Adventures on the “Rhod”

We recently had the opportunity to travel to North Carolina to spend a week in the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains. As we made our way south, we were surprised to see, in the middle of winter, tall shrubs covered with glossy green leaves. We pulled out a plant ID app and discovered we were looking at a plant that flourishes in the mountains: the rhododendron.

The rhododendrons looked like a rainforest even in winter!

Rhododendrons, or “rhodos,” are in the same family as the blueberry plant. Since the created kind (God created things according to their “kind”) is usually at the level of family in the system we use today to organize life, this means rhododendrons and blueberries are probably in the same created kind, along with azaleas, huckleberries, cranberries, and lingonberries, and so many others. This kind usually likes to grow in soil that’s very acidic and not very nutritious (and that’s a good thing—we need plants to grow in all kinds of soils!).

Now how can these evergreen species of rhododendrons keep their leaves all winter? After all, most trees with big leaves drop them in the fall (these trees are called deciduous trees). Well, the thickness and the glossiness (waxiness) help keep the leaf from freezing, and as the temperatures drop, the plant stores less water in its leaves. Evergreens are also designed to be able to move water from inside the cells of their trunks and branches to the spaces between the cells. This protects their cells if the water in their trunk freezes. Evergreens like pine trees even have a special “antifreeze” to protect them and that’s what gives them their characteristic smell.

As we learned about the fascinating plants around us, we enjoyed trekking through what felt like a jungle. We hope you enjoy these photos of our exploration!

Well, we’re off on another adventure. Until next time, let’s remember to praise the Lord for his goodness in creating such a beautiful world,

“Praise the Lord from the earth, you great sea creatures and all deeps, fire and hail, snow and mist, stormy wind fulfilling his word! Mountains and all hills, fruit trees and all cedars” (Psalm 148:7–9).