Pipestem wasn't named for a smoking device, according to Cole's research, but for a plant that was often used to make pipes. Her relative, Drewry Farley, settled about a mile from what is now Pipestem, more than two centuries ago. His grave marker, located in the town of Farley, reads:

"Drewry Farley settled 100 yards south of this grave. He and his wife, Mary Adkins Farley, were the first white persons to make their permanent home in this area, around 1800. He served with Daniel Boone in the Hugh Caperton Company in frontier militia at the present site of Charleston in 1793. Born 1760, Bedford County, Va., died 1861. He named Pipestem because of the hollow stems found along the creek."

Cole's mother-in-law, Evelyn, received a Pipestem plant from relatives in Southern West Virginia, which has turned into a very large specimen. She's also descended from Drewry Farley, so she's interested in the plant that gave its name to the park.

Mary Jane planted her own Pipestem plant. "Ours started out really small," she said. But now at 3 years old, "We have had to stake it up." Additionally, Cole said the bloom "stays on quite a while and some type of black bees love it." She's been advocating for this lovely native plant by talking and writing to Pipestem park personnel.

"I'm urging them to have some actual plants they can be proud of and show the public so they will understand and learn," Cole explains. There is one plant in front of the lodge now, but it's not labeled.

According to a map and trail guide issued by the resort, the plant is also known as Spiraea alba, or narrowleaf meadowsweet. Norma Jean Venable of the WVU Extension Service compiled "Common Summer Wildflowers of West Virginia," and her description of the plant follows:

"This relative of cultivated spiraea grows in wet soil and reaches 8 feet tall. Often this shrub is the most conspicuous part of the vegetation, taking over large areas. Its white flowers grow in spikelike clusters at the top of the plant. Leaves are oblong or lance-shaped, toothed on the edges. Twigs are tough and yellowish brown. The hollow, upright stems were used as pipe stems. A related shrub is steeplebush, which has pink or purple flower spikes flowering the same time as meadowsweet in early summer through September." (www.wvu.edu/~Agexten/

hortcult/flowers/wldflwrs.htm#Pipestem)

More poison ivy cures

The quest for poison ivy cures delivered a rash (sorry) of e-mails, calls and letters. Tom Montgomery writes: "I am sure that all of the cures that you mentioned are fine, however, the best cure for poison ivy, stinging nettle, bug bites and other rashes is the weed that grows wild in West Virginia.

"Jewell Weed, or, as it is sometimes called, 'Touch-Me-Not,' will cure poison ivy in a couple of days and I have seen it cure stinging nettle in 20 minutes. It grows in shady, damp places; along ditches and creek beds most everywhere! I have some growing beside my house here in Dunbar. The best part of the weed is that it is free.

"I think it is of the impatiens family and the juice of the plant is what does the work."

Dielle Courtright writes: "I have lots of experience with poison ivy. My grade-school-age son loves to play in the woods all summer long and gets it every year ... sometimes worse then others.

"Here is what I have found that works the best, and in fact, I'm doing this with my son right now as he has it all over his legs. This will sound weird, but try it, it really works. To stop it from itching, run hot water (as hot as you can possibly stand it) on the area for a few minutes. This may require the shower or just the kitchen sink for small arm spots. Dry the area(s) and spray the Band-Aid brand pink calamine spray on it to keep drying the area out. Repeat whenever the area itches (which for me, I usually only have to do this twice a day). Try it ... it works! I got this solution off the Internet one year when we too were miserable with it."

Contact Charleston resident and Master Gardener Sara Busse at sjbu...@gmail.com or 348-1249.