Understory
The plants that grow at the lowest level of a forest canopy have adapted to utilize the light that filters down through the tallest trees above them. These shade tolerant plants, seedlings, saplings, trees and herbs are collectively known as the forest’s “understory.” They have evolved to be creatively persistent, patient, and opportunistic. On my walks through the cathedral-like deciduous forests in Northeast Tennessee, I was often inspired by this humble network of determined species that hugs the ground.















