Pink Forest in Hickory Nut Gorge
Finding any truly pink autumn leaves is a rarity, but to find an entire forest of them is the Holy Grail of Leaf Peeping. Seven years ago I discovered this rare site, and have revisited it many times since. You’ll find it along U.S. 74-A between Chimney Rock and Asheville this time of year. For over a quarter mile, the forest undergrowth was nothing but bushes covered with delicate pink and white leaves. I had never seen anything like it.
This spot is about a mile east of Gerton at 2,300 foot elevation. I’m told these are Flame bushes that never turn red because they are always shaded. You must go…
After viewing the last photo it does appear to be Euonymus alatus otherwise known as the “burning bush”. It is indeed beautiful in Fall. I have one in my yard. They are ubiquitous in the Boone and Blowing Rock areas of NC. The reason the forest you photographed is full of them is because it is well known to be an invasive plant species. They are actually outlawed in some states and are quite hard to find in most nurseries in NC even though the law allows them.
Thanks for the clarification. This is the only place I’ve found them growing in such numbers, and the only place I’ve seen them in pink.