The pocosins and adjacent pine savannahs of Craven and Carteret Counties never seem to run out of unique and beautiful plants for us to search for and appreciate, regardless of the time of year.  This deep blue gentian was spotted on November 7, prior to the first hard frosts of the fall.  While gentians are usually associated with cooler climates, there are a handful of species native to the Piedmont and Coastal Plain regions of North Carolina.  The species featured here is Gentiana autumnalis, known as pine-barren gentian.  Thanks to Charlotte Glen/NC State University for providing the ID.