South Carolina is blessed with an assorted array of natural habitats. From the marshy low country, to the sandy beaches along the Atlantic and the bluish hue and lakes tucked within the Blue Ridge Mountain range of Appalachian Mountains, the Palmetto state is full of varied habitats, flora, and fauna. 
Did you know that in South Carolina, there are over 680 documented species of wildflowers? In fact, this figure continues to grow even to this day, with a new discovery of a rare flower in Pickens County! Click here to read about the “Shealy’s Saxifrage,” the newly named rare flower native to our local Keowee area.
With hundreds of wildflowers blooming every spring and summer, South Carolina is a hot spot for botanists. One of South Carolina’s earliest identified wildflowers, the Oconee Bell can be seen at Devils’ Fork State Park around mid-March. These beautiful white bell flowers are found in remote ravines and shady spots throughout the area. They are definitely worth a trip – Oconee Bells are typically only seen in North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia, and only in mountainous regions near mountain streams and water runoffs. But all throughout the Spring season you can find many beautiful blooms along the trails of our area.
Another trail, this one at Keowee-Toxaway State Park, sometimes has wonderful purple Irises that brighten the path! In the Jim Timmerman Natural Resources Area at Jocassee Gorges, you will find the tunbridge filmy fern which has been reported to be the only United States location of this plant! While you’re there, make sure to catch a glimpse of the Oconee Bells! The Jocassee Gorges are a known hot spot!
No matter where you find yourself this weekend, we hope you enjoy the many beautiful sights of our area!
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