Archives & Extras
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Joe Cook and Monica Sheppard
May's Mountain Wildflower: Smooth Solomon's Seal
Because these plants cannot tolerate direct sunlight, you will not encounter the Solomon’s seals until the tree canopy has begun to leaf out.
May 2, 2025
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Bruce Ingram
July’s Wild Edible: Northern Dewberry
For several reasons, the northern dewberry is often overlooked as a summer berry in the Blue Ridge.
Jun 27, 2025
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Mike Blevins
Birds of the Blue Ridge: Yellow-rumped Warbler
Affectionately called “butter-butt,” the yellow rump on this warbler is hard to miss!
Apr 23, 2025
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Joe Cook and Monica Sheppard
July's Mountain Wildflower: Columbine
When the sun shines on columbine (Aquilegia Canadensis) flowers at just the right angle, they can take on the appearance of interestingly-shaped Japanese lanterns.
Jul 7, 2025
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Bruce Ingram
June’s Wild Edible: Curtis’s Puffball
On our land in Botetourt County, Virginia, this round, white mushroom typically begins appearing in late June and continues to do so through the rest of the summer.
May 30, 2025
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Bruce Ingram
May’s Wild Edible: Gem-Studded Puffball
Numerous species of puffballs are native to the Blue Ridge, and certainly one of the most common ones is the dull-white gem-studded puffball.
May 2, 2025
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Joe Cook and Monica Sheppard
June's Mountain Wildflower: Catawba Rhododendron
Blooming in late May and into June, Catawba rhododendron (Rhododendron catawbiensis) has pink to deep purple clusters of flowers that are so lush and awe inspiring that they have attracted people from around the world.
Jun 25, 2025
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Robin Edwards
Birds of the Blue Ridge: Black-and-white Warbler
This striped little bird is about the size of our chickadees and “creeps” up and down trees like our nuthatches.
May 2, 2025
Joe Cook and Monica Sheppard
July's Mountain Wildflower: Columbine
When the sun shines on columbine (Aquilegia Canadensis) flowers at just the right angle, they can take on the appearance of interestingly-shaped Japanese lanterns.
Jul 7, 2025
Bruce Ingram
July’s Wild Edible: Northern Dewberry
For several reasons, the northern dewberry is often overlooked as a summer berry in the Blue Ridge.
Jun 27, 2025
Joe Cook and Monica Sheppard
June's Mountain Wildflower: Catawba Rhododendron
Blooming in late May and into June, Catawba rhododendron (Rhododendron catawbiensis) has pink to deep purple clusters of flowers that are so lush and awe inspiring that they have attracted people from around the world.
Jun 25, 2025
Bruce Ingram
June’s Wild Edible: Curtis’s Puffball
On our land in Botetourt County, Virginia, this round, white mushroom typically begins appearing in late June and continues to do so through the rest of the summer.
May 30, 2025
Robin Edwards
Birds of the Blue Ridge: Black-and-white Warbler
This striped little bird is about the size of our chickadees and “creeps” up and down trees like our nuthatches.
May 2, 2025
Joe Cook and Monica Sheppard
May's Mountain Wildflower: Smooth Solomon's Seal
Because these plants cannot tolerate direct sunlight, you will not encounter the Solomon’s seals until the tree canopy has begun to leaf out.
May 2, 2025
Bruce Ingram
May’s Wild Edible: Gem-Studded Puffball
Numerous species of puffballs are native to the Blue Ridge, and certainly one of the most common ones is the dull-white gem-studded puffball.
May 2, 2025
Mike Blevins
Birds of the Blue Ridge: Yellow-rumped Warbler
Affectionately called “butter-butt,” the yellow rump on this warbler is hard to miss!
Apr 23, 2025
Joe Cook
April's Mountain Wildflower: Serviceberry
Early springtime drives on an otherwise dull and monotonous four-lane highway can be transformed into wondrous trips by hillsides covered with splashes of white serviceberry (Amelanchier arborea) flowers.
Apr 8, 2025
Bruce Ingram
April’s Wild Edible: Half-Free Morels
For those of us who search for mushrooms in the Blue Ridge Mountains, April means it morel season, all month long.
Apr 2, 2025
![_X0A9030[1].jpg](https://blueridgecountry.com/downloads/14089/download/_X0A9030%5B1%5D.jpg?cb=9866a8ae8606411f88f4f0b8a9001c39&w=640 "_X0A9030[1].jpg")
Keith Watson
Birds of the Blue Ridge: Common Merganser
Elegant, streamlined Common Mergansers gather on the freshwaters of the Blue Ridge during winter.
Mar 13, 2025
![_X0A9030[1].jpg](https://blueridgecountry.com/downloads/14089/download/_X0A9030%5B1%5D.jpg?cb=9866a8ae8606411f88f4f0b8a9001c39&w={width}&h={height} "_X0A9030[1].jpg")
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