Blooming butterweed in Congaree National Park, South Carolina

© Jeff Lepore/Alamy

Blooming butterweed in Congaree National Park, South Carolina

Some of the tallest trees in the southeastern US grow in the bottomland ecosystem of Congaree National Park. That tree with the grooved trunk in the center 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 centerpiece, 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.