CALMES NECK BLUFFS

Virginia Native Plant Society Registry Site

THE SITE: Calmes Neck Bluffs encompasses a series of cliffs, slopes, and ravines along the Shenandoah River on the north side of Calmes Neck in Clarke County, Virginia. Underlain by dolomite of the Shady Formation, this site has both state and regional significance because of several outstanding natural community occurrences, five rare plant populations, and three "watch-list" (uncommon) plant populations documented by the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation - Division of Natural Heritage (DCR-DNH).

NATURAL COMMUNITIES OF CALMES NECK:

Basic Mesic Forest - rich mixed hardwood forest, mostly maturing second growth but with patches of impressively large trees, occurring on fertile north to east-facing slopes and floodplain toe. Dominant canopy trees include Acer nigrum (black maple), Tilia americana (American basswood), Quercus rubra (northern red oak), Quercus muehlenbergii (chinkapin oak), and Liriodendron tulipifera (tuliptree). Dominant small trees and shrubs are Asimina triloba (paw-paw), Lindera benzoin (spicebush), Cercis canadensis (redbud), and Cornus florida (flowering dogwood). The herbaceous layer contains large populations of Jeffersonia diphylla (twinleaf), Caulophyllum thalictroides (blue cohosh), Delphinium tricorne (dwarf larkspur), Mertensia virginica (Virginia bluebells), Dicentra spp. (Dutchman's breeches, squirrel corn), Erigenia bulbosa (harbinger-of-spring), and other nutrient-demanding species.

Low-Elevation Boulderfield Forest ( Calcareous Type) - a mixed forest occupying steep rocky habitats on and around a large dolomite cliff. The tree layers are similar to the preceding type but Staphylea trifolia (bladdernut) and Hydrangea arborescens (wild hydrangea) are abundant shrubs, and enormous colonies of Cystopteris bulbifera (bulblet bladder fern) and other rock-inhabiting plants occur on outcrop shelves and areas of boulder talus.

Montane Dry Calcareous Forest / Woodland - a rocky, upland deciduous forest situated atop a fertile river-fronting, cliff-like dolomite bluff. Major trees here are Quercus rubra (northern red oak), Fraxinus americana (white ash), Tilia americana (American basswood), Quercus muhlenbergii (chinkapin oak), Acer nigrum (black maple), and Juniperus virginiana (eastern redcedar). Diverse shrubs include Ostrya virginiana (eastern hophornbeam), Dirca palustris (leatherwood), Rhus aromatica (aromatic sumac), Celtis occidentalis (hackberry), Cercis canadensis (redbud), Euonymus atropurpureus (wahoo), Physocarpus opulifolius (ninebark), Asimina triloba (paw-paw), and Thuja occidentalis (arborvitae). The rocks are carpeted with large populations of Aquilegia canadensis (wild columbine), Sedum glaucophyllum (cliff stonecrop), Allium cernuum (nodding wild onion), Arabis laevigata (smooth rock cress), Arabis lyrata (lyre-leaf rock cress), Arabis patens (spreading rock cress), Draba ramosissima (rocktwist), Senecio obovatus (round-leaf ragwort) and Oryzopsis racemosa (black-fruited ricegrass). The calcareous rock-loving ferns Asplenium rhizophyllum (walking-fern), Asplenium resiliens (black-stem spleenwort), Asplenium ruta-muraria var. cryptolepis (American wall-rue), Aspenium trichomanes (maidenhair spleenwort), and Pellaea atropurpurea (purple cliffbrake) are also prominent.

Piedmont / Mountain Bottomland Forest (Calcareous Type) - deciduous forest occupying the alluvial floodplain of the Shenandoah River. The dominant trees are Acer saccharinum (silver maple), Acer negundo (boxelder), and Platanus occidentalis (American sycamore). Asimina triloba (paw-paw) and Lindera benzoin (spicebush) are also common shrubs in this community. The vernal herbaceous layer is dominated by a breathtaking display of Mertensia virginica (Virginia bluebells). Later in the summer, not a trace of the bluebells can be found, and coarse herbs such as Verbesina alternifolia (wingstem) dominate. Unfortunately, exotic weeds such as Alliaria petiolata (garlic-mustard) and stilt-grass (Microstegium vimineum) thrive in the fertile, constantly moist alluvial soils.

Riverbank Outcrop Barren (Calcareous Type) - frequently flood-scoured, rocky river-shore habitats supporting the prairie-grasses Andropogon gerardii (big bluestem), Panicum virgatum (switchgrass), and Muhlenbergia cuspidata (plains muhly) along with several rare and unusual forbs, including Hasteola suaveolens (sweet-scented Indian-plantain), Solidago rupestris (riverbank goldenrod), Baptisia australis (blue wild indigo), Galium boreale (northern bedstraw), and Cerastium arvense (field chickweed).