Bald Knob Thursday

I don’t always hike alone. Visiting Annapolis friends Phyllis and Mike joined us on a trek up to Bald Knob in the Ossipee Range, where their dog, Boda…

posed in front of the view.

Such a cutie!

One new-to-me plant was White Baneberry, also known as Doll’s Eyes. The white berries on red stalks, here, still getting their full color, are highly toxic to humans, as is the whole plant, though birds are immune to the poisons and can eat them.

Another new-to-me was American Spikenard—what a name! And this plant was a massive 3 feet wide.

Part of the ginseng family, the flowers in the fall will turn to deep reddish-purple berries, which birds savor. The roots have been used to flavor root beer!

White Baneberry Actaea pachypoda 1-3 feet tall

American Spikenard Aralia racemosa 3-6 feet tall

Bald Knob, Ossipee Mountains, Moultonborough, NH

July 31, 2026