Melrose Falls and Pearson Falls Tours

EMGV Field trip to Melrose Falls and Pearson Falls in Saluda, Polk County

Although only a mile or two apart, they are about 2 weeks different in bloom time due to the microclimates. We were given guided tours by Tryon Garden Club docents at Pearson's Falls and an excellent tour by Conserving Carolina's Community Engagement Director, Pam Torlina, at Melrose Falls.

Some of the plants we saw included:

Sharp-lobed hepatica (Hepatica acutiloba)

Round-lobed Hepatica (Anemone americana)
Rue anemone (Thalictrum thalictroides)

Bloodroot (Sanguinaria canadensis)
Cutleaf toothwort (Cardamine concatenata)
Dutchman’s breeches (Dicentra cucullaria)
Foam flower (Tiarella cordifolia)
Great white trillium (Trillium grandiflorum)
Sweet white trillium (Trillium simile), also commonly known as Jeweled wakerobin
Spring beauty (Claytonia virginica)
Yellow trout lily (Erythronium umbilicatum)
Wild ginger (Asarum acuminatum)
Mayapple (Podophyllum pletatum)
Oconee Bells  (Shortia galacifolia)
Green Violet (Hybanthus concolor)
Yellow Mandarin (Prosartes lanuginosa)
Common Jack-in-the-pulpit (Arisaema triphyllum ssp. triphyllum)
Blue Cohosh (Caulophyllum thalictroides)
Seersucker Sedge (Carex plantaginea)
Solomon’s Seal (Polygonatum biflorum)
American Alumroot (Heuchera americana)

If you are looking for a fabulous wildflower hike along with some beautiful waterfalls to admire, you should consider visiting Pearson's Falls and Melrose Falls.

Thank you to Holly Votaw and Cindy Decker for sharing their beautiful photos of the hikes.

A pitcher plant grows alongside a fallen log.

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Small red flower under broad green leaves.

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Green plants grow on a damp rock wall.

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A stone bridge crossing a small stream.

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A small white flower growing along a forest ground.

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People investigate plants growing on the side of a small hill.

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Small pink flowers grow out from dead leaves.

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A closeup image of Dutchmans Breeches, small tooth shaped white flowers.

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People look at a waterfall coming down the mountainside.

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A red berry grows near ground level.

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A large waterfall.

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A long thin waterfall coming down the side of a mountain.

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People hike down the side of a mountain.

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A Proceed at your own risk warning affixed to a tree.

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A group of hikers pose together on a trail.

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Hikers pose together in front of a waterfall.

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A stream flows down from a waterfall in the distance.

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A trail map of Pearson's Falls.

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White flowers grow off of a damp rock wall.

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A woman shows a group of hikers ginger plants growing alongside a trail.

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Hikers inspect a trailmap.

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Two hikers talk while taking a break.

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Hikers sitting on a rocky bluff.

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White flowers grow up from a leafy forest floor.

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A closeup of a white flower.

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Conserving Carolina sign on a post.

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Small flowers grow on thin stems.

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Broad leaves of Trilliums line the forest floor.

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Broad green leaves surround a brilliant burgundy flower.

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A white flower with three large petals.

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A large waterfall flows down a mountain.

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A large waterfall.

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Hikers move toward a large waterfall in the distance.

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yellow flowers hang down from a green plant.

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Written By
Maryann Mickewicz profile picture
Maryann Mickewicz