When I moved here over 20 years ago, I was told that Lauderdale County is the toenails of the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains. I was also told that Mount Barton is the beginning of the Appalachian Mountains.

I don’t know for sure if that is true or not. I do know that our county has many plants that are typical of the mountains and that are not found in surrounding areas. Our woods, especially areas adjacent to creeks or rivers, are rich with mountain laurel, sourwood and partridge berry.

Within the next couple of weeks, those canoeing on the Chunky River will be treated to a lovely display of mountain laurel. I was fortunate enough to hit the river on the perfect viewing weekend many years ago. The banks of the river were pink as far as the eye could see. Individual flowers that had shed from the shrubs floated in the river like pink confetti. I’ll never forget how beautiful it was.

Mountain laurel is widely acknowledged as one of our showiest native shrubs. In a good site, usually along a creek or river, it matures into a large imposing evergreen shrub. Branches are attractive and gnarly. Mountain laurel usually blooms during the last week or April and the first week of May. This year the flowers are coming early.

Mountain laurels rounded flower clusters can be white-, pink- or rose-colored. Each mature flower is cup-shaped. The buds are ridged with a pointed tip. They remind me of cake decorations.

If you want to see mountain laurel in bloom, make a canoe trip soon or take a ride along a country road that crosses a creek or river. A nice stand of mountain laurels can be seen from Stuckey Bridge but many other stands are easily found this time of year. Normally you will only see mountain laurel in woodlands or where they have been transplanted into landscapes. Since mountain laurel is poisonous to cattle, it is often eradicated near pasture land.

While you’re enjoying the mountain laurel display, you may notice a few other choice native shrubs. Oakleaf hydrangea is budded to bloom in well drained soils along creeks and rivers. Oakleaf hydrangea has a large elongated white flower cluster. The flowers are perched at the tips of branches laden with large lobed leaves shaped like those of a red oak. Later in the autumn the leaves turn wine red if weather permits. During winter oakleaf hydrangea is best identified by its shaggy cinnamon colored bark.

Itea or Virginia willow will be blooming soon. I often see itea along the Chunky and Chickasawhay Rivers. Itea will bear a white spike-like flower in the next few weeks. This native shrub is found in big stands drooping out over the water. In autumn, itea has lovely red fall foliage.

If you take a walk on the trails at Dunn’s Falls, you can see oakleaf hydrangea and itea. You will also marvel at the carpet of partridge berry along some of the trails. Partridge berry is a pretty evergreen ground cover. Within a few weeks, partridge berry will be covered with small white tubular flowers that sparkle in the woods. Later each pair of flowers will mature into one red berry. This plant is sometimes called twinberry since two flowers form one fruit.

Shortly after the mountain laurel blooms it will be time for our native magnolias to flower. Imposing specimens of Southern magnolia can be found along our creeks and rivers. This is the evergreen tree that bears the state flower of Mississippi. The flowers are white and cup-shaped and their scent is delicious.

Other magnolia cousins join in the blossom chorus during late spring. Sweetbay or swamp magnolia has small (four inch) lemon scented white flowers. Bigleaf magnolia or cowcumber is recognized by its giant yard-long leaves. Cowcumber flowers are big, too, almost a foot across.

The weather is usually nice in late spring and early summer and there are lots of wild flowers to see in Lauderdale County’s natural areas. It’s a great time to enjoy a drive or a float or a walk in the toenails of the foothills of the Appalachians.