Scrophulariaceae (Figwort Family)

Present in nearly all of the Mountain region and most of the Piedmont of North Carolina, Late Figwort is a pollinator magnet! An upright, square-stemmed perennial native to open woods and roadsides, its tiny, greenish purple two-lipped, tubular flowers with reddish-brown interiors bloom in summer, following Early Figwort (Scrophularia lanceolata). This…

Puzzlingly very rare in North Carolina, certainly under-observed or mistaken for the more common species Scrophularia marilandica. Found in only a handful of counties, this upright perennial frequents upland hardwood forests with slightly acidic soils. Not known for their beauty—blooms could be called subtle—but they are abundant in nectar! This makes…

Small’s Beardtongue is a bright perennial wildflower which naturally grows in the rocky soils of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Green to purplish stems rise from an attractive bronzy-tinted winter rosette. In early summer, it has tubular, snapdragon type bright pinkish-purple blossoms that attract hummingbirds and beneficial insects. They are lavender on…