The Georgia Aster, a rare beautiful wildflower that has not been found in Jefferson County, was discovered this past week by Mike Howell and Scott Linton near the town of Tarrant.

Found only in 16 counties in Alabama, Howell and Linton were not looking for the flower with shockingly purple petals and a white center. They were actually on a ridgeline on their way to a stream to look for darters near Five Mile Creek with a Yale University professor and students.

“Bam” a Georgia Aster!

At age 85, Howell, a retired Samford professor, who discovered nearly 60 years ago the endangered Watercress Darter in Jefferson County, wisely decided to not risk walking down the steep ridge to the stream.

Here is how he described finding the beautiful flower:

“I was just wandering around and “bam” there

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