Product Description

Admired by plant enthusiasts, botanists, and nature lovers of all ages, wildflowers comprise one of the most beloved - and diverse - groupings of flora in South Carolina. Although relatively small in size, the Palmetto State hosts a remarkable variety of wildflower species, from the trillium and bloodroot that brighten its forests to heliotrope and common toadflax that dot the state's roadsides and fields. With color photographs (all by Richard D. Porcher) and extensive descriptions of more than 680 species, A Guide to the Wildflowers of South Carolina offers a complete and indispensable reference for finding and appreciating these natural treasures. Employing the same innovative approach Porcher used in Wildflowers of the Carolina Lowcountry, he and Douglas A. Rayner simplify the task of identification by grouping species according to habitat. For each species identified, the authors include interesting facts - many not widely known or readily available - about rarity, suitability for garden cultivation, and origin of common and scientific names. Of added interest, the botanists share itineraries for more than fifty wildflower expeditions and short essays on a variety of topics, including carnivorous plants, Carolina bays, native orchids, medicinal plants and folk remedies, poisonous plants, edible plants, and the role of fire in natural communities.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #281250 in Books
• Published on: 2002-02
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 551 pages

About the Author
RICHARD DWIGHT PORCHER is a professor of biology and director of the herbarium at The Citadel in Charleston, South Carolina. An authority on the flora of South Carolina, he is the author of Wildflowers of the Carolina Lowcountry and Lower Pee Dee and a co-author of Lowcountry: The Natural Landscape. Born in Berkeley Country, South Carolina, he received his B.S. from the College of Charleston and Ph.D. from the University of South Carolina. Porcher trained under Dr. Wade T. Batson and serves on the advisory boards of the South Carolina Heritage Trust and the South Carolina Nature Conservancy. Porcher lives in Mount Pleasant. DOUGLAS ALAN RAYNER is an associate professor of biology at Wofford College, where he teaches courses in botany, ecology, and evolution. A native of Berlin, New Hampshire, he holds a Ph.D. from the University of South Carolina, where he also trained under Dr. Batson. Rayner serves on the board of trustees for the South Carolina Nature Conservancy; he lives in Spartanburg.

Customer Reviews

Very Informative
I took a class this summer and one of the Text we used was the Guide to Wildflowers of South Carolina. This book is very informative and gives many different topics for each plant listed. Later I met Dr. Porcher and he really knows his stuff.

Beautiful WildFlowers in The Country
My husband and I moved to the country,living on 5acres surrounded by woods.We have all kinds of beautiful wildflowers growing here.A guild to wildflowers in s.c.has helped us to identify alot of these flowers.what a wonderful book to have around.Its just full of helpful information on these plants.

Excellent guide to SC native plants and their habitats
As a flower gardener new to the South I was looking for more information to help me make smart plant choices for the climate. I learned about this book in a native plant seminar and it is a wonderful reference as it teaches not only about the plants but the native communities where they florish in nature. This is helpful as I attempt to be conscious of my water usage and to do my "green" duty as a homeowner and gardener.