Sounds like Paulownia tomentosa. The only other candidate that comes to mind
would be the Robinia x hispid or neomexicana and cultivars...but you'd never
see them en masse in the hills. Planted landscapes only.

--
Mike LaMana, MS
Heartwood Consulting Services, LLC
Toms River, NJ
www.HeartwoodConsulting.net

"Bill Oliver" wrote in message
...

My wife and I were driving from North Carolina to Georgia recently. As
we passed through the NC mountains, we noticed that the back roads were
lined
by trees that had large light purple/lavender blooms that looked kind of
like wisteria. We were not aware of wisteria *trees* in that part of the
country. We love the dogwoods by the roads where we live, but were
entranced by these trees. Could anybody from that part of the country
tell us what is blooming up there?


billo