Blooming butterweed in Congaree National Park, South Carolina

Blooming butterweed in Congaree National Park, South Carolina

Some of the tallest trees in the south-eastern US grow in the bottomland ecosystem of Congaree National Park. That tree with the grooved trunk in the centre of this image is a bald cypress, a resilient hardwood valued for its water resistance when used as lumber. The Congaree River, the park’s centrepiece, can crest its banks during the year, turning some of the park trails into temporary waterways. Throughout spring, the butterweed blooms in the water-soaked soil, covering the forest floor with a spray of green and gold.