Panther Creek ravines   Jess Riddle   Mar 18, 2005 15:15 PST  Panther Creek flows east into the Tugaloo River, part of the Georgia-South Carolina state line, at approximately 700' elevation and near where the Brevard Fault crosses the state line. Second growth hemlocks and thickets of rosebay rhododendron fill most on the narrow ravines that line the south side of the lower section of the creek, but the rich carbonate rocks of the Brevard Belt outcrop in three adjacent ravines. Together, the three coves cover perhaps 50, and range in aspect from northwest to northeast with the north facing sides generally being far richer. While most of the slopes exceed 30 degrees, homes once occupied the small flats in the bottom of two of the coves; however, farming appears restricted to the bottom of one cove and the flats along Panther Creek that the other two coves open into. Tuliptrees and Virginia pines that look 50 years old or younger occupy those areas, but a more mature and diverse forest prevails in the narrow coves. American beech, white basswood, tuliptree, northern red oak, green ash, black walnut and bitternut hickory all form significant portions of the overstory. On the lower north facing slopes, where sweetgum mixes with the above species, American hornbeam and yellow buckeye constitute a relatively well defined midstory. Eastern hophornbean fills much the same rolls higher up the slopes. Paw paw spicebush remain smaller in stature, but spread over much of the area. Toothwort and trout lily were the only flowers to come up under them so far, but later in the year large patches of blue cohosh will cover the forest floor. Additionally, rock outcrops in the rockiest cove support walking fern and yellowwood. The asterisked circumferences below are from a visit to the site about three years ago. The elm listed below was reported from that visit as a slippery elm, but closer inspection revealed that identification to be an error. Slippery elm is common around the edges of the area, but the large elm in the central cove and the elm just above it are both American. Cbh Height Species 8'1" 129.4' Ash, Green 6'7" 130.9' Ash, Green 6'11" 134.2' Ash, Green 9'9" 138.2' Ash, Green 9'4" 138.3' Ash, Green 6'4" 119.1' Basswood, White 10'1* 126.2' Basswood, White 8'6" 129.4' Basswood, White 7'5" 132.8' Basswood, White 8'2" 121.5' Beech, American 10'2* 126.9' Beech, American 7'6" 129.4' Beech, American 11'8" 133.0' Elm, American 3'1.5" 74.8' Hophornbean, Eastern 7'2" 133.1' Hickory, Bitternut 8'2" 123.6' Hickory, Mockernut 7'10.5' 144.2' Hickory, Pignut 7'6" 122.2' Oak, Northern Red 8'7.5" 134.8' Oak, Northern Red 9'0" 139.8' Oak, Northern Red 5'10" 121.8' Oak, White NA 122.1' Oak, White 8'3.5" ~90' Sassafras NA 129.3' Sweetgum 6'9" 139.5' Sweetgum 10'10" 139.4' Tuliptree NA 142.1' Tuliptree NA 150.9 Tuliptree 8'3" 157.6' Tuliptree 5'5" 119.2' Walnut, Black 4'7" 121.1' Walnut, Black 5'8" 125.1' Walnut, Black 5'6.5" 130.7' Walnut, Black Green ash grows well throughout the area, and I have not heard of any taller ones in the state. The white basswood are also impressive as a group for Georgia. The tallest previously reported for the state was 130.8'. The beech at the site are unusual in both size and abundance. No very tall beech had been located in Georgia, so the 129.4' sets the state record. The elm is less impressive as an american than as a slippery, but the tree is still the tallest known of its species in the state and only a couple of feet short of the tallest found so far in the Congaree. The hophornbean is in a nearby cove of different character, but is again the tallest laser measured individual of its species in the state. Bitternut hickory is generally scarce in the coves of the north Georgia mountains; however, individuals over 110' are common at this site and the tallest of them is now the tallest known in the state. The pignut hickory is not the tallest known in the state. One near the edge of the Kelly Ridge Roadless Area is a whole 0.5' taller. Pignut hickory is much scarcer at this site than at other rich sites in the Brevard Fault Zone. As at many sites in the fault zone, northern red oaks grow well at Panther Creek and reach their greatest heights for the state. White oaks grow primarily on the lower part of one of the west facing slopes. The 157.6' figure is the third best known for a tuliptree so far in Georgia, and two or three other tuliptrees in the largest cove may reach the low 150's. This area has an exceptional concentration of tall walnuts, and again the 130.7' is the tallest found so far in the state. Together, these trees produce a Rucker Index of 137.84'. The surrounding fairly acidic looking areas also include widely scattered impressive trees. Red bud, scarlet oak, and butternut all reach or approach record heights in the surrounding area. Also, one table mountain pine on a steep, dwarf rhododendron covered slope will likely reach 90' and qualify as a state champion. Jess & Doug Riddle   Home