Botany and Forestry
Black‑eyed Susan in West Virginia—a golden gift of summer
EGERIA, W.Va. — As summer unfolds, brilliant yellow blooms emerge along fields, forests, and roadsides in West Virginia. In many cases, the show is put on by Rudbeckia hirta, widely known as the Black‑eyed Susan. These iconic flowers, with their dark “eyes” and sunny...
Wildflower event April 12 explores history of St. Albans, West Virginia
SAINT ALBANS, W.Va. — Four prehistoric trails once converged where the Coal River joins the...
Spring’s pink-flowering redbud trees guided early West Virginia settlers
HINTON, W.Va. — Blossoming across the eastern U.S. in spring, redbud trees were notably important...
Five spring wildflowers you’ll likely encounter in West Virginia
LEWISBURG, W.Va. — The West Virginia woodlands burst into color in spring. During that brief...
Some spring wildflowers in W.Va. make secondary summer appearance
RENICK, W.Va. — Some of the most precious of West Virginia wildflowers are spring ephemerals. Fleeting in nature, they are gone in a heartbeat. Though they may seem to have vanished by early summer, many leave a remembrance, a clue, if you will, for you to find them...
Here are the best trees to grow in West Virginia to sustain pollinators
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — West Virginians are increasingly turning to their native resources for diversion and sustenance, and bee-keeping has certainly enjoyed renewed interest. More than 13,300 bee colonies are registered in the Mountain State, producing almost 245,000...
Forester using AI to identify trees likely to trigger power blackouts
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — A West Virginia University urban forester is developing a method, with the help of artificial intelligence, to identify trees at risk of falling on power lines and causing blackouts. According to Greg Dahle, associate professor of arboriculture and...
Common West Virginia woodland groundcover boasts peculiar qualities
SHADY SPRING, W.Va. — Frequent visitors to the West Virginia woodlands, especially to the mountain counties, are likely familiar with this evergreen groundcover. Though inedible, the plant was harvested to the point of becoming rare for two peculiar reasons....