Plants Identified

Pinus rigida

Pitch Pine

Family: Pinaceae

Native Region: Eastern US and Canada

Plant Community: Oak Hickory, Barrier Beach, Old Field?

Size: 40-70′ tall

Hardiness Zone: 4-7

Habitat: Found in dry, rocky soils, exposed sites, dry sites, coastal swamps and peaty, coastal swamps. It prefers full sun exposure in dry, rocky, sandy soil, acidic (pH <6.8) soil, but is a generalist and can grow in wet to dry soil.

Leaf: Green with little yellow

Flower: Green, blooming March-May.

Ecosystem services: This species is drought tolerant and used to restore bare, sandy soils and worn out land. With a five year establishment period, then grows rapidly. This species is a colonizer of anthropogenic and disturbed regions that relies on forest fires. Resilient to fire and deer, shoots up more sprouts in response to stress. Relies on clear areas, meaning it does not compete well and instead chooses to colonize open land. Only moderately salt-tolerant pine in NE.

https://plants.sc.egov.usda.gov/core/profile?symbol=PIRI

https://gobotany.nativeplanttrust.org/species/pinus/rigida/

https://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=PIRI

Dirr, Michael A. Manual of Woody Landscape Plants: Their Identification, Ornamental Characteristics, Culture, Propagation and Uses. Stipes, 2010.

Magnolia acuminata

Cucumber Tree

Family: Magnoliaceae

Native Region:Eastern US and Canada western states

Plant Community: Red Maple, Oak Hickory

Size: 40-70′ tall, 20-35 wide

Hardiness Zone: 3-8

Habitat: Found in rich moist soils in valleys, bluffs, thickets in full to partial sun. Black Walnut, intolerant of urban pollutants, takes 12+ years for flowers to appear.

Leaf: Yellow-green in the summer, gold in the fall.

Flower:Yellow-green, blooming May-June.

Ecosystem services: This is a good choice for restoration or shade trees in rural or open areas, especially along floodplains. However, should not be used as a street tree because of mess.

https://plants.sc.egov.usda.gov/core/profile?symbol=MAAC https://gobotany.nativeplanttrust.org/species/magnolia/acuminata/ http://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/PlantFinder/PlantFinderDetails.aspx?kempercode=a881

Liquidambar styraciflua

American Sweetgum

Family: Altingiaceae

Native Region: Eastern US, Naturalized: California

Plant Community: Oak Hickory

Size: 60-80′ tall, 40-60′ wide

Hardiness Zone: 4-8

Habitat: Found in moist low woods, along streams. Can be in seaside locations if protected from winds. Easily grown in average, medium moisture, well-drained soils in full sun, swamps, and wetland margins. Prefers deep, moist, fertile soil but tolerates a wide range of conditions EXCLUDING alkaline soils, prefers moist soils not dry soils. Prefers moderately coarse to fine soils which are slightly acidic (pH 6.1-6.5). Tolerant to flooding and intolerant of shade.

Leaf: Light yellow-green

Flower: None, but fertile fronts are brown and bead-like, show up late summer and persist through winter.

Ecosystem services: This is a good choice for open space and recolonizing areas with difficult terrain and conditions but should not be used as a street tree. Can be used for areas with cyclical flooding. Tolerant of black walnut, clay soil, deer, rabbit. Good shade tree but not street tree because of falling gum balls and clusters. Aromatic sap, slightly sugary.

http://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/PlantFinder/PlantFinderDetails.aspx?kempercode=c116

https://gobotany.nativeplanttrust.org/species/liquidambar/styraciflua/

https://plants.sc.egov.usda.gov/core/profile?symbol=LIST2

Juglans nigra

Black Walnut

Family: Juglandaceae

Native Region: Eastern US, Naturalized: Eastern Canada, select western states

Plant Community: Oak Hickory

Size: 75-100′ tall and wide

Hardiness Zone: 4-9

Habitat: Found in rich woods, valleys along streams, upland woods, forests, meadows, fields, anthropogenic disturbed areas. Prefers moist, well-drained, rich soil in full sun. As a canopy species, it is intolerant of shade. It is also drought tolerant. Some considerations: Deep taproot, cannot be transplanted, rabbit tolerant, drought tolerant, shade tree because of minimal low branches. Aromatic when crushed. NOT for street tree. Should receive conservation focus because of previous logging decimation.

Leaf: Green in the summer, yellow in fall.

Flower:Yellow-green, blooming May-June.

Note: Black Walnut roots excrete juglones which is toxic to other species like azaleas, rhododendrons, blueberries, peoneas, tomatoes, peppers, and peppers. Starts around drip line but can extend outwards. Husks can stain clothing and sidewalks, can be very messy.

Ecosystem services: This is a good choice for restoration or shade trees in rural or open areas, especially along floodplains. However, should not be used as a street tree because of mess.

https://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/PlantFinder/PlantFinderDetails.aspx?kempercode=a875

https://gobotany.nativeplanttrust.org/species/juglans/nigra/

https://plants.sc.egov.usda.gov/core/profile?symbol=JUNI

Dirr, Michael A. Manual of Woody Landscape Plants: Their Identification, Ornamental Characteristics, Culture, Propagation and Uses. Stipes, 2010.

Ilex opaca

American Holly

Family: Aquifoliaceae

Native Region: Eastern, Southeastern, Central US

Plant Community: Barrier Beach

Size: 15-30′ tall, 10-20′ wide

Hardiness Zone: 5-9

Habitat: Found in rich bottomlands, swamp margins, moist woods, and some coastal dunes. Prefers acidic, well-drained soil in fulll sun to part shade. Warning: Stay away from cold winter winds; loses density in too much shade.

Leaf: Dark green, evergreen

Flower: Creamy white flowers in May, red berries through winter.

Ecosystem services: Good for restoring damaged coastal areas because it is tolerant of salt spray and saline conditions. Also a good choice for floodplains and stormwater management in sunny areas because of its tolerance to air pollution, clay soil, and deer.

http://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/PlantFinder/PlantFinderDetails.aspx?kempercode=k640

https://gobotany.nativeplanttrust.org/species/ilex/opaca/

Click to access fs_ilop.pdf

Dirr, Michael A. Manual of Woody Landscape Plants: Their Identification, Ornamental Characteristics, Culture, Propagation and Uses. Stipes, 2010.

Cornus mas

Cornelian Cherry Dogwood

Family: Cornaceae

Native Region: Europe, Western Asia, Naturalized to Northeast

Plant Community: naturalized to Old Field or Red Maple Swamp

Size: 15-25′ tall, 15-20′ wide

Hardiness Zone: 4-8

Habitat: Found in open woodlands in moist, well-drained, rich soil in full sun to part shade.

Leaf: Dark green in summer, reddish-brown, yellow-green in fall.

Flower: Yellow flowers blooming in March.

Ecosystem services: Helpful with erosion control because of suckers as well as a visual screen.

https://plants.sc.egov.usda.gov/core/profile?symbol=COMA21

https://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/PlantFinder/PlantFinderDetails.aspx?kempercode=c290

Onoclea sensibilis

Sensitive Fern

Family: Onocleaceae

Native Region: Eastern and Central US and Canada

Plant Community: Red Maple

Size: 3-4′ tall and wide

Hardiness Zone: 4-8

Habitat: Found in swamps and marshes, wet soils along streams, wet woods and thickets. Best grown in organically rich, medium moisture, well-drained soil in part shade to full shade. Tolerates wet soil, clay soil, rabbits. This species gets its name from tis sensitivity to cold, frost, and drought.

Leaf: Light yellow-green

Flower: None, but fertile fronts are brown and bead-like, show up late summer and persist through winter.

Ecosystem services: This is a good choice for ground cover is more mild climates. It also spreads by both creeping rhizomes and spores, and can be somewhat aggressive in optimum growing conditions, leading to rapid growth and soil stabilization. Good choice for rain gardens.

http://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/PlantFinder/PlantFinderDetails.aspx?kempercode=l300

https://gobotany.nativeplanttrust.org/species/onoclea/sensibilis/

https://plants.sc.egov.usda.gov/core/profile?symbol=ONSE

Carpinus caroliniana

American Hornbeam

Family: Betulaceae

Native Region: Eastern US and Canada

Plant Community: Red Maple, Oak Hickory

Size: 20-35′ tall and wide

Hardiness Zone: 3-9

Habitat: Found in Floodplain (river or stream floodplains), forests, shores of rivers or lakes, swamps, river banks, seepage swamps, riparian and deciduous forests, rich moist woods, valleys, ravine bottoms and rocky slopes along streams, and lowlands.Prefers rich, moist to wet, acidic soil, but can also tolerate wet soil and clay soil. Also rabbit resistant. Prefers part sun to full shade, but can grow in full sun. This species can be flooded, is shade-tolerant and does better in areas with established other species (not colonizer). This is NOT drought tolerant.

Leaf: Blue-green in summer, mottled and speckled red, yellow, burgundy, orange in fall.

Flower: White (female) and green (male) in February.

Ecosystem services: This species is a good choice for floodplain interventions with cyclical flooding or sitting water events. It is also good for areas with acidic and clay soil.

https://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/PlantFinder/PlantFinderDetails.aspx?kempercode=h540

https://gobotany.nativeplanttrust.org/species/carpinus/caroliniana/

https://plants.sc.egov.usda.gov/core/profile?symbol=CACA18

Hudsonia tomentosa

Woolly Beach-Heather or Sand False Heather

Family: Cistaceae

Native Region: North and Northeast US and Southern Canada

Plant Community: Barrier Beach

Size: 4-8″ tall

Hardiness Zone: 3-6

Habitat: Found in dunes, grassland, shores of rivers or lakes. This plant is adapted to sand dunes, sandy pine woods, pine-barrens, and sand hills clearings, but is less salt tolerant than primary dune species like beach grass. It prefers dry, sandy soil with full sun.

Leaf: Grey-ish blue green

Flower: Yellow in May-June.

Ecosystem services: This species is drought and cold tolerant. Used for dune restoration or a stabilizer in low maintenance, salty areas. Threatened and endangered. Salt tolerant. Prevents dune erosion. Fixes nitrogen.

https://www.minnesotawildflowers.info/shrub/beach-heather

https://gobotany.nativeplanttrust.org/species/hudsonia/tomentosa/

https://plants.sc.egov.usda.gov/core/profile?symbol=HUTO

Betula populifolia

Gray Birch

Family: Betulaceae

Native Region: Northeastern US, Southeastern Canada

Plant Community: Old Field, Northern Hardwood, adjacent to Barrier Beach

Size: 20-40′ tall, 10-20′ wide

Hardiness Zone: 3-6

Habitat: Found in Forest edges, forests, meadows and fields, shrublands or thickets, wetland margins, regenerating fields and woodlands. Prefers well-drained, sandy, or rocky soil but also tolerates wet, dry, and poor soil conditions in full to partial shade. Fares better in sub 75 degree heat.

Leaf: Green during summer, golden to yellow-green in the fall.

Flower: Yellow brown (male) and green (female) in April.

Ecosystem services: This species is drought tolerant. Deer-tolerant, colonizer of well-drained and exposed disturbed sites like road cuts, burnt areas; uses suckers to become munk-trunked. Cannot tolerate any flooding and tolerate drought as well. Shade intolerant. Good for regenerating mine soils, used to protect sprouting conifers. Grows fast (.6m/year) but dies quick (20 years). Plays well w aspen and beech. Very versatile choice for poor soil conditions, moist soil conditions, or areas that need to be colonized quickly.