Native Plant Highlights
April August December February January July June March May November October September
What’s in Bloom | Yellow Trout Lily
April 11, 2022 Yellow trout lily (Erythronium americanum) is among the many early-blooming spring ephemerals found in moist deciduous forests and woodlands across the Eastern…
What’s in Bloom | Spring Beauty
March 9, 2022 Virginia spring beauty (Claytonia virginica) is a small perennial herb beloved for its attractive, pink-striped white flowers. It grows in rich, moist…
What’s in Bloom | Eastern Skunk Cabbage
February 14, 2022 Eastern skunk cabbage (Symplocarpus foetidus) is a perennial rhizomatous herb native to Virginia and found throughout most of the state. Both its…
What’s in Bloom | White Snakeroot
October 6, 2021 White snakeroot (Ageratina altissima) is a perennial plant in the Asteraceae family that fills woodlands, thickets, forest edges and some old fields…
What’s In Bloom | Little Bluestem
Little Bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium) is a perennial warm-season bunchgrass native to most of Canada and the United States.2-4 feet tall, with blue-green leaves which turn…
What’s in Bloom | Joe-Pye Weed
Joe-Pye Weeds (Eutrochium spp.) are a genus of tall perennial wildflowers, native to the eastern United States and Canada. Up to 7 feet tall, they…
What’s In Bloom | Orange-grass St. John’s Wort
Orange-grass St. John’s Wort (Hypericum gentianoides) is an herbaceous annual species native to eastern North America.6-10” tall with an upright, wiry appearance due to tiny,…
What’s in Bloom |Scaly Blazing Star
August 8, 2021 Scaly Blazing Star (Liatris squarrosa) Scaly Blazing Star (Liatris squarrosa) is a perennial wildflower in the aster family with purple tuft-like flowers that are popular with botanists and pollinators alike. These flowers grow above large, square, overlapping bracts for which…
What’s In Bloom | Downy Rattlesnake Plantain
Downy Rattlesnake Plantain (Goodyera pubescens) is an evergreen woodland orchid native to the eastern half of the United States and Canada.Has beautiful, ground-level leaves with…
What’s in Bloom | Groundcherries
July 15, 2021 Groundcherries (Physalis spp.) are perennial herbs in the nightshade family. There are seven native species of ground cherry in Virginia that can be distinguished by the shapes and textures…
What’s In Bloom | Solomon’s Seal
Solomon’s Seal (Polygonatum biflorum) is an herbaceous perennial native to eastern and central United States and Canada.Grows from thick rhizomes as arched, unbranching stems with…
What’s in Bloom | Common Elderberry
Common Elderberry (Sambucus canadensis) is a perennial deciduous shrub native to the eastern United States and Canada.Grows numerous long stems directly from the base, and…
What’s in Bloom | Solomon’s-plume
June 1, 2021 Eastern Solomon’s-plume (Maianthemum racemosum) is a perennial herb native to the continental United States and much of Canada.Spreads via thick rhizomes, from…
What’s In Bloom | American Fringetree
June 1, 2021 American Fringetree (Chionanthus virginicus) is a small deciduous tree native to the southeastern and south central United States.Grows 15-30 foot tall as…
What’s in Bloom | Tulip-poplar
May 17, 2021 Tulip-poplar (Liriodendron tulipifera) is among the tallest deciduous hardwood trees in North America, between 60-150 feet tall.Native to the eastern USA and…
What’s in Bloom | Wild Geranium
May 5, 2021 Wild geranium (Geranium maculatum) is a woodland perennial herb native to Eastern North America. It spreads via self-ejecting seeds and thick underground rhizomes. It…
What’s in Bloom | Mayapple
May 4, 2021 Mayapple (Podophyllum peltatum) is a perennial herb that can be recognized by its distinctive peltate, or umbrella-like, leaves. It is found in rich woodlands and will form large colonies by sprouting new plants along…
What’s in Bloom | White Trillium
White Trillium (Trillium grandiflorum) is a perennial herbaceous wildflower found across the Eastern USA and in Canada.
What’s in Bloom | Sassafras
April 12, 2021 Sassafras (Sassafras albidum) is a deciduous tree between 35-60 feet tall, with yellow-green flower balls during spring.Many uses for bark and roots…
What’s in Bloom | Maple
March, 24, 2021 Maples (genus Acer) are deciduous trees with oppositely-arranged lobed leaves and winged fruits called samaras. There are eight species of maple native…
What’s in Bloom | Bloodroot
March 22, 2021 Bloodroot (Sanguinaria canadensis) is a perennial wildflower in the poppy family whose blooms are one of the first signs of spring. They grow in rich woodland soils and produce single, showy white…
Broomsedge
March 5, 2021 Broomsedege (Andropogon virginicus), also called broomsedge bluestem, is a warm-season perennial grass that grows on old fields, pastures, and early-successional sites across…
American Mistletoe
February 8, 2021 American mistletoe (Phoradendron leucarpum), also called eastern or oak mistletoe, is a parasitic shrub that grows on the branches and trunks of trees across Virginia. It is most commonly…
Winterberry Holly
January 11, 2021 Winterberry holly (Ilex verticillata) and deciduous holly or possumhaw (Ilex decidua) are both shrub holly species that are deciduous (drop their leaves…
Spotted Wintergreen
December 9, 2020 Spotted wintergreen (Chimaphila maculata), also called striped wintergreen, is a member of the heath family and is native throughout all of Virginia.…
What’s in Bloom | Witch Hazel
November 9, 2020 Witch Hazel (Hamamelis virginiana) is a small tree native to Eastern North America. With low growing arching branches, the tree can be…
What’s in Bloom | American Asters
October 13, 2020 American asters (Symphyotrichum spp.) are blooming throughout Virginia and provide important late-season resources to pollinators as we move into Autumn. There are…
What’s in Bloom | Indian Grass
September 29, 2020 Indian grass (Sorghastrum nutans) is an attractive warm season perennial bunchgrass native to Virginia that can grow over 6 feet tall. The…
What’s in Bloom | Goldenrod
September 18, 2020 Goldenrods (Solidago spp.) are perennial herbs in the aster family (Asteraceae) with golden blooms that mark the transition from late summer to…
What’s in Bloom | Mistflower
September 11, 2020 Mistflower (Conoclinium coelestinum) is a perennial forb native to all of Virginia. The species is tolerant of moist, well-drained soils, but not poorly-drained…
What’s in Bloom | Field Thistle
September 1, 2020 Field thistle (Cirsium discolor) is a biennial herb native to the eastern half of the United States and Canada. It grows in…
What’s in Bloom | Fall Phlox
August 24, 2020 Fall Phlox (Phlox paniculata) is a showy perennial forb native to most of the central and eastern United States. There are actually…
What’s in Bloom | Ironweed
August 19, 2020 Ironweed (Vernonia noveboracensis, V. gigantia, V. glauca) is a tall perennial forb in the Sunflower family (Asteraceae). There are many different species…
What’s in Bloom | Purpletop Grass
August 10, 2020 Purpletop Grass (Tridens flavus) is a perennial, warm season grass native to central and eastern regions of the United States. It is adapted…
What’s in Bloom | Cardinal Flower
August 5, 2020 Cardinal flower (Lobelia cardinalis) is arguably one of the more striking wildflowers with its bright red blooms. This perennial plant has a…
What’s in Bloom | Horse-nettle
July 28, 2020 Horse-nettle (Solanum carolinense), also known as Carolina horse-nettle, is a member of the potato family (Solanaceae). It is a perennial herb native…
What’s in Bloom | Bee Balm
July 20, 2020 Bee Balm (Monarda fistulosa) Bee Balm, also known as Wild Bergamot, is a perennial herb native to most of the United States…
What’s in Bloom | Black-eyed Susan
July 14, 2020 Black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta) is a warm season forb native to most of the continental United States and Southern Canada. This bright wildflower can…
What’s in Bloom | Bottlebrush Grass
July 10, 2020 Eastern Bottlebrush Grass (Elymus hystrix) E. hystrix is a member of the Poaceae (grass) family. It is native to the eastern United…
What’s in Bloom | Milkweeds
July 6, 2020 Milkweeds (Asclepias spp.) Milkweed has become well-known among landowners as an important host plant for the monarch butterfly. Less well-known however is…
What’s in Bloom | Hemp Dogbane
June 18, 2020 Hemp Dogbane (Apocynum cannabinum) Landowners often ask us about this plant as it is quite common and often found spreading throughout fields…
What’s in Bloom | Blue-eyed-grass
June 9, 2020 Blue-eyed-grass (Sisyrinchium spp.) This Virginia native perennial is not actually a grass, but a member of the Iris family. It is found…
What’s in Bloom | Wild Indigo
June 1, 2020 Blue wild indigo (Baptisia australis) is a bushy perennial herb native to the eastern and central United States. Its asparagus-like shoots, showy racemes…
What’s in Bloom | Black Cherry
May 27, 2020 Black Cherry (Prunus serotina Ehrh.) The black cherry tree is native to large areas of North America with populations scattered from Mexico…
What’s in Bloom | Philadelphia Fleabane
May 18, 2020 Philadelphia Fleabane (Erigeron philadelphicus) Philadelphia fleabane can be spotted blooming throughout spring along roadsides, clearings, fields and meadows throughout a good portion…
Black Willow
May 13, 2020 Black Willow (Salix nigra) Black willow is a fast-growing tree that grows 30 to 60 feet tall. It is native to the…
What’s in Bloom | Golden Ragwort
May 6, 2020 Golden Ragwort (Packera aurea) Golden ragwort, also known as heartleaf ragwort, golden groundsel, and butterweed, is a member of the aster or…
What’s in Bloom | Wild Strawberry
April 24, 2020 Wild Strawberry (Fragaria virginiana)* Though most well known for its delicious tiny fruit, this plant is a true delight to find any…
What’s in Bloom | Pawpaw
April 14, 2020 Pawpaw (Asimina triloba) As we wander through the woods these days, we have spent a lot of time looking down, captivated by…
What’s in Bloom | Serviceberry
April 13, 2020 Serviceberry or Shadbush (Amelanchier canadensis) Serviceberry is a small tree 20 to 30 feet tall that is native to the United States…
What’s in Bloom | Virginia Bluebells
April 6, 2020 Virginia Bluebells (Mertensia virginica) Virginia bluebells bloom in mid-spring, quickly going from purplish-pink buds to sky blue flowers with a sweet fragrance.…
What’s in Bloom | Round-lobed Hepatica
March 27, 2020 Round-lobed Hepatica (Anemone americana). We were pleased to find 2 hepaticas yesterday. Their unique pale purple caught our attention amidst the blanket…