Do You Know About These Thriving Wildflowers?

 “Where flowers bloom, so does hope.”

    - Claudia Alta “Lady Bird” Johnson, Environmental Preservationist & Urban Garden Advocate; Co-Founder of the National Wildflower Research Center; Recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom and Congressional Gold Medal; First Lady of the United States (1963-1968)

When was the last time you allowed yourself to stop and smell the flowers?

On Monday, August 27th, you are invited to do just that! Join an NPS botanist and Cultural Resources Specialist for a special walk dedicated to the riverside wildflowers that thrive in Harpers Ferry National Historical Park. The program begins at 10 a.m. on the Green in Lower Town.

Species commonly found along the shores of Harpers Ferry include:

Joe-Pye Weed

Joe-Pye Weed brightens the mist gathering along a West Virginia river. By Gerri Wilson/USFWS Volunteer, via WikiMedia Commons.

Sitting tall on narrow stalks, these merry pink blooms often attract butterflies. According to legend, the flower gets its name from an eighteenth-century Native American healer named Jopi, or possibly, a native man who adopted the English name Joseph Pye after converting to Christianity. Indigenous healers are said to have used the plant for treating various kidney ailments.

Monkeyflower

The monkey flower got its name because early naturalists thought it resembled the comical, grinning face of a tiny monkey.  By Jason Hollinger, via Wikimedia Commons.

A variety of “monkeyflower” species exist. Along the eastern coast of the United States, one will often find the Allegheny monkeyflower, pictured above. Perhaps, explorer Meriwether Lewis spotted one when he visited Harpers Ferry prior to the departure of the Corps of Discovery into the unknown west. On his excursion up the Missouri, Lewis identified a separate variety of monkeyflower in the Northwest. That variety is still called Lewis’ Monkeyflower in his honor.

New England Aster

A Monarch butterfly enjoys the New England Aster. Wildflowers are invaluable sources of fuel for migrating butterfly species like the Monarch. By U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service - Northeast Region, via Wikimedia Commons.

Despite its localized name, the New England Aster are native to just about every state east of the Rocky Mountains. Blooming in late summer/early fall, the pink and purple flowers are often seen thriving along roadsides or shorelines, as well as meadows and low valleys. A hardy perennial, they are an excellent choice for those seeking to feature native species in a home garden.

The thriving display we can enjoy today is a major evolution from the industrial zone that consumed these rivershores in the past. Mills and factories, as well as armies, took their toll on the natural environment in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. The resulting deforestation has been linked to several devastating floods during that era: the network of plants and roots and other natural filters that normally help mitigate waterflow had simply disappeared. During the four years of the Civil War alone, when much of the surrounding area was utterly denuded, severe floods destroyed the Potomac River bridge five times—proving more destructive in this regard than the competing armies.

Since modern replanting efforts have commenced, fewer serious floods have been experienced. Nature appears to be restoring its self-care mechanism, at least in Harpers Ferry.

“By plucking her petals, you do not gather the beauty of the flower.”

    -Rabindranath Tagore, Indian poet, artist, playwright, Indian independence activist, Recipient of the 1913 Nobel Prize in Literature.

You can help the restoration effort by allowing the wildflowers and other plants to do their job, and continue to grow! Please refrain from picking or cutting plants in the park.

Read more about it!

Did you know? The Harpers Ferry Park Association Bookshop offers a variety of nature guides and tools for budding naturalists. Stop in or visit our website to see our latest offerings, including regional wildflower guides, sketchbooks and cameras to record observations, and colorful, engaging nonfiction texts for young nature lovers.