Rosebud Orchid

What marks your life? What frames your reality? Sadly, we are not all so fortunate, but thankfully for myself, the bookends of my life have been incredible, irrepressible beauty. The places, dates and times by which I measure my journey upon the earth are accented by mountains, waterfalls, flowers, trees, birdsong and the rhythmic footfalls of equis.

Recently, I was bowled over by a flood of memories as I knelt to admire one of our rarest and most beautiful orchids here on Chilhowee Mountain. A masterpiece of exquisite form and striking colors, the Small Spreading Pogonia (Cleistesiopsis bifaria), also known as the Rosebud Orchid, is truly a breathtaking sight. The first time I ever laid eyes on one was twenty-seven years ago in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, and to this day I can still march you straight to the exact spot where it grows and to every place of encounter since. Such was the impression it made. How blessed am I to have such moments as indelible milestones? It is a feeling akin to seeing the wonder of your newborn child for the first time. There are infinite miracles happening in the world around us all the time. The gift is when we take the time to notice.

In the world of Cleistesiopsis, rarity, like real estate, is a matter of location. The Latin word Cleistes means "closed" in reference to its tubular flowers that never fly open like the precocious daisy. Bifaria means "from two places". You see, the Rosebud Orchid is a resident of the coastal plains as well as the mountains. In the burned over savannas of the Carolinas, it may be found in small to substantial colonies. Here in the Smokies, however, it is rare indeed, and to find a solitary specimen or perhaps a group of three is cause for celebration! They only bloom for about a week in mid-June, and, what's more, they have an orchid's tendency to go dormant when tired or stressed. They will sometimes remain that way for up to seven years! Yes, you heard that right. Many is the orchid that I have all but given up on only to have it suddenly reappear in all of its splendor almost a decade later. Gives new meaning to the term "beauty sleep," does it not?

It is my sincere prayer for you that your life too will be marked by true beauty, and that you will walk the ancient paths and find rest for your soul.

– Boyd Hopkins, Blackberry Mountain Head Naturalist