Opuntia humifusa (Prickly pear cactus)
Just down that winding mountain road from the butterflies and milkweeds is Eva Chandler Heritage Preserve. It is managed by the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources. And they do a fine job of it.
What got me to stop this time was a fifteen-foot tall Rhododendron maximum blooming just beside the entrance to the preserve. The flowers are just opening, and are in perfect form. The delicate pink around the edges of each petal make this one of my favorite June blossoms...
Since I was already out of the truck and had my camera in tow, I decided to walk the trail a bit. I soon found Prickly pear cactus in bloom. It's delicate, clear yellow flowers had the bees going on that day. It is one of the cactus species that is native to the Southeast, and one that is found all over the state.
On my way back to the truck, I looked up and saw the branch of a tree whose leaves were eaten in such a way that the main supporting structure of the leaf was still there, but most of the rest of the leaf was gone! Quite a sight to see...
Opuntia humifusa (Prickly pear cactus)
Just down that winding mountain road from the butterflies and milkweeds is Eva Chandler Heritage Preserve. It is managed by the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources. And they do a fine job of it.
What got me to stop this time was a fifteen-foot tall Rhododendron maximum blooming just beside the entrance to the preserve. The flowers are just opening, and are in perfect form. The delicate pink around the edges of each petal make this one of my favorite June blossoms...
Since I was already out of the truck and had my camera in tow, I decided to walk the trail a bit. I soon found Prickly pear cactus in bloom. It's delicate, clear yellow flowers had the bees going on that day. It is one of the cactus species that is native to the Southeast, and one that is found all over the state.
On my way back to the truck, I looked up and saw the branch of a tree whose leaves were eaten in such a way that the main supporting structure of the leaf was still there, but most of the rest of the leaf was gone! Quite a sight to see...