University of Virginia Library

A MOUNTAIN-TOP MARVEL

A fine fourth of July found the Chevrolet headed towards headquarters of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in Gatlinburg, Tennessee, but wisdom prevailed in time for the effective substitution of a collecting detour over little-travelled Max Patch Mountain. Holiday makers had thinned somewhat by the next day, permitting a visit to Park Headquarters for the advice of Arthur Stupka, Park Naturalist, concerning the azaleas of the park and especially of now famous Gregory Bald on the park's southern rim. Representatives of the Gregory Bald population, as col- lected earlier by W. H. Camp, had been inconclusively studied previously and there was a real need to discover what this puzzling situation might actually be. Mr. Stupka was helpful indeed in providing access to the Park Herbarium and in giving suggestions on approaches to Gregory. A day's food supplies were laid in, the distance was covered to Cades Cove, a pack was made up with temporary presses, photographic equipment and a blanket and the stiff 4 1/2 mile climb to the mountain top was started in rather late afternoon. A cabin at about 4,900 ft. elevation was reached at dusk, leaving just time to complete the distance to the summit for a preview of the azalea display before cooking supper and turning in for a night's rest. Unfortunately the “night's rest” was enjoyed in the damp cold against which one blanket afforded little protection. It was also amid rather noisy wildlife from inquisitively reconnoitering mice to larger creatures, perhaps bears, which by morning had spirited away my lone loaf of bread. But there was enough food for a good breakfast and with warming sunlight and the azaleas, discomforts were soon forgotten.

The azaleas of Gregory Bald are at first glance bewildering and almost unbelievable. The mountain is a true “bald” having a broad, grassy summit fringed by scrub trees leading quickly into vigorous deciduous forest. The origin of the bald is unknown but it is probably man-made, resultant from earlier Indian grazing. It is the marginal region between trees and the grass sod which supports a peripheral band of a bizzarre collection of azaleas — thousands of plants in every imaginable hue from pure white to pale yellow, salmon yellow, clear pink and orange-red to red. Many of the flowers are yellow blotched, many of the hushes are stoloniferous and foliage varies from normal to deep glossy green, often glaucous beneath. Obviously it is a complicated hybrid swarm dating, in the older plants, to perhaps thirty years ago when some happening such as a brush or forest fire may have been responsible for the start of this strange and fascinating collection. Assuming that these were in fact hybrids the evident procedure was to search for the species which might have been involved in the hybridization process. The red and red-orange colors were an obvious lead and hushes of a Bakeri-like late flowering phase of R. calendulaceum were soon recognized, particularly on the west and southern sides of the bald. Such azaleas had been observed lower on the trail on the approach to the summit. From previous experience the clear pinks suggested hybridization between a red and white and white clones gave surer evidence of a parent of this color. Glossy leaves and glabrous shoots suggested that one such white might well be R. arborescens. A

quick search for this species was unsuccessful but it too had been seen on the approach to Gregory Bald. That it actually grew in the vicinity of the Bald has since been confirmed by F. C. Galle of the University of Tennessee who has made a special study of this population. In the search for R. arborescens a visit was paid to nearby Parson Bald a mile to the south and on this mountain was found a splendid growth of a second white azalea, the dwarf and stoloniferous form of the Swamp Azalea, R. viscosum, var. montanum whose characteristic small, sticky flowers and suckering root system had also been recognized as being carried by many of the Gregory Hybrids. R. viscosum may have been growing on Gregory itself or its pollen could easily have been carried this short distance by flying insects. Certainly it, with the other two species mentioned, was involved as an original parent of these plants. These three species are the only ones likely to be met at this elevation and in this particular region. Full collections were made of the Gregory population for later detailed study. While hybrid swarms involving as many species are not rare among eastern azaleas, no other yet seen has equaled this one in impressive size and effect. While many of the plants are beautiful from the horticultural standpoint it is fortunate that they are protected by National Park authorities for all to enjoy. Each color could be simply reproduced by cross-pollinating the same species under artificial conditions.

The study and photographing of this collection was still not complete by dusk, necessitating a second night on the mountain which was rendered slightly more comfortable by a harvest of fern fronds for softness and a little warmth. Dry cereal provided a slim breakfast next morning but work was completed in time for a rapid descent starting by noon.

Being reasonably close to Knoxville, Tennessee, a visit was paid to the University to discuss azalea problems with members of the Department of Botany and to review briefly a fine set of herbarium material well worthy of later study. This was July 9th and since more late material was still needed from the mountain areas a route was chosen via Wauchecha Bald in Graham County, North Carolina, Robbinsville, a return to Wayah Bald via the Winding Steps road, a northern swing over Cowee Bald, memorable for dew-laden red azaleas and a brilliant sunrise over its cloud filled valleys, and thence to Highlands, North Carolina. The principal collections of this tour consisted of R. arborescens, late specimens of the red-orange Flame Azalea including an especially fine stoloniferous clone in full bloom near Nantahala Lake on July 10th, and R. viscosum, var. montanum, also in excellent bloom, pure white, in low thicket growth in open woods near Highlands. Occasional hybrids of this plant with the Sweet Azalea can be striking with their large pink flowers, as are similar hybrids with viscosum itself at lower elevations.