By Susan Campbell, Thunder Radio
While the May Prairie State Natural Area may not look very impressive from the highway, it is actually one of the most ecologically important natural areas in the state, according to wildflower expert and author Dennis Horn.
Located on 500 acres off Asbury Road in Manchester, growing and thriving in May Prairie are grasses and wildflowers normally only seen in the coastal areas of the southern United States and in the plains of the Midwest.
“It’s just a different world,” Horn said. “The environment is different. The geology is different. Believe it or not, it is one of the top places in the state for rare plants. Only three counties in Tennessee have more than 50 rare plants: Roane County, Sevier County and Coffee County. And all of that is because of May Prairie.”
The land was purchased by the state from the late David King of Manchester, real estate developer and banker, and designated as a Tennessee State Natural Area in 1973 – one of the first in the state to receive that recognition. According to Horn, the area derives its name from King’s late wife, May. The area is also recognized by the Department of the Interior as a National Natural Landmark.
Visitors to the area should not expect it to be similar to Short Springs, Coffee County’s other state natural area located near Tullahoma. Instead of rocky hillsides, steep cliffs and impressive waterfalls, the area is teeming with cedar glades, wildflowers and grasses rarely seen in the southeast – some of which migrated from Alabama, according to Horn. A carnivorous plant has even been spotted there – Utricularia cornuta, or horned bladderwort, which normally grows as a subaquatic plant in marshes, swamps and shallow waters. Carnivorous plants receive most of their nutrients from trapping and consuming animals and insects – think Venus flytrap.
According to the state’s Department of Environment and Conservation, the most impressive feature at May Prairie is the open grassland that protrudes into the surrounding oak forest. The open grassland is primarily comprised of a little bluestem community and a tall grass prairie community with an occasional sedge meadow found in wet areas. Tall grasses include big bluestem, Indian grass, switchgrass and plume grass. In the spring, the area provides a splendid floral display of orange, blue, and white color as Indian paintbrush, false indigo, and bluets grow and thrive. In late summer, many species of sunflower are common, including the rare southern dock and two species of blazing star.
May Prairie is open to the public during daylight hours but has no developed trails. Parking is available on Asbury Road. Dogs on leashes are allowed.
