Few People Know About This South Carolina Wildflower Field
When winter comes to an end, we’re all more than ready for all of the glorious signs of spring: warmer temps, longer days, colorful flowers, p- – well, maybe with the exception of the pollen, anyway! One of the places you can go to appreciate and enjoy vivid spring colors is a wildflower field in South Carolina that you may never have even realized exists.
The Warner H. Plahs Wildflower Field is tucked away in the beautiful Sea Pines Forest Preserve on Hilton Head Island.
... while others are swampy. You'll see during certain times of the year the aquatic duckweed plant life blooming across the surface of the water, giving it a pretty green color.
Keep an eye out for alligators, prevalent in parts of South Carolina and seen more often during warmer periods. Be mindful of the warnings on signs and heed them, as you would not want to anger such a creature who would be especially protective while nesting.
People often ride horses through the preserve, so watch your step to dodge any horse manure that may also be there on the trail.
The wildflower field is found off of Fish Island Trail near Lake Thomas. Pick up a map pamphlet at the trailhead to help with navigating as you progress through the preserve, but keep in mind that some of the trails aren't well-marked.
Be prepared to pay cash to get into the preserve if you're not staying at Sea Pines. Also, picking wildflowers is prohibited ... otherwise, future guests would have nothing to enjoy here!
The field is named after a prior Sea Pines Preserve Ranger who was the one to first begin planting wildflowers in this area of the preserve. The continuation of this practice honors and keeps his legacy alive while adding such beauty and charm to this area of our state year after year!
Mr. Plahs was also known for building "creatures" out of sticks, palm fronds, and other natural debris at the preserve. He passed away on Oct. 1, 2018 at the Veteran's Victory House in Walterboro after a long struggle with Alzheimer's Disease.
The field blooms from March to June with a nice variety of bright, gorgeous wildflowers. It has even become a tradition for some, with people flocking here every spring to see them.
Have you ever been to this wildflower field in South Carolina before? Where else have you discovered are good places to enjoy wildflowers in our state? What’s your favorite thing about Spring? Tell us all about it in the comments section below.
South Carolina has been home for AnneMarie since 2001. Her favorite part of the state is Lake Jocassee. An App State alumna, it's always the mountains; the lake bonus makes it heavenly. When not writing about the state, she may be spending time with family, relaxing by the pool, or out somewhere enjoying nature.
