Piper the Plant: Alabama The Beautiful

Being back in Alabama for this quarantine period, I’ve had a lot of time to explore the woods I grew up in. While there isn’t much to see during the winter months here, spring and summer are entirely different. This is something that I find to be an upside to states that receive a frost period, there is this almost magical rejuvenation of the land. Evergreens such as pines stand lush and green year-round, but the dead understory of winter is soon smothered with green in the blink of an eye. These short-lived, herbaceous understory plants happen to be some of my favorites. They are fleeting, and must be sought-out and enjoyed during the warm months. I know that my blog is mainly centered around orchids (which still reign supreme in my head) but I wanted to give my home town a little appreciation before I return to college in Florida in a little over a month. Alabama is often painted as one picture of rolling hills stacked with forests. While this is true for much of Alabama, almost 70% in fact, Alabama is one of the most beautiful and ecologically diverse states with scrubland, beaches, forests, wetlands, plains, mountains, and more freshwater in the form of surface water than most states. While we are losing these resources fast to development and climate change, I still believe in our state slogan, Alabama The Beautiful. 🌼

*All photos are mine unless otherwise noted*

Yellow Passion Vine - passiflora lutea

This is probably my favorite Alabama find thus far. I actually spotted this flowering vine just after I decided to wait to post this blog. Lucky timing! If I find any more cool plants before I leave in the Fall I will edit this post, though. The Yellow Passion Vine is one of the most important, and very possibly the only, food source of the rare Passionflower Bee, or anthemurgus passiflorae. This plant, courtesy of its small yellow-green flowers and vining nature, can be hard to spot in the wild. However, if you do manage to stumble upon it like I did, examining the flowers up close is a treat. The shape is so unusual, like many passion vines, presenting a whimsical display of flower parts. The leaves are three-lobed, entire, and light green in color. Another thing to note about this plant are the very cute, curly tendrils that allow them to wrap around other plants for support. One plant I saw this vine growing around was the American Beauty Berry.

Buttonbush - cephalanthus occidentalis

Let me tell you this one was also a wonderful find. I was able to recognize the iconic, orb-shaped flowers a mile away. However, the bush was very hard to get close to, as it was growing right along a stream in the midst of poison ivy, snake dens, and muck. Buttonbush is a wetland plant, so it is not surprising it was found in such a location. Several days later, when I was finally able to get up close to this specimen, I was worried there would be no more active blooms to take photos of. But as I got closer, I heard a loud symphony of buzzing and noticed bees and wasps all over this bush. Thankfully there were still some fresh flowers. I just adore the yellow and white flowers and their ball shape. Apparently the flowers have a fragrance but I didn't get close enough to tell. The bush I observed was around 6-8 feet tall. (The picture below is just the very bottom of the bush, not the entire plant.)

American Beauty Berry - callicarpa americana

Hopefully I can stick around Alabama long enough to observe what this plant is so famous for: it's insanely vibrant, purple berries. When I spotted this Beauty Berry I was a great distance from it, and I wanted to know what the small pink haze was. Upon closer examination I noticed small flowers gathered closely to the stem. The leaves are broad and attractive, the entire plant not reaching more than 5 feet in height usually. American Beauty Berry leaves, roots, and berries are said to have been used by Native Americans as a medicinal tea.

Heal-All - prunella vulgaris

If I were stranded in the wild and found Heal-All, you best believe I would survive much longer. This incredible little herb has a plethora of medicinal benefits-- many largely unexplored on humans. Examples of the possible effects of Heal-All include; treating wounds, extracting infection, curing throat ulcers, inhibiting viral reproduction, and boosting immune health. Heal-All is even being researched for its possible anticancer properties. All parts of Heal-All are edible, most often used in tea by steeping the leaves. I have never tasted it personally but, being in the Mint Family, Heal-All is said to have a bitter, slightly sweet taste. Contradictory, I know- but one example Heal-All's taste has been likened to is rosemary, if that helps.

Spotted Wintergreen Pipsissewa - chimaphila maculata

This very small shaded understory plant has the most adorable growing habit. Spotted Wintergreen Pipsissewa is very low-growing and will stay very small. The flowers, appearing in the warm months, are thick and waxy, tending to droop downward. Unfortunately the photo of the open blooms is not mine, but I wanted you to get a good look at those small white flowers. The foliage is quite striking as well, with a bold light green stripe straight down the midrib, contrasting with the dark green of the leaves.

Twinberry - mitchella repens

Being a vine, Twinberry makes a very cool, luscious groundcover. The bright red berries and fuzzy white flowers it produces are a plus as well.

Alabama Azalea - rhododendron alabamense

This find was actually very deep in the woods in a dip in the land. The only reason I was able to locate this plant was due to the overwhelming, sweet fragrance the flowers emitted. I am a big fan of rhododendrons, being surrounded by them in Alabama (native or not), so you can imagine my excitement when I found a native one growing in the wild. Alabama Azalea, disregarding the name, is not actually endemic to Alabama. Alabama Azalea is currently native to four other states including Florida, where it is listed as endangered.

American Groundnut - apios americana

American Groundnut is another one of those plants I'd be thrilled to find if I was on a survival game show. The beans and underground tubers that this plant produces are edible when cooked. The tubers are most often likened to the common potato, only with more nutrition and a slightly nutty flavor. I have not personally tasted the beans or tubers yet, but I hope to someday. The tubers can vary quite a lot in size and shape, but can be harvested anytime of the year aside from frost periods.

Redring Milkweed - asclepias variegata

This find was also very exciting. With big, broad leaves, a striking red midrib, and those densely packed flowers, this plant hardly looks real. The flowers produce a bountiful supply of nectar for many native pollinators. To me, each flower looks like an origami project of sorts. This plant is ecologically important and insanely attractive- who knew!

Butterfly Milkweed - asclepias tuberosa

This photo is unedited. Yes the flowers are that orange. And yes, I noticed this plant a certifiable distance away. Being a milkweed, this plant produces hecka nectar and is well loved by pollinators. Unlike a. variegata (above), butterfly weed is a common host plant for the Monarch Butterfly, or danaus plexippus.

Lobed Tickseed - coreopsis auriculata

Being a member of the Asteraceae family, Lobed Tickseed can be difficult to distinguish from its many relatives. A few noteworthy characteristics of this plant are the yellow disc and ray, fringed ray petals, and small, entire leaves, each with a pair of lobed leaflets at the base.

Little-Leaf Sensitive Briar - mimosa microphylla

This groundcover is a fun one to come across, with sensitive leaves that close up and react to touch. Many mimosa's have this trait, whether they respond to light or touch. This mimosa can be seen exhibiting photo-sensitivity as well, closing up their leaves completely at night. Careful when running your hands along this plant, though; Little-Leaf Sensitive Briar has small thorns that run along their many stems.

Spurge Nettle - cnidoscolus stimulosus

Spurge Nettle is one to avoid touching, as they are covered in poisonous hairs that issue a stinging sensation. The poison is not severe and does not last long; even so, I wouldn't want my hand stinging for an hour.