Lifestyle

SC Native Plant Society releases Swamp Rabbit Trail plant identification guide

By Janie Marlow, Contributing Writer:

GREENVILLE, S.C. — The South Carolina Native Plant Society has released Wild Plants on the Rabbit, a pocket-sized guide about the native and naturalized plants growing along the Greenville Health System Swamp Rabbit Trail.

Over 100 different plant species are featured in the free brochure, each with a photograph and a short description. Sharp eyes may spot Trillium, Bloodroot, Cardinal Flower, Swamp Milkweed, Downy Lobelia, a handful of Sunflower species, or even the small white flowers of the rare, federally protected Bunched Arrowhead. Trail users are encouraged to use the brochure as a checklist, checking off plants as they spot them.

A common misconception is that if a plant is growing in the wild it must be native to this area, but many of the plants encountered on the Swamp Rabbit Trail were brought here from other continents, either intentionally or by accident. Many exotic plants have established themselves along the trail, disrupting naturally occurring native plant communities.

The brochure provides links to a more complete plant inventory. If users see a plant on the Swamp Rabbit that they can't find in the brochure or in this list, the Society's website offers a service where you can submit photos for identification.

Wild Plants on the Rabbit brochures are free and available at SCNPS events (including the April 16 Native Plant Sale at Conestee Park) and at these and other outlets: Cafe @ Williams Hardware, Greenville County Rec (office), Greenville Visitors Center, Lake Conestee Nature Park (office), Sunrift Adventures, the Swamp Rabbit Cafe & Grocery, and the Travelers Rest branch of United Community Bank.

Editor's note: The SC Native Plant Society is a non-profit organization working to preserve, protect and restore native plant communities in South Carolina. Field trips, plant rescues, workdays, and monthly meetings are open to the public. Find out more about the organization by visiting their website here.

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