FIRST EVER "REMARKABLE RHODODENDRON RAMBLE" PLANNED FOR JUNE 2-15

In celebration of the flamboyant red Catawba rhododendron, Grandfather Mountain is presenting the first ever Remarkable Rhododendron Ramble June 2-15.

Grandfather’s staff naturalists can't wait to share their enthusiasm for the showy rose-lavender blossoms. To honor the storied shrub they’ve planned guided walks and other special programs designed to enlighten guests on the history, botany and lore of the showy flowers.

“Guests are so interested when they see the rhododendron in bloom,” said Naturalist Katie Christenbury. “They see the hybrids used in landscaping, but this is one of the few places that the native Rhododendron catawbiense grow in abundance.”

Roan Mountain located 20 miles to the west of Grandfather has the world’s largest population of the native rhododendron, but the major difference between Roan and Grandfather is that plants on Roan grow mostly at the same elevation and above 5,000 feet. That makes for a spectacular show when they all bloom at once, but the trade off is that the flowers do not open until late in June and can only be enjoyed during a relatively short window of time.

At Grandfather the Catawba rhododendron blooms at successive elevations throughout the month of June. It first appears at overlooks near the entrance to the park early in the month and arrives at the high peaks near the Mile High Swinging Bridge before the Fourth of July. The wide range of elevations means guests have a longer window of opportunity to see rhododendron blooming on Grandfather.

Naturalists will present a slide program in the theater on rainy days, but they hope to take guests out onto the mountain to see and touch the rhododendron in their natural habitat on days when the weather is cooperative. The purple-pink flowers will be the starting place for the conversation, but the well-informed guides look forward to seeing what different directions their guests’ questions might take them.

“There is a lot of history associated with this plant,” explained Christenbury. “In 1789 the great French explorer Andre Michaux journeyed up the Catawba River from Charlotte and became the first to collect the red rhododendron in bloom on Roan Mountain. Five years later in 1794, Michaux hiked to the top of Grandfather Mountain and broke into song believing he had reached the highest point in the Americas. It is neat to see the way all these little threads of history come together here on Grandfather Mountain.”

All programs and guided walks offered as part of the Remarkable Rhododendron Ramble are included in the price of admission. For more information, phone 800-468-7325.

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