Cactus Family Look, but don't touch! This beautiful yellow flower is perched atop a wicked arsenal of long, sharp thorns and smaller tufts of bristles that you will be pulling from your hand or foot if you get too close. These were blooming by a mailbox in Knoxville, however, they do grow in the wild in some areas of East Tennessee. I will "cheat" on getting my pictures if I have to! :) Perennial
Arum Family Aquatic Obed National Wild and Scenic River April 12, 2008 I was really surprised to see this plant blooming in the Obed River in Morgan County, TN! I have usually seen it in quiet lakes and streams in southern Alabama and the Panhandle of Florida. It is related to Green Dragon, Arrow Arum and Jack-in-the-Pulpit. The developing leaves will emerge from the water in a few days. It is interesting to see the flower buds still under water. Notice how the plant is growing between the cracks in the rocks on the river bottom. This was plant #699 for my East Tennessee wildflower list on this website. Perennial
