Quaking Bog of a Thousand Asphodel

[Gibby]

After spending the morning by the Lower Forge and then an hour or so with the DEP, I decided to trek farther east than I normally do. Bass River was the location. I cut down a dim road with a fading image in mind from a late night glance of an aerial from Ben's maps. A short hike through a boundary of trees and I walked into a quaking bog filled with thousands of Bog Asphodel in seed. This location will be a brilliant sight next year.

The first thing I saw as I came out of the tree line.

Each one of the orange topped grass-like plants are Asphodel.

Every where I looked in this quaking bog had the rare plant.

Bog Asphodel (Narthecium americanum) in bloom late June of this year.

 

[Gibby]

A close up of Bog Asphodel in seed.

 

[dogg57]

Nice Job

 

[Teegate]

Nice find. I and a few others from the site met the man from the state who keeps track of them. I mentioned I felt they were not as rare as one would think here in NJ. Bob pointed out that the plant is abundant in the places they are at, but those locations are limited.

Guy

 

[Gibby]

Thanks Dogg. Teegate, the Asphodel won't appear rare to the more adventurous who get out to their locations that are secluded or almost impossible to reach. They are familiar because their boggy habitat is visited more often, but they still are rare.

 

[oji]

They are very sensitive to rising water level and a couple of beavers can wipe out a population. Nice find Gibby!