The gardens are atop the mountains on the Tennessee - North Carolina border. Click the image below to see it in action and to get your own copy. In the Smokies the Laurel bloom primarily during May, while the Rhododendron come along in June and July. In early April, the southern end of the Parkway is ablaze with brilliant hues. The data collected including the number visitors, the source where they have come from, and the pages visted in an anonymous form. Please enter your username or email address. But when is the best season to visit? From Gatlinburg, drive east along US 321 (stop-light #3 in Gatlinburg) for approximately 6 miles. The Catawba rhododendron is the source of the pinkish swatches of color that cover the high elevations. Leave it there for somebody else to enjoy.". Spring ephemerals include flowers such as trillium (the park has 10 different species), lady slipper orchids, showy orchis, crested dwarf iris, fire pink, columbine, bleeding heart, phacelia, jack-in-the-pulpit, little brown jugs, and violets, to name just a few. Roundtrip the hike is about 3.5 miles. It's a great ground cover, as it self-seeds prolifically, and it is also a perennial plant, returning year after year. Not every shrub will flower each year, but because there are so many in the park there will always be plenty of flowering Rosebays to enjoy. Many rhododendrons bloom when the snow is still melting, and the temperatures tend to fall relatively low during the nighttime. However, Catawba leaves are not as long and hold a more rounded shape. On Andrews Bald the peak is usually in early July. Like most national parks, summer is the most popular time of year to visit Great Smoky Mountains. You should know that the plant usually requires at least three weeks to turn a conventional bud into a full grown flower. Rhododendron maximum, also known as Big Laurel, forms dense thickets, some as high as 20 feet, that are critical to the health of Southern Appalachian forests and the wildlife that dwell there. Too early, and youll find no flowers. Some good places to see the Catawba rhododendron are just past Chimney Tops trail parking lot on Newfound Gap Road, Alum Cave Trail and Andrews Bald. Good places to see it include Andrews Bald, Alum Cave Trail, the Blue Ridge Parkway, and above the Chimney Tops Trailhead. The hike is more than 5.6 miles and the elevation climbs quite a bit. But first, its important to focus on the different kinds of rhododendrons. Within Results. When Do Rhododendrons Bloom? It takes a little effort to get there, but will be well worth the trek. It might take a year or two for you to figure out the exact times when the plant blooms. Let the whites and the pinks roll over you. Example video title will go here for this video. The Purple, or Catawba, variety is more often seen at high elevations along hillside trails. The wildflower season begins with the spring ephemerals in March & April. If peak color isnt as important to you, visit in September or November to get the same benefits with fewer crowds. The peak blooming period begins in early June at the 3,500 ft elevation. Ephemerals appear before deciduous trees leaf out, when full sunlight is streaming to the forest floor. When do rhododendrons bloom in the smoky mts? The mountain laurel start blooming in May. The plant can generally be found virtually all over the continent of America, and is also popular in many parts of Europe as well as Asia. Its white and pink flowers bloom from early May through June on trails and roadways throughout the park. Pricing. However this hike is still very popular during the peak blooming period. So a clump that you were particularly taken with last year may not bloom at all this year. Growing up with a mom who filled her home (inside and out) with all sorts of plants, Lisa got her start in gardening at a young age. If the soil starts to become waterlogged, this could lead to a bunch of problems with the plant. Blooming occurs in April and May at the low to mid elevations, and June to early July in the upper elevations. Chasing the bloom is the botanists version of birding expeditions. Eleven species of native shrubs in the Rhododendron genus live in the park: rosebay rhododendron, Catawba rhododendron, Carolina rhododendron, Piedmont rhododendron, flame azalea, smooth (or sweet) azalea, Cumberland azalea, pink azalea, early azalea, clammy (or swamp) azalea, and minniebush. Wildflowers bloom from late February thru September. Theres nothing quite like fall in the Smoky Mountains. Add an answer. Some of its most famous species are mountain laurel, rhododendron and flame azaleas. The list provided is just a small sample You should pass by both species as the elevation changes, so you will be able to see both lovely pink and white flowers. Bloom colors range from white to pink in the wild, although some cultivars of dark pink and even maroon have been grown. Redbud and serviceberry trees are at their peak of bloom along Little River and Laurel Creek roads right now. Its also the parks driest time of year, with little precipitation and humidity decreasing. Mountain Ash: June-July (bloom) Sep-Oct (berry) Higher elevation spruce-fir forests, Mt. In summer the display continues with brilliant red cardinal flowers, pink turtleheads, Turks cap lily, small purple-fringed orchids, bee-balm, butterfly-weed, black-eyed susans, jewel weed, and many others. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Two good walking trails for viewing wildflowers arethe Deep Creek trails and the River Trail at the Oconaluftee Visitor Center in Cherokee. The Mountain Laurel are similar to, and often mistaken for, Rhododendron. Rhododendrons bloom in clusters. , 6. Catawba Rhododendrons are native to the eastern United States and grow mainly in the southern Appalachian Mountains, beginning in southern Virginia down through northern Alabama. This website may help in general terms https://www.nps.gov/grsm/learn/nature/blooming-shrubs.htm#:~:text=Blooming%20time%20is%20April%20and,seen%20on%20Balsam%20Mountain%20Road. Maybe I should ask when is the best time for peak flower blooming of all flowers in the Smokey's.? The Rosebay Rhododendrons are the most common rhododendrons in the Smokies. Bloom peaks along the Parkway in Virginia are usually earlier than in North Carolina due to lower elevation. July is historically the park's most crowded month, with June not too far behind. Many rhododendrons bloom when the snow is still melting, and the temperatures tend to fall relatively low during the nighttime. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. The first flowers typically appear in late March in northern Georgia, from Atlanta to the Southern Appalachian Mountains. There are even certain varieties that will start to bloom as soon as the winter begins to fade away and the snow starts to melt. Below shows the pineapple-shaped bud of a Rhododendron. When blooming, they have bright pinkish-purple flowers. Learn where to to see the best spring wildflowers, Blood RootButtercupsColumbineDutchmans BreechesHepaticaJack-in-the PulpitMayapplePepper RootRed MapleSpice BushSpring BeautySquirrel CornTrout LilyVioletsWild PlumWind FlowerYellow-Root, ArbutusBlack HawBleeding HeartBlue SageBluetsBrook LettuceButtercupsColumbineCrested Dwarf IrisCucumber TreeDogwoodDutchmans BreechesFire PinkFoam FlowerFringed PhaceliaGolden RagwortIndian PaintbrushIronwoodJack-in-the-PulpitLarge FloweredBellwortMayappleMeadow Rue (early)PhloxRedbudService TreeSilverbellSolomons SealSpring Beauty (uplands)Squirrel CornStone CropTrailing Trillium (various)Trout LilyTulip PoplarVioletsVirginia BluebellWild GeraniumWild MustardWood Sorrel, Bleeding HeartBluetsBrook LettuceCalycanthusColumbineCrested Dwarf IrisCucumber TreeFlame AzaleaFoam FlowerHobble BushIndian PaintbrushLarge FloweredBellwortMagnoliaMountain LaurelPainted TrilliumService Tree (uplands)Silverbell (uplands)Solomons SealStone CropWhite AzaleaWild CrabWild GeraniumWild IrisWild Orchids (incl. These months in the park see some of the highest amounts of precipitation, meaning trails are often muddy. Showy trees such as serviceberry, silverbell, flowering dogwood, redbud, Fraser magnolia, and tuliptree soon follow. Although the round trip hike is a strenuous 11.3 miles and you will gain a total elevation of 3,020 feet, the mountain views and terrain make this hike well worth it! The lovely pink and white flowers of mountain laurel bloom in early May through June. Where are the largest trees in the Park? Cup-shaped flowers, up to two inches across, are borne in clusters in shades of pale pink and white. It's that beautiful time of year again when the Mountain Laurel (Kalmia latifolia) bloom along the trails and in the woods of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. . It thrives around streams and in ravines at elevations below 5,000 feet (1,524 meters). 16 years 5 months 9 days 5 hours 3 minutes. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Mountain Laurel is an evergreen shrub that is native to the eastern United States. These plants have a considerably longer blooming period, as we have already discussed, and you should know that the plant expends a considerable amount of energy each day just to maintain the blooms. Journal ARS Article. Blooms at higher elevations can be up to 3-4 weeks later. The peak of spring wildflower blooming usually occurs in mid- to late-April at lower elevations in the park, and a few weeks later on the highest peaks. Parking tags will NOT be required for motorists who pass through the area or who park for less than 15 minutes, or while parked at their designated campsite. This includes plants like: White Trillium Crested Dwarf Iris Columbine Phacelia Pink Lady Slipper Orchids Purple Violets Deposit Photos. You need to at least wait a few months and see when the plant actually blooms. Another important thing that you need to figure out is the length of the blooming period. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. If the plant tends to bloom earlier in the season, you might want to consider adding a bit of frost protection around your plants. To learn more visit the parks page on spring wildflowers. It does not store any personal data. The main drawback of visiting in autumn is the crowds. In addition to certain standard Google cookies, reCAPTCHA sets a necessary cookie (_GRECAPTCHA) when executed for the purpose of providing its risk analysis. They are one of the most popular blooms to see in the park. WildlifeInformer.com is your #1 source for free information about all types of wildlife and exotic pets. On Gregory Bald the colorful display peaks in late June or early July. Photos (1,681) Directions. This cookie is set by Addthis. Flame azaleas bloom at the low and mid-elevations in April and May. Each spring, the park hosts the Spring Wildflower Pilgrimage, a week-long festival of programs and guided walks and hikes that explore the wondrous diversity of life in the park. The higher in elevation you go, the later the peak bloom time is. So what makes the Rhododendrons in Great Smoky Mountains National Park so special? [Wildflowers You'll See] With 1,500 types of wildflowers blooming throughout the park, it's tough to narrow it down. This cookie is set by Google. Despite these off years, many rosebays will bloom annually throughout the park, especially those along roadsides that receive ample direct sunlight. Rhododendrons. In the Smokies, flame azalea flower colors range from white to peach to orange, yellow, or red.