Shared by Rachel Blevins - Chief Ranger Visitor Experience, as Guest Blogger.

Simple and ordinary, growing just above the leaf litter, this plant goes unnoticed as park guests hike past it almost daily.

At first glance, Canby’s Mountain Lover is your average plant but there’s more than meets the eye – this plant has a story to tell.

A hike around Lover's Leap Trail at Natural Tunnel might reveal the elusive Canby's Mountain Lover

Canby’s Mountain Lover is an evergreen shrub that only reaches 8 to 16 inches in height during its lifetime. The small, dark green leaves are leathery and if you look closely, have delicate serrations around the outside of the leaf. Canby’s Mountain Lover has one of the best views in the park, only found on outcroppings or cliff tops that are sheltered from direct sunlight.

Due to its selective habitat, this evergreen prefers more acidic soil near limestone or dolomite rock, both which are prevalent at Natural Tunnel State Park. The branches of this plant grow close to the ground and can sprout roots where the soil conditions are just right. As a result, it forms a small colony of the plant but they are all genetically identical. A small, faint pink flower blooms in May.

A Rarity

Canby’s Mountain Lover is a true gem and we’re lucky it calls Natural Tunnel State Park home. Currently it grows at only two areas in the park. Though there may be more populations at Natural Tunnel, they have yet to be discovered. Across the state of Virginia, it's only found in twelve other counties – mainly along the valley and ridge region. According to Natural Heritage’s rare plant list, it's listed as both a S2 and G2 species. S2 is defined as being an imperiled species at the state level, with only 6-20 known populations. G2 refers to the plant being globally imperiled in regards to its entire range (The Appalachian Mountains).

How cool is it that a plant that rare is found here at Natural Tunnel State Park.

The Namesake

This evergreen shrub also goes by “Cliff Green” because it’s often found growing along rocky outcroppings or cliffs. It has also been called “Rat Stripper”. It’s been said that pack rats would often strip leaves and bark as food during the winter months. It’s more inviting name, Canby’s Mountain Lover, was given in honor of botanist William Canby. Though he was a businessman involved with the railroad and banking, he was considered one of the greatest amateur naturalists of his time, collecting and recording over 30,000 plant species during his forty-year career in the field. His extensive collection and collaboration with other botanists eventually led to the discovery of several new plant species. Canby was highly respected in the scientific community, praised by other naturalists at the time, including Asa Gray, John Muir and even Charles Darwin. Because of his meticulous work to catalogue plants, modern day citizen scientists are encouraged to continue his mission by documenting his original plant specimens in the field to monitor what can still be found. As a result of his great work, Asa Gray assigned the name Canby’s Mountain Lover in his honor.

The region of Southwest Virginia is considered one of biodiversity hotspots in North America.

An indication of the biodiversity is the fact that this plant grows at Natural Tunnel State Park. A plant that doesn’t look like anything out of the ordinary is a rarity, a true gem. It’s a plant that only a few will see in their lifetime, yet hundreds of park visitors pass by during their visit to the park. Next time you’re taking a walk in the woods, I encourage you to look around and take in all that nature offers. Listen to the birds chirping, listen to the trickle of the stream or spot the not-so-ordinary plant emerging from the leaf litter – take a closer look and remember there’s always more than meets the eye.

Sunset Valentine’s Hike

A sunset hike along the trail at Natural Tunnel will be held on February 15

Grab your loved one and join a park interpreter on a sunset set hike along the Lover's Leap Trail. Along the way, you'll view the awe-inspiring mountains in the distance, view the Natural Tunnel from above, and experience the vibrant colors in the sky as the sun begins to set below the ridge. This is a moderate hike, 1-mile roundtrip. Wear sturdy shoes, dress for the weather, and don't forget your camera.

There is no additional charge for this hike.

If you would like to stay the weekend in a park cabin, click here for more details, or call 800-933-7275 to make a reservation.

Directions to Natural Tunnel State Park can be found here.