Black Mountains (North Carolina) - Plants and Wildlife

Plants and Wildlife

The forests of the Black Mountains are typically divided into three zones based on altitude: the spruce-fir forest, the northern hardwoods, and the Appalachian hardwoods. The Southern Appalachian spruce-fir forest (sometimes called the "boreal" or "Canadian" forest) is dominated by red spruce and Fraser fir, and coats the elevations above 5,500 feet (1,700 m). The northern hardwoods, which consist primarily of beech, yellow birch, and buckeye, thrive between 4,500 feet (1,400 m) and 5,500 feet (1,700 m). The more diverse Appalachian hardwoods, which include yellow poplar and various species of hickory, oak, and maple, dominate the slopes and stream valleys below 3,000 feet (910 m). Pine forests, consisting chiefly of Table Mountain Pine, pitch pine, and Virginia pine, are found on the drier south-facing slopes. Mountain Paper birch, which is rare in North Carolina, grows sporadically on the slopes of Mount Mitchell.

Wildlife in the Black Mountains is typical of the Appalachian highlands. Mammals include black bears, white-tailed deer, raccoons, river otters, minks, bobcats, and the endangered northern flying squirrel. Bird species include the wild turkey, the Northern Saw-whet Owl, and the pileated woodpecker, although peregrine falcons and various species of hawk are known to nest in the upper elevations. Brook trout, which are more typical of northern latitudes, are found in the streams at the base of the Black Mountains.