Special Native Plants at Bennett Place

Lewis's Heartleaf, a rare species of ginger, was found growing in an area that the Bennetts are believed to have used as a dump. This makes sense, in that it would likely have been spared the plow and thereby have left the native flora undisturbed.

In the second photo, if you look closely you can see a dwarf sundew (reddish) in the midst of the moss. The presence on this upland piedmont site of sundew and sphagnum moss, both of which would more normally be found in bogs down in the coastal plain, is yet another of Bennett Place's mysteries. One explanation can be found in the kind of soil found here, which has very unusual properties.

This Large Whorled Pogonia (Isotria verticillata) was found growing near Bennett Place on land targeted for development. Ellerbe Creek volunteers rescued it from the bulldozers and brought it to Bennett Place. The two sites share the same soil type, which makes Bennett Place the best refuge for this and other unusual wildflowers in the Ellerbe Creek headwaters.

Update, 4/9/10: The Pogonia, planted along a nature trail by Josh Rose years back, survived its first year or two, but has not been seen during visits in the past two years. It may well have succumbed to drought or trail maintenance activities. Josh's discovery of the plant on similar soil less than a mile from Bennett Place does at least documents that it was part of the historic plant community. Josh also found a ladyslipper orchid growing along a power line even closer to Bennett Place.

Cultural and Natural Heritage Coexist at Bennett Place

In the distance stands the Bennett farmstead where Generals Johnston and Sherman met to negotiate surrender in 1865. It's fitting that one of the biggest steps towards peace took place in a location that is also special ecologically. These hallowed grounds preserve not only a pivotal moment in the nation's history, but also a unique natural heritage.

The lawn may look unremarkable, but in unmowed areas to the right of the photo grow native wildflowers seldom encountered elsewhere. Lewis's Heartleaf, a rare species of wild ginger, caused the state to designate Bennett Place a Natural Heritage Site. Large Whorled Pagonia, Sundew and Leopard's Bane are some of the other unusual wildflowers growing here.

Back in the 1930s, H.L. Blomquist and other esteemed botanists from Duke University would come here to explore and do field work. In more recent years, volunteers with the Ellerbe Creek Watershed Association have worked with Bennett Place staff to preserve the site's natural heritage.

In the foreground of the photo, to the right of the fence, a planting is being planned to show off the site's many kinds of prairie wildflowers and grasses.

Wild Insectivorous Plants in Durham!

One of the most surprising finds at Bennett Place is a tiny plant that eats insects. Called dwarf sundew (Drosera brevifolia), its specialized leaves exude a sticky substance that catches and digests any insect that touches the plant. The protein in the insects provides nitrogen that is lacking in the very unusual, nutrient-poor soil.

Though as gardeners we think of rich soil as an unmitigated good, some soils that are naturally nutrient poor, such as the Helena-type soils found at Bennett Place, frequently support higher biodiversity than naturally rich soils.

In the second photo, you can see how tiny the sundews are. They have been found in only one spot in the field behind the visitors' center.