June 28, 2026

Further up the mountain, into Shenandoah National Park, an interesting plant, one I had never seen or heard of before. The picture above is of Fly Poison (Amianthium muscitoxicum) just before its flowers open.

And here, above, many of the flowers are now open. It’s a plant that is native to the eastern US, all the way from New York to Florida and west to Missouri and Oklahoma.

The name of this plant is a bit odd, but comes from the fact that all parts of the plant are poisonous to numerous animals, including humans. The bulb is particularly toxic. Early colonists used the bulbs, grinding them and adding a sweetener of sugar, molasses or honey, to attract flies. After flies took a sip, they became unstable and had difficulty moving.

Creepy, but pretty.

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