🏆 Cedar Glade Preserve — Nashville Basin cedar glade supporting rare limestone-adapted flora
Sunnybell Cedar Glade State Natural Area preserves a cedar glade in the Nashville Basin, named for the sunny, bell-shaped wildflowers that bloom on its thin limestone soils. The glade’s globally rare ecosystem supports endemic plants found nowhere else on Earth.
Visitor Information
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Location | Nashville Basin, TN |
| Entry Fee | Free |
| Habitat | Cedar glade (endemic species) |
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a sunnybell?
Sunnybell likely refers to Schoenolirion croceum (yellow sunnybell), a native wildflower found in cedar glade habitats. It blooms in spring with bright yellow bell-shaped flowers.
About Sunnybell Cedar Glade
Sunnybell Cedar Glade State Natural Area in Wilson County protects limestone cedar glade habitat. The name “sunnybell” references the Tennessee sunnybell (Schoenolirion croceum) — a rare wildflower that blooms in these glades. Cedar glades are Tennessee’s most globally significant plant community.
Sunnybell Cedar Glade State Natural Area in Rutherford County protects another globally rare cedar glade ecosystem in the Nashville Basin. Named for the sunnybell (Schoenolirion croceum) that blooms here, the glade supports a dozen endemic species found nowhere else on Earth. The thin limestone soils create extreme conditions — flooded in winter, baked to 140°F in summer — that have driven speciation over millions of years.
Things to Do
Viewing the rare Tennessee sunnybell and other endemic glade plants, botanical photography, and studying this globally unique ecosystem.
Viewing endemic wildflower species (spring is peak bloom), observing the globally rare cedar glade, nature photography, and studying the extreme limestone ecosystem that drives speciation.
Nearby state parks: If you have extra time, Vine Cedar Glade State Natural Area is a short drive away, and John & Hester Lane Cedar Glades State Natural Area is a short drive away.
🌼 Visit Sunnybell Cedar Glade SNA
Nashville Basin cedar glade — named for its sunny bell-shaped wildflowers.
Wildlife & Nature
Sunnybell Cedar Glade SNA — preserves a cedar glade ecosystem named for the Sunnybell (Schoenolirion croceum), a rare wildflower. The park’s limestone outcrops and thin soils support endemic plants. Eastern fence lizards bask on the warm rock.
Nearby Attractions
Central Tennessee communities — surrounding.
