Fall Native Flora ID

In this blended class led by Naturalist Scott Dean, you will learn to identify native mountain flora on the trail by training your eyes and using a non-technical dichotomous keying system. You will study the characteristics of plant families and the basics of plant communities all in place. While the focus is on fall wildflowers and trees, you will also pick up a wealth of information on the natural and cultural history of the native flora of the Blue Ridge. Newcomb’s Wildflower Guide and Wildflowers of Tennessee, the Ohio Valley and the Southern Appalachians are recommended as references.

This class has 6 sessions:

Tuesday, Sept 17, 2024 | ONLINE - Zoom 9:30am - 11am

Wednesday, Sept 18, 2024 | FIELD 9:30am - 1:30pm

Saturday, Sept 21, 2024 | FIELD 9:30am - 1:30pm

Tuesday, Sept 24, 2024 | ONLINE - Zoom 9:30am - 11am

Wednesday, Sept 25, 2024 | FIELD 9:30am - 1:30pm

Saturday, Sept 28, 2024 | FIELD 9:30am - 1:30pm

Field classes meet off-site and meeting locations will be shared with class registrants. Online classes will be recorded and available for viewing after the class date.

Scott Dean was born and raised in the mountains of southern Appalachia, specifically the coalfields of West Virginia and southwestern Virginia. He developed the original Ecology, Botany, and Zoology curricula for the Blue Ridge Naturalist Program, and has been both a classroom and field instructor with the program since its inception. He has led walks for UNC Asheville and the Cullowhee Native Plants Conference, been a featured speaker at the Great Smoky Mountain National Park Wildflower program, and spoken at various social and civic events in the Asheville area over the last twenty years.

Host or Publisher The NC Arboretum Adult Education Programs