JEFFERSON— A rare plant in the North Carolina mountains is behind the state's newest nature preserve. The Paddy Mountain Nature Preserve is the 25th of its kind to be managed by the state's Plant Conservation Program, and according to North Carolina’s Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler, it protects a rare plant species called Heller’s Blazing Star.

Troxler says that Paddy Mountain is well-suited for the fragile population of Heller’s Blazing Star plants because of its seclusion from walking trails and a high elevation that allows the plant to thrive. The 450-acre nature preserve in West Jefferson also features a rocky terrain which is required for Heller’s Blazing Star plants to survive. He adds that the plant is native to North Carolina and only exists in Avery, Ashe, Burke, Caldwell, and Watauga counties.

The Heller’s Blazing Star plants are one of North Carolina’s rarest plant species, but according to Troxler, this plant is not the only one that needs protecting. He says that the high-profile Venus flytrap plant has a home in Wilmington and some parts of South Carolina, and that efforts continue from the Plant Conservation Program to ensure the safety of the species.

Troxler notes that it is important to preserve these plant species so that future generations can appreciate them and understand their importance in North Carolina’s ecosystems.

“That’s the reason we have these preserves,” Troxler adds, “to try to make sure that [plants] have a chance to survive and be here for future generations.”

Troxler encourages North Carolinians to volunteer with the Plant Conservation Program to help continue efforts to protect endangered plant species.