Anyone in the Tenn,Georgia,North Carolina area?

[ScarlettO]

Just got back from the Smokey Mountains and we saw this blooming tree-everywhere-even growing out of solid rock!- that I've never seen before.

No leaves at this time, about 10 foot tall with clumps of lavender flowers(clumps almost shaped like grapes),,,the clump of flowers were somewhat like a wisteria-but this was an upright tree.

????????????????????

 

[Maleficent2]

here is a link to the bloom schedule for the BlueRidge Parkway

http://ncnatural.com/wildflwr/blmtime.html



http://www.tjhsst.edu/~dhyatt/azaleas/vaseyi.html

Mountain Laurel

Eastern RedBud

 

[dandave]

Those are beautiful, Mal!


ScarlettO, I don't have a clue, but this other kind of redbud looks wisteria-ish. I couldn't find anymore info on it other than this:

http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/hort/consumer/factsheets/trees-new/cercis_racemosa.html

 

[ScarlettO]

Nope...none of those. I wish I had taken a pic!
Like I said, these trees had no leaves,upright branches, and like a cluster of grapes(big at top and tapering down ) of pale lavender flowers.

 

[dandave]

OK, how about this:

http://oregonstate.edu/dept/ldplants/pato0.htm



http://ohioline.osu.edu/b700/b700_65.html

"Paulownia is an introduced tree from China and Japan reaching 50 feet in height. This tree has escaped cultivation in few local areas of southern Ohio. In the Smokey Mountain National Park this tree has destroyed native vegetation on rocky sites such as cliff faces and is viewed as a serious weed. This is a danger that should be considered when introducing exotic species. This tree has proven to be quite urban-tolerant and is common in the inner cities of the south. It reseeds itself readily in disturbed urban sites where it is not winterkilled."


That might not be it either, but I'm learning an awful lot about purple flowered trees.

 

[ScarlettO]

That's IT!!!!



And it's considered a weed! They were really pretty!

 

[dandave]

YAY!!!

I agree that it is beautiful.

 

[Snowwark]

Great detective work, Angela!! Way to go!!

I love the pics, Mal, especially the Mountain Laurel!

 

[Maleficent2]

I did not think of that one because it has just started blooming here in Chattanooga did not think it would be blooming yet on the BRP...

Great going Angela!


Mal

 

[dandave]

Thanks ya'll, but I was honestly just blindly searching. http://www.ask.com is one of my best friends. Jeeves takes all sorts of odd half-questions and gives great results. I always learn something in the search for an answer, and I thrive on useless trivia.