra cucullaria

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Wildflowers at The Pocket 03/11/2012

Purple Phacelia, Fernleaf Phacelia - Phacelia bipinnatifida

Purple Phacelia, Fernleaf Phacelia – Phacelia bipinnatifida

I wasn’t planning on going down to The Pocket this weekend, but my wife had other plans for Sunday, so she suggested that I do something to take advantage of the beautiful day, so I headed down there shortly after getting home from church.  In addition to walking the boardwalk and the trail up to the falls, I did a little back country walking above the bluff north of the horse trail.  Wildflowers are abundant; here is my report, and a couple of photos taken off the beaten path in The Pocket at Pigeon Mountain.

The Phacelia are blooming.  There is a Phacelia in the field to the right as you walk down to the boardwalk; they are blooming along the boardwalk and all the way up to the falls.  The photo above was taken up on the top of the north bluff.

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An Early Spring at The Pocket at Pigeon Mountain

This is Leap Day.  For this once-every-four-years day, I thought that rather than the normal Native Plant of the Day (#NPOD on Twitter) I’d post a few native plants from and a report on the early spring status of the wildflowers at one of Georgia’s premier wildflower locations, The Pocket at Pigeon Mountain.  As things worked out, Feb 27 was the day available to make the short trek down to that part of Walker County.

It was a beautiful day.  When my wife and I headed down to The Pocket on Monday, Feb 27, 2012, we considered both the beautiful day and the time we were able to spend together a blessing from God.  We also expected to find wildflowers, since we’ve had very little real winter and quite a warm February. However, we had no idea!

Bloodroot - Sanguinaria canadensis

Bloodroot – Sanguinaria canadensis at The Pocket at Pigeon Mountain

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04/06/2010 Wildflower Status Update at The Pocket on Pigeon Mountain

We made a quick trip down to The Pocket on Tuesday evening.  We made a short 100-yard walk up the horse trail and took a spin around the boardwalk, so I’m unable to update the status of flowers found along the trail to the falls, but here’s what I’ve got.

Wild Blue Phlox - Phlox divaricata

Wild Blue Phlox from 04/06/2010

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04/01/2010 The Pocket Status Update

In summary: This will be a good weekend at The Pocket at Pigeon Mountain, especially since tomorrow is forecast to be sunny and warm, as was today. 

Aquilegia canadensis - Columbine

Aquilegia canadensis - Columbine from 04/01/2010

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06/06/2009 The Pocket Early Summer Check-in

In the May 5 post, I mentioned that the wild hydrangea blossoms were forming their buds.  Since I only had photos of prior year’s blossoms – which I think in themselves are quite beautiful – I wanted to make sure I got a chance to photograph them while in bloom.  I managed to squeeze out some time (thanks for giving up work on the ceiling, Cindy!) on Saturday, June 6, and was rewarded with finding the hydrangea at peak of their blossom.

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04/11/2009 The Pocket – Status Update

Flowering DogwoodTo avoid crowds like those that were on the Shirley Miller Trail at The Pocket on Pigeon Mountain last week, I headed down there early Saturday morning, arriving at the parking area shortly after 8 AM. The sky was overcast, but the wind was low – a good situation for wildflower photography. My first stop was the dogwood tree beside the parking area.

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04/04/2009 The Pocket – CVPC Keenagers

dsc_3108c.jpgDue to rain and obligations, it had been 9 days since I’d been down to The Pocket at Pigeon Mountain. Today was the Chattanooga Valley Presbyterian Church’s Keen-agers’ annual (I think) wildflower hike at The Pocket, so at 10 AM I joined the other folks in my age group at the church, and soon we headed on down to Pigeon Mountain. I returned from the hike with 381 photographs; two of them with people in them. After an initial run through the photographs, I’ve deleted about 150 of them; both photos of people remain.

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