Sundews in Strange Places - Cat Mountain, NY

[nelsap]

Hi all,

I did a hike up Cat Mountain on the shores of Lake George, NY. I live nearby and hadn't hiked it yet. The trail to the top is 3 1/4 miles, the first 2.5 are generally flat, an old logging road. Not where you'd expect to see any carnivorous plants.

Imagine my surprise as I noticed, on the side of the road, a huge patch of Drosera rotundifolia! I almost couldn't believe it. This was sandy, gravelly soil - but not particularly wet at all, no springs/wet areas anywhere near it, and they were mixed in with other wildflowers. Here are some photos. Have any of you ever seen sundews in such a non-traditional place?

Jeremy

Here is the road - sundews mixed in with the wildflowers/other plants on the right.

Sundews

Closeup

View from the top towards the narrows of Lake George. No sundews up here.

 

[trek623]

awesome! that's a pleasant surprise! anytime i go on a hike anywhere, i always look for carnivorous plants, although so far i haven't been as lucky as you.

 

[Grey Moss]

Cool, did you see anything else.

 

[jimscott]

Amazing! It's get pretty cold in the Adirondacks! Just shows ya what a temperate sundew (D. rotundifolia) can take. Now I wonder is there are any in the Plattsburgh, area, where I webt to school.

 

[Jayson16]

Hmm this really shows that they can grow in the most unexpected areas. Thanks for sharin.

 

[Jimmy]

Excellent post. I love to see places like that, where something grows where you would just never expect it. Thanks for sharing!

 

[nelsap]

Glad you all like the photos! Its a beautiful hike too if any of you come up to Lake George.

There were no other carnivorous plants, but about 1/2 mile before I found them there was a marshy area, with lots of sphagnum. I searched that, but could not find anything. Doesn't mean they weren't hidden somewhere up there.

There are other swampy/boggy areas within 10-20miles - my best guess is that some birds or other animals dropped some seeds in this spot, and they grew.

This area is about 25 miles away from a post several weeks ago I did on my trip to Lens Lake.

Jeremy