Ecologist to lead visitors on wildflower walk at Friendship Hill
SPRINGHILL TWP. – Robert B. Coxe bends down as he points to rare and beautiful wildflowers blowing in a gentle breeze on a recent spring day. As he walks through the woods and along the sandy riverbanks near the Friendship Hill National Historic Site, Coxe talks about the rare plant species and wildflowers that he loves to show off to visitors.
He gently touches wild oats, harbinger-of-spring wildflowers and sourwood, a small tree similar to a dogwood, that capture visitors’ attention at the historic site in Springhill Township.
Coxe, an ecologist/research specialist for the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy, describes the rare plant species and wildflowers that creep along the ground, exploding into a breathtaking color display near Friendship Hill.
Coxe said people like taking wildflower walks because they are drawn to the beauty of the plants.
“I just like showing people what the plants are so they can enjoy what they’re seeing in nature,” he said.
He will lead visitors on a similar two-hour walk through the woods behind the Friendship Hill house and along the Monongahela River at 2 p.m. Saturday, April 20.
“Friendship Hill is a gem in Fayette County as far as wildflowers and diversity,’ Coxe said.
A 2000 Fayette County Natural Heritage Inventory by the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy ranked Friendship Hill fifth on a list of 78 sites in the county for quality of habitat and number of rare species. The number-one site was the Youghiogheny River basin.
And Coxe noted that since the survey was completed, another rare plant species was found at Friendship Hill while other species were found in more abundance.
The rare plant species at Friendship Hill are actually rare to the state and are found in more abundance in the South. They have followed the Monongahela River, which runs into West Virginia, to come into Pennsylvania.
Coxe identifies the rare plant species at Friendship Hill, including:
– Wild oats, an ornamental grass that grows to a large size and is found in the floodplain of the Monongahela River and on its sandy beaches.
– Blue Monkshood, a blue flowering plant that creeps along the grounds and is found on moist rocks near the waterfalls. It has a small blue flower that looks like the hood of a monk.
– Harbinger-of-spring, which is also found in the Monongahela River flood plain. It is also called salt-and-pepper because it has a small white flower with black stamens.
– Sourwood, a small, under-story tree that grows underneath larger trees, like a dogwood would grow. It reaches a height of 40 to 50 feet.
– Blue mist flower, which is a member of the aster family that is found on sandy beaches of the Monongahela River near wild oats.
During the April 20 walk, Coxe expects that harbinger-of-spring will have bloomed and may be in fruit, while sourwood trees will also be available for visitors to see.
“In fact, there’s a sourwood on the lawn near the house,’ Coxe said.
While these are the rare plants, Friendship Hill, a 661-acre site, has an abundance of species.
“I would say there are probably 400 to 500 species at Friendship Hill,’ Coxe said.
Some more common plants that visitors will see on the April 20 walk include trout-lilies, a yellowing plant that’s also known as the dog-tooth violet; trilliums, large showy flowers that are both white and red; liverleaf, a purple flower in buttercup form; toothworts, a white flower in the mustard family; as well as blue, white and yellow violets.
“Oaks will be flowering. They’re not too showy. But they are also the ones giving out the pollen and making people sneeze,’ Coxe said.
Sophia’s Wood, which contains the grave of Albert Gallatin’s first wife, is known as an old-grove forest and has mature trees. Coxe estimated the trees are 100 to 150 years old.
Spring is one of the better times to see wildflowers. The other time is August when a lot of aster species come into bloom, such as goldenrod, Coxe noted.
In addition, visitors will probably be able to see creatures that are attracted to the flowers – insects that could include bumblebees, moths, butterflies and hummingbirds.
At Friendship Hill, there’s also a chance that visitors will see deer and turkeys that run wild over the property.
“I’ll probably talk about how the deer are causing problems for the park and plants. They are eating the plants,’ Coxe said. “The blue monkshood has been heavily impacted.’
Since the walk will also be near the river, there is a possibility for seeing birds.
The ecologist said that people enjoy wildflower walks because of the beauty of the flowers. He noted that while a variety of people come out, most participants are older.
Participants should wear steady shoes and be prepared for some steep sections of trail. Coxe, however, noted participants will walk down steep slopes on steps and return along a gentle section of the trail. The route is through Sophia’s Woods, which are behind the house and to the side, then down the slope and along the river and then back to the house.
Participants should wear long pants to protect against poison ivy. They may want to carry water.
The wildflower walk kicks off Friendship Hill’s celebration of National Park Week. It will also include a concert by the Albert Gallatin South Middle School Band at 2 p.m. Sunday, April 28, on the lawn. In case of inclement weather, the concert will be canceled.
Friendship Hill National Historic Site is the home of Albert Gallatin, a noted statesman of the Jeffersonian Era, and is located along Route 166 in Springhill Township near Point Marion. For more information, call the park at 724-725-9190.