The forests are mature mixed hardwood with some pine and large old eastern red cedar trees, and the land is covered with limestone boulders, remnants of coral reefs and an ancient shallow sea. There are rare trees and shrubs such as smoke tree (Cotinus obovatus), locally called Chittumwood and Alabama snow wreath (Neviusia alabamensis) that are unique to the dry rocky limestone geology. There are numerous sinkholes and caves, and part of the land is known as Sharp Sinks where there are big sinkholes that drain into a large cave (Scott Cave) at the foot of the mountain on an adjacent farm.

Bloodroot (Sanguinaria canadensis), trillium (Trillium spp.), and twin leaf (Jeffersonia diphylla) grow throughout the woodlands. There are ginseng (Panax quinquefolius), goldenseal (Hydrastis canadensis), and black cohosh (Actaea racemosa), but they are no longer abundant. Ginseng hunting has been a tradition in that part of Alabama for centuries, and our land was historically used for what was called “mountain pasture.” Grazing probably contributed to the scarcity of those plants. We hope to plant and restore those native medicinals. Our mother, Irobel Herring, planted a native plant garden 40 years ago that still thrives in the woods all around the house. Bloodroot, trillium, Solomon’s seal (Polygonatum bifl orum), black cohosh, phlox (Phlox spp.), and hundreds of bluebells (Mertensia virginica) bloom in early spring before the trees leaf out and the intense heat of Alabama summers begins.