Camp Mary Elizabeth’s Wildflowers

Camp Mary Elizabeth is known for its wildflowers.  Well, I don’t know for sure if that’s true, because I bet the average leader in our council would have no clue about this – but they should!  But as I stated in the previous blog entry, the fact that it is home to so many types of wildflowers is part of its charm.

The area around CME grew and developed throughout the years, and at this point, CME is an island of woods and nature surrounded by asphalt and concrete.  There’s a stream called Holston Creek that flows through it, and unfortunately, a lot of trash that makes it way from the surrounding parking lots ends up on the sides of the stream.  Holston Creek turns into Fairforest Creek which eventually grows into the Fairforest River.  Here’s the progression to the Atlantic Ocean, in case you’re wondering:  Fairforest River → Tyger River → Broad River →  Congaree River → Lake Marion then EITHER → Santee River → Atlantic Ocean OR Lake Moultrie → Cooper River → Atlantic Ocean.  Yes, I followed it all the way on Google Maps.  I’m weird like that, but I was curious.  I MEANT to only say that it’s part of either the Tyger or Upper Broad watersheds and stop there.  What’s a watershed?  I’m glad you asked. 

Good grief – so if you are still reading at this point (squirrel!), let’s get back to the wildflowers at CME.  According to this article from the Herald-Journal‘s 5/28/1978 edition (see below), the Green Gardeners Garden Club planted wildflowers in 1952.  In 1978, more Garden Club members got together to revive CME’s wildflower population (click on the article to see it in all of its black & white splendor):

But the most interesting thing about CME’s wildflower population is that it includes the dwarf-flowered heartleaf, a perennial species that is considered threatened according to the USDA.  It’s only found in a few North and South Carolina counties, so it’s pretty exciting that such a rare plant would be found at CME!  It’s exciting to me, anyway!  😉  It was first discovered by a Spartanburg biologist in 1990 (3/26/99 Herald-Journal) and probably had a hand in keeping CME in the hands of the Piedmont Area council when an errant executive director considered selling it.

Here’s a list of other wildflowers & plants that can be found at CME (big thanks to Tina the Trainer for providing this information):

• Daisy fleabane
• Wood Sorrel
• Trilliums (pink and dark red)
• Carolina Jessamine
• Elephants foot
• Foamflower
• Crinkleroot
• Bloodroot
• Sweetshrub
• Pawpaw
• Creeping cedar
• Oconee Bells (I gotta see these – they are rare too!)
• Pink Lady slipper (this one too!)

Our troop made nature journals with pictures of these wildflowers and documented them while we went on a hike.  It was neat to point out a plant and see if the girls could figure out which one it was based on the pictures.  They loved it!

I’ve mentioned this book before, but if you’re interested in learning more about South Carolina’s wildflowers, I highly recommend A Guide to the Wildflowers of South Carolina by Porcher and Rayner.