You Belong Among the Wildflowers

“You belong among the wildflowers” is a line from Tom Petty’s song, “Wildflowers,” from his 1994 album of the same name. That line seems fitting, as I reflect upon my good fortune to visit Great Smoky Mountains National Park (#smokymountains) during the annual Spring Wildflower Pilgrimage, a year ago this week.

I was not one of the 900+ pilgrims who traveled there from more than 30 states, but I felt like one, crossing paths – literally – with many of them as I hiked the park’s trails and took pictures. These pilgrims were natural explorers and Good Samaritans, often proactively pointing out where to see some of the harder-to-find species along the forest floor. As I began sharing the location of wildflowers I had photographed, I felt like one of their tribe.

You can find wildflowers anywhere in the U.S., but the pilgrims are drawn to the more than 1,500 kinds of flowering plants that grow in the Great Smoky Mountains (#gsmnp). This time of year is one of several periods to see different species blooming abundantly in the park. Some of the oldest mountains in the world, the Smokies’ wide range of elevations, rainfall, slopes and temperatures contribute to the incredible variety of wildflowers there.

They are ephemeral, typically producing leaves, flowers, fruits and seeds before they fade away, all in a matter of just weeks. Spring wildflowers hit their stride when longer days bring increased warmth and sunlight, in a race against time before the tree canopies leaf out and block much of the sun’s rays from reaching the forest floor.

Wildflowers are the epitome of nature’s diversity. And the names of many are as colorful as the actual flowers are. Consider just a few examples: Hairy Buttercup, Dutchman’s-breeches, Jack-in-the-pulpit, Pink Lady’s slipper, Monkshood and Purple Wakerobin, which is also sometimes called Stinking Willie or Stinking Benjamin. Are these flowers or the names of clever cons from Ocean 11?

The 2020 Spring Wildflower Pilgrimage was scheduled for this week, but like many things sidelined by the pandemic, this 70-year-old event is taking a hiatus. I’ve included a few images here to provide a brief virtual pilgrimage. I hope the true pilgrims are able to return for the 2021 Spring Wildflower Pilgrimage, scheduled for April 21-24, 2021. And I look forward to returning myself someday, to be among the wildflowers and the abundant beauty of this national treasure.