Maybe Hypericum cistifolium. Native to the area you describe.

Thank-you. I think it is similar to this species...definitely Hypericum but not sure that it is this....leaves are not quite the same shape (I think?) and though this does grow in NC it appears to grow closer to the coast not in the mtns...whatever it is I would say it's at least a close relative.

Are there tiny black spots on the petals?

esh_ga - if you are thinking of H perforatum I would say the flowers are too small and the petals too blunt.

I was thinking of H. punctatum, spotted St. John's wort.

That's a good match from what we can see.

I walked 10 miles to get this pic (puff puff :) and I will be back there this coming weekend....I will examine it for black spots! I found a description that said there were also black spots on the leaves...don't remember seeing spots on the leaves but maybe I just didn't notice. Thanks for the input...I'll try and get some more pics to confirm.

Any spots on the leaves are not nearly as noticeable as those on the petals/buds (at least to me).

Here is a real close up of one that I found.